Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-06
.DERR|LL PRATT PICKS
OUT BEST TWIRLERS
Browns Second Stacker Has Words
of Praise for doc"
Ayers.

ST. LOUIS. November 6.-Derrill
Pratt. second baseman of the st. Louis
Browns. is pretty fair hitter. In fact,
| he swats the ball about as hard as any
of them, though he is not noted for his
luck in getting them past the out
fielders. Therefore his opinion as to the
hardest pitchers to hit is interesting.
Tell u.s." asked base ball scribe,
| addressing Pratt. who are the six
pitchers most difficult to hit in the
American Lacquer"
| Mr.. Pratts brow corrugated after the
accepted manner of a gentleman eues-
| toned for publication
I'll tell you" said he. the six pitch
ers who think generally are reckoned
the hardest to hit. They are Ayers and
johnson of Washington. Shore and
Foster of Boston. Scott of Chicago and
Mitchell of Cleveland.
of these. five of them are hard for
me to hit With Johnson L never have
had much trouble
Broke Johnson's Record.
1t may be parenthetically said that
Pratt busted Johnson's scoreless inning
record two seasons ago when he
bounced double against the right
field fence following single by Gloomy
Gus Williams. Nor since has he had
any trouble with the fret ball king.
"a good pitcher. 1 think" continued
Pratt, is the one who has something
more than curve or speed. They have
to have M There isn't any pitcher
in the business who is fast enough to
throw them by you. Johnson comes
nearest that.
- Ayers and Foster have that i'm
portant ability to mix 'em. Ayers in
cludes in his repertory a swell UNDER
hand delivery. and in a pinch I'd al
most rather bat against any pitcher
than him.
There is something on every ball
did curve and his fast ball breaks
either in or out. Then he has the
knuckle ball l believe that Foster
possibly has more stuff than any of
them. Cicotte used to be such a pitch
er. but he didn't show SO well this year.
Shore has a long stride and a long
reach. Consequently the ball is upon
hand. His curve ball is a corker He
always has been hard for me to hit
Curve Ball King.
Jim Scott deserves the title Of the
curve ball king of America. He almost
doubles his effectiveness by his uncom-
mon ability to hold men on first base.
In this way he prevents steals and
thereby keeps out of the hole like
SCOTS pitching immensely.
Usually a right-handed batter has
little trouble with left-handed pitchers.
but certainly have had mine this sea-
son with Willie Mitchell. He is, 1 think,
the most versatile southpaw In the
league. with due respect to Carl Well
man, who is as effective.
Mitchell uses an elusive cross-hre
and the ball has an odd quirk to 1t.
Those right-handed hitters of us, who
have been used to taking a toe hold
and smuggling away at left-handed de-
liveries, found 1t plenty hard enough
to hit the ball at all without setting
ourselves for 1t.
1.-The question Of the hardest pitcher
to hit IL a matter of opinion. Some
batters can hit and hit hard some pitch
ers that other just as good batters can
myself has led the American League
in hitting, but I do not believe any
batter in the league has hit Walter
johnson is great pitcher. the fastest
Of al. Of them" -