The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-08-03
BATSMEN TAKE
LESS OF A CHANCE
In Old Days Pitchers Would Go
Far to Gain Advantage.
IT'S VERY DIFFERENT NOW.

Even with the Change In Method the
Batter Is In panger-Many Instances
Where Being Hit by Ball Affects
Playing Ability.
When Frank Chance, manager of the
Chicago Nationals, was struck on the
head by ball hurled by Pitcher Gas
per of Cincinnati recently 1t recalled
the fact that many star baseball play
ers have lost their effectiveness through
being hit by thrown balls.
That more batsmen are not injured
by being hit by pitched balls speaks
well for the skill of the present day
pitcher. In the old days the pitcher
would not infrequently let one go
straight at the batter's head in order
to drive him away from the plate.
Such a proceeding is rare nowadays
Working the edges of the plate seems
to have proved more effective Never
theless the fire the batter faces is dan
gerous.
One of the worst cases of head hit
ting was that of Hugh Jennings. now
manager of the Detroit club. by Amos
Rusie. Jennings, with Baltimore then,
was noted for his close hugging of
cept a base by being hit by the pitch
er. He relied upon his quickness of
eye to minimize the effect of the blow.
Rusie had a wide, jumping curve ball.
Jennings was willing to turn his
shoulder, accept a DETECTING blow or
let it hit his shirt front or the slack
of his knickerbockers. He could do
this with pitchers of average curve,
but Rusie's curve was too sharp In the
break and too fast for him to avoid.
Jennings stood close and got one full
in the head. He fell fiat For four
powerful constitution pulled him
through, though he never was the
same nervy man again at the plate,
and it was months before he could
play.
Jennings, by the way. Is an extreme
ly durable person. While at Cornell
he dived face first against the concrete
bottom Of an empty swimming tank.
The man Is marvel Of vitality and
energy. He sustained two shocks that
would have killed the average man,
yet he is as full of energy today as
dynamo.
Roderick Wallace, the famous infield-
or. nP hn hod his batting off.
cheney seriously and permanently i'm
paired twelve years ago when he was
hit in the head by ball thrown by
"Chick" Fraser, who was then with
the Louisville club. Wallace was
knocked fat, and it was many days
before he went to bat again. A con-
stitution Of iron enabled him to with
stand the shock. but he never was
quite the same hitter afterward.
Dan Hoffman. the center fielder Of
the Browns, was the victim of a fear
full blow at the hands Of Jesse Tame
hill, then with Boston, some years
ago. Hoffman was at the time deemed
the most promising young player in
the American league. He was having
his first season. and brilliant one it
was. One day he made triple, dou-
BILE and a single against Tannehill in
three trips to the plate. The fourth
time up Tannehill hit him a terrific
blow over the right eye. 1t almost
killed the trained and muscular young
athlete Hoffman lay as If dead, and
1t was four days before he recovered
consciousness. Then his nerves were
ruined. From 10 pounds he declined
| to 1913. He could not sleep or eat for
six months. and the following season
he had to get along as best he could
with only one eye. Hoffman says that
| 1t has taken him six years to get back
his full strength. He has never been
able to hit left handed pitchers since
| the day he was hurt Now. six years
after, Hoffman is at the mercy Of the
average left handed pitcher
Johnnie Lush, the star pitcher of the
Cardinals, was hit by Andy Coakley on
the neck and all but killed. His neck
has never been straight since that
time, and for years his health was Sc
riously impaired.
Roger Bresnahan was hit and severe
ly hurt by Jack Taylor In 1904. For
long time after this injury Bresna-
han wore a semimask that protected
the exposed side Of his head against
the pitcher.
Hundreds of lesser lights have been
hit and injured to degree less seri
Gus than those mentioned. 1t all goes
to show that baseball is not without
its great dangers, especially TO men al
the bat. Most of the injuries on the
field have come about through COLI
sions between fielders. such as the one
that cost the life of Hub" Collins
Collins fatal collision was with Harry
Stovey at Boston many years ago.
Batted balls injure very few play
ers. though the way men hit then
about in practice would often make
one wonder that accidents are no
more frequent The most notable &C
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