Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-09-05
MUCH INSIDE STUFF IN
PITCHING AND STICK WORK
Fine Points of Base Ball Not Confined
to Fielding Strong Points of
Wagner and Lajoie.

The fine points of base ball are not con-
fined TO fielding by any means.
Pitching and batting present quite as
many niceties To those who would be
adopts. and. in fact, the game has reach
ed even 4 higher point of scientific de-
velopment in these two departments than
in the other.
The days OF straightforward delivery
of the ball and OF clean. full swinging at
il as il comes over the plate long
since past. and now there is a constant
duel between batter and pitcher.
The latter has a threefold task. He
must know his pitcher. He must study
the situation on bases, the state of the
score the abilities Of the men on the
bases and the character and known abil-
titles Of the lielders againH whose defense
Ii is his business to make a successful at
tack. He must make up his mind whether
he shall attempt to hit the ball out,
whether he can do. more by bunt, or
whether. perhaps, having wholesome re
spcct for the pitcher. lie shall simply lit
the ball into the air and give a runner q
chance To advance after the catch. with
the added possibility OF getting on a base
himself. owing either to the accident OF
tie ball falling into an uncovered spot or
10 an error 10y an outaeder.
rne object. That Was TO hit the ball
hard and a. far possible. In those
days few pitchers could depend On their
curves Control like that of Mathew
son. who has performed the amazing
feat of pitching nineteen innings with
out giving single base on balls, would
have been regarded as miraculous
So Dan Brouthers. Delehanty and the
great Sluggers of those days. meeting
pitchers who had to rely on a fast
ION hal fch y.i.yh no
plate. because they gave many bases
on balls, could swing viciously and
Possessing a keen eye. were able so to
time their swings that the tremendous
force of the blow would send the ball
flying, time after time. far out of the
range of the outfielders
Curves Handicap "Sluggers."
There are few such "sluggers'' left
There arc plenty Of men. like Tim Jor-
dan and Harry Lumley, formerly with
Brooklyn: Frank Laporte of the ST. Louis
Americans and Jimmy Williams OF Joe
C&ntilon's Minneapolis team who can
fairly annihilate straight. fast ball
And they get much of their reputation
as batsinen because they combine with
their driving ability the judgment 10 let
Dali pass mat Is going TO curve or
break away from the plate.
No pitcher. unless IL be Mathewson can
consistently pitch curves without getting
constantly into what is technically
known as hole" That is. he will FREE
quently be in the position OF having
pitched three balls and only one stri.e
In that case he dare not pitch a curve
for fear of sending the batter to first on
balls, and has TO deliver straight ball
Then the Jordans and the Lumleys reap
the reward of their good judgment and
can hit the ball as far as they like. Thus
most home runs are made.
The batter who is most valuable is not
the occasional maker of home runs, how
ever. but the timely. dependable. every
day hitter, who gets a single or two in
every game.
Wagner's Remarkable Batting.
Hans Wagner of Pittsburg. the great
est batsman the game has ever seen, is
. player Of another stamp Of course. No