The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-01-05

While I vas crossing the continent
with the party OF worlds tourists, sew.
eral pitchers, especially the American
leaguers in the crowd, asked me TO
show them nov to throw the fade
away. Many fans believe that the
fadeaway requires some intricate pre-
scription which is a carefully guarded
secret, like that for Russell Ford's
spitball with the double break I'm IL.
This is not so. There Is no secret
about the f~adeaway. Patience and
control are the only requirements for
IL.
Since | have been in the big leagues
have tried to show many pitchers
how TO get the f~adeaway. Not onIy
have / endeavored TO teach pitchers
on h New York club. but also men
with other teams, and none OF them
has ever been able to reduce IL TO
such a practical condition that they
dared use IL in a tight place, prac-
tically the only time il Il of any value.
Several pitchers have got the break
on the ball. but they knew how
or when II was going to break. so that
II was ~valueless. Red Ames used
TO be able 10 produce 70 nee in a
while. and Louis Drucke. formerly
with the New York club, came near
est 20 II. He could get the ball to
break with the greatest frequency,
but he lacked control
Three or -four years ago. n couple
OF Cincinnati pitchers were warming
up in the corner OF tho Out1eld used
for that purpose al the Polo grounds
was out there taking a little workout.
II was toward the end OF the season.
and the interest In the game being
. played was pretty dead. After get
Ting up a good perspiratlon, ! cut
Let's see how yOu do that, said
Gaspar. the old Red twirler. who hat
been watching me from behind.
/ Fhowed him how to hold the ball
and he made several attempts 10 get
twice the curve broke for D.
but % was wide OF the plate. keefe.
also NJ Cincinnati at h n time. Joined
the group. .,r
cave him a demonstration. and ne
worked ON u for a time. IT'S results
were not as promising a. those ob-
tanned by Gaspar.
'Tm going 10 practice on D. TT
could gcf that slow ball. Matty Neeie
remarked. as We started for the club
bopse sdar The came. "it would add
two OF three years 10 my pitchlng
,eefe knew then that he was hear
ing the end a. Dis playing days. q
ne went &C. work over that fadea"af
The next season he told me that Pc
had been practicing ON 30 az wiutnr
in hia home town. but De could mover
get ~ sure enough 90 use d. md
no. d. out uf the Big Leagues q
I would like 90 hav seer him get Do
and last "a little longer 7 hate tO have
them fade out Of the Big League.
Another Failure.
nifchcr that 2 tried very hard tO
teach the fadcaWaN tO was Pfterfcr.
tho Old Ierhaudor of the Cub" Plies
Ger was "a great fwirler iu many wgrh
Ito vas not physically robust but no
had q wonderful nerve. aud If wac OH
this. almost alone. that Doc pitched
Hc had fair control. and hr. Too.
thought that DO Do could ret the fade
away. 10 would keep him in tho Blk
Iraeuc Tor some time longer 7 show
cd him how DO was thrown. and DO
worked hard ON &c. But DO could not
control the bail well enough to ever
employ &c.
90 would have been great Tor % Inft
handler. Maffv." pNesfrr told mo. but
I don't see how you ret control OF D.
U was only On hort time after this
that pfesfer passed ont Of the Blk
League for good The story OF bis
passing o. worth while
Frank Chance had never becu ac.
90. ID ri much sentiment when II
comes to managing 81 ball club This
ie nothing against him SO fDccs.f ul
manager has over carried dead wood
after b. has found out DO was dead