The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-09-18
CHAMPION PITCHERS.
Two Veterans and a YOuugster Are the
Kings OF the National Game
Today.

According to the evidence, the three
most successful pitchers of the year in
the National League are Nichols, Cor
bett and Ruse, two veterans and
youngester Three men of more radi-
cally variant types could hardly be
found in the whole league circuit and
each of the three affords an interest
ing study.
Nichols of the Bostons is a man of
perhaps go years, and is of average
size. He has b2en pitching ten sea-
sons. His arm is seldom out OF gear,
has never threatened to give out and
is today as good as it was ten years
ago. Nichols has a shrewd, crafty face
a confident, selfreliant carriage and
general air of strength and determina-
tin. He is of the build which never
grows too fat and consequently has
little trouble with his training. His
habits are of the best and he is noted
as a model husband and father.
Nichols seldom seems to use his full
strength, and never to overexert HIM
self. He has few sharp curves OF bend
ers of the kind which wear out an
arm. Game after game he sends in
| the ball in the same easy, graceful
style, right across the rubber and yet
most difficult for the batsman. He
averages less than two bases on balls
per game, seldom hits a man, strikes
out about three to the game and fields
his position very steadily. He is a
| weak batter.
Joe Corbett is not over 25 years old,
of about the same size as Nichols, but
very different in gait manner and ac-
tion. He follows different athletic
pastimes when off the field, keeps fair
ly good habits, though not temperate
! as Nichols, and is, in fact, just an
average, easy-going young man of the
day. His pitching Is in the opposite
lines from those of the Bostonian. He
uses every possible twist and curve,
and some judges think that his arm
will be gone when Nichols is still
pitching. The ball does all sorts of
gyrations when he throws it, and the
result is that he strikes out four or
more men per game, gives many bases
on balls and hits many batters. He
is a good batsman and tries hard for
fielding chances, but falls down on a
large proportion of them.
Amos Rusie Is a man of about 27,
gigantic in size and so inclined to flesh,
despite his youth, that he has to keep
turning into a walking mountain. This
adipose tendency will probably end his
pitching in three more seasons. He
could probably push both Corbett and
Nichols all over a lot. but would be
sadly distanced on a foot race with
either.
Amos has naturally no such crafty
brainy skull as either of the others, but
years of experience have drilled head
work into him and he now knows just
about what to feed any batsman who
comes before him. Amos wins as much
through terrorism as on his curves ol
skill. Batsmen are half conquered wher
they face him. When Amos hits a mar
the man goes to a hospital and the
poor fellow with the stick Is as busy
keeping from being hit as he is in bat
, ting. Amos is not as wild as he useC
to be and the fat arm sends them righ
: over the pan, but his curves come will
r such jump and snap that his inshoot
: seem sure to kill and his outshoot
| draw ineffective whacks continually.
t Amos would be a great batsman 1
I he could run; he gives more free base!
I than Nichols and fewer than Corbett
/, strikes out about three to the game ant
{ hits fewer men than he would II tn
i, batters didn't keep lodging. Peopl
s will walk into the balls thrown b,
Nichols and Corbett when a hit bats
r man will force in a run, but they vii
l get out of the way like scared monkey
4 when Rusle sends them in.
0 Long, skinny pitchers OF the Dav
h Foutz pattern and short, pudgy twirl
k ers like McGill seem to have passe
h away and most of the league slabme
I are of medium stature.