New-York tribune., 1912-02-06
Timely BITS OF SPORT
Otis CrandaII, Relief Pitcher OF
the Giants, in Line.
SENDS IN HIS CONTRACT
Ray Caldwell and Priest Sign
with Yankees-Flint Rock
OFF on Saturday.

prescribing for sick games. will play with
the Giants another year. 4 document
with his signature attached was received
At the headquarters of the club yesterday
insuring his presence at the Polo Grounds
when the curtain rises. Beyond the per
adventure Of a doubt. Crandall is the
greatest relief pitcher in organized base
ball. His chief rival in this line is Nor
decai Brown, Of the Chicago Cubs, but
the three-fngered marvel, who made
speciality of rescue work last season, can
not equal the Indiana farmers record
Last year Crandall was second only to
"Rube" Marquard as the leading pitcher
of the league with a record of fifteen
victories and five defeats, just a shade
behind Bender, of the Athletics, who won
seventeen and lost FIVE. At the same time
these games represent less than half Of
the struggles in which Crandall worked.
for the statistics show that he took part
IN forty-one games In other words,
twenty-one of the contests in which he ap-
peared were either won or lost by some
other twirler. AS a general proposition
II may be stated that about one-half Of
these games not credited TO his lost or
won column were saved to some other
pitcher through his efforts, while, on the
other hand. a large percentage Of his VIC
tories represented the work Of three or
four innings.
This. off hand. would give rise TO the
belief that Crandall did not have TO work
hard to make a good record, but if the
number Of hours which he spent warming
up on the far outskirts Of the Polo Grounds
were added together, the total would
represent more time spent I'm throwing the
sphere than any other pitcher on the team
could show. 1t was familiar sight. Wheh
the curves of Matty, Marquard and Ames
were being Strengthened out and the pitter-
patter Of safe hits began to echo across
the diamond. to see Larry Doyle look ap-
peaingly at McGraw. and Immediately the
burly form of Crandall would appear chmo-
ing out from under the cover OF the New
York bench and betaking itself with Grover
Hartley or Wilson to distant parts OF the
field Sometimes the man in the box would
steady down, but Crandall would Keep
whipping them over for the rest OF the
game. Often his services would be neeueu'
and with his appearance In the DoX
forlorn hope would take on rosy com
rleXion.
OTIS can give the BAH lusty waliop Wheh
in the mood, and many a ninth inning rally
has been helped along by his hard hits.
Those who saw him in the fifth game of the
worlds series at the Polo Grounds when'
single handed. he practically turned GER
tain victory for the Athletics into deteat
after two were out in the ninth. will bear
witness TO his prowess. Crandan displayed
his rescue powers as we'll in that series
and in the few innings in which he twirled
he had the Athletics guessing. BE II
known, too that any pitcher who can keep
Connie Mack's men guessing has something
besides a well trained glove.
There have been times during the last
few seasons when Crandall has been able
10 start a game and finish it without losing,
but these have been rare occasions. For
some reason or other, his delivery is solved
by opposing teams after six or seven inn
ings of work, and the result thereof is ter
rible to behold His effectiveness consists
largeyl in a puzzling change OF pace. His
dinky little slow ball is marvel, and
fornas a decided contrast to the speed Of
Marquard or Ames. 1t never fails to check
a rally against these two twirlers. With
an assortment of curves above the average
Crandan generally can hold the pace and
before the opposing side starts to hitting
his blenders" the game is over.
Giants as Mathewson or Marquard He is
a hard worker. frequently pitching four or
five games a week. He has assumed the |
psrt Of a utility infelder at times in way
that commended itself to all critics. and
this. coupled with his sterling batting ,abil-
fly, makes him one of the stars Of the
team
Ray Caldwell the young pitcher who
made a name for himself with the Yankees
last year and for whom many predict a
brilliant future. signed yesterday His rec
ord last year was fourteen games won and
lost, put he showed enough TO lead the
fans" to place him next to Russell Ford
as the best pitcher of the Yankees.
John Priest. A second baseman Of the
Richmond club Of the Virginia League, also
sent in his contract. Priest was the sec
ond best hitter of the organization last
summer. having an average Of 1853 for
ffty-one games. His fielding average in
thirty-fve games was .951 He was with
the Yankees as a utility infelder for part
Of last season.
When Flint Rock leaves these shores on
the Atlantic Transport liner Minneapolis.
on Saturday the breeding industry of
slashing son of the Triple Crown winner
Rock Sand is. from a physical point of
view. one OF the likeliest stations of the
day.
August Belmont decided several weeks
ago 10 send Flint Rock to Chateau Villers,
his French breeding establishment II Is
al Chateau Nillers where Ethelbert IS
standing. The stud in France maintained
by the chairman of the Jockey Club is the
home of twenty-seven fashionably bred
matrons. II is reasonable TO expect that.
II racing is revived in this country,
Mr.. Belmont will nominate some OF the
sons and daughters CT Ethelbert and Flint
Rock to stakes here.
Flint Rock which. of course was foaled
at the Nursery Farm in Lexington, is bred
in the purple on the maternal side. His
dam, Fizgig, is daughter of Rayon dor
Feu Follet, by Kingfsher.
II the four-year-old brown son of Rock
Sand had not bowed a tendon last season
it is easy TO believe that he would have
proved to be one Of the great horses Of
modern times.
In the Dominion Handicap. run a Fort
Erie Flint Rock reeled off a mile and a
quarter in 2:04 1-5. The first mile was COW
cred in 1:57 3-5. II was conceded by turf
men who watched the race that the colt
could have established a new record If he
had been Strengthened out.
Barring the off tendon. which is bowed,
there is not the slightest blemish on any
part of the colts makeup.
Many former bicycle champions Will De
rresenf 10 recount their tales Of victories