Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-05
STRAIGHT THROWING
IS ALMOST A LOST ART
Experienced Players Put
"Something" on Nearly
Every Ball Delivered.

Hardest of all kinds of deliveries for
ball player is the pure and simple
straight ball. The boy on the vacant
lot who fretS and fumes because he can
not learn how TO curve or to drop when
he is trying TO pitch already possesses
something which the seasoned ball star
longs for. but has lost-the ability to
throw true on a line. He probably could
him to curve the ball, and he never can
get away from it.
OF course it's a great good thing for
the pitcher to throw curves and drops
and shoots. That's what he is paid for
and what he is expected to deliver. with
the added facility Of control But the in
fielder who throws around the bases
would be much better off if he could
send them lin line" For example,
Steinfeldt of the Chicago Cubs has a
magnificent wing" So has Tannehill
of the White Sox, who now ornaments
the bench while younger Purtell is dec
Grating third base. 1t is probable that
Steiny" and fanny can get the ball
over to first as quickly as any one in the
game.
They both throw a wide in-curve
however. The sde-arm motion which,
they both employ when throwing and
the fact that they grip the ball with
Two myers and the thumb makes it
curve with tremendous sweep before
1t reaches the first baseman's glove
Sometimes they are in such a hurry to
get the ball away that they do not have
time to make allowance for the curve
ana the first sacker is either drawn off
the bag or has to extend himself to the
limit to reach the sphere.
Catchers Make Good First Sackers.
This same thing is true Of any infielder
or outnelder. for that matter All throws
curve. Any first baseman will tell Won
that This is the reason why an ex-
catcher makes the best kind of fielding
hrst sacker Take Chance or "Jiggs"
Donahue for examples Nobody LIVING
has anything on them when it comes to
Judging thrown balls. They learned the
course of the balls flight while stationed
behind the bat
There is one good thing about the side
arm throw from third or short to first
according to men who play the initial hap
Ihey claim that the wide in-curye, which
seems to land in the glove like a cannon
ball. is really the lightest kind Of a throw
10 haloie. Ihey argue that the spin on
the ball enables it to stick" and also that
the sphere does not seem to have the
weight which is SO noticeable in the out
curve or even the straight ball, SO called
from short distance
You often read In the accounts of games
that Brown sent a fast straight one
over the plate" or Joss let go of a slow
stralght ball which cut the pan" In both
cases the reporter probably hit as near
the truth as the average writer but ball
players themselves will tell you that their
fast straight pitch has something on it."
IT may be quick in-shoot or even a
slight drop, But it does not go as the
crow flies It's 5O to bet that the slow
straight one was either slow out-curye
or mild drop. The straight ball is prac-
ucaily an impossibility for the ball play
er, except at short distances. where it does
not have time to break
Then the outfielders. Just stand behind
the catcher some day. if you have a
chance, and see men like Cobb or Lord
or Schultz throw in. The ball takes a
big curve before it finally lands in front
of the backstop with the desired first
pound or comes direct into LIS glove. 1t
may take only a fraction of a second, or
1t may be instinct. but the fielders al
ways try to make allowance for the curve