Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-21
JOSS FINISH NEAR
Big Nap Pitcher Believed to
Have Lost Pitching Arm.
VETERAN is WORRIED, TOO
Doubtful If Great Twirler Will Ever
Be Able to Star
Again.

spec bispstch to The Star.
CLEVELAND. March 21.-Telegraphic
advices from Alexandria, La, where the
Cleveland American League team is
training, indicate that Addie Joss, for
years the mainstay Of the Maps in the
box, is not rounding to form in the
manner hoped. Many fear that the
great pitcher is through That JOSS is
fearful of the same thing was apparent
at West Baden, where he was in train
ing while the Cardinals were under
going their preliminary stunts. 1t was
pathetic to see the big fellow sitting
around the atrium, wrapped in sweat
ers. and casting admiring glances at
the group of young twirlers that Bres-
nahan had gathered.
Afraid to Try Out Arm.
81 don't know how my arm is coming
around" said Joss to a correspondent.
ut does not pain me so much as 1T used
to, but / am afraid to let 1t out. There
10 no telling whether it will come
around or not. 1 cannot tell until i
get into a real game and give 1t prac-
teal test. You know we are prone to
hope for the best, and that mysterious
something SO necessary to effective
pitching may be gone and We not de-
tect 1t until a real game Is on"
Joss is modest fellow. 1t was re-
marked that he had many admirers in
st. Louis. We'll. 1 have always been
lucky in ST. Louis" he replied Asked
If he was simply lucky" WREN he
pitched his no-hit no-run games in
other cities, he said any pi,cner VINO
scored such victory was always more
or less lucky. and that the team back
OF him was entitled to a large need Of
the praise.
First Big Game Pitched in st. Louis.
1T was in St Louis that pitched my
Arst game in fast company" said Joss,
with a reminiscent air. THAT game was
also the first American League ball that
ST. Louis saw. 1t was the year tina;
Hedges broke into the business, and he
had a great team. ! was lucky to win
that first game, 3 to o.
And that reminds me of Of the inside
ball that some Of the critics discourse
on so knowingly. When broke into the
big league / had a good arm. but my
experience was limited l know that
know more base bali In a minute now
than I did in game then. l can think
quicker and figure out the plays without
the effort required at first But with my
present experience and my arm In a
problematical condition. were l to face
a team Of hitters ! might be knocked
out of the box In jiffy, despite all the
inside ball ] know.
Common Sense and Drawn.
Common sense. combined with Drawn.
muscle and skill, is a combination that
will always win. Men with good heads
and good arms will always play good
ball. while men with inside knowledge
will and II useless unless they can play
the game physically.
when the Cleveland team had Brad
lev on third. Turner at snort, Larry at
second and Stovall on first. IL was thei.
skill in playing the game that made
them a great infield. and not the mere
fact that each one was q quick thinker.
A team that depended altogether on in
side stun against that aggregation would
be certain to be defeated.
Pitcher and Batter Guessing.
The contest between the pitcher and
the batter Is more or less of q guessing
contest. And when the batter makes q
long hit, or hits at the critical stage OF
the game. he In entitled to credit for be-
ing Q hitter. and should not be classed
lucky as 90 many critics are prone to
do"
Joss accompanied the Cardinals home,
has been . week In the south now, and
q yet has not let his arm out. He Ia
addition to being one Of the most skillful
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