Albuquerque weekly citizen. (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1891-19??, 1903-02-07
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BASE BALL NEWS.
Can a Star Twirier Pitch Three Games
Week2
birthday,


Week2
John Chcsbro the star pitcher OF the
National league last gear. will receive
a GALAXY OF $4,000 this season from the
New York American league club. He
is the highest salaried base bali pitch
er in America. and probably earns his
money more easily. his employers be-
lleye. In these days OF modern ball
playing it is considered positive
hardship for star pitcher. such as
Chesbro is, to ofliclate in more than
two games week. A twirler who is
asked to do more than that complains
generally of Ill treatment and unfair
ness ut the hands of his manager. and
IL pressed into service against his will
is inclined to sulk in the box.
Chesbro. II he pitches on an average
of two games week. viii receive
s333.33 a game. Averaging six balls,
including fouls. for each batsman, with
thirty-six OF them at the plate in nine
innings, Chesbro will receive si.S5 for
every time he pitches q ball to the
catcher In the game
. With an arm OF ste, AMI n physique
Of phenomenal power, Chesbro has
demonstrated again AMI again to the
satisfaction of sharp eyed baseball
cranks that he is capable Of pitching
every day for two weeks, II he so de.
sires. but such a proceeding would be
impolitiI and unprofessional. TO say
the least, according to the views OF
the players. Pitchers Of renown and
skill. built on Chesbro's lines. believe
that they should save their salary
arms" as much as possible. They feel
that the less the number of games they
participate in each year, the longer
they will be able to step up to the cap
tain's office and collect what Is coming
to them. Il Is a habit among them to
complain of the slightest soreness in
the elbow or shoulder and to petition
the indulgent manager to be allowed 10
take rest On the bench, at the same
time drawing pay.
1T is terrific strain to pitch two
games week" said a well known Ma
t,onal league pitcher recently. THE
box IA so far away from the home plate
! that It requires extraordinary skill and
strength to pitch winning ball. II Is
not so much great speed that exhausts
ones stamina as the change of pace
the accurate control one must have
nowadays and the great activity to be
exercised in fielding the position. In a
hard game In which both pitchers keep
the hits and runs down, 1t becomes an
intense strain on the nerves toward
the close of the contest before a final
result is attained.
What Nth the excitement of the
crowd. the noisy coaching and the fact
that the whole game depends on him, a
pitcher undergoes an ordeal which
makes II necessary for him TO rest sew
eral days before he enters the box
again. Yes, two games week, say on
Tuesday and Saturday are suite
enough for any first elias pitcher
Looking back. however, to the days
when John Clarkson, Tim Keefe. Char
ley Rodbourne, Ed Crane, Charley
Sweeney and other famous box men
were in their prime. one cannot help
feeling that Chesbro and other stars
of modern times are enjoying a com
parative snay. When Radbourne was
a member OF the crack Providence
team In the National league he was
called on to pitch every day. He had
marvellous sped when he wanted to
use It, wonderful slow ball, great
curves and q head filled TO Overlooking
with gray matter. The box was only
fifty fees from the plate, to be sure
but "Old Rad" had the best batters In
America before him day after day
Day after day Rad" pitched, winning
constantly and soon creating furore
In the baseball world. Providence. as
result, won the National league
championship in 1884, and Radbourne
was famous all over the world.
Clarkson was another wonderful
pitcher. It was in 1889 that the Bos
tons were fighting the New Yorks
tooth and nail for the championship
The Boston management called on
Clarkson to pitch every day. Sohn re
sponded and his work In the box was
revelation. He had sped that was
dazzling and miraculous control. But
the strain told ON him. and although he
remained in league company several
years longer, he never recovered his
grip. II was nothing for Keefe, Crane
and the other star box men to pitch
three and even four games a week. II
was compulsory, too, for the big lea
que teams did not carry half dozen
pitchers In those days. but depended
upon two or three.