The Washington herald., 1913-05-24
.GRIFf'S CURVES
PEEVED Vets
Upshoot Proves Undoing Of
Tom Tucker, Boston Ma
tionals' Great Slugger.
"OLD FOX" REMINISCENT
Tells How He Fooled Nash When
Bali Struck Bat While on
BiIly's Shoulder.

Once in a while Manager Grifiith likes
to talk over the old days when h. was
in his prime He recently pulled a couple
of stories that every fan Is sure to read
with much interest. 1t has been my
luck says Griff. ito see large num-
Der of peeved and angry people In this
old game of baseball, particularly gen.
tIemen against whom i have been lucky
enough to do some successful pitching. =.
IT still think. however, that the mad
dest man I ever did behold were two
grand old Monoiiths of the old Boston
team-Mr. William Nash and Mr.. Thomas
Tucker. The occasions on which l be-
held the fury of these famous warriors
are stilI green in my memory. and can
never forsake me.
"old Tommy Tucker was pretty nearly
on his last legs so far as big league
baseball Vas concerned, and hits to him
were more precious than rubies and
diamonds when we bumped together
one summer afternoon. 1t was q big
game, most important game, and, 1
really had to win II. l loved Tom
Tucker very much. but loved my salary
more.
Battle on Even Terms.
The battle was a hot one. running
along on pretty even terms TIL near the
close. when we managed to get a couple
on the bases and good old Uncle Arson
did the rest with one of those murder
Gus hits that they don't make now. the
old man not being there TO soak them.
That Boston bunch was never whipped
till the last man was counted out. and
they went after me strong In the death
rally. First thing l knew they had the
Tom Tucker standing firmly at the
plate. / worked him into biting at two
wide ones. then fed him two more.
which he refused to reach after. II
was coming down to cases and no mis-
take
Just at this juncture I happened to
remember a trick Of indoor baseball
the enormous upshoot which is put on
an indoor ball by swinging II, under
hand. with the knuckles uppermost and
the ball roahng OF the palm. It causes
a huge upshoot ball, but is not practi- |
cable for outdoor ball because, at the !
greater pitching distance, the ball would !
lose all its speed long before IL reached |
the platter.
II decided to throw that ball Just as |
a desperate experiment, and ! threw It |
The globule sauntered along. way low. |
below Toms knee-llne, and he stood |
scoffing at II. Then. just as the ball |
came parallel with him, II leaped and !
whirled over the plate, while the UNI
pire yelled Strike three
On Grin's Trail.
"Old Tom Tucker laid down his bat
and started toward me, with evidence
of much excitement on his face but |
was already on my way, and was going
fast. That night he came to the hotel
looking for me and publicly announced
that he intended to slay me on sight.
but I wasn't in and he never got his
hands upon me-
Billy Nash, Ike Tom Tucker, was
almost ready to pass out when l had
my adventure with him. The case was
similar. ninth inning rally, two down
and the bases damned. i sent one over
that Billy sidestepped. and the umpire
called il a strike Old Bill promptly
turned to express his opinion of the
call, and stood there with his bat over
his shoulder, furiously demonstrating.
As he jawed, pitched. The ball struck
his bat and bounded straight back into
my hands. ] chucked to first and the
game was over. Under the rules, the
aged William had hit a fair ball and
was out.
THE anger of Mr.. Nash was both
spectacular and pathetic. / was deeply
sorry for him, but rules are rules, and
the game was mine