Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-26
BY BILLY EVANS.

Pitching in a pinch. That is when n
twirler is called upon to show his hand.
That is the time when he must serve
the batsman his most dazzling curves
and uncOrk his greatest speed. That is
the time when his gameneSs must assert
itself. when he must prove that his heart
is of oak or otherwise.
How often have you seen a pitcher. re-
garded as weak batsman. step to the
plate with two down and connect for a
beautiful single? You marvel that he
has been able to make more than a foul
off the crack pitcher who is opposing
him. \ few innings later the pitcher
again steps to the plate, but conditions
are entirely different. The team In the
field has a two-run lead. there are
men on second and third and two out,
base hit will tie up the game HOW
often have you seen this batsman who
few innings previous seemed to con-
meet without any trouble strike out on
three pitched balls?
You wonder to yourself how batsman
who hit the ball with such ease one
time could be made to look so foolish
the next time he stepped to the plate.
Conditions make the difference. In the
first instance there was nothing at stake,
the bases were empty, two men were
out and the pitcher was loafing. Pitch
ers. as rule, have little respect for
other pitchers as batters. The result
is that the weakest kind of hitter
will often step to the plate. with nothing
at stake, and hit for single or double,
with as much ease as would Wagner,
Cobb. Lajoie. Magee, Speaker or any
of the other skilled batSmen.
Pitcher Failed to Hit.
On the second appearance Of the pitcher
at the plate conditions are entirely diff
ferent. The teammates of the twirler in
the field have got him two-run lead
and he is striving to maintain the advan-
tage. Two men are out and two on and
the pitcher realizes that a base hit will
tie up the game. No longer does he re-
gard the pitcher as a weak hitter, no
matter what his reputation may be as a
batsman. The pitcher is given just as
much consideration as though he were
hitting AGO.
Put something on the ball, old boy"
exhorts the catcher This fellow is a
probably saying to the batter:
you will be lucky to make a foul tip
this time. Last time up you fell away
from a fast one that hit your bat, and
luck I'd have a cinch on the automobile
every year."
IF that fellow makes a base hit" says
the Shortstop to the pitcher, you better
ask waivers on yourself and go back to
the farm
IF l had as much stuff as you," yells
the third sacker. that fellow would
never need trouble about bringing his
bat up to the plate. He could take his
three strikes from the bench just as
easily"
While the players in the field are tell
ing the pitcher what mark the batter
is, and impressing on him the fact that
he ought to quit if the batter hits safely,
the other side is taking an entirely oppo-
site view of the situation
Zone of those morning practice swats
will break it up yells the coacher at
third
Look. Jimmy. they are sending anoth-
er pitcher out to warm up" yells the man
first to the batter, "Come through with
a base hit and he will be ready for the
blanket and a trip to the stable" All
the players on the bench are keeping up
a continual chatter of encouragement
and recalling his swat Of a few innings
previous.
Govern Pitchers Work.
In the meantime the pitcher is going
about his work with a elaboration that
he knows is worrying the batter. He
has made up his mind to put everything
he has on the ball. He hurls the first
one with terrific speed over the inside
corner of the plate. 1t is a strike yet it
missed the batter. who was