The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1908-11-13
GREATEST PITCHER
That Ever Threw Baseball Was
"Old Hoss" Radbourne.

Pitchers may come and pitchers may
go. but the name OF "Old Hoss' Rad
bourne goes on forever | have talked
TO many great ball players who have
lamented TO me the fact that baseball
fame is so ephemeral that il was not
worth the gaining: and. while no doubt
this Is in a great measure true. there
is one pitcher who has left name that
promises 10 roll on for many. many
years.
Each year hundreds OF pitchers
claim attention of the world: and each
year they are promptly forgotten. But
Illinois produced man who. although
now IL years deceased, has a bright
er name than any OF the great multi
tude.
In the great campaign OF 1884. when
the Providence club, then a member OF
the National League was fighting a
bitter game with Philadelphia, a cat
astrophe occurred that seemingly
would disrupt its chances OF winning
the pennant- A player named Sween-
ey. who was pitching. was ordered TO
90 into right field TO change places
with Cyclone" Miller. At that time
il was not permissible TO take pitcher
out OF the game. Whereupon Sweeney
promptly walked out OF the game. leav-
ing the team with only eight men and
with one pitcher-Charles Radbourne.
Two men tried TO cover the field.
with the result that Providence was
completely showed under. A meeting
OF the Directors was held 10 decide
whether or not the club should be dis
banded. Certainly a professional team
was never in q SOrrieT plight
Radbourne was approached. and the
proposition put 70 him Il can win IL
all right" said he quietly and in a
matter-of-fact tone.
And then followed the most remark
able battle for a pennant that the
world has ever seen. RadbOurne estab-
lished a record that has never been
equaled, one that will live when more
expensive contests will have been bliss
fully forgotten or p consecutive
games Radbourne won 90. In four
games with Boston he had three shut
outs only one run was scored and
only IL hits were made. This defeat
was suffered at the hands Of Buffalo
by a score OF 2 10 0. and even then
only FIVE hits were made of him. show
ing that the defeat was not due TO
poor pitching Needless 70 say. Provi-
dence won the pennant-or. rather.
RadhOurne won the pennant
But the great player had 10 pay the
price. No arm could stand the awful
strain without great agony. Morning
after morning when RadbOurne arose
he could not lift his arm as high as
his waist He had 10 brush his hair
with his left hand. But he did not give
up the game. he would slip out TO
the park about two hours before the
rest OF the team put in an appearance
and would begin the excruciating pro-
cess OF limbering up. He would pitch
the ball only few feet when he would
first 90 out: but he would keep on
trying. time after time. rubbing his
arm with his left hand. sometimes his
face would be drawn up into contor-
tions. but never a word Of complaint
left his lips.
Half an hour before the game was TO
begin the players would slip out 10 see
how "Old Hoss" was getting along;
they would sit silently on the bench.
waiting for his arm to get into condi-
ton. When he was able 10 throw from
second to home base rousing cheer
would go up. for they knew that meant
the winning Of the game for them.
Radbourne claimed for his home
Bloomington. III. This city has other
famous pitchers 10 its credit. namely,
Jack Powell and Clarke Griffith.
After his great season with Provi-
dence managers all over the country
were upon his heels. Flattering offers
poured in. and he was not under con-
tract with Providence for the next sea
son. either. When the contest was over
the late Ned Allen. president OF the
team that season, sent for Rabbourne.
he laid the release before him and
close beside II blank contract. Rad
bourne looked at them both for several
minutes and then slowly took up a
pen and filled the blank out for sum
only $4,000 higher than he had been
getting and tore up the release. Allen
almost fell on his neck and wept for