Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-12-03
S0MEOFTHE HAS BEENS'
VETERANS WHO SAW WORLDS
SERIES I'm NEW YORK.
Phenomenal Work Of Christy Mathew
son Induces Recollections Of Great
Performances of Other Twirlers.
BY T. HI. MBRNA.NE.

=
years. In shutting out the clever Athletics
three times, in succession many writer's
claimed II was the greatest performance on
record, and it was in many ways. How
ever, other pitchers have done as well. and
one. of, those who enjoyed the games at
Philadelphia dressed in policeman's uni
form, for George Washington Bradley IS
now fuil-1edged cop in the Quaker city,
from where he went with Miller to St. Louis
in the spring of 1875. Miller a light,
lame-Iegged Philadelphia catcher, but
game as pebble and a clever workman.
Bradley was only fairly effective. The next
year John CIapp and Mike McGeary went
to st. Louis, the latter in charge of the
team and Bradley soon became the talk of
the country. John Clapp was remarkably
quick catcher, returning the ball to the
pitcher like a hash, and Bradley would take
the ball. and, with a fast return swing,
hand it back TO his catcher with perfect
control, clever change of pace and a
knowledge of each batsman's weakness. 10
make his work more effective Bradley
would stand as close as possible to the
batsmen, and in the home game managed
to ring in balls that were hammered almost
to a pulp, one of McGeary's old tricks.
Bradley shut out the Hartford club three
days running and seldom let a club get out
of St. Louis without at least one shut-out.
Al Spalding's Pitching.
The Boston club won the championship in
~, 70, IA and rs, with A G. Spalding as
the only pitcher, and in 1873 he won every
game pitched on the home ground. Spalding
had wonderful control of the ball, worked
a batsman to perfection with slow rise
ball taught him by Archie Bush, the great
all-around Harvard player of the late six
ties. The heavy hitters were usually meat
for Spalding, Fisler of the Philadelphia
Athletics being the exception. Mr.. FISHER,
by the way, could sting all corners.
Al Spalding enjoyed the grand perform
ance of Mathewson at the Polo Grounds
during the big series, and pronounced the
New York man the greatest that he ever
saw.
At the same games, sitting in front row.
was John NJ Ward, one of the really great
pitchers Of the past, pioneer among the
crack curve pitchers. Starting in the sum
mer of IS for Providence and, jumping to
the front at one bound, he won the cham
pionship for Providence in 1879 almost
single handed, as far as pitchers went,
shutting out one team without a hit and
passing up one-third shut-outs to all COM
ers, with fine speed, well-controlled curves
and cool head for the game.
Thomas Bond was with the Atlantics,
Hartfords and Boston club from '73 to SO,
nearly every year pitching every game for
his club. He had remarkable speed, fine
control and was foxy to finish. Like Spal-
ding and Bradley, Bond was not curve
pitcher, while John NJ. Ward was a wizard
with shoots and sharp curves.
There was Fred Nichols of Bridgeport
Conn, known as Tricky Nick with the
finest drop ever known in base ball. 1t was
produced by a sort OF jerk and was after
ward ruled out.
Another old-time pitcher was regular
attendant at the big games in New York
and policeman at that from Paterson, n.
J.. 1.-The Only Nolan" who could shut out
clubs like breaking sticks Jim Mccormick
n
and loves to tell of his work in the box for
Cleveland and Chicago. Mack took in the
big games at the Polo Grounds.
During the same series | ran across Al
Maui, who had one remarkable streak of
good luck in the big league. and Mat Kill
roy a famous left-hand pitcher, now run
ming wet goods emporium in the Quaker
city. l once saw Kilroy run down a man
from the pitchers box.
1t was in Buffalo In 1890, Beecher now
Hartford policeman, was taking ground off
first, with Kilroy in the box for the Boston
team of the Players League. Kilroy made
one of his deceiving preliminary motions
and then shot for Beecher, who in his hurry
to return slipped and fell and before he
could scramble back to first base Kilroy
touched him out. Kilroy had a fine variety
of curves and reminded me very much OF
Jesse Tannehill
Even Hank O'Day, one of the umpires of
the greatest contest, was himself a grand,
good pitcher fifteen years ago. In 80, when
the worlds championship. both Welch and
Keefe were easy picking for McGonnigles
men, but Ed. Crane and Hank ODay saved
the series for the Giants. O'Day had fine
control, neat curves and was ever cool and
clever.
Sweeney's Fade-Away Ball.
The much-talked of "fade-away" ball used
by Mathewson in that series was nothing
new to the old timers who had witnessed
the pitching of Charley Sweeney for Provi-
dence in "a. Sweeney had a preliminary
motion very much like Mathewson and re-
minded me in many ways of the old Califor-
MAN. Sweeney holds the record for strike
outs-nineteen-and was the most difficult
man to hit that ever tossed a ball, and this
includes Mathewson. Without the aid OF
the foul-strike rule it was phenomenal
performance to fan nineteen first-class bail
players. His work in every game he
pitched for Providence in 1884 was of the
sensational variety, and his fade-away Eall
was the keynote to his success.
1t would be impossible in short article
like this to even give a short mention OF
all the great pitchers of the past. Why,
in the king row alone see Mccormick of
Syracuse, Bobby Mathews, Charley Fergu-
son, Tom Ramsey, John Clarkson, Fred.
Goldsmith, Jim Whitney, Charley Rad
bourn. Tim Keefe, Jim Calvin and the
greatest of all those passed out-Amos Ru-
sic.
Every curve and shoot known to the best
pitchers of the present day was known to
the pitchers passed out of the profession,
for nothing new has been discovered COR
years. Even the fade away and the SPIT
ball were used at least a dozen years ago
and kept secret by the men who discovered
them. The old pitchers had splendid
chance to experiment. as they were in the
box daily and often against weak clubs, for
leagues were not rounded out as at the
present time. having every position flied by
first-class man.
Six Great Pitchers.
should name the six greatest pitchers
the game has produced as Mathewson, ny
Young, Rusie, Nichols, Clarkson and Tim
Keefe.
Other pitchers have outshone any one of
these men for season, but We're usually
soon out of the running.
Mathewson, Clarkson and Keefe develop
ed the art of pitching to a finer point than
any of the others. while Young, Nichols
and Rusie were the greatest natural pitch
ers and the most perfect machines for long
first-class service
Keefe and Ciarkson were explorers into
unknown lands, while Mathewson had the
benefit from tips and information from men
of great experience in the game Amos
Rusie was wild rose that never improved