Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-09-03

mean he would take a couple TO discover
Just what | had I'm the way OF a curve
or fast one or slow one.
II pitched a curve ball that started for
the middle OF the plate, but broke TO the
right too far. It would be called a ball
by the umpire. II the batsman took a
couple and they were not over, I would
be in hole. Then 1 would be COM
PEELED TO pitch them over. or take chances
on him waiting me out and getting a
base on balls II I continued my at
tempts TO fool him and strike him out.
do not try to strike man out more
than couple OF times in the ordinary
game. or course, II there are men on
bases and the pitcher comes up. or some
player who is known to be weak with
the stick, ] would try to fan him. And
when the bases are all occupied and a
long fly will score a man, try to strike
out the batter, no matter who he is or
what his reputation may be. These are
the only times. when really do put
everything l own on the ball.
There are batsman in our league who
never hit much above .240 and still strike
out less often than Luderus, Daubert,
Cravath, Magee and other players who
usually are found around the 300 mark.
That is because the batsman with the
low average has a decided weakness and
the pitchers all know It, They feed him
pitches where he doesn't want them and
he hits the ball virtually every time up,
but seldom hits II safe.
Quite often Honus Wagner OF some
other great batsman will come up and the
fans will shout. Strike him out" They
do not feel quite satisfied unless the bats
man swings at the third one and misses
1t. They figure that If he hits it at ALL
he is doing his share and it's just a
question of luck whether the ball drops
safe or into the hands of a fielder.
But I'd rather have batsman of the
Wagner type hit ball that was over the
edge Of the plate where he couldn't get
his full swing at It, than have him get
toe hold and cut loose at curve ball
that I had pitched with the intention Of
fOoling him and striking him out. In other
words, it's not good baseball to try to
strike out a slugger every time he comes
up. II he outguesses you and gets hold
of curve ball, it's goodnight. If you
don't get them over for him, he walks.
1t is true that a big league pitcher de-
pends n whole lot upon his support II
you are sure the fielding behind you will
be almost perfect, you can let every bats
man hit the ball. That is the advantage
the major finger has over his mino
brother. And that also explains why th'
percentage of strlkeouts in minor anC
semipro leagues most often are greater
than they are in the fast company. Th'
pitcher in the bushes" is not so SUR
that hard-hit ball between the shortstoI
and the third baseman will be fielded o
that the centre fielder will go to the fenc,
and grab a line drive. Therefore he trie
to keep the opponents from hitting tn
ball
AS I said, 1t would be interesting Il
I know just how many men Christy Math
ewson could have famed in a single gam
| when he was in his prime. l guess agains
! some clubs he could have piled up
record that would have been hard I
equal But imagine, too, he would hav
been charged with a good many bases o
balls, and as 1t is he possibly wake
fewer men than any other pitcher in tn
| GAM.