Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-23
CREDIT TO BASE BALL.
Remarkable Career Of Pitcher Charley
Nichols.

Charley Nichols, the manager Oh 'he 81.
Louis Nationals. can be pointed 10 as
striking example of what player may az
complish If his habits are exemplary says
the New York Sun. Nichols, who was the
mainstay of the Boston Nationals ior
twelve wears. begins his nineteenth consec-
utive campaign as pitcher this spring. 1ie
has never pitched less than thirty-hve
games in a season. and has always won
majority of them. The veteran was in New
York the other day, and when asked 20
what he attributed his success said:
"A man has to have several qualltleS "
stay in the game actively as long as l have,
but l think the principal thing IS that
have never been afraid to let the batsman
hit the ball. / always remember the 1act
that good batsman cannot put more than
one in three pitched balls safe, poor bats
man one in four. or even less l never
throw my arm off trying to strike man;
1t is mighty hard to fan a good hitter, ana
it doesn't pay to try it ON poor one. let
them hit it. but try to keep them from hit.
ting safe, never forgetting that l have
eight men with me, who are just as eager
as l am to retire the batter.
Years ago | practiced and developed a
high, jump ball, one that passes over the
plate at a mans shoulder and changes Its
course ever so slightly as it passes him. IL
is a hard ball to hit safe. To make a hard
hit the batSman must meet the ball
squarely on the center. and my aim has
always been to keep him from doing that
If he hits under ii the result is fly that
can almost surely be gobbled up by one OF
the felders. If he hits it on top the ball
goes on the ground to one of the intielders.
While this jump ball has been my most eff
fective argument, 1 never worked it to
death.
My policy has always been to keep the
batter guessing. a good hitter may strike
wild at the first one. but If you give him
another in the same place he is quite likely
to have it sized up and slam it out of the
lot. Don't let him know, therefore, where
the next one is coming. A high, fast one
with a jump, followed by low, slow teaser,
will keep him guessing. very seldom throw
two balls in succession exactly alike, unless
the batsman is known to have a very Sc
rious weakness on a certain Kind of ball or
curve.
throwing wild balls on purpose. A good
many pitchers think it is good policy to
waste one or two occasionally. Not for me.
l never could see the advantage of it, What
is the use of deliberately throwing a ball
that only wastes your strength and puts
you in the hole? My object is to make the
batSman hit at the first one and the second
one and the third one. BY that time he is
out or has made hit and the chances are
three to one that 1t is the former OF course
l give bases on balls and pitch many wide
ones. but 1t is never Intentional.
Study the batsman and keep him guess
ing. Make him hit. but keep him from hit
ting safe if you can. Don't be afraid to
trust your felders, and always keep in good
condition. Those are my rules. and / am
still pitching in a big league although l
started nineteen years ago. My arm seems
as strong as 1t ever was. / keep in shape
all the year round and do a great deal of
bowling in the winter"
Nichols never touches liquor In any form.
but is something of smoker. He has saved
his money and is said to be worth 100000.