The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1913-07-20
BASEBALL STARS ARE
NOT LUCKY PLAYERS
Monte Cross Says Heroes of
Game Not Creatures of
Chance.


many years with the Athletics and
with st. Louis clubs and was star in
his day, says there is no such thing as
luck in baseball. Monte is positive that
all good ball clubs, the ones that are
always higher up in the race year after
year, make a study of the game and
players, and that by thoroughly mas
tering every point, they have little
trouble in ripping off victories. Cross
says that to become perfect in baseball
as IN anything else, one must devote
considerable time to the study of the
game. That explains the reason, &C
cording to Cross, for the continued sue
cess of Manager Mack, and the Phila-
delphia Athletics.
Having system of signals is one of
| Mack S great secrets. Another is In
| going to pull off Mack and his play
ers, says Cross, never fail TO catch the
| signals of an opposing team, and when
once they do, everything is easy sail
| ing. Says Cross:
| HWhen the first man on the Ath
| letics steps up to the plate, he has IN
| structions to watch closely every move
that his opponents make in the field,
and especially the pitcher Lots of
times batter can tell what twirler
| is going to shoot over the plate by
watching his foot. Then many fingers
have certain little habits not noticed
by the, fans, perhaps, by which
smart ball tosser can tell Just what
kind of curve is going to come over.
This trick of telling what kind Of a
ball is to be thrown is done by closely
observing the pitcher and also how he
holds the sphere.
Give Secrets Away.
"Many pitchers fail to learn how to
cover up when delivering ball. L
have noticed this at the spring train
pitchers know how to conceal what
they are going to throw, and none of
the pitchers can conceal the fact when
they intend tossing the ball TO hrst
trying TO nip base runner: Most
young pitchers will plainly show in
throwing to the initial sack some little
habit that should be easy for base
runner quickly to solve The fault of
the YOUNGSTERS here, and it is the tame
with every recruit that comes up from
the smaller leagues. is that when they
are about to throw to first they will
invariably drag their feet on the
ground in making the quarter turn.
When they are going to pitch to the
batter they lift their foot.
'EI want TO tell you something OF
considerable interest that perhaps few
of the fans have thought of. When
Young bush league pitcher is brought
up for trial and by his wonderful
speed and great curves the manager
decides to retain him, that does not
necessarily mean that he is a good
: finger. Just because a recruit hap,
pens to have grand physique, speed
and curves, that is not by any means
all that is required He must also
have brains.
Brains Are Necessary.
a stAnd now we are getting down to
The real interesting point that l want
ed to tell YOU about. Perhaps TINS
youngstet will go along foF. two or
three reasons and twirl fairly good
, ball. An the while this particular
map will be working as hard as ne
knows. in fact, almost throS1ne MS
arm of every time he goes 10 tne
mound. This sort of pitching is an
awful strain on a man, and it soon
begins TO have its effect. Suddenly,
bv constant hard labor, the pitcher
t one dav strains his arm, his speed
e and curves are gone and the fans tg-
T. ure that he is through. But such is rar
e from being true.
s " awakens to the fact that his arm ls
y gone he becomes a real clever pitcher,
!. and by that 7 mean smart, heaqy
q twirler. He then has to rely solely
Y upon the headwork to fool the opposing
h hitters, and instead or merely using MS
once wonderful arm he falls oacK on
g his brain to hold his Job: Remember
g nn;te a few years ago Christy Mathew
= SON hurt his arm, and many OF the
Q v-ise ones had it that this fellow was
!. thropgb. Well, what did Matty dos
f He simply developed a new, curve oail,
O and today is still considered one o. D. tne
e grandest pitchers in the game. anete re
e are manv other cases quite sililal W
d that of Mathewson Is.
= How to Get Control.
o tThere is another thing I wanted
! to saw about bush league pitchers who
+ pet chance in the big league. out
I Are turned back because they laes
2 control. If these same men woula
= only practice hard under some man. msnt
!, arer or coach who knew just whas
d r. do under such conditions not half
n the men would be sent back, | take
n tbe credit for developing Jack Coomns
a into a clever twirler. as worked with
q him constantly and helped him to gain
control. When Jack broke IN ne WIS
as wild as any "a, pi,tcnee 1eeu 'hat fo bave M sny
g control. and what's more, IT was easy
S tn be seen that Jack had no idea as TO
q how ever TO become perfect.
: az took Coombs in hand and worked
: with him every day 1 explained 70
t him him that hat in order to gain control to
E try W always to aim for some certain certain
) snot on the person of the catcheff
I when when he threw a ball. For instance II u
D he wanted low ball on {he lnslTs' 20
e throw at the catcher's knee II ne
wanted vu a BAN high and one on the
! ontside, %nside to aim at the catshsr's
shoulder. BY hard practice and MI lots
| Of CIT if Coombs acquired control. When
$ Jack throws ball now he Knows eH
: actly where it is going. ana Inas :,
more than good many ihHsei'
say
The Cincinnati Base Hit.
The Cincinnati base hit was snown UP
In one OF the White sox- fanNss esrsf and
at New York Lord was on liIss aYo ~