Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-03-17
MACK PITCHERS
AGAIN GET DOWN
TO HARD DRILL
Young Slabsters May Get
Instructions to Start
Curve Ball Practice
BREssLER'S FAULT FIXED
gv CHANDLER D. RICHTER


JACKSONVILLE, Fla, March H.
The warm weather returned today, ant
Maok's pitchers started buzzing the bal
tbrouRh I'm grand style. There was more
nsnner in the camp than any day since
,he practice started. Manager Mack has
nronised the pitchers who work out best
today the privilege of starting on C. c
development of their curve ball tomor-
rnw. In most training camps the start
Ing time for curve-ball pitching Is optional
and the managers leave II entirely to the
Judgment of the hurler but Mack issued
orders before the initial practice that he
aid not want any of the boys to try n
curve ball until he said the word.
During the early morning workout,
Mack gave an excellent illustration of the
close attention he pays to the smallest
detail which has in reality been the secret
Of his success in developing youngsters,
and which also may prove the means Of
Assuring the return of Rube Bressler to
his 1914 form.
The close attention Mack has been
having to Bressler has been commented
,pon before. This morning was no excep-
,on. and Connie discovered what he be-
lieyes was the cause of Bressler's wild
ness last year. Bressler was In the act
of delivering a ball when Mack shouted
10 him to hold his position. The south
nav stopped short, and Connie who was
standing slightly in front of him and to
his left, noticed that Bresslor had his eyes
on the ground instead of upon the catcher.
He told Bressler to continue pitching and
10 try to get the ball over the plate.
The Rube pitched six balls and each
time dropped his eyes to watch his step.
Taking his eyes from the plate momen-
tary caused him to get but flash as he
glanced UP in the midst of his wind-up,
and the ball shot high because Bressler
was throwing his head up suddenly.
Mack then told Bressler what he was
doing. Bressler pitched for 10 full min
utes before he could forget his feet. Final
ly when he did keep his eye on the plate
his control was perfect. AS he walked
over to the bench to talk with Ira Thomas
Mack was all smiles and declared that
this was the real cause of Bressler's fail
ure. He said he had watched the feet
which Bressler claimed would not behave
properly. but that he passed that theory
up altogether.
Mack also said he knew there was
something else wrong, and that is why
he had been paying so much attention to
the Rube. 1t remains to be seen whether
Bressler regains his control and pitches
the wonderful brand of ball he showed
In 1914. Connie and Thomas declare he
will
Tom Sheehan's arm Is In good shape
again, while Morrlssette is rapidly round
ing into form. Jack Nabors and MI
Crowell continue to burn the ball up to the
plate with no sign of lameness, but
Chief Myers, generally looked upon as
the best bet of the young pitchers, is still
nursing lame arm Yesterdays work out
harmed Myers instead of doing him good
and II is now doubtful IL he will be right
before the opening of the season
OF the veterans, Bush and Bressler
appear TO be in splendid shape, but
Wyckoff has shown nothing to date. The
other pitchers are more or less troubled
with sore arms or are afraid to cut loose
On'hand, we would say that Nabors will
be working his curve ball first with Crow
ell and Sheehan a close second. Indica-
tons are that this trio, with Bush and
Bressler, will be the Mack mainstays in
the series with Boston and Brooklyn.