Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-04-18
TOO MUCH WEIGHT
A BIG HANDICAP

"One of the hardest lessons ball PLAYER
has to learn says Hugh Jennings, "one
indeed, that many players never learn is
that every pound of flesh that they carry
over their proper weight is just so much
of handicap to them. You often see a
pitcher beaten to base by the ball by
fraction of a second, by half a step
perhaps. This happens again and again
Investigate and you will generally find
that he Is five. six or perhaps ten pounds
overweight. Take George Mullin of the
Detroit team for an example. He can
carry 100 pounds and play good ball. But
he can't carry 1875 pounds and do himself
justice. George knows this, and so he Is
taking just the amount of exercise neces-
sary to keep him from taking on the flesh
that will slow him up. 1t isn't always
a knowledge of what to do, and it isn't
exactly being out of condition-so far as
taking ordinary good care of ones self Is
concerned-that keeps player from being
a success. The real reason is a lack of
knowledge as to the avoirdupois at which
he Is at his best and the determination
to maintain that weight at any cost to
his own comfort. Go back to Ned Han
Ions days in Baltimore. Ned knew to an
ounce just how much each man on his
team ought to weigh to be at his best,
and he saw to it that we did not get be-
yond those figures. 1t meant lots of hard
work Tor us sometimes, exercise When
we were all tired out and wanted to rest,
but it paid. Hanlon's old pitchers were
big factor in helping him win the pen
nant three years in succession, because
they could run the bases. They knew the
weight at which they were at their best
and maintained 1t.
This knowledge and this weight meant
to them many time that small fraction
of second. that extra step, that enables
them to reach first in safety when a pitcher
who gave no heed to this phase of his con-
dition would have been retired. 1t Is a
great thing for bail player to find out
the weight at which he can go his best
PAGES and then stick to 1t, however much
extra work it involves. / am able to recall
one ball player who showed gratitude after
he had made his mark toward the man who
helped him up. That one is Jimmie Hughes.
the old Baltimore and Brooklyn pitcher.
first met Jimmie on the coast while on a
base ball tour during the winter OIL 1898.
He pitched against us and beat us. to 3.
in fine exhibition Of twirling. He made
a hit with me, and l made 1t n point to see
him that evening. He Informed me that he
had decided to come east and enter the
National League the next spring but said
that he expected to make his debut in Pitts
burg or New York. 1 told him that l would
get him more money with Baltimore and
he couM have a champion club behind him.
too Hanlon authorized me to bid $3.50.
and I landed him. He-made good with
rush winning his first two games without
allowing his opponents a hit in either of
them, and continuing at terrific clip
through the whole year The next spring,
believe it was, Hughes called me aside.
and, in q few stammered words. told me
that he owed me great debt of gratitude
for starting him right. He pressed pack
age on me as a token of his esteem, and I
accepted it as perforce. What I found in
side has been with me on my watch chain
ever since. It II a handsome fob, solid gold