Omaha daily bee., 1909-02-11
WHAT Ed WALSH WAS TO SOX
Kept Team in Pennant Race Up to
Last Day of Schedule.
DOES he DESERVE THAT $7,SoOI
Bat for walsh Co~miskey's Club
Could Not Have stayed in First
Division, Mach Less h
RAGS for FIaE.

When big Ed walsh asked Comiskey for
an increase in salary before he signed a
1909 contract, he was not four-flushing.
He made a demand that IS backed by
mighty sound He says he won't
pitch for the sox this year unless he gets
a salary Of 1880.
That's a big salary, but not half
as big in proportion TO the salaries
Of other players on the Sox-no matter
what they areas the work Walsh did last
year compares with that OF the other MEM
bers OF the team. The fact Is that but for
Walsh Comiskey's team would never have
finished in first division. and. on the other
hand, by the agency of Walsh the club
was able to fight out the pennant race on
the very last day of the season with the
Tigers. Had there been one other pitcher
in such form or in half such form the
sox would have walked away with the
flag.
What Walsh meant TO the White Sox
last year is summarized in the amazing fact
that he pitched in sixty-four out OF the
1856 games the White Sox played, includ-
ing drawn battles. That is twelve more
than one-third of all the games his team
played and only fourteen games less than
half OF the total sox contests,
On an average Walsh worked every three
days. allowing for open dates on Sundays
in the east and on other days In the west.
but in emergencies he was used on the
slab not only every other day, but some
times every day. Nor was work confined
to appearances on the slab, for many a
time he pitched a whole afternoon out
back OF the grand stand. keeping himself
warmed up ready to relieve the other
Sox hurlers II occasion demanded and the
Sox had a lead. Frequently 1t happened
that Comiskey's men would get the jump
by a run or two in the early innings. As
soon as they did Walsh would be sent out
to prepare himself for relief duty in case
the pitchers assigned to the slab could not
hold the game safe.
Fifteen Times to Relief.
Fifteen times during the year Walsh was
hailed to the rubber to relieve pitchers who
were in distress, and forty-nine times he
started games himself. Only six times he
was taken out of games which he had
started, and then it was usually to save
him in contests which were hopelessly lost
by his support.
In the unofficial records Walsh was
credited with thirty-seven victories, fifteen
defeats, and one time game. Eleven of his
Appearances on the slab were in victories OF
defeats for other Sox-pitchers. Several of hi:
fifteen defeats were due to his taking games
in desperate situations, but oftener than
he lost under those circumstances he saved
the game. His pitching average suffered
however, as a result of defeats in games
which he did not start, as a defeat takes
more off a winning pitchers mark than a
victory adds to It..
In all, Walsh pitched 4S4 innings dur.
ing the season and In those round M
issued only fifty-one passes and struck out
1866 batsmen, his best performance being
fifteen Maps in eight innings when he wa
beaten, / to 0, by joss, who pitched q
"Cy" Young worlds record game in order
TO do IT, A total of 1856 hits was made of
Walsh during the year.
What makes his record more remarkable
is the fact Walsh was stronger at the enc
OF the season that any other time. although
he pitched almost constantly at the last in
an effort TO lift the White Sox into this
lead by his own sheer strength. In the
last min days Of the season he pitched in
seven games. Two OF them were in one
day against Boston and he won both. Two
OF those nine days were open dates in the
schedule or Walsh might have beaten thai
record.
Some Statistics that Talk.
Since September 10, when he went in cold
to relieve White in the tenth inning anc
lost to Detroit. Walsh won nine and losi
three games. and in the three games he losi
the Sox did not score any runs at all and
only four hits in the whole three games
He was beaten by Cleveland September Is
by a score of 3 to o, the Sox making three
hits off Liebhardt. He lost to New York
September "a by a score OF 1 to 0, the So1
making only one hit off Lake and the only
run of the game being made on an error By
Davis. He lost to Cleveland October 2 By
a score OF 1 TO 0, the Sox failing to get q
man to first off Joss and the only rur
being due TO a wild throw by Isbell and q
passed bail.
In six OF Walsh's fifteen defeats the
White Sox were shut out. giving him nc
nance to win. Twelve times he blankec
his opponents. Yet Walsh's name does not
appear in the few hit contests often, as he
has not held his opponents to less thar
three hits last year.