Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-23
PITCHING CAREER ENDING.
Big Ed. Waish's Mound Serving Near
 ing the End r


 The boom of base hits that crashed.
 from the bats of the Washington
 Senators in Chicago on June 13
 sounded the requiem of Big Ed Walsh
 of the Chicago White Sox. king of the
 spitball pitchers and one of the great
 est hurlers who ever played the great
 American game. Walsh made his bow
 for the season firm in t>e conviction
 that he would defy tradition and come
 back Never for a moment did he en-
 certain a doubt that the once mighty
 muscles would refuse to respond to
 the demands made upon them. He tried, and like others, like so many
 others, he failed and perhaps he has
 pitched his last game.
 The law of the diamond Is the law
 The strong plunge on for a while un- til the hand of time presses heavily, robbing them of their speed, casting @ fog over their batting eye. Then they drop out with only dream of glory won in the days of their youth to comfort their declining days So let be with Walsh. if he must
 pass through the portals to a bourne from which none return. In his reign he ruled with the strength of a giant, Nor does he ask for any now. Walsh may step down from the ranks but his fame across the pages of baseball history in bold hand and in letters that will not fade. When the story of great pitchers Is written a chapter full of interest will be de- voted to him and his wonderful ca-A reer. He will be named as the one l pitcher who never hesitated to jump | into a game which needed his pres
 ence. no matter if he had pitched | full nine innings or more on the day | previous. In 1908 he took part A no fewer than 66 games, pitching ASA in- l nings winning 30 games and losing | 15. He allowed 343 hits.
 Walsh subjected his arm to terrific strain from 1906 to 1912, inclusive.
 It was whispered that he slept in his
 uniform so that if called upon he would be ready. He was enthusiastic over his work and that this enthusi- l asm shortened his career cannot be doubted. He fairly reveled in his 1 wonderful strength, and it seemed that l Q man of such massive frame would | never weaken.
 But the end came in the fall of | 1912, and from then on Walsh has l been of little value to his team. He. | took part in 16 games in 1913. pitch l ing 98 innings and allowing 91 hits.
 In 1914 he wolled in nine games, 1 through 45 innings, and last year he ] pitched in 46 games. winning A and losing IS. and the year following. as | told before he took part in 66 games. | Nor was it only one season with the
 Big Moose"
 In 1909 he worked in S2 games, winning 15 and losing Il; he allowed I 319 earned runs. Walsh back on the I old stand, pitching 45 games, winning | IS and losing 20 for team that f1n- 1 ished seventh in an eight-club leaguers l He lost his first start this season and ! Is through for all times. perhaps. 1 "The Big Moose" as Walsh has
 been called by the Chicago fans is 1 famed for his spitball delivery. Ed did not discover this way of pitching, but | he immortalized it. He showed to | the baseball world the wonderful pos l abilities of this method of pitching. l He carried the spitball to the last ex- | treme of effectiveness and not the fast 1 ball of Johnson, the fadeaway drop | of Mathewson or the curve of Ed. 1 Reulbach, when the famous Giant and Cub were at their best. was so hard to hit as the Walsh dampened ball, when breaking right.
 | Walsh was born at Plains, Pa, on l May 19 1882, made his professional debut with the Meriden club of the | Connecticut league in 1902. He work | ed there in 1903 also. and then went | to the Newark team of the Interna- | tional league. From the New Jersey | city he went to the White SoX in 19O4st l ths been there since. 1 In 1904 and 1905 he did compara-- 1 lively little work. He worked in nine complete games in 1904 and in II the 1 following. In 1906. when the Sox | won the American league pennant and l captured the worlds championship, he 1 did his full share He worked in 41- l games. winning IT and losing 13, all 1 lowing 296 earned runs to the game. i He was prominent in the games of 1 the worlds series A-