The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-08-17
Would Revert to the Old Style
of Throw.
Major League Managers Now
Insist on Former Style.
OVERLAND is ORDERED
Collins and Tann0hill Best Elk :
ponents of System in Vogue.
News of the Sports and of Sport
ing Matters.


Infielders possessing a short, snapp!
underhand throw do not receive the at
tention of managers of ball teams thai
they once did. and today the old style
OF the full, round-arm throw receives
their appreciation
Reasons for this are obvious, though
the player with the underhand and
overland throw is more valuable than
the one possessing only one form. But,
while the underhand throw is good for
a third baseman fielding hunts, the
throw is not SO accurate and has not
the speed on it that the player using
the overland throw is able to use. At
critical moments the underhand throw
Is liable to go wild The same is true
of course, of the overhander too, but
the proportion of successful ones is in
favor of the latter, according to the
judgment of close observing managers.
Bradley, now playing third base for
the Cleveland club is the greatest ex-
ponent today of the underhand throw,
while Collins and Lee Tannehill are the
best examples of the full, round arm,
overland thrower.
When Bradley first came into prom
1nence as a third baseman the general
verdict was that the player possessing
that quick. underhand throw would
gradually displace those of the old
style, commented a ball fan Time
was saved. it was believed, in fielding
bunts by not having to Straighten up
after getting the ball and whipping it
with a short, sharp wrist motion to
hrSt base. But as this kind of fielding
has been thoroughly tried out, the YER
dict has been generally reversed and
the old style is once more in favor.
Bradley's fielding and throwing rank
with the best third basemen in the
country In the opinion of many he
hasn't a peer as a third-sacker, and
that underhand throw is regarded as a
marvel But there is the tendency at
critical moments. in fielding a slow
ground hit, to overthrow the first base
man. One of the best examples of the
inefhciency of this underhand throwing
was given in the last game Isben play
ed at ShOrtstop when Davis was nurS-
ing his sore ankle ISbell finds it diff
cult to throw overland, for the ball
takes unwarranted liberties when he
tries 1T, shooting this way and that
without the least warning to either the
party throwing it or the one attempt
ing to receive it IsbeIl has little con-
troll over his overland throw. Conse-
when at short But that style is not
adapted to the short field and the ball
he throws from that style is so heavy
that the first baseman has difficulty in
holding it. At critical moments Isbell
heaved the sphere out of Donohue's
reach and the game was lost.
Friends of the Collins and Tannehill
style argue that no time is lost by their
with the ball is made I'D by the in
creased speed that can be put in the
throw. Neither Collins nor TannehiIl
comes to an upright position before
throwing and there is no time lost in
getting into motion for the throw. The
ball is Speared with the throwing hand
and with the motion of rising to an
upright position the arm makes a full
sweep and before the body stands up
straight the throw is made. Greater
accuracy and increased speed are
claimed for this style over the under
hand
Throwing from any other position is
just DIS great an art from third base.
For instance. look at the men playing
snort and the styles they use in whip
ping the leather to first. George Davis
has, probably, the most graceful throw,
much after the style of Jimmy Collins
from third. You never see Davis tear
ing his arm off to get the ball to first
ahead or the runner and still he is as
good as the best doing it. When neces-
sity demands it he can cut loose as
hard as any of them. but he does not
even then appear to overexert himself.
The opposite of Davis style is that
of Elberfeld and OLeary. These two
players never throw to first that they
do not put all their strength, with the
weight OF their body behind the throw.
The play is spectacular, but the result
is that the player does not stay in the
game like the one possessed of a throw
of the style used by Davis. 1t is because
injured it by hard usage, that he is stin
in the game and can whip that bail
around as fast as the best of them
Herman Long was another of the spec
tacular throwerS who put all his
strength of body and arm into the
throw to first Now Long can scarcely
throw from second to first and is en-
tirely out of the game
In fielding, throwing and batting
all round good work. the game hasn't
produced anything of late years the
equal of Freddie Parent in the short
Held. At covering ground he is whirl-
wind Some of the plays he pulls off
electrffy the crowd and are the
amazement not only of the opposing
teams but of his own team mates as
we'll He goes to either side equally
well, but his most spectacular plays are
cutting down base hits over second
base or on the side of that bag next
to the second baSeman- Parent never
plays to the crowd, making spectacular
throws or anything that appears of
that nature, but some of his fielding