The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-13
RAY FISHER ONE OF
 GREATEST PITCHERS.
Manager Hal Chase Expecting Great Things of Former Hartford
 TWirler

In a special story from Wilkes barre, Pa in the New York Journal, Pitcher Ray Fisher, the former Hart ford player, is heralded as the coming box sensation of the year. Here is the article:
 Manager Chase is especially sweet on Ray Fisher, the 200-pound twirler who pitched such sensational ball for the Yankees the latter part of last season. In fact, Hal has so much confidence in him that it wouldn't be surprising if he twirled the opening game.
 Saturday morning the manager an- nounced that big Jim Vaughn would work in the first battle against the Athletics, but this morning he told as t starter.
 During the trip of the Yankees through the South this year Fisher has pitched some grand ban. He reported to the club in better shape than any of the other twirlers. He admitted that he had worked out over the roads of Middleboro, his home town in Connecticut, for a month be- fore showing up at Hot Springs. He was down to weight month ago, and his 200 pounds is solid bone and mus ele.
 Chase believes that Fisher throws the fastest ball of any man in the league. Duke Farrell is of the same belief. The coach said in Athens, one day Fisher worked against the Yannigans, that the Connecticut far mer possessed more speed than even the mighty John Meekin.
 Fisher has a peculiar break on his fast bail, too. It is not unlike Walter Johnson's speeder. Just before it reaches the batter it snaps out almost Ut a right angle degree. And, best of all, Fisher appreciates what a n 0 a He has a drop ball that is served up to the batter with hardly any TO- tation. And he has perfect control of 1t. too.
 There are very few pitchers who do have good control of their slow ball. Russell Ford is one of them, and so is Cy Young.
 F'ord's ball, however, spins much more than Fishers. When the bats man is lucky enough to connect with Rays teaser the best he can usually do is to pop up a dinky fly.
 Besides being a most promising twirler, Fisher is a grand athlete. He weighs 200 pounds, is within a half inch of six feet. but one of the fastest runners on the team. During his college career at Middlebury he ran 100 yards in eleven seconds fiat
 Fisher is a crack wrestler and a pretty nifty boxer besides. In fact he was considered good enough tim- Der for Frank Gotch on the mat be- fore he took up baseball as pro- fession.
 He was brought up on a farm in Middlebury, and has always taken good care of himself. He has never drank 8 drop of liquor in his life and he doesn't know the taste of tobac- co.
 Here is what Chase thinks of him Fisher will be one of the greates, pitchers in the American league this season. He made good with the Yau- kees from the start. Why. the frs, game he pitched July 2, last year was against the Athletics Quinn had been knocked out of the box i1 the first inning and Fisher went in and finished the game, and in eigh, innings only allowed two hits.
 Tn the morning game of the Fourth he worked again against the allowing only four hits.''
 It was in 1907 that Fisher first re. ceived any recognition from profes- slonal league managers. He was performing for a semi-professional team up in the backwoods of Canada one day, when Cy Stackpole, who has pitched in every league in the coun- try. saw him work.
 Stackpole was carded to go to Hart ford in the Connecticut league thai year and wired Manager Tommy Dowd, the old Oriole outf1elder. to sign up Fisher.
 Fisher was attending Middlebury college at the time, and reported to Hartford after he graduated in June 19U8. lie LOOK a postgraduate course at the same college last year. but wa sold to the Yankees and joined the Washington Heights brigade last June.