New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-04-13

the ban ldlc. uoptu u Vul lllt' '''' ~
on the inside. which Ellis would have TO hit
with the handle OF his bat II he hit them at
all. were the proper medicine tor reducing
the young mans batting average. mat IS
AL ne has been getting since, and now when
he makes a hit of Of me he holds a celebra-
ton in honor Of the event.
BASEBALL is largely game Of trying to
- o,itgucss the other fellow. Each side IS
irving 10 10 the unexpected, and at the same
time attempting TO keep up its defense by
constantly doing its best 10 anticipate what
the other fellow really intends 10 do. Per
haps there Is no cog IN "A baseball mashine
that plays a more prominent part IN the
teams success or failure than the catcher.
Not many catchcrs use their gray matter
10 better advantage than did Billy Sullivan,
the veteran backStop Of the Chicago White
Sox. Very few opportunities 70 work harm
10 the opposition were passed up 10y nm.
His conception as 20 whether or not a base
runner really intended 10 steal was almost
uncannv. seldom did he get his pitcher into
hole bv calling for one waste ball after an
other when the base runner was only buii-
lng. Time after time he spoiled the Int ana
nun when the execution OF the play would
have meant the game. The consistency
with which he broke up tins play tor the
various teams led to many an argument
have heard PLAYERS on hundreds OF occasions
insist that Sullivan had the signal Tor the
play have heard them plan SHIFT OF sig.
mails. and seen Sullivan butt IN again ana
spoil the play Don't misunderstood me,
Reader and get the idea that It was I'M
possible To execute the hit and run against
Billy Sullivan. | simply point to him as one
catcher who was a great aid TO his club be-
cause Of his good judgment.
Never in his life did Billy Sullivan use
offensive language TO a batter Yet he was
always a thorn in the side OF the man at bat
| He never failed To impress on him the impor-
tancc Of his position when he stepped to the
plate in pinch. He pictured to him what
hero he would be ii he hit the ball safely, and
what a dub he would be If he struck out.
| There was never any intention on the part
OF Sullivan to offend or 10 anger. He carried
on his line OF conversation simply to dctract
the attention Of the batter from his purpose
as much as possible.
1t would seem the height of folly to give
fast straight ball, right across the heart OF
the plate. to one of the game 5 greatest hit
tiers when the pcnnant depended largely on
the outcome Of that game. That Is Just
what Billy Sullivan made Ed Walsh do III
one of the most important games OF the l9OS
campaign. There were two strikes on Larry
Lajoic, and hit meant game. Ii Larry
had only known that Walsh was going To
serve a fast straight one he would have muir
dcrcd it. Not for an instant did he look for
such an offering. But Walsh did the unex-
pected. and even after Umpire O'Loughlin
| had called it the third strike Larry could
scarcely realize what had happened
TO strike Lajoic out is something Of feat
and to turn the trick three times in one game
is out Of the ordinary Walsh and Sullivan
| did IT one day in 1911. | umpircd on the
| bases i'll that game, and saw the performance.
| II my memory serves me right Larry swung
at only two of the balls Johnny Mullen,
who was working with me at the time, called
| the other seven. Not once did Larry kick.
Each time that he walked past me ! asked
him what Walsh was using
81 don't believe Walsh has thrown me two
| spit balls today said Larry. "Hc IS Just
| crossing me all the time. I'm constantly
| looking for the splitter, and he keeps slipping
the fast one right over the heart
Larry got even the last two times up. how
ever, by connecting with Walsh's difficult
| splitter for a couple of extra base drives.
All OF which simply goes to prove the
uncertainty of the game.
THE doing Of the unexpected by the pitch