Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-10-30

has started for second. the object being
to Illustrate the catcher, If possible, or as
much as possible. The instructions to
batters under these conditions. before the
rule about letting the bat slip out OF the
hands was introduced, included throwing
the bat at the bali in case it came up
too wide for the batter to disturb the
catcher with an ordinary swing Now
the batter is out and is also removed
from the game il he let's go of his bat.
Pitching, and particularly the style OF
deliveries which seem most effective, is
much discussed matter behlnd the
scenes of base ball. Leon Ames Is said
to have the most puzzling henderS ana
shoots of all the boXmen in either of the
big leagues while the venerable Cy
Young, Familiarity known among the
boys as the 'curvelesS wonder, mas
never developed curve or Il shoot.
Young employs d high. swift crossfire,
which the best batsmen claim to be the
least deceptive and still the most dlfhcuit
to hit effectively of all pitched balls
Roaring Bill Kennedy, once the main
stay of the Trolley Dodgers, used it In
cessantly but not with the wonderful
control with which Young shoots it over
the platter.
While ball PLAYERS among themselves
assert that Young has no curve In ms
pitching repertoire, he will not admit 1t.
Wilbur Robinson the famous old back
stop, tells an interesting story about his
introduction to YOungs curve. IL nap
pened when DUNG WIS Il Iiltiilpei VI 'iio
ST Louis Nationals. and Robinson and
Mc(iraw went there for season from
Baltimore, the first season of the eight
club reduction. 1t was the first game IN
which Young and Robinson Wee in the
battery points together. Robinson signed
Young for a curve ball Up came the
answer. but Robinson could not detect Il
curve on It. He gave the sign for announcer
curve. with the same result Then as
Stunning that he and Cy were mixed III
their signals, RObby strolled down toward
the pitchers box and was met by Young,
who strolled up to meet him half way
a characteristic development FOR IA pat
terry conference.
Il signed yer for curVe-a curve
said Robinson.
yes, and l gave you curve re
sponded Young with an expression OF
dignity betting his years or service DIS
a crack slab artist.
on" calculated Robby as he waddled
back to the catcher's position with an
air indicating that it was all the same
to him.
Forming Secret Clubs.
The pitching staffs of the big league
clubs are accustomed to forming secret
organizations among themselves When
the spring training season comes around.
There seems to be no SPECIFIC OBJECT Tor
these organizations. They are most likely
OlItSrOWln Oh Tie ltti4HS VI "bPci iO' ~
which is prevalent among slabiSts, oc-
casioned by the fans dedication of them.
Some tWrlers become so inflated with
this false importance that they incline
not to associate with the other players,
and thereby offend the supporting field
ers, who have ii in their power to make
or break them. The senior pitcher of the
team is usually selected as president OF
this secret boxman order. Ii seems to
be a so:t of divine right, belonging To
him. These orders hold meet nss, at
which they discuss slab tactics ana con-
ditions among their teammates. The
managers do not favor these orsanlza-
tons and are especially opposed to their
secret meetings 1t is most desirable that
all the players should affiliate closely
with one another.
Base ball is full of eccentric'ties. One
Of the most inte. esting evidences OF this
fact is the odd relationship between
pitcher and batter. When a pitcher is
hit hard by the batsmen of an opposing
team he is vociferously declared 10 he
either mo good or out OF condit on at
the time, while if the batters fail to
clout the ball successfully in IA contest
they are declared to be either poor
hitters'' or to have an off day at the
bat, with equal terms of emphasis.
There seems to be no adequate means
of Judging in which department of the
game the weakness lies. The winning
team will eXalt their pitcher and bat
ters, and the losers will claim they
had an off day generally. The victori-
Gus prowess of the winners Is never
conceded by the defeated aggregation.