Semi-weekly herald., 1913-08-11
WASH .%GTON'S WONDERFUL
LEFT-HANDED PITCHER

LEI -dANDEU fllSh EN-
NEW YORK, Aug. 7.-If you look
back through the dizzy hot days Of
June and July, and penetrate the rains
of April, you may remember that back
in the early spring, Clark Griffith,
manager of the Washington team of
the American league, dropped some
remarks of rare wisdom. The "Old
Fox" was discussing left-handed
pitchers past, present and future, but
mostly past, and in touching upon
the future opined that all was wreck
and ruin.
"There amt no such animal" as a
good port-sider apologies to the navy
for using port was Griffith's opin-
ion. And just to show how much
we may not know, in spite Of great
knowledge, Griff had on his payroll
one of the best left-handers that has
appeared in many years, at the very
time he was sitting up nights weeping
bitterly and bewailing the decay of
the species. The reference is to Mr..
Joseph Boehling.
Boehling's history is short. He has
made it all this season, but if he keeps
up the pace he has set during his
first real try-out in the big leagues,
he will rank among the greatest pitch
ers of his time or any other persons
time He was the first pitcher to
pass the ten consecutive victories mark
and chances are bright for him to
hang up more to his string of straight
wins. Boehling has won every game
with which he has been held solely
responsible. If this is carefully fig
ured out either by arithmetic or al
| zebra it will be found to mean that
Boehling's percentage for the year is
1000. He has faced every team in
the league and he whipped each in
turn.
On the strength of his showing, cou-
pied with the ever reliable work of
wonderful Walter johnson, Washing
ton has logged out happy hope of
beating the Athletics and taking the
pennant. In case such thing should
happen congress might possibly ad-
journ, no matter what circus stunts
they might pull, by the worlds Sc
: ries.
!. For years ago Boehling was an un-
known. For that matter it was only
nineteen years ago that the doctor
. who officiated introduced him to his
: father and mother. He pitched for a
semi-professional team from Rich
, mond, Va, in washington one day
and "Bill" Peet, sporting editor Of a
Washington paper, discovered him
for Griffith who signed him. His early
work was not impressive. He was as
wild in his motions and delivery as
one-armed man with the hives
} Griff sent him to Chattanooga, but
that city had some respect for its
: standing, as well as opposing players
and Boehling was sent to Worcester
, in the New England league where he
began to learn how to control his
] shoots.
Boehling has a great fast ball ano
1 wonderful change of pace. That
: is what is carrying him through. He
is built to order for long service ir
the box, being over six feet tall ano
set up in proportion.
I There is no telling how far this new
find will go. Early in the season he
V was used as a relief pitcher and in.
r Guiding parts of games which he fin
$ ished up and the eleven games he has
:. won, he pitched 110 innings. In thai
time 2S runs were scored off his de
livery. He gave thirty-four bases OF
balls and was hit safely 80 times. HI
struck out fifty-seven men in those
= 110 innings.
ri AS his control improves he will b'
r, even harder to beat for in the game
against Chicago, which made his elev
enth straight victory, Boehling gave
/, seven passes. Where Griffith wa.
a wailing about lack of left-handers {
q few months ago, he has one that HI
K wouldn't sell "for all the money il
4 the world" if you can believe wha
e the Old Fox says.
Everyone NAV now be prepared Il