Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-23
lack COOMBS MAKES STUDY,
OF JMPIRES DURING GAME
Great Pitcher Changes Style Of Delivery if
He Learns Arbiter Is Giving Batsman
Shade on Fast Ball Near Knee.

who insists there is no such thing as
corners on the plate l regard 1t as bad
pitching to try to keep the ball just
inside or outside, as such pitching I'M
der such conditions generally has the
pitcher in the hole.
with an umpire working who in
sists that you get them pretty wen
over the center of the plate. / try to
conform my pitching to that style as
much as Possible. without letting
il cut into my effectiveness. There
are certain umpires whom / regard as
weak on a fast breaking curve. With
such an official working i cut down
the number of curve balls to mini
mum. l always regard fast breah-
ing curve a pretty hard ball to judge.
Some umpises ! regard as very fne
on that style of pitching. With sucn
an official working ! use the curve ball
overtime.
Some pitchers make habit OF
protesting great deal mat s!s-
tenn may have it's merits, continued
Coombs. but | could never see it in
that light often ] believe the UNI
pire has missed strike when J am
pitching and just as often he calls
strike when ii has been my opinion
that the ball was tribe high. DIT
too low or Just outside. j have never
been put out of a ball game ard don't
ever expect to be sent TO the club
house. l believe in doing the pitch
ing and letting the umpire do the
arbitrating. ! believe such system
gets the best results. Take mans
attention from his work, no matter
what his line of endeavor. and you
don't get his best efforts. II pitcher
by his kicking, gets the umpire peeved
tn kes his mind from his work, reel sure
that pitcher in going to suffer. for don
believe a peeved official can 1o as good
work as fellow with both feet on the
ground and in good humor. have
watched this feature from every angle.
and have reached such conclusion only
after careful study and observation
Lot of Common Sense.
! was intensely interested in Coombs'
line of argument. don't suppose
many pitchers have made study of
the umpires as has Coombs. But it is
very easy matter to see a lot Of
common sense reasoning in what he
big pitcher has to say of the sit Ia
ton. EMPIRES undoubtedly have I'll cir
strong and weak points. just the same
as the batters, and 1t is certainly
wise pitcher who can take advantage
Of such conditions. In some ways l
was not at all surprised at the theories
expounded by Jack. for the former
Athletic pitcher was always regarded
as great student of the game, pitch
er who depended upon his brain as well
as his arm for success. Perhaps that
explains why Coombs had such a big
year in the National League, even
though he admits he was not at his
very best.
In the American League the tfletics
were known as a signal stealing club.
Rival teams often accused the Phila-
de1phia club of using unsportsu,anlike
methods in gaining their knowledge as
to what the pitcher intended throwing.
Jack Coombs is no longer member of
the Philadelphia club. If You would
go to him and ask how the Athletics
got wise to the offerings of opposing
pitchers he would tell you simply be-
.. cause there were any number of smart
decipher the deliveries, or because the
opposition tipped it off themselves.
Jack Coombs was one of the art
fellows on that club. 1t is known
fact that a great many pitchers have
just a little bit different style of de-
/, livery when throwing the curve and
| the fast one. When throwing the
curve some little shift will be made
from the fast ball delivery that will
tip or the hook. Coombs was an adept
at getting wise to such things. 1 have
umpired the bases and stood at first
base and had Coombs call pitch after
pitch correctly. simply because he had
discovered some little flaw in the pitch
er's delivery.
| Any one familiar with Jack Coombs
was not surprised at his great show
| ing last year, even though he admits
years ago. or his curve break with
such a snap. Jack Coombs uses his
brain; he makes a study of his game.
PLAYERS like Coombs are q credit to the
game.
Copyright, 1916. by W. G. Evans,