Norwich bulletin., 1910-02-19
LAPS WILL NEVER
 MAKE STAR BALLPLAYERS
Great on Fielding but Can't Bat-Cy
 Young Exposes Their Weakness.

The little brown men of Japan are planning an invasion of the United States A baseball attack.
 They are planning to attack the American and National league teams. Among the tribes they will attempt to subdue is the White Sox. Also the Detroit Tigers. The players are stu dents of Kelo university.
 If they succeed. regular invasion will follow, and we will have unpro- nounceable names on every club.
 old Cy Young, the Cleveland pitch CT, the veteran of many battles and the holder of many baseball records, says this will never come to pass.
 The Japs play excellent baseball. The members of the University Of Wisconsin baseball team discovered that fact when they journeyed to the land of the Mikado last year.
 But the Japs will never become great players" said the veteran Cy. The old man gave this as his opinion out in California. Maybe he is talk ing for the benefit of the native sons, as they are not exactly fond of the little brown fellows.
 Cant Hit" Says Young.
 'I'lI tell you why continued the veteran of veterans, the man who at 43 is one of the great pitchers of the game "The Japs can neither hit nor pitch.
 ''It's granted that they are excellent fielders. But they can't hit. So it IS with the tuDanS.- 50 II Is with eN- cry nation outside of the United States.
 Baseball belongs to this country. Its supremacy in baseball will never be threatened. And for the very good reason that while some of the athletes of other nations may initiate and even equal our ballplayers in one depart ment of the game, they cannot excel in all.
 ''Take the Japanese athlete. He can't hit worth a hurrah. Every good pitcher has it on him. Why, I don't know. Down in Cuba they claim to have great ball teams But they haven't. They have men who are fast once they get on the bases and who cover lots of ground in the field. But they can't hit.
 "A Jap can't pitch. There is one reason for this. of course. That req son is that they can't grip the ball. So small. in fact. that for one of them to grip the ball as the pitchers in this country grip it is impossible.
 Same With the Cubans.
 "That reason does not hold good with the Cubans. Yet their pitchers are a poor lot. They have no curve ball, and of course. use little head work Some of their best have great speed. So the man on the slab shoots a fast one and then another fast one at the batter.
 "A change of pace is unknown The
 
 to the island pitchers.
 I'm not bit afraid that the laps will invade this country and replace the Americans, who are now the stars of the game
 The little Jap men promise to make quite a tour of this country They win probably reach San Francisco in time to play a few exhibition games with the White SoX Willie the latter are training there. Then they will start through the south. playing the teams Of that section They will gradually work north and will play some of the American league teams, if there are any open dates in midsum- mer.
 They have already asked for games with Detroit
 Fast Infielders.
 If the Japs are as fast infielders as some of the men who have played against them claim, Sam Crawford, little pleasure in playing against them. If there is one man on a base bell team thHt Crawford hates it is the lightning second baseman or short stop. For Sam usually hits in that territory.
 The big fellow must have given In the olden days, Crawford figured that Ferris alone Knocked 10 per cent. off his batting average.
 Ferris seemed to be able to divine just where Crawford would hit. Crawford hits on the line. but many a drive tagged for double. or triple. was stopped by Ferris. who would leap, stick up one hand and come |. down with the ball