Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-26
SOME OF THE
GREAT "sOUTHPAWS''
By TED SULLIVAN.

ESSAYS upon essays have been written
for years on the great right handed pitch
ers of the national game. but very little
said of the famous 'southpaws.' The first
great left-hander that appeared In major
league company that created a sensation
was then member Of the National League.
This man created a sensation In Chicago
when he first appeared there and struck
out eonsecutively the two great left handed
batters of the old Chicago club, namely
Dalyrimple and Gore The people were
amazed at the helplessness of those two
great batsmen in their efforts to bat the
delivery of Richmond 1t was also the first
clear demonstration that left handed bat
tiers were handicapped when facing left
handed pitchers
Richmond was followed by greater men.
The southpaws that followed him were
stars OF stars. namely, Morris of the ia
nous battery of Morris and Carroll: Ram
sey of Louisville and Mat Kilroy of Baiti-
more Each OF these three stars excelled
In some particular features Of pitching.
Morris and Kilroy in watching bases, while
Ramsey excelled In one particular perplex-
ing delivery that made ball team dizzy
Whlie racing him. 1t was an in-drop He
nau another delivery that curved around
the plate that gave umpires lots of trouble
ooiiaS ticH1 strikes instead of balls.
Wnen Toms arm could manipulate this
one deiivery he was master, but Ramsey's
great defect was lack of skill in fielding
ms position which drove him to distrac-
ton IN many game. The St Louis Browns
was the first team to detect that Ramsey
could not field "bunts' and that PLAYED
havoc with him afterward.
MOTIFS was clean-cut in his pitching and
ne heid man alright on the bases SO
tnat all runs had to be earned off him
hIlroy was the Radbourne Of the left
handers OF versatility. He was not only
great pitcher, but a batter base runner
and peerless fielder in his position He
was quick In action and sure death to any
base runner who tried to maneuyer a lead
OH hrst His endurance in the box was
SHOWN by the number of games he pitched
He pitched more games than most right
handlers Of today. When you consider that
kilroy had all the requisites of a frst-ciass
ball player added to his pitching his
counterpart SO far has not appeared in the
game, and it will take long time before
it does
Both major leagues today have In stock
SIX frst-class left-hand pitchers, namely,
Waddell, Plank, Patten, Weimer White
and Tannehill. Waddell has pulled himself
out of many Misunderstanding contests and
that with flying colors. No matter what
his eccentricities are. on the field he seems
to hand those qualities over to the bats
men of the opposition. All the other pitch
ers of the present day have earned their
spurs in many a crucial contest, and they
should be rated great. but. as ] have often
written before. the quality of the team en-
hances the reputation of a pitcher, so any
man that can pitch good bali for a tail-end
team should always be considered by true
base bali experts better twirler than the
man that pitches mastery ball for a cham
pion club. Among that grand galaxy OF
left-handers of today Patten would be my
choice if | had a champion club, but my
choice is only an individual one, and that
would not. make him the star of the present
number of stars; but | accord the same
right of opinion to other base ball men
that ash for myself.
4
One OF the amusing attempts to boy
cott'' game of ball on account of the
price of admission took place In Atchison.
Kan. In 1885 The Kansas City and Mil
waukee teams. members of the Western
League, were booked to play one of their
CHAMPIONSHIPS games in Atchison. The NIL
Waukee club was managed by Tom Lotus
and the Kansas City by myself The ad-
mission was placed at 30 cents. Every city
Of a certain pOpula ton has It's town
crier" leader or bell cow" whom all
people OF their town consult on the merits
of ball club. circus or theatrical show:
SO Atchison was no exception. Those Dell
COWS" are generally fellows who have to
get deadhead ticket or they will tell the
people that the entertainment Is no good
This Atchson town crier came to the
gate and told Lotus and myself that peo-
pie would not pay 30 cents to see the game
We paid no attention to him. although we
knew he was bell cow as he used
few slang terms while talking to US to show
that he had shaken hands at some time
with a man from Chicago or New York.
Our manner made him angry, and he went
across the street and commenced to har-
rangue the people. stating We were charg-
ing opera and Rugby foot ball prices to see
the game A large crowd was now gath
erip around him. and could see tn At MS
talk was influencing the people. So We had
to lay siege to his patriotism 10 win our
way out. To use slang base ball phrase,
the mitt he held out was bigger than the
state house at Topeka. So. under the pre-
tense of compromising on the admission l
called him away from the crowd ana SAID
to him that we would not lower the admls-
sion but | would give him S15o to BUY n
ticket for himself and two friends, but I'M
pressed on his mind that after giving 1t TO
him he would have to go back 10 the crowd
and stay there until he heard loud shout
inside the ball grounds which would be
the signal for him to rush away to the box
Office to buy his tickets for himself and
friends
This he readily agreed to. and seemed
dottered that we were compelled to ac-
knowledge him the ''bell cow of Atchison.
Lotus went inside and arranged for the
two clubs. at the starting of the game, 10
give a loud shout We all know what ef-
feet brass band inside a circus tent
has on gentlemen OF agricultural pursuits,
but 1t IS not half enhancing, captivat-
ing or seductive the shout of a ball team
inside a fence. FINALLY the shout was sent
up, ana Mr.. Bell Cow rushed away from
the immense assemblage, crying to his
friends Cant stand It any longer boys;
the game is worth 20 cents. I'm going in-
'fhey all rushed after him pellmell for the
ticket office. bought their tickets and went
in so that broke up the boycott at Atchl-
son. Kan but years afterward l learned
that this town crier" or ''beN cow" was
ANONYMOUSLY defeated in an election by an
opposition paper coming out in bold type.
asking: "A,e you going 10 elect man for
mayor who sold out the people of his city
for a free base ball ticket in 1852"