Evening star., 1914-07-25
COOMbS ON MOUND
''Iron Man" Pitches Five In
nings Against Syracuse.
YIELDS BUT FOUR HITS
After Long Illness He Shows Old
Speed and Is Not Affected
by Trial.
YIELDS BUT FOUR HITS

SYRACUSE, July 25.-John Coombs
! master pitcher of the worlds champion
Athletics who for more than a year has
been SO tightly gripped in disease that his
hopes of life were at one time dubious
astonished his teammates yesterday by
pitching remarkable ball against the
Syracuse team of the New York State
League.
That the contest went ten innings. that
it was won by the Syracuse team, 81
were all factors of small Importance to
the Athletic players. Their big interest
was in the performance Of the Iron man
of other seasons.
1t was a spectacle that thrilled every
member of the team to see the big Maine
farmer smoking the ball over the plate
with all his oldtime speed and showing
in the pinches the nerve that made him
one of the most masterful Of pitchers.
Has Speed, Curves and Control.
Coombs pitched five innings against
Syracuse. He used both his speed and
his curves, but contented himself with
more hooks than shoots. Four hits was
all the home team could get off the de-
livery of the man who beat Mathewson
the first time he was ever downed in a
worlds series. who was the victor in the
famed twenty -four-inning contest with
Boston. the longest In the history OF
major league base bail, and who in the
season of 1910 went fifty-three innings
without being scored on. Coombs did not
issue single base on balls. his control
being perfect.
Yesterdays performance was the first
appearance of Coombs since April 10.
1913 This was the opening game of the
1919 season. He started against Boston
In Boston on that occasion. but after
pitching for five innings was compelled
to retire from the game.
There were many persons who believed
that his illness started with his collapse
in the fifth worlds series game of 1911,
when Coombs. who had the Giants shut
out. was seen to stagger in pain. and
later was compelled to quit the con-
test. Coombs had torn muscles in his
side. and walked for q time with a lane.
The winters rest put the iron man.
the Mackmen during all the season OF
1912. This attack had nothing to do with
the illness that assailed him in April,
1913.
Ailment Proves a Mystery.
that. for time, it baff1ed the best ply.
sicians. Its cause has now ben definite.
ly traced to bites of reaches received in
southern hotel during the spring train
ing or 19l2- In some manner the poison.
Gus bite of the insects affected the carti-
lege of backbone. the cushions between
each of the vertebrae undergoing q
process of disintegration.
Coombs spent a winter in the south an6
part of the summer in Maine, and ther
in August of last year attempted to re.
turn to help out the Mackmen in thu
final rush for the pennant. Just as Man.
ager Mack was about to use him. Coombs
had a most serious relapse, and for 6
time his life was despaired of.
Then his treatment was changed, with
the result that he responded. He hai
been with the team for portion of thi.
season. coaching and amusing himsel
by pitching to the batters In morning
practice. put neither Manager Mack no.
the players had expected to see him IL
the game.
His remarkable work yesterday hold!
| out the possibility that he may get back
| After the game Coombs said that thu
effort he put forth did not affect him IL
| the least, and that he could have easil,
gone the full route without undul,
| straining himself.
: The only run made of Coombs was II
| the first inning on a pair Of short sin
giles and wild pitch. which Ira Thoma
might have stopped with little NOR
| effort.