Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-12-13
GALL PLAYERS suPERsTITJoNs.
Continued from Page Four)

Continued from Page Four.)
aided last year as a promising young
ster by many critics has decided prefer
e e;tah, for ladies' day, when it comes to
or the Inducements that caused him to
leave that dear old home at York Pa,
was promise bv McClosky that he would
have the honor of working all the ladies
Gay events scheduled in 81. Louis
] Whether Stony has belief that his
curves arc more effective when viewed
~ the fair sex. OF whether he simply
llkes TO shine when there is display nl
miiinery in the grand stand is 4 mystery.
It's a certainty, however that he has
won a big percentage OF the games pitch
&c on the day in question
Now Stony isn't as handsome as the
general run of heroes on the Stagc-in
fact. ne would make a better villain
but when il WAS known that he was mar
RED there was much Wailing and weeping
ana a great gnaShine OF teeth. New Ihat
the secret is cut. McClosky fears That
Stony Will no longer be a card, and lie is
trying to dig up another tWirler for his
large assortment to perform on that all
important day.
Jack Powell. the husky pitcher of the
st. Louis Browns, mas IL decided aversion
| TO work in Il game in which Il Spitnal.
artist is tossing them up for the opposi-
ton. Big Jack, by the way. was pitch
| the last two months of the 1897 campaign.
| Powelrs dislike TO work in games
against damp singers is based more on
fact than SUPERSTITION. When the spit
| ball first cane int use Powell received
many a drubhng when working against
vapor float artists. Tie fact worried linn
| for it made him think he was going back
| badly, and that the successfG, pitcher of
| the present day lad to use q splitter. Jack
never could sec The spit ball, and he de
cidcd that he would rather quit ll'an learn
the nasty habit. Then lie made 4 dis
| cONery
ON days when working against d pitch
er who didn't use the splitter Powell would
| have everything in his repertoire at his
| trade is his great curve ball. When work
| ing against Il spit ball pitcher MS curve
bail failed TO break. Jack finally discov
| cred that the excessive use OF spit had u
bad effect or the horsehde that covers
the ball. causing it to stretch 4 great
deal ard making the seam less prominent
In throwing the curve il is necessary u
grasp the seem firmly. This ne was I'M
able to do: consequently the curve
wouldn't break and it Vas pie for the
batters. Now when it's Powelrs turn to
worl, and splitter is slated to oppose hiIn
| ne shifts his day to twirl.
Elmer Flick of the Cleveland team firm
" believes that watching moving pictures
hurts a batter Although Finer doesn't
think that looking at moving pictures
| injuries the eye, yet he does insist that it
| has a temporary effect on I'll" eye tIat
! interiors with a mans work at the rlate.
| Elmer says that he attended only one
moving picture show last season and the
next day the ball looked as il il had fuZZ
all over il. He failed to hit safely and
that convinced him something was wrong.
4 glance at Flick'S fat batting average
| of .:GS, would lead one To believe that
there is a whole lot in his theory.
| Ii vCu ever happen TO he at a E;9udeNll!e
| show and see q number of bail players
present. just make up Your mind that thf.
| one leaving in the Seui-darknosS as ihey
prepare for the pictures is Elmer Flick.
Tyrus Cobb, who carried off the batting
| horors in Ban Johnson's organization. is
| SuperStitiouS to q degree. Cobb'S farOnte:
hobby is the position of the broom With
which the umpires dust off the plate The
| umpires find it handy to keep the broom
| 10 the left of the plate while Cobh, when
at the bat. always; desires it to the right.
| Whenever he steps to The plate Conn
always picks W the broom and tosses 1t
to the right of the batter's box. Al iirst
| the umpires didn't take kindly to the way
! Cobb handled the sacred broom, but When
| they learned it was his favorite supsrstl-
ton they always humored his Whim.
| Wien in batting slump Comb always
makes three crosses as ne takes ms POSI-
| ton at the plate WhCE Cobb reaches first
| l,ase on his journey from right held to
the bench. he always gives the Dag ter
| rife kick in the direction Of TIC bone
! plate Although the bags ar" supposed
to he stationary. tchb insists mai tAt'
| short distance II" moves tlt nag toNdi"
the plate With his kick. often is the m"@nS
| of winning a close decision IT first for his
| team.
whor George Stcvali is At the plat r.
| unconscicuslv hit..il"s up his trousers p
| tween each nlIl pitched This of1cn
causes rnuch amusement for the crow.
| kay, the colt outfelhHr ut the Washing
ton club places his left hand &c his m"Ht'l
as he steps TO The plate. then he care s. :
his bat with. Tie same HAND. FROM ~,
swat record i, Looks rs il oth""s miRht
| follow his HOBBY with Success.
Kid E,lherfHld dHsI'iscs i long bal re
uses one 50 short HAT il almost looks Ike
a toy. The Kid mike up for the IH ;nti,
| phil Lewis OF ttc Brooklyn team Is Just
ihc opposite; he uses a long pay ,nh'
greatly Resembles a small telegraph pore
TorSy Hartscl always gives the Difl" =
,o,.7lc Of rape with his bat as y sort u
, IA Introduction. .. 49,.
ThcEe are hut q few OF the many hob
. lies cherished bv mer prominent =. pas
4 I'M No doubt i close investigation
would reveal that every pitcher. from W.
e,pr;:Ile-t hush league ~, mas ms PEI