Omaha daily bee., 1912-05-19
WALSH UPSEFS TRADITION
Regarded as One of Greatest Pitch
ers in Base Ball History.
ROMAN WOULDN'T BARTER HIM
Macbeth write. Intere.tinsiy About
Man whe Has Come Back Year
y After Year and IL stiIi
Strong as Ever.
ny w. J. MACBETH.


upset traditional laws of nature is worthy
1t least OF more than passing regard. One
VINO can go on doing ii. year after year.
should be an object OF universal wonder
As such let US introduce Ed Walsh, the
mainstay Of the Chicago American league
clubs pitching staff
Walsh Is one OF the most wonderful
pitchers that the game has ever developed.
Should he become permanently crippled to-
morrow. so crippled that he could never
again WELD the little white sphere
through which he gained his fame. this
remarkable athlete would nass down
through history as one Of the great
masters Of his art His name would be
linked with those of christy Mathewson
and cy Young. men who cheated time and
+conserved their cunning through twice the
span of an ordinary pastimers day of
major league usefulness.
In point OF years Of service. Ed Walsh
has long way to go to equal the un-
precedented record of Bostons grand old
Imam. Compared even with Mathewson the
lFwhits Sox marvel is still confronted with
isseverai years in which he must deliver
lnis present puzzling brand. Yet the fell
low seems equal to the task. He Is every
bit as good at this writing as at any time
Fin his brilliant career and there are those
Iwho hailed him three scaspns back as
the most effective and capable tosser in
lxhs game.
Just look what this veteran is doing
for caIlahan's White sox Single handed
he put chicago's pennoa out to the front
from tho seasons getaway. OF the first
eighteen games played Walsh worked in
nine. He didn't pitch the full time in
each, but those he didn't start were the
ones that really proved the hardest tests.
He was called upon 10 save the day when
some stablemats wavered. Therein lies
wRlsh,s great value.
Fifty q season IL Easy.
Since 1906 Walsh had pitched pracu.
caliy q third Of all the White Sox's
eames Fifty games in season is noth--
Eng for him. He'll turn off that many
on his own hook and finish half as many
more for less fortunate mates, He won
- pennant and worlds championship for
sfhe White sos In 1aod lie won n city
Ieeries from. the Cubs last fall No mat
ter what sort OF club be behind him.
aWnlsh is aiways up among the leading
pitchers OF the major leagues. When his
ifeam finishes at all close to the leaders
Isl IL betting that walsh is the lead
ling pitcher Of his company or mighty
srioss to II. II takes a near approach TO
,ehutout ball 70 stop this wonderful tosser
in his average game.
ID It any wonder then. that Charles
"a. comiskey regards I'd Walsh as the
IxreAtest asset in base ball7 During the
aeAxue meetings In this city last Decem-
Der the ola Roman declared that he
had 3ust one player that he could not
be Induced ID part with at any cost.
r'walsh.- said comiskey. has done too
much for my club, 10 be become the
seubsset Of trade. OF course. ! couldn't
.frads him II I wished. Ny city wouldn't
stand II. I might a. well lock the gatss
as to part with him. But sentiment
aside, there II not player In the world
Tor whom I would swap waish--Ec. not
even the wonderful Ty Cobb. consider
walsh today a. great as Cobb. He 10
= pitching starr In himself. cannot
say that he 10 the greatest player cf his
tcry. I can and do say that he is
the greatest pitcher Of history. New
York viii disagree with me on on that
score. DO not for minute lose sight
Of Mathswson. But great as Matty is.
! believe Walsh greater
wnish ana Matsy Alike.
In many respects the cases OF Mathew
son and walsh are quito similar, For
years Matty upheld the pitching burdens
of the Giants on his own broad shoulders.
He not only did his share, his regular
4urn. but served a. relief In every Inn
portsnt crssis: just as walsh has done
and Is stiii doing. But never In the
: hsydey OF his career was the iilustrious
Mafhswson such an iron man as Ed
Walsh.
IF I had waish." declared Frank
Chance. after the White sox had won
four straight games from the Cubs. .'rd
win worlds championships every year.
ia work him In every game OF course
Chance did not mean that statement
3iserxily. But IA was fine compliment
nevertheless. and . deserving one. II
may be walsh's wonderful physique that
has enabled him TO so on from year TO
gear performing at its very best the work
Of thres ordinary tessers
Every time walsh wavers the least
little bit fxndom prepares for his
funeral. Hes gone al last" IL
Whispered. -Hs could not possibly stand
.up under such a strain Of overwork" "
xBut eacn time the marvel comes back
xtrcngsr than ever. To-day he stands In
3 clzss NIL by himsaif
& II was Walsh who gave the lie to the
xheory that the spithsil ruins pitchers
arm II never seemed TO puzzle his
ripper great deal Ed wasn't worth a
psugged nickel as hafIes until he
acuuirsd the damp delivery. In his first
year eat with the sox. 1904. he depended
almost entirely on speed and he was
hnmmsred al over creation He picked
np the saiivnry slant from Jack chesbro
and commenced to uEe II In the sprins Of
f1sM. That ts when his real career began.
Before fan he was one Of the greafsst
fpltehsrs IN ths game. Ths following sea-
son he won pennsnt and worl1ss flag
for Fielder Jones.
Jimmy cailahan'z team has a great
start toward the championship. HIS best
bet is walsh. the fellow that put him
up there. II nothing happens to this star.
even The sIugEinx Athletics win have =
hard task beating fhs White Sex. Walsh
win Pitch ss many games this year and
deliver as many victories as be ever aid
IN any campaign. That 10 enough to as
surs an ultimate triumph II the othsr
Chicago pitchers can deliver average re-