The Washington times., 1917-02-24
ALEX Is GREATEST
OF ALL TWIRLERS
PhilIies' Star Depends Upon
Control of Quick Breaking
Curve and Fast One.
By JOE villa.

NEW YORK, Feb. 24.-Grover
Cleveland Alexander. who signed with
the Phillies, Wednesday night, for
the highest salary ever paid to q
National League pitcher, attributes
his phenomenal success to control
Last year Alexander faced 1900 bats
men and only fifty or them received,
bases on balls, record in fast COM
|. pany.
The big fellow Joined the PhiIlIes in
1911 and during that season he hand
ed out 129 free passes. In 1912, 107
were charged against him. after
which he gave seventy-five in 1913,
seventy-six in 1914 and sixty-four in
1915.
In addition to the fifty bases on
balls last season, Alexander hit ten
men at the plate and allowed 1923
safe drives. He worked forty-eight
games, pitching $50 innings, with q
record of thirty-three victories and
twelve defeats. He struck out 16I
and made three wild pitches. Incl
dentally he scored sixteen shut-outs,
another major league record
Depends On support.
Alc4duuCE LuA5lcTCu COulEOA 70 BuCu
an extent in 1915 that he was able
to depend on his fielding support
with increased confidence. In 1914
and 1915. he famed PA and 241 bats
men respectively, while he was touch
ed up for 327 hits In 1914, but held
the enemy to 253 the following year,
In which he established his best win
ing percentage OF 1855, with a record
of thirty one victories and ten de-
feats.
Alexander, using a side arm de-
livery, showed last season that he
could pitch the ball wherever he
wanted to. He depended on a quick
curve and a speeder, which were
controlled with wonderful skill At
the same time he knows how to
pitch to each batsman as a result OF
careful study, and he finally had the
number of practically every team in
the National League
One of Select Few.
The Phillies' star boxman is one
of q few who have won thirty or more
games In a single campaign since
1900. Joe McGinnity. Of the Giants.
and Jack Chesbro. OF the Yankees.
each rolled up forty-one victories In
1904.
Big Ed walsh, of the White sOx. in
1908 won forty games and sustained
fifteen defeats
Meanwhile, Christopher Matthewson
made q name for himself by winning
thirty and losing thirteen in 1908.
which he followed in 1904 with thirty
three victories and twelve defeats.
thirty-one and nine In 1905, and thirty
seven and eleven In 1908.
Joe Wood, of the Red Sox, had .
record of thirty-four victories and five
defeats in 1912, q percentage OF .sI2.
which was the highest ever made by
a major league pitcher with the ex-
ception OF the late A. G. Spalding.
who hung up 500 after pitching sixty
three games for the Bostons in 1875.
johnson Not So Good
Walter johnson, once Considered the
king Of pitchers, but whose record
last year was twenty-five victories
and twenty defeats, won thirty-two
and l1st twelve in 1912, while in 1913
he was successful in thirty-six games
and was trimmed in seven
Johnson's control did not begin to
compare favorably with That OF Alex
ander last season, inasmuch as the
washington crack gave 132 bases on
balls, while pitching only 271 innings.
Yet johnson practically redeemed
himself by striking out 22S men,
Since joining the Phillies in 1911
Alexander has pitched in $50 triumphs
and has been defeated in seventy-fiVe
He Is easily the greatest boxman In
/ the National League, and 1t Is doubt
full that he has q superior In the
American League, which has an
abundance Of high class pitching ma
/