Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-14
GRIFFITH TALKS
OF YOUNG PITCHERS

Manager Griffith, who handles the helm
of the Greater New York base ball craft,
is pretty good judge Of base ball timber.
He has had the experience, and anything
pertaining to the national game starts him
thinking. Then when Griff starts in talking
about base ball he usually knows what he
is talking about.
The conversation yesterday drifted to
young pitchers-youngsters who are am
bilious and want to make their mark in
fast company. Now, regards undevel-
oped pitching material, Griffith has his
own ideas. He knows exactly how to ham
ture for any of those who come under his
supervision he is not long in learning their
value.
Take the average youngster when he
starts training says Griff. THE first
thing he wants to do is to show the mama
ger what he has got. Well, 1 kill this
idea right away. I'll tell him to get to
work and shape his arm. Cut out all the
fancy work, i'll tell him. When 1 think
his arm is strong and we'll limbered up I'll
get behind him and tell him to cut loose.
He is then In condition to burn 'em over.
and in the fifteen minutes that he will be
asked to pitch 1 can pretty near tell how
good he is.
I'VE have heap of trouble with these
young minor leaguers. They want to throw
their arm out in five minutes In this way
many promising youngster is spoiled. You
got to give the youngsters plenty of time
to get the arm working. Then when they
are asked to deliver the goods their arm
Will not be affected by the hard work.
Base ball fans throughout the country
are wondering at the success of Al. Ortiz
Several years ago Orth was relegated to
the base ball graveyard but since he joined
the Yankees he has been one of their win
ming pitchers. One of the secrets of Orth's
success during the past three years is that
he resorts almost entirely to the so-called
spit ball. Some people will stay that the
'spit-ball will wear out a mans arm in
year or two.
In the case of Ortiz why he could keep
on pitching this style of delivery for years
to come and it won't impair his usefulness
L have studied Orth's style closely as any
on in the game. the curveless wonder
pitches the spit ball entirely different from
any other twirler. That is to say, Orth's
spit ball. takes an entirely different course
than any one else's In other words Orth
pitches slow spit ball. Then, again, he
does not resort to jerk movement when
hurting the pellet. Griff interprets Orth's
delivery as a sort of bunch movement 1t
does not wear heavily on the shoulder or
the arm The ball is neither speedy nor
slow Still it breaks with the same eccen-
trictty of the speedy spit ball.
have looked over the rules very care
fully. said Griffith yesterday, land / don't
see where there can be any improvements
aside from making the wording more plain
AS regards the umpire, l believe the sug-
gestion that an official should raise his
risht or left arm to denote a strike as
change that will be welcomed by the pa
irons of the game. Often during the game
the din is so great that the spectator can
not hear what the umpire is calling This
could be made plain to every one if the
umpire would raise say. his right hand
indicating strike. and his left hand to
indicate that ball was called. l believe
this change will be made