The times., 1898-06-13
AMOS RUSIE'S ARM.
Ii Is Generally Believed That 1t Is
Wearing Itself Out.


Is the mighty arm of Amos Rusie the
greatest pitcher the National League has
ever known, wearing itself out? asks the
New York Journal.
That is the question asked by all lovers
of the game of baseball Ever since the
Hoosier Giant began TO twirl his remarka-
Bile and deceptive curves that won for him
the distinction that has long enabled him
20 occupy the front position as curve
pitcher, he has steadily improved. until
lately.
In days gone by, when Rusie took his
position in the pitchers box and twined
his fingers around the sphere It was the
signal for thousand yells of JOY from the
'.bleachers'' and long burst of huzzas
from the boxes and reserved seats.
Rusie was the idol, the star of the game.
Rusie was the Moses that was TO lead the
Giants to victory and out of the tangled
wilderness of misfortune. His calm de
termination, his wonderful understanding
of every movement that he had schooled
himself in, his tense poise and graceful
movement when the ball left his hand and
sped oyer the plate. added dignity to his
art, honor to his name.
There was no way to control an au-
dience when Amos Rusie famed out his
man The grand stand was turbulent with
approval and strong-lunged men yelled
like mad Indians when Rusie was in good
form. Those were great days.
But today there is an atr of regret per-
vading the baseball grounds where Rusie
appears.
This falling arm of Rusie's hangs list
lessly by his side. The once powerful
sweep and majestic drive that seemed to
have the force of trip hammer are noted
now but infrequently, and then only when
the great twirler makes desperate effort
TO pitch in his old form.
Ruse was not the man to sulk He
had fought the fight too long TO lay down
his arm for such a trifie as a pain. When
the game was called Amos Rusie was
there.
The reputtion of the Giants was involv-
ed, and he knew, as did everybody who
understood anything about the game, that
the great work of placing the Giants
at the head of the list depended upon him.
Therefore Rusie stayed and suffered.
I1Om dDOAI HIS oIc ny OilS llllic
blisters began to appear from the ell
bow to the shoulder. To all inquiries il
was nothing worth talking about with
Rusie "a mere trifie." But his pitching
showed that it was something more se-
rious ten fold. Little by little the pain
increased and the shoulder joint became
a little stiff.
At Lakewood not many weeks ago he
played many games in the rain. is arm
became worse and the pain that all pitch
ers note with anxiety began to assert it
self. When he went on the road his
oldest friends and best admirers lookec
dubious when he pitched. They detected
the absence of that old-time speed for
which Amos has always been famous.
He was openly called by some of these
baseball writers call has been"
Still no complaint from Rusie. He had
orders TO go in and pitch, and there he
was, doing his best work against nature,
which in part resented the strain put upon
her.
Heretofore all the great pitchers have
experienced the same painful symptoms
that have invaded Rusies right arm. Just
how and just why they are caused has
never been fully explained TO them Only
a long rest has been found to be a remedy.
But the long rest has its drawbacks. It
allows the arm to become somewhat un-
skilled IN the curNlnS OIL Dali and the
practice necessary to develop perfection
has to be waived.
The required rest frequently puts
pitcher out of form and from the time he
finds it necessary to nurse his arm from
that date begins his gradual finish as
pitcher. s Some say that with one good
long rest and with proper care Amos Ru-
sic can get back his lost speed and bring
his arm around TO healthy state again.
But others say. regretfuly, that his day
has come and gone leaving a game man,
with stout heart but degenerating arm
that will never win back it's former speed
and dexterity.
According to medical authorities who
have made more or less of study of this
peculiar phase of physical distress, which
appears to be common only to baseball
pitchers, the trouble arises from giving
the arm two violent movements, each
operating against the other and bringing
certain tensions upon certain muscles