The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-23

When You ask me how to pitch
Championship baseball, 1 do not like
to answer, because ] am afraid base
ball fans may say that I don't know
how says Joe Wood, the former
Hutchinson pitcher who is keeping the
Red Sox in the lead in the American
League race. 81 suppose it is a knack
of pitching the ball, and faithful,
classy support on the part of the team
that has given me a record of more
baseball games won than any other
pitcher in the League.
Il can not even tell why the ball
pitch is better than that pitched by
other twirlers-if it is-unless it is in
the speed of the ball. They say I have
a snap of the wrist that gives the ball
that speed. I do pitch it with a snap.
] have watched other pitchers who re-
ly mainly on a fast BALI and have
not noticed much of a snap of the
wrist. I have a theory that I have
more of that snap than the others.
81 do know that my fast ball is the
one on which I mainly rely. l seldom
use a curve BALI and rarely serve up
a slow one. If I have more speed than
some of the others, it is because l
give the ball more energy the way
pitch than it gets from some of the
others delivery, and if have some
thing on the ball it is because of a
knack that I have had all my life. l
do not try to give the ball any freak
twists. and I do not know why my
ball should have more speed or any
freak that other pitchers do not have.
Doesn't Know About Hop"
''The ball 1 pitch does take a jump
before it reaches the batter. That
comes from the speed, | think, al !
though If NAV come from some twist |
that 1 give the ball, unconsciously, be
fore it leaves my hand. That jump
seems to fool them often.
IT hold the ball as most other pitch
ers do-grasped firmly between the
first two fingers above, and the thumb
below. I hold it that way when l give
-I-,O T c1frN b
curve or when 1 serve up slow one
I always throw it with the same over
hand motion. I bring my arm over at
full length, with the hand more or
less upright, and throw with all the
energy have. As the arm comes over
nearly as far as it will go, the wrist
does the rest. 1t probably snaps quick,
thereby giving the ball the extra extra
mems the wrist comes down and the
ball leaves my fingers quickly 1t goes
fast, but with no curve and takes
jump before it reaches the plate:
81 have been told that the wrist
snaps so quickly that it appears that
I twist it and throw with the fingers
below and the thumb above That IS
not true.
'anything' that the others have not
unless it is the knack, as you might
saw. which gives it the extra speed
1.-THE only secret that know any
thing about is that of control Con
troll makes or unmakes every pitcher.
7 know many a pitcher who has more
Sneed than have, and, of course, there
are plenty of them who have curves
tha width of which they can control.
Rr+ thew are unable to make the ball
break and pass the batter where
thew want it to pass him and where 1t
must pass him to be successful. They
IaclT control Sometimes they have
At Int sometimes will not do. They
must be able to do it every time, or
nearly So AS to the slow ball. that
also comes back to the proposltlootn on OF
control These pitchers, who have
the stuff lack control and they are
not successful.
with control the pitcher can de-
liver the ball within few inches OF
where he wants it to goa few inches /
/ mean; not anywhere within that tar
get over the plate and between the
bat+er's shoulders and his knee If
that control is acquired, if the pitch ]
err has speed, curves, good judgment,
and a good memory of what the op-
nosing batsmen can't hit, the pitcher
is likely to be successful.
ga pitcher, to be successful, must
have an efficient team behind him. If
he has the goods and the fielders .
know where the opposition is likely
to hit and play the game of baseball
as the Red Sox know how to play it,
he is likely to be a successful pitcher.
If 1 have been unusually successful,
you always want to remember that the ,
Boston Red Sox are a wonderful COL {
lection of baseball players, who know ]
how to play the diamond and can
hit 'em out at bat and run bases, to
boot.
'You ask if some batters are harder
to pitch to than others. That is true,