Evening star., 1914-12-27

take care of the base runner Young 8
quick easy delivery and great speed
1eld the runner down fairly well.
despite the fact that he didn't pay
much attention to holding them on.
Five years ago the pitcher who had
deceptive move to first base was the
exception to the rule. E0 Walsh was
one Of the few pitchers who would
throw to first, when the runner was
positive he was about to pitch, which.
OF course, always resulted very dis
astrously to the base runner. In
games in which Walsh worked base
runners took very short lead off first
base; His style of delivery. was SO
great danger if they essayed to take
the lead that was customary with the
ordinary pitcher working. Not being
apie TO take chance and get away
WI Wasn "a, a nyiag m start, chances for pulling
the MT and run or the successful sac
rihce were greatly minimized when
walsh was pitching.
Rival managers insisted Walsh was
baking every time he made a move
to first. While the umpires called a
balk every now and then on the big
pitcher. he got away with his move
as a general rule. ANY time Walsh
worked for Chicago the game was
sure to be filed with wrangling, for
ne usually caught couple of run
ners mapping just at a time when a
hit would have broken up the game,
or at least put the opposition in the
running.
There is no doubt in my mind but
that Walsh's ingenuity in devoIping
umpires, and incidentally curtailed
base running to almost nothing when
he worked. has been the one big fac
tor In squirting other managers to
How
got away with a move that other
managers insisted was a balk, they
inquired there was no reason in the
world why their pitchers couldn't get
away with the same stun. 1t was
could throw base ball speed into low
speed better than the pitcher. Vet.
eran pitchers began learning a move
to first that would deceive, while
promising Youngsters were at once
veteran pitcher best able to teach
them In the art of holding the run
ners Cd or catching them mapping.
Hard 70 Draw the Line.
Instead Of a few pitchers using mo-
tions to first that were questionable,
it is now the exception to the rule
for pitchers in the American League
to throw to first in a way that is
absolutely legal. know this condi-
ton exists in all other leagues, for 1
have talked with umpires from all
the leagues Of any Importance, and ali
insist the hardest thing for them to
do Is to draw the line as to Just how
far the pitcher should be allowed to
go In his efforts to hold the runner on.
"a few of the ways to deceive the
runner are a slightly forward move
ment of the shoulders. a hitch of the
shoulder of the pitching arm, a chest
notion made possible by the taking ol
a deep breath. a very slight movement
OF the foot on which the pitcher
strides. and usually made preparatory
to delivering the ball, followed by q
snap throw to first. movement
popular with left-handers is to Iii
the leg Of the right foot slightly In
the direction Of the plate, and then
without the slightest hesitation make
the move to hrst- II is, indeed, re.
arkable the hours pitchers speno
working out some new-fangled motion
| that will hold the runners on, vet gel
by the umpire without a penalty. The
cry of balk Is becoming SO customary
on the ball field these days tnat ii
| wouldn't be at all surprising If um.
pires were handed some mighty stric,
| instructions pertaining to the enforce.
| ment Of the balk rule, which at pres.
ent Is being badly mistreated
Copyright, 1914, BY ". G.. Eyans,)