The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1914-08-13
X D o p f \

Very few of the star batsmen in major
league company today use the same model
OF bat, SO it is the men behind the big
sticks who must be given the credit for
smashing fences and polling the pellet out
OF the lots rather than the various types
OF bludgoens used by them. An AL bat
ter learns from experience the kind of
stick he can WELD most effectively and
once he is satisfied with-a certain STYLE of
weapon he is likely to stick to it to the
end of his baseball career. Capt A. C.
Arson. one of the greatest sluggers of all
time, and the man who led the stickers
for several years in the old National lea
que, was more particular about his bats
probably than any other player that ever
lived. 1t is said that he seldom had less
than fifty clubs of the particular weight
and shape that suited him best, and dur
ing the winter he would work on them
with as much care as would be necessary
to train pack of hounds Not only
would he scrape and oil them, but he
would hang them up to season in a room
where the temperature was kept at the ex-
act point which he believed would put
them in perfect shape for the following
year.
The great hitters of the old DAYS use
heavier bats than the great batsmen of to-
day. Arson and Gore used clubs that re-
sembled small telegraph poles, with un-
usually thick handles, but they batted in
an entirely different manner, Arson timing
the ball nicely and just meeting it, while
Gore took long wallop, Dan Brouthers
and Roger Conner, left handed batters,
also used heavy bats, taking toe holds and
swinging viciously Conner once put
ball over the right field fence at the old
New York Park, and for the feat was pre-
sented with $500 gold watch by the
members of the stock exchange.
Most of the leading club swingers to-
day, excepting Big Chief Meyers, use
fairly light bats. Heinnie Zimmerman's
clubs have regular pipe stem handles. Ty
Cobb uses a medium sized bat, with
small handle, and Joe Jackson's sticks are
much like those used by Zimmerman.
And yet. how these fellows can sting the
ball. as well as, and perhaps better than,
if they tried to swing heavy clubs.
The once-famous pitcher, Tony Mullane,
who was the only man who could pitch
championship ball with either hand, is
now member of the Chicago detective
department, and is under the famous Cap
tain Halpin. Tony is now SIS years of age,
and enjoying good health. Mullane was
for eight years pitcher on the Cincinnati
team, and held the record of the longest
game (2O innings against Ad Gumbert) in
the National League until July II, 1914,
when the New York and Pittsburg teams
played a 2I-innings game.
Cy Morgan, for three years pitcher
for the Kansas City American Associa-
ton team, and once slab star for the
Athletics. was given his unconditional re-
lease by Manager Armour. Morgan made
great record last year, winning ten
straight games. He jumped to the big
league again for brief stay, going to Gin
cinnati and warming the bench most of
the time. He has been pitching this year
for the Blues, with little success, due
mostly to his uncomfortable wildness.
Morgan said on Saturday he might join
the ranks of the Federals if a suitable Of
fer came along.
Standing of Big League Clubs.