Norwich bulletin., 1913-02-22
ARE ANXIOUS sfo SHOW THEIR GOODS.
Pitchers Trying fer Place on Major League Staffs Often Try to Show
 Prowess Too Early.

When the major league baseball teams get t0 work down south in few days much will be read by the fans regarding the showing made by the young players as 1elders batsmen and base runners. The lads who hit straight ball over the fence for a home run Or who pull down a fly ball after a hard run will get their names in the headlines. The plays look good and as no one can tell whether or not. the youngst CTS could do the same things in championship games they are given full credit by the war core spondents for their feats Little. though, will be heard for time about another class of players. These men are the young twirlers who have been gathered from schools, colleges. minor leagues and town lots. While the in fielders and outfielders will be speed ing up their plays in the hope of catching the eyes of their manager. the Juvenile twirlers will be under wra ps'
 They are just as anxious to .scut loose" as the candidates for other places on the team, but the veteran catchers who are looking after their welfare will not permit it. Occasional ly lad is So anxious to display his prowess that he will dfsobey orders during the first week or ten days of practice, says an exchange. His am bition to strike out some star slugger like Baker or Magee is go keen that he will suddenly cut loose with all of his speed or with a curve ball. Such tactics always arouse the ire of the manager or his coach, who has the particular pitcher in tow. and a sharp call- down follows. Kid Gleason, when assistant to Billy Murray as manager of the Phi1lies, has threatened to thrash moro than one youngster who disobeyed the orders to pitch only straight balls and not to attempt to use speed. The desire to show off, though, is usually so keen among the juveniles that they cannot help cutting ,1r~ good in the fast set, have worked out doors for some time before going south. They want their relatives and friends at home to hear of their good work, and they. take chances of get ting a call down, too, in order to make an impression.
 It is this habit which keeps the reg u1ars on a team on the anxious bench. They have not had chance of having their eyes sharpened and they are just as wary of speed and curves at the start as any person could be. Being "plunked" on the arm, body or head is not a sensation that any bell tosser enjoys. One day down at Southern Pines Kitty Bransf1eld was with the Phillies and a human flagstaff named Troy was pitching. Troy stood six feet five inches high, and he had made 3 reputation by striking out punches of players in games in the coal re- gions. He had gone along and follow ed instructions faithfully for several days. Bransfeld stepped to the plate and was not as watchful as usual; because Troy had never shown any sign of not keeping close to the orders To the surprise of the crowd, Troy cut loose with a. regular <.roundhouse curve" one of those outshoots which starts to curve half way to the plate and keeps on describing an arc until it gets to the catcher. Bransfeld was all set to whack a straight ball over the left fielder's head. Kitty saw the I.711 -rf, r% f. | s< r.. H. l. hts side. and in trying to dodge out of the road he ripped over his own feet and fell on his back.
 It was the first curve ball that