Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1911-07-07


discovered the fadeaway and, by throw
ing this, even without the speed once
possessed, he became a better pitcher
pitcher than ever before and for years
has kept at the top of his profession,
demonstrating the fact, that, like few
other great pitchers, he pitches with
his brain, instead of his arm.
The most freakish ball ever introdu-
ced into the game was that known as
the spit ball, developed by Strieklett,
when the Chicago team was training
at New Orleans in 1903 The pitching
of this one bal, lis somewhat of a science
in itself, requiring an eXactncss of con-
troll mastered by but very few Later,
Walsh developed to be the greatest
master of tue spit ball.
To go through the list of veteran
pitchers and the science of their game
would require volume in itself, par
ticularly to describe the various curves
used. Contrary to general belief, a
straight ball is an exceptionally hard
ball to hit, and but few pitchers have
accomplished very much with the
straight ball. There is one particular
instance that is notable. When New
York and Chicago were playing off the
worlds series in 1908, Pfester strained
the ligament in his arm, so that the
bending of the elbow to throw a curved
ball of any kind Was little short Of tor
ture. He could ,5loWever, use his arm
from the shoulder and he could also
throw a straight fast ball He was
just abont to be retired from the game
when he begged for chance to finish
it out, and throughout one of the most
notable games ever played, he threw
but three curved balls, all to one bat
ter, but his straight ball was hard to
hit, as he mixed them up by changing
the angle on nearly every ball. The
result of the game was a tie and it
saved the pennant.
In summing up the game of baseball
Mr.. A. j. Reach says:
'Wellington's remark that Waterloo
was won on the cricket fields of Elton
could De just as fairly made to apply to
the speedy triumph of Uncle Sam in the
war with Spain. 1t seems to me that
| was able to discern in the manner in
which the Americans fought, the fruit
of their training in our national game.
We have a right TO be proud of base
ball, for we made it, thought out every
detail. Founders and town ball, which
suggested baseball, were nothigg more
than school boy games, which of them
selves never could have held attention
long. What was good in them the
rule-makers took, and then gradually
they evolved the game as we know it
today, with all it's science and brillian-
cy."
No better conclusion to this article
GOULD be made than by recalling an in
cident that is said to have occurred
during an eventful year IN our history.
The story goes that when the commit
tee waited upon Abraham Lincoln in
1860 to notify him of his nomination
to the Presidency they founnd him, in
company with others, on vacant lot
with coat off, and sleeves rolled up,
busily engaged in game of baseball,
and when the chairman finally succeed
ed in gaining Mr.. Lincoln's ear for a
moment to acquaint him with the OBJ
ject of their visit, his only reply was,
THE Presidency be burned, run there
you skinflint," and away rushed Abe
down to third base to coach one of his
runners home.