Los Angeles herald., 1910-05-22
CLOUT FIRST BALL
IF GOOD, SAYS TY
Cobb Doesn't Make Practice of
Letting Initial Fling
Get Past Him
CURBS DESIRE TO PELT PEA
Peerless SIugger Says Old Timers
Would Look Like Big
BoobS Today
CURBS DESIRE TO PELT PEA

DETROIT, May 21.-Ty Cobb is proud
of his ability to hit the ball safely with
men on bases and points with pride to
the fact that he has driven in more
runs than any member of the Detroit
team since he joined the club. In speak
ing of this the other day the famous
batsman said:
Il find it easier to hit the ball with
the bases full. The pitcher is worried,
the inielders are guessing. and when
you do hit the ball the flying base
runners rattle and disconcert the men
who are trying to handle It,
with men on base l generally lay
for the first ball the pitcher hands over.
It's dollars to dimes that if he can lay
that first one straight over the pan
he'll do 1t, and l soak quite few of
them. The majority of batsmen will
pass up the first ball, no matter If it
cuts the platter But you'll never get
this boy overlooking one of that kind.
Nine times out of ten | go to the plate
prepared to tickle the first ball. If the
pitcher lays it over
Il never take a good healthy swing
at the ball any more. / like to do 1t,
but you can't get anything in the big
leagues swinging the willow. The spit
ball pitchers would make a Ounce of
you in short order, to say nothing of
the boXmen who have mastered a good
change of pace. They'll shoot one over
that looks like a pea, then feed you
slow one that comes floating up as big
as balloon. But you are set for the
fast one and break your back reaching
for the slow ball.
In the old days the great hitters
were Dave Orr. Pete Browning, Dan
Brouthers and Pop Anson-big fellows,
who swung onto ball with the force
of trip-hammer Bring em in one or
the big rings today and the artists of
modern baseball would make em look
like jokes.
You can't grab a wagon tongue
down at the handle, reach back and
swing half way around for a curve
pitcher. They'd make you look foolish,
and you wouldn't have enough batting
average at the end of a month to get
your name in the percentages.
1.-The great hitterS of our time grab
their batting sticks foot or more from
the handle, and instead of swinging,
aim 10 meet the ball flush It's just
like the short-arm punch in the prize
ring. The long swingers with their
terrible haymakers, seldom get the
money nowadays. It's the Jehrieses
and Johnsons, with their murderous
short-arm punches to the body, that
invariably bring home the candy. Moth
ing suits me better than to take good
crack at the leather. but | can't afford
to get out OF my stride, so ! stick to
the sure system of just meeting the
bail with a halfway grip on my war
club"
In speaking of pitchers who bother
him the most Cobb says: There was
time when Addie Joss of Cleveland
had me going Sideways. Two years ago
/ got two hits off Joss in twenty-eight
trips to the plate. 1 could connect with
the ball, but couldn't get it safe. In
1909 it was different, and l hit Joss
about as regularly as the next. Bill
Burns of Washington and Chicago
bothered me lot in 1909 When Burns
was with Washington I'd heap sooner
face Walter Johnson than Bill. john
son, in the estimation of keen judges, is
about the best pitcher in the American
league. But every member of the De-
troit team will tell you that George
Mullin is the king, and guess over IN
Cleveland they think Addie Joss has 1t
ON them all
Discussing outflelding and outhelders
Cobb says;
Nearly all our felders play too deep.
For every ball hit over our heads there
are dozens that drop safe between the
infelders and outfielders. But you just
can't get an outfelder to work in close
unless It's for. some weak hitter who
never lifts the ball very far over an in
fielders head"