Evening star., 1909-01-10
EVANS WRITES OF
YOUNG PITCHERS
interesting Account of the
"Kiddies" Breaking Into
Fast Company.
By Umpire Billy Evans.


fast company.
Everything is new to the twirler and MS
Job is a trying one He knows nothing
about the different batters, no face in the
big crowd looks familiar to him. the op-
posing players are all trying to rattle him,
and he realizes many will be prone to
Judge his ability on the success of his
initial performance.
OF course, there are exceptions to all
rules, and some young pitchers get away
with their opening games in fine style, but
most of them are greeted with a bonn
bardment of base hits.
In Jack Ryan, the Southern League
twirler, Cleveland appears 10 have a
mighty likely pitcher, but it's doubtful If
Jack will forget his first appearance as
an American Lacquer.
Jack made his debut against Detroit
July 1 at League Park in Cleveland. No
club in the league hits the ball any harder
or farther than the Tigers when they are
meeting them right. On the afternoon in
question Messrs. Cobb, Crawford, Ross
man, Mcintyre and company were feeling
unusually fine.
The Maps had made the long jump
from st. Louis, and were so delayed that
they reached the grounds scarcely an
lour before the starting time. The play
srs were all in, while the Tigers were full
Of pepper and ready to devour any one.
Chech started for Cleveland and lasted
only One-third of an inning. Jack Thiel-
man followed suit and managed to drag
along fer an inning and two-thirds. Ryan,
who had only been with the team a few
days, was then rushed to the rescue, al
though the game seemed hopelessly lost.
Jack worked five innings, and during
that time Rossman and Crawford both hit
the ball into the right-field bleachers.
Cobb and Rossman were close up with
triples Schmidt got into the limelight
with a double and two or three others
finished up Jack with slashing singles.
No pitcher ever worked harder than
Ryan did, and i have often seen twirlers
get away with their contest on less stuff
than he showed, yet after the second
home run Ryan was the picture of de-
spair.
Shortly after the second long hit
happened to be working back of the
pitcher. and was really feeling bit sorry
myself the way the Tigers were handling
the youngsters assortment. After an
other man had cracked out a hit Ryan
turned around to me and remarked:
They appear to hit the ball a trifle
harder up here than they do down SOUTH
and ] have already learned in four short
innings that it doesn't pay to hand any
of those Tigers fast one over the heart
of the plate"
Relief came in the next inning when
the hook was mercifully used on badly
battered Jack.
1t was, indeed an unkind turn of fate
that caused Connie Mack's youngster by
name Maxwell, to be stacked up against
the Tigers on his first game as big
Lacquer.
Maxwell had been carried by Mack for
some time, and the only thing he was
q To do
balls to the sluggers in practice. The
chance for Maxwell to show came July
l6 and it proved to be his undoing.
Connie Mack started Vickers against
tired the Tigers had found the "Rube'
Tor three runs and five hits About this
time Connie decided that ..Rube" would
look lots better taking a shower in the
clubhouse
After looking over the pitchers on the
bench the slim leader decided that Mr.
SchlitZer with his spit ball was lust the
man to stop the bombardment The man
with the Intoxicating name took I'D Vick-
ers burden with two on the sacks and
one down. He managed to go one and
one-third innings while the Tigers col
!ected three runs and as many hits With
me score to l against the Athletics
Mack decided that the time had arrived
Tor Maxwell to enter the arena
The third inning was the first for Mr.
Maxweil, and barring a bit of wildness he
escaped very luckily, the Tigers earnering
oilIy Two hlts and one run. The ascen-
SION, however. started in the next inning
and continued throughout the game
Maxwell started by passing two men in
the fourth, and Schreck. who was catch
ing MN, ADVISED the youngster to cut out
ms attempts TO deceive and to simply try
10 get the ball over the plate The recruit
simply aimed the ball at the center and
the tribe of Jennings was soon wise 10
what ne was trying 10 do Immediately
n -Iyatr
ana the battle OF base hits was on
SIX runs was the sum total of the do
fngs in the fourth inning, and II was tho
same until the finish In seven innings
the Tigers piled up fifteen runs on seven
teen hits. including seven doubles and
tour triples. The Tigers won that game
by something like the score of 81 to .
BY the way, it would be incorrect not to
mention the fact that Maxwell mixed up
seven passes and a couple of wild pitches
with the seventeen bingles.
Ihe youngster is still thinking it over
and wondering If Il isn't safer to be a
real soldier than to work against the
Tigers.
Few pitchers have broken in under
harder conditions than Bill Bailey. the
Young left-hander of the Browns and few
have gotten away with the goods better
than he did.
The Browns We're playing the White
SoX and one of the veterans who was
working the game was getting his bumps
in good style With the Browns five runs
10 the bad in the third inning. three mer
ON the sacks and one down, McAieer de.
cided TO derrick the veteran and give
Bailey a chance. 1t was certainly a
tough place to send In a youngster
The first man 10 face Bailey was Frank
Smith. the hard hitting pitcher When
Bailey had sent Smith to the bench the
fans were enthused, but when he also re-
tired Eddie Hahn, the next batter or
strikes and retired the side, the youngste1
was given great ovation
to get his bumps from a bunch of young
players was illustrated IN game be
tween Detroit and the Athletics at De
troit three years ago.
Few pitchers used better Judgment II
out guessing a batter than Red Dona
hue. who quit the game two years agt
to so into the hotel business. Donahu,
had n very slow ball. and one little bi
slower. and with his rare judgment o
what the different batters didn't like h,
managed TO get away with the sIugger
In easy style. and was Il mighty har,
pitcher to beat
Three years ago Mack came West will
bunch of youngsters. He wanted t,
try them all out thoroughly so he woult
have some idea To what men he coul,
bank on for the following season. Harr,
Davis was tire only veteran on the team.
Donahue was selected by Armour L
work the first game against Macks colts
Harry Davis was the only batter Red wa