The Bridgeport evening farmer. [volume] (Bridgeport, Conn.) 1866-1917, 1911-02-04
BASEBALL NOTES

Baseball wiseacres and the sharp
shooters think that Bert Daniels will
be the real merchandise for the Yam
kee outfieId next season. Chase has
him On the bill to play left field next
season. When Daniels gets on. and
he does often. he makes all the
catchers step up and skip about when
base paths.
George Moriarty has signed to play
third base for the Tigers again next
season. George is still getting money
from his latest song hit, when the
Old Oaken Bucket Was New There
has been some talk that one of the
youngsters would take his place at
third base, but when the bell sounds
for the big work Moriarty will no
doubt be the third sacker. It will be
Morys eighth year in professional
baseball. He is another player who is
we'll prepared for the day when he
will have to pass out of baseball.
Yes, Connie Mack gives out the
alarming piece of news that. there will
be no change in the Athletic infield for
next season. This hits us kind of hard
when one stops to consider that Con-
ME had such bad infielders as Harry
Davis, Eddie Collins, Jack Barry and
II
Connie.
Elmer Flick, at one time famous for
his hitting and great base running
when he, was with the Cleveland club,
is sure sliding down the chute just
like all the great ball players. Last
season Elmer was turned over to the
string on him just the same. Flick
says he will not play with Danny
Shay's team another season, and
wants to get his unconditional release
from Cleveland. Any time Flick would
come up to the bat in the Forest City
the fans would go wild over him. In
other cities around the circuit they
feared him when he stepped up to the
plate. Now we hear no more of him.
It's the way Of the baseball world.
Clark Griffith, manager of the Gin
cinnati Reds, takes exception to a re-
cent statement by Christy~M atthewson
that the slow ball pitcher would not
be so effective today as twenty years
ago. "Christy Matthewson," says Griff
sis a slow ball pitcher himself, so his
criticism that the losers of 'teasers'
wouldn't be as effective today as they
were twenty years ago Is not true.
Mattys fadeaway and curves are typ
ical slow balls. He also has a fast
win his games he would be knocked
out of the box four games out of five.
81 agree with Matty that there are
no good slow ball pitchers, but the
great artists of the past, like Win
Mercer, Red &Donahue and yours truly
CLARK Griffith) would now fool bat
tiers easier than we did twelve years
ago, when there was only one eight
club league.
81 maintain. that the slow ball is
hardest to hit, when the boxman
really has the stuff. The great bat
tiers. thrive on speed. Matty himself
is the only great slow ball pitcher
working in the big leagues today. Mat
ty isn't the brainest twirler in the
game, but he has more stuff than any
pitcher, past or present"
Joe Tinker of the Cubs, says thai
Pitcher Jess Baker Of the Spokane
club is a wonder and will be the SEN
sation of the American league. Baker
has signed with Comiskey.
President Robert Hedges of the ST
Louis Americans, says that he has
spent $4,000 this year for players and
is ready to spend as much more to
give ST. Louis good ball team.
1t seems as if the "spit'' ball was
doomed to die a natural death. Pitch
ers who draw large salaries from
major league teams are not going tc
use any delivery. however efficacious
which limits their value to few years
time. They will not take chances OF
injuring the throwing ability which
means a steady income.
A few years ago Jack Chesbro. A
Orth, Heine Berger, Harry Howell
King Brockett, Steele. Liebhardt. Win
ter. Pfuitt and other moist-sphere art
lists were stars of the baseball world
and idols of the fans. They are nc
longer big league players.
The men who use the saliva delivery
are growing fewer. In the American
League. for instance. where a few
years ago every club boosted of two
or more twirlers who used that style
exclusively there are only about a
dozen boxmen who are opponents OF
the dampened horsehide.
Ford, Fisher and Quinn of New York
Morgan and Dygert of the Athletics
Walsh. Scott and Olmstead of Chicago;
Reisling of Washington: Smith of Bos-
ton; Lake of ST. Louis and FanweIl of
Cleveland are the pitchers in Ban
Johnson's organization who throw the
splitter Fanwell was the only minor
league recruit who made good in the
majors by the use of the moistened
ball.
In spite of Mike Donlin's avowed de-
termination to remain off the diamond
a story comes out of the West to the
effect that Mike is to go South with
the Cubs. The rumor says that Muir
ply is to buy Donlin from New York
pay his fine to the national commits
sion. and play him in the field
Charles Murphy is trying to arrange
a series of games between the Chicago
Nationals and the Detroit Tigers in
New Orleans this spring. q
Baseball is fourishing at this sea-
son in New Orleans" said the Cub
owner land an exhibition last Sunday
between teams captained by Bobby
Tarleton and jake Atz attracted a
great crowd to the Southern League
Park. The games between the Cubs
and Maps last spring made hit in
New Orleans. and it is almost a GER
tainty we will meet Detroit this spring.
inasmuch as Manager Jennings will