The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-06-19
and Outside
ED WALSH MUST
 RETIRE FROM BOX IN PRIME OF LIFE

New York, June 19-The boom of base hits that crashed from the bat4 of the Washington Senators in Chicago on June 13, sounded the requiem of Big Ed Walsh, of the Chicago White sox, king of the spit ball pitchers, and one of the greatest hurlers Who ever played the great. American game Walsh made his bow for the season firm in the conviction that he could defy tradition and come back. Never for a moment did he entertain a doubt that those once mighty mpscles would refuse to respond to the demands made upon them. He tried, and like others, like so many others, he fa1ledE' and perhaps he has pitched his lasE game.
 The law of the diamond is the law of the world. The weak fall early The strong plunge on for while untI the hand of Time presses heavily robbing them of their speed, casting a fog over the batting eye. Then they drop out with only dreanal of glory won in the days of their youth to comfort their declining days. Walsh may step down from the ranks, but his fame is secure. He has written his name across the pages of baseball history in a bold hand, and in letters that will not fade. When the story of great pitchers is written a chapter full of interest will 1 be devoted to him and his wonderful career. He will be named as the one. pitcher who never hesitated to jump Einto any game which needed his pres ence no matter if he had pitched a | full nine innings or more on the day previous In 1908 he took part in no fewer than 66 games, pitching ASA in | nings, winning 40 games and losing I15 He allowed 343 hits, and only 3.O6 earned runs to the game. This was his high water mark
 l Walsh subjected his arm to a terri ble 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- asm shortened his career cannot be ldoubted. Ae fairly revelled in his wonderful strength, and it seemed that a man of such massive frame lwould never weaken
 But the end came in the fall of 1912, and from then on Walsh has been of little value to his team He took part in 16 games in 1913, pitching 98 in nings, and allowing 91 hits. In 1914 he worked in nine games through 45 in nings. No other pitcher in these mod ern times has done so much work in one season. Nor was it only one sea- son with the Big Moose.
 l In 1909 he worked in 32 games, win
 ming 15 and losing Il. He allowed 3.19
 earned runs. The following year found
 Walsh back at the old stand, pitching
 45 games, winning IS and losing 20 for
 @ team that finished seventh in an
 eight-club league. Tn 1911 Walsh took
 three full games. He lost. his first
 start this season, and is through for
 all time, perhaps.
 The 'Big Moose as Walsh has been
 called by the Chicago fans is famed fOE
 his spitban delivery. Ed did not dis
 cover this way of pitching, but he i'm
 rnortaHzed 1t. He showed to the base=
 ball world the wonderful possibilities
 of this method of pitching. He carried
 the spit ball to the last extreme in eff
 fectiveness, and not the fast ball of
 Johnson, the fadeaway drop of Math-
 ewson, or the curve of Ed ReuIbachs
 when the famous Giant and the Cub 1 were at their best was so hard to hiE as the Walsh dampened ball, when } breaking right.
 , Walsh, who was born at Plains
 Penn, on May 19, 1882, made his pro- i fessiona1 debut with the Meriden club ' of the Connecticut league in 1902. He 5 worked there in 1903, also, and then
 went to the Newark team of the In
 ternational league. From the New
 Jersey city he went to the White SOE
 in 1904, and has been there since.