The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-07-02

er can recall names of National Leag-
uers who tried to get back in the game
after being out a year or two, only to
find that the game had grown so fast
they couldn't stay with it. Others
among the stars of decade ago found
the game growing faster than they, and
had to go to the wall
Among the spectators who watch
games at the oval are men who used to
see the Worcester National League
team play at the fair grounds, and
they are loyal to the core; to the old
players. The good ones among the Ma
tional Leaguers that once played in
Worcester are held up as examples of
wonderful ball players, and one would
think to hear the old time cranks talk
about them that no player of today Is
lin the game with them. Yet, while
those men were wonders in their day
they wouldn't be capable of holding up
their end in the base ball of today.
Everything is different The game is
a great deal faster. The pitchers box
was much nearer two decades ago, but
the pitcher didn't have the speed
the pitcher of today has, or the curves
either. He was more effective in sthe
old days of the game, because he had
more ball to waste and could work the
batsman The latter has advanced in
science so much, that pitchers don't
have such chance to work him, to
say nothing of being obliged to put the
ball over. Years ago wide curves and
speedy balls over a batsman's head
drew him to strike. 1t isn't often now
that such happens. If it does the bats
man gets the laugh from the stand.
The wood of which the bats in use
are made show more than a little.
Years ago many players used a long
willow bat which they thought just the
thing for curve ball. Nowadays no.
body ever hears of soft wood bat. The
pitching of today would break them as
fast as they hit the ball.
The growth of the fielder's NIT shows
the advancement of the game. Long
ago catchers would get behind the bat
without even mask, to say nothing of
gloves. When a mask was first shown
by Harvard catcher the professionals
laughed at the idea. But it wasn't long
before the advantages and necessity Of
a mask were apparent and now no catch
er would think Of going behind the bat
without one. Years ago bit of rub
Der stuck between the teeth was the
protection which catchers considered
the real thing
When gloves first came into use, they
were little ones without fingers. Then
fun glove was used on the hand not
used in throwing The size was gradu-
ally increased until nowadays a small
boy is required to carry the, gloves into
the grounds. Nobody in the field ever
thought of using glove and it isn't
many years ago at that. But the prac-
tice developed to such an extent that a
rule was necessary to regulate the size
Of the glove. Pitchers even use gloves
now and 1t is only q few years since
they began. Connie Murphy was prob
ably the first Worcester pitcher who
ever used glove, and his using 1t was
accidental. He had sore hand. After
using 1t Connie came to the conclusion
that 1t worked we'll inasmuch as it con-
cealed the ball better than the bare
hand. If the style was traced back
Comics accidental use of the glove
would probably be- found the first on
record.
Ed Mexican Of the st. Louis team is a
man who has grown with the game and
can probably make a comparison of the
present game. with that Of years ago as
well as any ball player living Hewas