The Arvada enterprise., 1913-07-17
George Pierce, Star southpaw Cub rwlrler.

George Pierce, Star SO
Ball players in the National and
American leagues are not as cour-
ageous as most fans imagine. Most
followers of the game carry the idea
that the men who pitch and who stand
up at the place and allow a pitcher
to throw the ball at their heads have
a lions heart. Such Is not always
the case.
There is n twirler on the Brooklyn
team who would be a wonderful slab
artist II he were not inclined to be
timid 1t is not the intention to con-
vey the Idea that he is yellow" but
only to point out how player de-
prives himself OF being top-notcher
in the ranks through fear of what he
imagines is a disgrace and the lack
OF an abundance of nerve.
The individual In question is Pitch
err f. l.. Allen of the Trolley Dodgers.
He is a southpaw and the possessor of
as great an assortment of twisters as
any left handler in the National league
today. Manager Dahlen thinks as
much of him as he does of Nap Ruck.
er. and depends upon him almost as
much. But Allen has that one fault
of becoming intimidated when he OBJ
serves from the rubber that another
man is being sent out to warm up to
be In readiness should his services be
required.
Brooklyn secured Allen from Mo
bile, Ala, last spring, and it was n
member of the board of directors of
the Southern league team who told
of the peculiarly of the southpaw.
ALLEN was on our team in the sea
son of 1911 and as | saw every game
he twirled at home | studied him thor.
oughly." said the Mobile baseball man
"One of the first faults | detected was
his tendency to ascend when another
twirler was sent out to loosen his
arm. 1t seemed as soon as the pitcher
walked from the bench Allen would
lose all his nerve. | can easily real
ize II, for you will often find men who
will quit when they discover that an.
other is being sent preparing to
take their place. 1t seems to impress
upon them their efforts are not what
they should be. This is the way it
affected Allen. II he were handled
properly | believe he would be won
der OF the league. by that | mean
II Dahlen in sending a man to warm
up would keep him out of Allen
sight he would get better results
Sending pitchers out to warm up
when the man on the slab is weakening
and threatening TO toss away the
game affects some twirlers. and most
OF them, differently than II does AL
len. RUDE Vanguard of the New
York Giants is one who is inclined
to lose his nerve when McGraw or
ders another man to get ready. Chris.
~ Mathewson OF the same club is
Just the opposite. He is great
twirler and 1t hurts him to be taken
out and, therefore. when he notices
two or three men at the club house
warming up, he braces and pitches
harder than ever. Seaton OF the Phil
delphias is OF much tho same tenn
permanent, as is Suggs OF the Cincin.
natl club.
when Manager Evers Of the Cubs
wants George Pierce TO tighten and
pitch his head on he stops the game
and picks n man from the bench and
sends him to the club house accom-
panied by a catcher, The effect this
has on the left handler is more than
perceptible. His action shows It,
He walks around the rubber with
quick, snappy stride, neryously calls
for Archer to give him the sign, and
shoots the ball in the direction Of the
plate with terrific sped He is one OF
the twirlers who consider It disgrace
ful to be yanked from the slab and
he would rather miss his meals for
two days than have that happen.
Pierce has sort OF fiery temper while
pitching and when a club makes a run
or n few hits on him he grits his
teeth and strains himself all the more
Eyers has several men on his team
on the order OF Pierce. They are
Smith, Cheney, overall and Humph.
ries. They are often scored on after
men get on the bases, but they display
their caliber by putting everything
hey have on their curves when men
are on third and second bases.
Batters are required to have as
much nerve and fighting spirit as the
pitchers. Often they will have balls