Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26
STAR TWIRLERS SHOW BEST
WHEN MUCHDEPENDS ON THEM
Many Famous Twirlers Are Easy to Hit
When the Bases Are Empty, But
Prove Deep Puzzle in Pinch.

will do the least damage there, and you
don't want to hurt anybody"
The batter smiles family, tells what ne n!
will do if the next one is over. but 1t vii
be noticed that he has pulled considerably
away from the plate. The pitcher and
catcher also notice the shift in positions
The next two balls are curves on the out
side. both of which are missed by foot
That is pitching in a pinch. Any player
will tell you how much harder it Is to hi
the ball on such occasions than when
nothing depends on your efforts. The
difference is largely in the style OF pitch,
ing that is served you in a pinch and
otherwise.
Pitchers like Mathewsen. Johnson.
Rucker. Walsh. Alexander. Bender.
|O'Toole, Coombs. in fact nine-tenths OF
their best in a pinch. National League
batters will tell you there is nothing par
ticularly mystifying about Mathewson S
delivery When nothing is at stake These
same batters will. tell you that Matty Is
a prize conundrum in a. pinch. Amer
lean League hitters will tell you that
there is big difference in hitting Wal
ter Johnson when he is putting on his
stuff or easing them over. Batters will
tell you that no thirteen-inch gun could
possibly hurl an object through the air
faster than Johnson heaves that base
ball when hit means the game.
Have Bit in Reserve.
Pitchers who are successful in a pinch
are the pitchers who don't have to put
everything they have on the ball at all
stages of the game in order to win. They
are the fellows who can get along with
the ordinary stuff and always have
something in reserve. When the pinch
presents itself they are the fellows who
can show just a bit better curve than
they have been dishing up. who can in
crease their speed, or swift as Nick
Altrock elects to call it, by several
notches.
During the regular season every pitcher
is up against many a tough situation.
In worlds SERIES where so much is at
stake. many a tough problem is presented
to the pitcher for solution. Every pitcher
has been in a tight situation that. of
course. always appears to him as the
through. Just now l cannot recall any
bit of pinch pitching that appeals more
strongly to me than stunt the remark
able Ed Walsh pulled off last summer at
Philadelphia.
When the Sox went into that city late
in the year for a three-game series the
Athletics still had a good chance to over
haul the Red Sox. 1t was necessary,
however. that Mack's team make a clean
sweep of the series with Chicago. as Bos-
Walsh was selected to work the opening
game against the worlds champions. The
game was played on a Saturday before
an immense crowd. and was grueiing
battle from the start Going into the
ninth. Walsh had lead of a run land
Philadelphia fans regarded that as
enough to down their favorites IT was
in this last half Of the ninth that Walsh
gave most wonderful exhibition of
nerve and ability to pitch in the pinch.
The first two men to face Walsh man.
aged to get on and the Athletic rooters
began to perk up. Maggert, the next
man. hit to the infield the play at first
was very close. but Sheridan ruled the
man safe. Chicago. of course, objected,
but to no avail With the bases filled
and no one out things surely looked bad
for Walsh AS Walsh told me afterward,
1t was Sheridan's decision that made it
possible for him to get into the lime
light. Chicago's main objection to the
decision was not so much that it was
incorrect. but that it filed the bags, and
left no place to put Baker. the next
in advance to pass him. 1t made it
necessary for big Ed to show, and right
well did he deliver. Baker was struck
out, missing. all three strikes. The dam
gerous and hard-h1tting McInniss met
similar fate, taking a healthy swing at
all three. Strunk. the next batter,
grounded to short. the side was retired,
and the bases were still full. Had Sheri-
dan ruled Maggart out. Walsh would have
passed Baker, not caring to take any
chances. There is no telling what might
have happened in that case. Ed says he
must give Sheridan credit for making it
possible for him to show his best form in
the pinch.
Copyright. 1918. by W. G. Evans.)