The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1910-01-24

It's very questionable if there is any
| thing on Joe Birmingham of the Cleve-
| land team as to throwing. Birmingham
has wonderfully strong throwing
arm, and even better, combines mar
Vicious accuracy with distance 1t is
not an uncommon thing for base run
| ners to stand f1at-footed on the bases
when the pill is driven in the direction
of Birmingham. During his career in
the American league he has performed
feats of throwing that cannot be APP
preciated by the telling, but must be
seen.
The extent to which accuracy can
be be developed by major league
players was we'll illustrated by a lit
tie incident that took place at one of
the American League parks last year.
During the batting practice of the
home team brand-new ball had been
fouled off and stuck fast in the wire
netting above the stands. Little atten-
ton was paid to it by the home play
ers, but a number of the park at
taches found plenty of amusement
trying to dislodge the ball from its
resting place. The Washington team
was the attraction that day and when
the visiting players came on the field
they noticed with amusement the eff
forts of the youngsters to recover the
ball. Jim Delehanty watched them f *
a minute, took a ball out of his poLket,
made trial heave to get the distance
AND. on the very next throw struck the
ball squarely and caused it to drop TO
the ground 1t was really wonderful
feat, but was passed by almost unno-
ticed.
worth of good throwing arm is new
er known until the strength has been
Slapped away and, to use the parlance
| of the game, a glass arm is the result
| It's really strange what poor care the
average player, professional and anna
teur, takes of his salary whip. Instead
of nursing it when it's good and strong
most players wait until they realize
the arm is getting weak before giving
it proper care and attention.
Few if any players ever had bet
ter arm than Terry Turner when that
player was at his best, yet for the
past two years Turner has been of lit
| tie use to the Cleveland club because
of an injury to his throwing wing.
Not so many years ago there used to
be many arguments over who had the
best arm, Terry Turner or Bobby
Wallace. Both had wonderful whips,
yet Wallace still has his strong arm,
while Turner's is on the hospital or
der Therein is an interesting story
Wallace always has nursed his
throwing arm He cuts loose only when
absolutely necessary. On the same kind
| Of a drive ne WOulu lHIOW oul SiS
speedy Cobb or some numbering pitch
err by exactly the same distance. on
Cobb, he would hurl the ball at fast
clip; in order to retire the pitcher he
would simply bob it over. He was
simply saving himself any unneces-
sary exertion Turner, on the other
hand, thought his arm was of iron,
always cut loose at the same speed
no matter how fast or how slow the
runner, and now he is paying the
penalty.
| The Washington club has in NC
Bride one of the best throwers the
game has ever seen. If you happen
to see Mcbride in action next sum-
mer. pay attention particularly to a
play he pulls off again and again to
successful end. With man on first
and third it is often the case that the
rouble steal, is attempted, or the fake
double steal, the man at third trying