The Washington herald., 1913-10-26
"FALKY' TALKS
OF "COME-BACK"
Tells How He Was Able to Re-
turn to the Big Show and
Pitch Winning Ball.
DEFIED TRADITION
Hard Work During Winter Restored
Pitching Proves of the Tall
Cleveland Twirler.
DEFIED TRADITION

The greatest comeback in the history
OF baseball has told how he accomplished
| the seemingly impossible. Fred p
lcCy'D Falkenberg, who was sem from
| the Cleveland Maps to the Toledo clut
Of the American Association in 1911 al
q baseball has-been. gives his recipe fol
recovering pitching ability for the ber.
eft OF others in the national pastime
who seem TO have reached the end OF
their usefulness in big leagues
"Cy's recipe must be a good one, fol-
II is the one he followed in coming back
from thE minors to fast company and
making record as the second best
hurler in the game this year. The plan
is a simple one.
Two years ago. when the Cleveland
management decided that my fast CON-
pany days were over and sent me 10
their farming team in Toledo, il did
look as though | would have to finish
my career in the minor leagues Ny
friends sympathized with me, saying IL
was merely the route all baseball play
ers have to travel; that the pace in the
big leagues was a short and merry one
at best. However, / felt that 1 was not
a dead one and determined to work
harder than i ever had before in my
life to come back.
After playing the few remaining
games in Toledo in 1911 went TO work
in the upholstering department OF the
Willys-Overland Company in the big
plant in Toledo. For eight hours a day
all during that winter i operated what
is known as a tufting machine, a con-
trivance for making back-seat cushions
for motor cars. Day by day ! thumped
and pounded the long curled hair of
commerce into that machine. getting a
great deal more Of good. solid exercise
for my throwing arm than II were
pitching A game every day. Almost
every night I bowled. being a member
OF one Of the seven teams in the league
formed among the factory workers.
took the best possible care of myself
and in the spring ! felt as fit as ever in
my life.
Believes I'm Bowling.
Il reaped the benfit of my work in
the season of 1872 making an excellent
record with Toledo That winter / went
hair stuffing, pounding away as hard
as ever at the days work and at the
evening bowling. Early in the spring OF
this year l was chosen a member of the
All-Overland bowling team. which took
second money i'm the international tour
nament in Toledo. This spring. having
investigated my physical condition, the
Cleveland management TOOK me back
with the Maps. l have been meeting
with success all during the season. and
can see no reason why I shouldn't be
good for several years more of big
league baseball"
Falkenburg is by no means a youngster
in baseball. having been in tine major
leagues for nearly ten years. He is not
an iron man. being of slight, almost deli
cate, build. Therefore, of a necessity
more depends upon his brain power than
his strength for pitching success though
be must be in the pink of condition in
order to stand the pace at ALL
Falkenbery has never indulged in
liquor. He keeps good hours, always
getting plenty of sleep. He is careful
about the kind of food he eats His one
indulgence is in cigars-big black fell
lows-but these are ta5ooed during the
playing season. He can very easily
weaken himself by smoking. he says