The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-12

feet. One day in 1909, an umpire
threatened to put him OF the field.
PUT me of. Put me off," he
screamed, put me. of, then l won't
have to associate with a fellow like
you"
OF all methods, Kings is the most
effective, for after all, umpires are hui
man and one kind word helps.
Pitching.
Pitching is the most highly de.
veloped, most skilful and most impor.
tant part of baseball, requiring more
thought, more strength and more
brains than any other position de-
mands. Good pitching is the abso-
lutte essential to victory. and, consid-
cred in relation to the "inside game"
is vital. for unless the pitcher under
stands every of his fellow play
ers, and adjusts his pitching to the
plan, the INSIDE game becomes worse
than useless.
The development of the science of
pitching has, from the inception Of the
game. been in advance of the develop
ment of the other departments of play.
and to such an extent that the rule
makers from the first have found It
necessary to legislate to handicap the
pitcher to prevent him from becoming
absolute master Of the game. In spite
of the rules the pitchers have by per.
sistent work and thought kept in ad.
vance of the progress of the national
sport.
Involving the study Of wind pres
sures, dynamics, physics, and mathe-
mates. in addition to the principles
of the game itself. pitching is an art
demanding closest attention at every
instant, the concentration of every en-
ergy upon the game SO much so that
In almost every game the pitchers lose
all track of the number of innings
played, of the o itself, forget the
crowd, and neither hear the cheers
nor Kisses, because their minds are
so focused on the batters.
Pitchers use. primarily. two kinds Of
pitches. the straight one," and the
curve. They are the basis of all pitch
ing, but there are all kinds Of
straight" balls and as many varieties
Of curve as there r pitchers. The ma-
jority of pitchers begin their careers
with no other varieties than speed and
a curve. and the strength of youthful
arms to win success. The straight"
ball is a misnomer, for there is only
one kind Of a ball q pitcher cannot
throw and that is q straight one, as
every ball curves, regardless of the
will Of the pitcher. It Is the study
ana development of these curves tha'
makes great pitchers.
The fast ball is sheer speed, its sue
cess depending entirely upon its We
lccity and the control the pitcher has
of 1t. It is pitched with the sphere
gripped with the thumb underneath
and the first two fingers on top, and
Is thrown either underhand or over.
hand with full force. Pitched directly
overland. with the fingers held direct
ly on top. the ball goes as straight to
the plate as 1t is possible to make it
go. the speed and the downward angle
make 1t difficult for the batter to hit.
unless it comes IN 1.-The groove" which
Is the natural angle. Pitched witch the
hand held sideways. the bail. taking
friction from the finger tips. swerves
slightly from it's course and breaks in
toward a right handed batter. II the
hall is gripped tightly with the finger
tips al the ONE 1t is released from
ti4c i.aEd it's speed piles up a billow of
air in fro..t of it. and at some point be-
fore crossing the plate, IL" air re.
sistance becomes so great that the
ball '.jumps" an inch or more upward
or in tic direction the greatest
amount Of pressure of the fingers was
applied,
The curve is a bail held exactly in
the same way in which the fast nj
is gripped, but the ball is released over
the side and end Of the first finger.
The amount Of curve OF shoot depends
upon the manner and strength OF the
hand and the way In which the wrist
Is turned at the moment of release, as
we'll as upon the amount Of power ap-
piled by the pitcher.
These are the elementary principles
of pitching, sc well understood
that every school boy knows them.
They are the beginning Of the won.
ders of baseball pitching. After them
come the change of pace. the slow
ball. the spit ball" the 'knuckle
Continued next week