The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-24
DBATH-LURKING
PITCHED BALLS
BatterS Facing Pitchers Are
Always in Danger.
ACCIDENTS OF THE PAST
HuEhie Jennings Almost Killed by
Amos Rusie-Lusb and Bresnahnn
Have Been Badly Hurt-DeRth
whistles by Every Minute and IL
Is n wonder More Are Not Injured.

From the st. Louis Republic.
Baseball never has been considerd
dangerous game, yet the death Of young
Louis Menu AZ Freeburg, ILL.,, on Sunday
demonstrates that it is one of the most
dangerous that young men can play.
Young Menu. n bat. was looking for an
outcurve. He stepped close into the plate
TO allow the anticipated bend of the ball.
The pitcher "outguessed' him, as base
bail players call IT, Instead Of an out
curve he threw an inshoot. fast ball,
as professionals have it. Fast balls al
ways have shoots on them. This one
hit the batter over the heart and he died.
Il Is really a tribute to the excellence
OF pitching that SO few players are in
jurod while at the bat. Considering the
tremendous speed with which the bali is
thrown. the dUliHess OF thc eyes that bat
Sut once q week. the necessary proximity
Of the batter 20 the plate the absolute
necessity of the pitcher putting it over,
it viii be seen that batters are very
fortunate 20 escape serious injury while
ut the bat
Oddly enough, the danger Of being hit
with a pitched bail is not feared so much
by amateurs as by professionals. The
amateur does not stand so close 10 the
plate as the professional The speed he
opposes is not so great. or course, the
Control OF the professional pitcher IS much
superior to that Of the amateur, but his
speed and the width Of his shoot are also
much superior. too.
II is when professionals are pitching
against amateurs that they are in great
est dread They fear TO hit them The
amateur instinctively seems 20 depend up
on the skilled professional not to hit him.
and therefore abandous care OF himself.
Pitchers Who Hit Batters.
The marvel of the infrequency Of injury
from pitched balls is made greater when
10 is understood that many crack profess
SIGNALS viii deliberately throw a ball at a
batters head I'm order 20 handicap his
hitting by driving him away from the
plate Very few Of the great pitchers
have been above trying this trick when
they are hard pressed zone at his nut"
is the way ball players put il. To have
a ball whizzed by your teeth. kissing like
q snake is not M all reassuring. especial
a.
pitched bali. as the players state it.
one of the famous old pitchers, silver"
King OF the Browns Of the SOS, was
known for his belief in the effectiveness
Of a ball thrown at the batter's head in
a tight place If batter had been hit
ting King with certainty and frequency
old silver would tip his catcher thus:
4 haf to crimp him; he is entirely doc
confident" For King spoke with a de
cided Teutonic accent A fast one at the
head or I'm the ribs usually had the de
sired effect
when Rusie JOIted Jennings.
One Of the most famous and fearful Of
head hitting was that Of Hugh Jennings.
now manager OF the Detroit club, by
Amos RUsie, the most wonderful of am
men that ever curved a baseball Jen-
n,nSs, with Baltimore then. was noted for
his close hugging OF the plate and his
willingness TO accept a base by being
hit by the pitcher. He relied upon his
Guicllness Of eye 10 minimize the effect
Of the blow.
Rusie had a fearful curve ball Jen-
nings was willing 90 turn his shoulder.
accept a detecting blow or let it hit his
shirt front or the slack Of his kuicker-
bockers. He could do this with pitchers
Of average curve, but Rusie's curve was
too sharp I'm the break and too fast for
him 10 avoid. Jennings stood close and
got one full In the head
He fell fat. For four days his life was
despaired Of, but a powerful constitution
pulled him through though he never was
the same neryy man again al the plate
and il was months before he could play.
Jennings. by the way, is something like
Katisha, the character woman I'm Gil
bert and Sullivan's famous opera. 1.-THE
Mikado.' lie has a "caricature Of a
face When coach of Cornell baseball
team he dived face first against the con
crete bottom OF an empty swimminl
tank. Il is not easy 10 imagine anything
more trying on the face :han this. NJ
wonder the crack hustler of baseball Ia,
patched. put-together and made-oveI
visage. The man is n marvel Of vitality
and energy lie sustained two shock,
tnat would have killed the average man
yet he is as fun Of energy as a dynamo
to-day.
Rcderick Wallace the famous infeldel
OF the Browns. had his batting cfictenc,
seriously and permanently impairer
twelve years ago when no was hlt lp th,
head by bah thrown by Chick Frazar
who was then with the Louisville club
Wallace was laid out for dead. and it wa,
many days before ne went 90 bat again
q constitution Of iron enabled him E,
withstand the shock. but he never wa,
quite the same hitter afterward
Dan Hoffman the center fielder Of m,
Browns. was the victim Of q fearful blow
at tho hand Of Jesse TannehiH, then Wit
Boston, some years ago. Hoffman was a
the time deemed ;he most promisin,
Young player in the American League
He was having his first season. and
most brilliant one 10 WAS. one day h
made a triple. a double, and q single Of
Tannehill IN three trips to the plate. TIL
fourth time up Tannebll hit him a fear
ful blow over the right eve. The opti
was driven out on the cheek. II almos
killed the trained and muscular voun
athlete. Hoffman lay as II dead ana
was four days before ne recovered con
seriousness. Then his nerves were rllinos
From 40 pounds he declined 70 l2S. II
could not sleep nor eat for six month.
and the following season saw him MA
with but one eye 10 see. Hoffman say
that IL has taken him six years 10 go
back HIS fun strength lie has neve
been able 20 hit left-banded pitchers sine
that awful day. Now, six years after
Hoffman is a. the mercy OF the avcrar
left-handcd pitcher. That fearful blo,
forever has ruined him of his valu
as baseball Dlavsr From, q mo-, all