Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-07-15
WALTER JOHNSON'S SLUMP
EXPLAINED BY MATHEWSON

: steady diet of fast ones. hi the
first place. his fast bail would lot be
effective. Such a hitter as Frank
Baker breaks his back on the SLOW
ones. Suppose the batters did knoS
Johnson was depending on srced al.
most entirely They could no, hit il
while they are evidently beating him
on his curve ball pitching. Also, he
is losing some prestige every time he
drops a game now, because the bat.
tiers are beginning 10 believe they
can hit him, and he has not the, In
dian sign on the clubs he used to
carry. Formerly Johnson could throw
his glove into the box and his game
would be practically won. The oppos-
ing manager would begin 10 figure
out what pitcher he could best sacri-
flee against the big Washington right
handler. He had them all scared.
which was the edge. He cannot af-
ford TO lose that old prestige
When the spitball was all the craze
after it was first discovered several
good pitchers went TO work to develop
one. feeling that they would need it
to last in the big leagues. The splitter
is wearing on the arm. one of the
hardest of all deliveries to throw, be
cause of the peculiar way in which it
must be floated up TO the batter
without any spin to the ball. Many
good twirling hurt their arms attempt
ing to switch and use it and spoiled
their effectiveness with their other
styles of delivery. 1 refused TO try
the spitball after had pitched a few
for fear il would injure my wing Very
seldom do ever throw one in a game
unless | use 1t once in great while
to surprise hitter if think | have
him off his guard | don't believe
have used three so far this season.
Three or four years ago | used to
shoot one at Honus Wagner occasion
ally, because there was a belief that
he could not hit spitball pitcheH
Perhaps this grew up from the fact
that Bugs" Raymond was always eff
fective against the Dutchman. 1 think
this was due more to Raymond's kid
ding attitude in the box, which wor
ried Wagner. than to the efficacy OF
his splitter. | knew Honus never had
much trouble busting my wet one
and | have laid off it for him. But
Raymond had a much better one than
mine when it was working.
Discusses the FederaIs.
The Federal league, as rule. has
been playing to small crowds all
around it's circuit so far this year, II
the newspaper reports see are to be
90 In MI yIn
jumped from organized baseball to
the Federals have been showing be-
low their regular form, although the
ball in the outlaw league cannot be
as fast as that played in the National
and American. 1t takes more than
one season to build up fast major
league Joe" Tinker is off the form
he showed with Cincinnati last sum.
mer and also during his years with
the Cubs, both in fielding and hitting.
This may be due partly to the fact
that Tinker has spent lot OF time
around chasing ball players to sign
contracts and has been very busy
with the organization of the league,
He has had many things on his mind
besides actually managing and play.
ing the game. But l believe the small
crowds have had good deal to do
with the poor showing of the older
stars in the new league. No real big
Lacquer can play as good ball to empty
seats as to crowded stands. ~-s.~
Fans frequently wonder why the
best games are the ones on Saturdays
and holidays, when the crowds are
biggest. The attendance makes the
contest and the bowling fans spur the
players on to greater efforts and more
brilliant work Therefore, when tho
Federal league teams are playing to
crowds of 500, 1t is only natural that
they should display poorer form. The
best big leaguers are the money play.
ers-and all stars are money players
that is, they show to the best ad.
vantage when they are keyed up by
the big stake. You take some men
have seen this happen frequently
and they cannot hit a lick in morning
practice when there is no one in the
park. But they get out there in the
afternoon and bust" the cover off
the ball. ..-- ..,..... r.. 49,. 49,.
Even in the older leagues the at