The St. Louis Republic., 1902-07-13
POINTERS ABOUT GREAT GAME.

Though his baseball career Is strfru ,us
one. ''Mugsy'' McGraw finds time To oe-
liver a few plain talks on how 20 l.l'F She
game. The following is an article OE NC
Graw in the Baltimore Herald:
THE pitching department is the main
factor IN a clubs success. No matter f""
strong a team may be. al its Sooi v"i
will go for nauEht IL the pitchers are want
Ing. Nothing discnuTaSeS ana labt4 iIe
heart out OF the PLAYERS Ike wcaknes- ~
the box. The old Baltimore tesr Won
three championships with a c"mp'rauEciy
weak pitching staff but that was an ,N-
ceptionai aggregation, ana then. too. ,A-N
had in each year AZ least one cr'sckeilirfS x
twirler upon whom they could rely. Il puts
confidence and nerve into the men wen
they know they arc playing behind pitch r
who Will hold the other side down 10 a lew
hits.
physique. The physical strain ON twirler
IS great. and only strong men can stand IL
I Ike to see big. husky fellows in the box
They possess the force necessary 70 GenSI :
ate the steam that should be behiri the
ball and they have the endurance Tdi' ]
is an Indispensable qua 'ification fo- goo
twirler. Brains and nerve must 10 present
Every batter has his pecul:lr'tisS and
weaknesses. ard in time the brainv ;wir!er
will find them cut and take advantage OF
them. In this. Of course. he will b. greatly
aided by the baCkstOp. Some moi IKE 4
low hall. some cannot do anything with 4
fast high one. some VIII drive a curve TO
the tall timber and on through tsc whole
r5pertOry OF a pitcher. There are very Few
bltsmen like Laioie. who c1n MT arNtni'.,.
that they can reach The h'si-clas
twirler II TODAY knows these pecu.irr.tles'
OF the various batsmen and make them n
study. The reGuuotabi" ''Schmi't y hsei L
have tht m written down in book
The good tNirler must - tElinC. MY
game and have nerve to burn T. "a ilI;t
game. in the presence Of a foWln.. shnut-
Ing mob OF opposing rDOtsrS. hc must no
cool aa ice. The Least tendency 10 raiflts'
viii send him into the air aud lose the
game
good pitcher the Erst requisite Is S1-en-
our most successful pitchers h7Ng Jos
Sc-sod this IN q high degree With -se sd-f
ball however. there must be slow u1e 70
mix IN and deceive the hatSmen- or course.
every good tNiIlsr has an assortment nt le-
cspiive curves Occasionally some pat, uyr
viii be found with a ttail p"rulilfiE H'-
own ike the raise hall used so tEc- iiErlE
by McGlanity. y hrainv pitcher VIII nix
up the delivery and Keep the bGttrl sucsS-
.r,s Gf-entTrnls clever Twis'fr s-sr lsts
lost MS speed. viii still get AWAY Nt;h his
games through this ability "a use his
noodle II / were asked what wsS ire
most effective ball. I think I woSld have n
say The fast hi-h ball II a batsman HIS
n high bail he cannct beat IL INTO ~"
ground. and most usually pats Il into the
THE game has developed 50 r,waGays
that pitcher must be abe to field his rO-
si'ion. He should he able to s.Zc ~ Tie
situation AMI know when a man = going
10 hunt ard be able Ia get down or TIE ball
the moment II IS hit. \ clumsy pitcher
won't do f.r pitcher in the fast. modem
zane THE pitcher should also .oOk out
10 cover first when the baseman Ia drawn
tn Eet a short hit or hunt He should start
for Grst the moment the ball Is hit in that
direction and put himself in a position TO
cover the bag II the occasion requires. He
should be able to take care OF high ny.
as many times he will he called Epou 20
handle nas'y balls NJ this description.
when runners are on the bases pitcher
must learn to watch theEn ant keep them
close to the bag. Successful base TGunin=
is more than half m the start. ard when
q pitcher Is properly alert base runner
cannot get the needed start clever
twirier in this way can help ont the catcher
and prevent many close decision.
"A pitcher should hold himself In a
straight. upright position preparatory to
throwing the ball Ee should also throw
with quick. short snap. BY 80 doing he
can he depended upon to catch many men
mapping at first base. He should watch his
catcher. who faces the Geld ans who Cun
signal where and when the bah sfculd he
thrown BY proper attention 70 the man
wearing the pad he can be saved many use
less throws. and frequently catch men on
bases who otherwise would be safe.
"A pitcher should never fail TO hack mp
on throws from the Outficld To &c plate.
There are times. however. when IL Inizht
be advisable to get in line IN irons uf the
catcher to handle the ball Such an action
can be prompted only by the conditions as
observation Of the entire field. ar.l should
he find the throw viii be ahead oS .he base
runner he can readily instruct tie pitcher
TO stand aside
when backing up fielder AXE Up a TO-
sition al 4 fair dtstance-say about fifty
feet-from the fielder, so as TO be sure Of
rStic bound. Many russ caa he saved by
this work. No ball player is perfect. and
every one Is liable 70 commit ar error at
any stage Of the game. II is to orevea; as
far as possible these errors being disss-
trous that the pitcher should always bsck
up the infielders."