Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1912-03-01
FUCKER BEST LEFT HANDER.
Goes Against Strongest Teams and
Pitchers and Beats Them.


Ty Cobb, that most effective De-
troiter, comes from Georgia So does
Nap Rucker, the Brooklyn clubs IA
nous southpaw. Georgia is not long
on quantity. so far as sending Joplin
ers into the big leagues is concerned,
but the quality is certainly there.
There is no better batsman, run getter
or fly chaser than Cobb; no steadier,
sWeeter slab performer than Rucker
Since George Edward Waddell was
chased out Of the big arena and Dr.
Harry White and Farmer Eddie Plank
have started to advance upon the passe
stage, Rucker has moved into first
place among the southpaws. Rather,
as Rube Marquard, three year older,
has had but one big season, and Vean
Gregg, that clever Clevelander, is
strictly q one year man, it is but fair
to place RuCker in first position among
the left handlers. Brooklyn has owned
q near tailender ever since Rucker
went to work for Charley Ebbets. Nap
has had a long succession Of good
years. His percentage OF victories each
summer has always been far greater
than that gained by his club, and the
records will show that the majority of
Maps triunphs have been registered
against the strong clubs of the Ma
tional league.
Rucker is at his best when the bat
ting is the toughest. He loves to face
/ one of the good teams He would
rather be pitted against Mordecai
Brown and the Cubs or Christy Math-
ewson and the Giants than be sent
against Boston or Cincinnati. The
star players of the National league,
particularly the members Of the Chi
cago Cubs, consider Rucker the tough
3 80 Ill d.
ticularly in Brooklyn is Maps stuff
hard to solve. There, adjoining the
fence in deep center field IS a big
advertising sign, and when Rucker IS
on duty and going his fastest the col
Ored background results in having his
fast ball on top of the batter before the
| batter is really sure Nap has let go of
the sphere.
! Give Rucker one run in Brooklyn,
and he is the best bet in baseball to be
bracleted. Slip him two runs and it's
ell over. Nap Is also a good road man,
| especially in his biggest combats, but
as an at home pitcher he is considered
| the best Of them all in the National
| league, and that even il ne is associ-
! ated with a ball team that IS anything
| but startlingly impressive, Rucker is
not a resourceful workman, but, then,
! he Is so very, very good, naturally he IS
not called upon 70 pull anything on the
! slab very often. He knows full well
/ that the team behind him is not Of very
much account, save in a few positions,
/ and for that reason he Is never able
/ TO loaf. and Just like the rest of the
pitchers, particularly those Of the first
flight. he always wants to boost his
win column.
Whenever Rucker gets bumped, and
! that Is seldom. the hammering comes
in q closing inning. Few twirlers use
! as many curve balls in the course Of q
game as Nap, and when ne times, as he
sometimes does in the flag end of his
game on q hot afternoon in midseasOn.
| his famous hop ball loses lot of its
! hop and is Strengthened out. Rucker,
though. has probably been retired less
than any other star pitcher in either
major league. When he starts, it is a
30 to 1 shot he finishes.