The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-03

of the wrist and hands, resulting i'll a
slow curve. and the Ginger nail ball -
is another freak effort at slow ball
There is more pitching, however, than
curVing or inventIng curves, and some
of the most effective pitching is by an
giles rather than by curves, For some
reason, unexplained, the deadly "cross
fire - used with wonderful effect fifteen
wears ago, almost has been abandoned.
The efthaunders of former generations
"cross fred - almost as often as they
curved the ball and many right hand
ors used it. The ball was pitched side"
arm, the hand being extended as far as
possible, and while the pitchers hand
was swinging he stepped to right or left
in the direction of his pitching arm and
hurled the ball back across the inside
corner of the plate. at an angle. The
balk rules caused the left-handcrs to
abandon the pitch partially, and the
passing of the side arm right handlers,
probably explains its abandonment.
Pfester, Leilield, "Doc' White and
Krause use the ball euectually but not
frequently.
Pitching from angles consists in ang-
ling the ball from high overland to the
batter's knee. from the pitcher s knee
TO the batter's shoulder and from the
limit of the outstretched arm to the
outside corner of the plate. One Of the
best exhibitions of pitching by the an
giles ever given was in the now famous
game bewcen Chicago and New York
in September. 1908, in which Merkle
forgot to touch second base. P6ester
had strained n hgament in his pitch
ing arm. and n lump had formed on his
forearm two inches high. the muscle
punching He could not bend his arm
and 10 pitch n curve brought agony TO
let him try, as he always had been sue,
cessful against the Giants. During the
game he pitched three curved balls, all
to Donlin, and all when he had to re-
tire DonEn on strikes to save the game
After each time he curved the ball he
had to be helped TO the bench. as he
was nearly fainting. By changing the
until the famous miXup in which Mer
kle figured.
Shadowing the ball. which was an art
in former days is almost lost a few
pitchers try it,, but without the skill
of Bert Cunningham. Matte KlroY
Willie McGill and many of the old
school. Griffith was the last pitcher to
use it steadily. Shadowing consists of
the pitcher sidestcpping and placing his
so that the ball has no background ex-
cept the pitcher g body and the batter
cannot sec il plainly until the ball is
almost upon him.
There was an odd instance Of shad-
owing early in 1909 at Cincinnati Reul.
bach was pitching for Chicago and a
green umpire was officiating on tho
bases. with whom Reulbach became
friendly. When no one was on bases
Reulbach invited the new umpire to
watch how his fast curve was break
ing. That brought the umpire behind tho
pitcher, and Reulbach mancuverod him
around until he was on the line of Wis.
ion. For five innings the umpire helped
beat Cincinnati, nor did he discover
why Reulbach was so friendly until the
veteran umpire behind the bat ordered
him to quit shadowing tho ball and
Reulbach laughed
The study of backgrounds, air cur
rents. and atmospheric conditions byI
pitchers is part of their business. They
take advantage of every bad back
ground. which may hamper the batters
and shift from side TO side on The slab
TO make tho ball come 10 the batter on
line with some binding sign The
batters, being in the majority on each
team, however, insist upon a good solid
background to increase hitting, and
overrule the pitchers who prefer glar
ing yellow, or white or a motley of
coors.
The direction and force of the wind
affect pitching greatly. \ cross wind
from either direction may decide wheth-
or left-hauded or n right. handler will
pitch. The weight of the atmosphere
affects the curves and scouts looking
for pitchers at Denver or Colorado