Evening star., 1913-02-16
BY BILLY EVANS.

Hitting in the pinch. That is just
about as hard a task as pitching under
the same conditions. it looks soft to get
your money for stepping up to the Plate
every now and then. Just to try to come
through with base hit In some ways
it is rather easy money, but I'll bet there
isn't a player in the business carried
only for his ability to hit who wou,dn
swap places with one of the regular men.
You laugh when you read of how Neal
Ball OF the Red Sox received $1,000 for
simply striking out. 1t does look rather
foolish in print, but believe me. 1t was no
laughabie matter to Ball. I worked the
game in which Neal took his three
healthy swings. and never did l see a
player SO disgusted with the world in
general when he finally famed. After
each strike a more determined look would
come over Balls face, as much as to say,
I'll deliver or the next one. But ne dion 4
1t has always been said that the longest
walk in the world is from the home plate
to the bench after you have struck out.
I'll wager Ball imagined he had done a
couple of marathons before he reached
the bench that afternoon TIE only thing
Ball thought OF when he STEPPED to the
plate was a base hit. not money. but lie
emulated Casey.
Fame for Henrickson.
Base hits in a pinch make heroes in
short order For proof 1 refer You to
Henrickson OF the Boston club. If Jake
Stahi hadn't put the fleet outhelder to
hit for Bedient in the seventh inning of
that final game the name Of Henrick-
son would not go down in base ball his
tory with other notables. Jake made such
a change, and HenricksOn came through
with a double that tied up the game. and
for a minute seriously threatened to
break it up. Ball players will tell y-ou
that at no time is Matty quite so good
as when in a pinch. How would y)u
like TO face Matty in the deciding game
Of the great worlds series, two men out,
men on first and second, and your club
one run behinU Not very nice Situa-
ton to have thrust on you? That is just
what Mr.. HenrickSOn OF the Boston club
was UP against. Had Henricison struck
out, or even been retired, he would not
have been disgraced. 1t was too much
to expect OF younestel. i'm his first year
as big Lacquer. Is what every one
would have said. Up to tie seventh Bos-
ton had net scored a run off Matty. the
hardest hitters being at his mercy. Why,
then should even the most optimistic eX-
pect Young Mr.. Helrickson to break III,
the game:
The fi,st ball delivered by Matty Hen
rlcllson swung at and missed. 1T was a
deceptive curve. 'Henny missed that Il
foot" said Ray Collins, who was warm
ing up in right field, near where / was
stationed on the foul lines ''Matty bet
ter be careful though. for iienny lsh t
bothered by strikes. He's game. Tne
next one was a low ball at the knee. and
was declared strike. making the count
two anu nothing. The Boston crowd
really didn't expect base hit at any
stage and now became reconciled to their
fate. With the count two and nothing 1t
.tns, t.Nnf IN a q
veteran. would outguess the lneXperi-
enced recruit. 1t was pitching in pinch
versus hitting III a pinch, and the recruit
won out. The next one was bail, ana
then Henr.ckson took a healthy swing
at one that Mathewson purposely kept on
TIE outside. He hit the ball down the
left field foul line like rife shot. The
game had been tied. the man on second
scoring, base runners were on'second and
third and the Boston crowd was mad
with JOY. Having almost given up hope
Of getting to Matty SO late in the game,
the tie score served as a wonderful tonic
to the Boston rooters.
Won Important Games.
There have been a lot of timely hits in
base ball, but that double of Henrlck-
sons will go down i'm the base bali rec
ord's alongside OF those two home runs
By Frank Baker. those three-sackers by
George Rohe and lew other pinch hits
that played such an important Part IN
the big series of the past. Henrickson' s
double made 1t possible for Boston to win
In ten innings. otherwise the Red Sox
would have gone down to q. l to de-
feat that would have cost. the greatest
honor in base ball.
The business Of pinch hitting is fine. if
you're pinching off the hits, but it is a
mighty dismal job. If they refuse to go
safe Ask. such players as Mccormick of
New York, Hyatt of Pttsburg, Dode
Criss, who once used TO bust the fences
in pinch for the st. Louis Browns;
CLYDE Engie of Boston any of the
other athletes who number. pinch hit
ting as one Of their duties if they like
the job. 1t Is 10 to /, any one OF them