Evening journal., 1916-05-20
Walsh. .ONCEPITCHINC.
KING, kEARS Finish.
Monarch of the Fadeaway
Gets Into Has Been
Class
WAS "SOME SMOKE"
IN THE EARLY DAYS

How the mighty are fallenl Chris
topher Of New York, and Edward of
Chicago. but a short time ago the
pitching kings Of baseball the he
roes of American youth. are now
rapidly losing the allegiance Of their
former devoted subjects. The Spit
ball King and the Monarch of the
Fadeaway will soon join Manuel of
Portugal and other deposed monarchs
in the well-known vale of oblivion.
At least. so it seems. Comiskey has
kept Big ed on his payroll through
lean years Of comparative idleness,
for the Old Roman nOurishes the no
ton that the pOssessor of the once
formidable pitching arm may yet
come back. MathewsOn also dreams
of a return Of the days OF glory.
In the matter Of years, Edward
Walsh has nearly two years the ad-
vantage OF Christopher. Walsh is "a
years, having been born May 19. 1882.
at Plains, Pa Like Benny Kauff,
Larry Doyle Hughie Jennings. Jake
Daubert. and many other diamond
coal mines He joined the Comiskey
crew in 1904. having served his minor
league apprenticeship with Meriden
Conn. and Newark, n. j. In his
first year in the majors Big Ed won
six and lost three games. In 1905.
his record was eight victories to three
defeats. In 1906 it was II won and
l3 lost In 1907 he won "a and lost
Is. 1t was in 1908 that Walsh broke
into the select company of immortals
by winning 40 games, losing only 10.
II was in the same year that
Mathewson attained his greatest num-
Der of victories-37 Johnson's best
record was SO victories, in 1913, and
Alexander the Great, with 81 wins TO
his credit last year. is far short of
the figure set up by the Spitball King.
In 1909, Nalshs arm had lost som'
of its durability, and he amassed only
| l5 victories. losing Ia In 1910 Big EC
/ had Is victories offset by 20 defeats. II
/ 1911 his record was p won and Is lost
al in 1912 he won the same number
and lost IL. That was his last year a
the pitching mainstay of the White son
He was credited with eight WINS am
three defeats in 1913, with two won am
three lost in l9l4. aud with three vic
tories last year. and no defeats.
Walsh had his first serious troubl
! with his salary wing during the 1911
city series between the SoN and Cubs
In the second game, hot liner hit hin
in the jaw aud knocked him out. III
/, pitched the remainder OF the game, bu
he felt daZed for hOIrs afterward. Fo
a day or two his arm felt sore am
painful, hut. as he did not 20 on tn
mound again that year, he did not pa,
/ much attention 10 il until the follow
ng spring Then he was given sa
/ awakening as TO the seriousness OF tn
4 situation He had been doing only ligh
work until he was sent into the bo
against the ,enice Coast League Clul
| Tho Coasters fell upon Eds deliver
and quickly proved that he didn't hav
a thing. Walsh then began to work 4
earnest. hut he wasn't used in the bo
again until an exhibition game with tn
| st. Joseph Western League club. Tn
st. Joe swattcrs quickly drove Ed fror
the box in disgrace. After more patien
work Walsh recovered some of his oil
stuff. but his wing wouldn't stand muo
work. and i'm 1913 he pitched only o
innings. Since then he has been hopn
against hope that the old soup bon
would return 10 form but his effort
have all ended in disappointment spit
ball pitching involves tremendou
strain and il is probable that the Walls
wing is simply worn out. When mos
men arc Just beginning their careers
Ed Walsh stands at the finish Of his.