The Washington herald., 1917-12-25
DOWN
STAGE OFFER
Cubs New Pitcher Would
Rather Hunt Than Work
Behind Footlights.

I'm sorry. but It will be impossible
for me to accept your offer. must
go home immediately-an important
engagement"
The speaker was Grover Cleveland
Alexander. otherwise Alexander the
Great. and generally rated as the
best pitcher in baseball.
But, Mr.. Alexander, remember, you
are spurning 500 a week for twenty
weeks, or Sl0.00o-the easiest kind OF
money" said the man who was talk
ing with the pitcher. And I'll guar
antee that all you'll need to do is ap.
pear on the stage twice a day. say
two or three words and look pleas
ant" The tempter was a vaudeville
agent, and he wa trying to sign the
baseball star to a contract.
Alexander shook his head and sigh.
ed. I'm not an actor, ana don't want
to be an actor. I've always consider.
ed acting to be a profession. like
money, but It can't be done.
Il look forward to the fall and win.
ter just as eagerly as the schoolboy
looks forward to spring and summer.
Fall and winter to me mean vacation
and vacation means hunting. To
get out my gun and go into the field s
after birds is my favorite pastime.
won't say there is not enough money
in the world to cause me TO give up
my hunting vacation, but 81, 900 is not
the amount to do it,
Il was born on the plains OF Ne
braska, where hunting was our greatest
pleasure" continued the pitcher, land
I still think it is the best sport in the
world for fall and winter. Ne for Ne
braska: let the city fellows have the
vaudeville jobs"
Alexander is quite as expert with a
gun as he is with a baseball, too
Many are the stories he tells Of his
days in the field. 1t is this life in the
open that gives him the nerves. the
muscles and the courage to win more
than thirty baseball games a season.
He ,thrives on hard work, and many OF
hiss games are pitched near the
endsof a hard season.
I6probably is known by all who will
read this tale that Alexander pitches
for the Phillies. In 1915 his club CAP
tured the National League pennant.
II was Alexander's pitching that was
principally responsible for the success
OF the team. He attributes much OF
his success on the diamond to his
training with the gun afield
Pitching a baseball in the middle
OF a hot game and shooting a gun at
a fast moving bird are much the
same" the twirler insists. Il don't
mean to say that there is much SIM
ilarity between the real action. In
one case, a man grips a baseball in
his hand and throws 1t across a
plate making a sincere effort to pre-
vent a man with a bat from hitting
the ball where they amt In the
other case, a man throws a gun 70
his shoulder when a bird, or birds,
flush. and seeks to hit a bunch of
feathers with a load Of shot
But. while the action is different,
both baseball pitching and hunting
require. first Of all, a clear eye and a
quick eye-an eye able to Judge dis
lance perfectly and cause the arm to
work in perfect harmony with the
muscles. Let me illustrate what ]
mean:
'Tf a pitcher were to stand on the
mound. close his eyes and try to hurI
a baseball across the plate. the chances
are he would hit a reporter sitting in
the press box.
III the hunter were to put the gun to
~ . Gh 81
then close his eyes and attempt to drop
one. it Is a safe bet that he would kill
one OF the dogs. So you see. the eyes
are vital to action OF any kind. am
not expounding a new theory when /
'' But StD we t1i KNOW that some men can't
grip baseball and throw it with suf-
hcient accuracy to hit the side OF a
house. There is not that judgment of
distance and strength OF muscle which
one finds in the baseball player, who
should hit inside a Finch circle from
10 10 % Feet away seven times out OF
ten without any preparation for the
throw.
I'VE also know that there are men
who can't stand with a gun to their
shoulder. set themselves, pull the trig-
ger and hit a cow fifty yards away.
We know that the skilled hunter, or
or rife and revolver
can hit a moving object OF
size without giving the
slightest thought to the pointing Of
the firearm and the pulling OF the
trigger.
Eyes, after a time It becomes sec
ond nature for q mans eye to tell him
just what his muscles must do in per-
forming a certain act. such as pitch
ing a baseball or shooting a gun.
When the eye becomes accustomed to
judging distances accurately, and the
hands will do the bidding OF the eye.
half the battle OF pitching or shooting
is won. Then all that is required IS
a steady nerve, some brain work and
strength.
81 do not know that I have explain
ed this subject clearly, but I at least
have told you in my own language
why It should follow that q baseball
pitcher, or, in fact, any man who
plays baseball or a game requiring =
quick, accurate eye. should develop
into a GOOD nhotn -