Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-30
Batting Ability Widely Heralded.

His batting ability was heralded tt
the public in many ways, because sto-
ries galore in which Speaker had played
the leading role with a timely base hit
eagerly awaited the opening of the sea
son. They wanted to see the great
Speaker in action. wanted to see him
break up the game with timely hit
shut of the tying run at the plate with
a deadly throw, or save the contest by
executing a marvellous catch which no
one in the crowd thought possible.
The st. Louis Browns opened the sea-
son in Cleveland in 1916.
No manager in base ball follows the
game more closely than Fielder Jones
No manager in base ball resorts more
to strategy in any form. If he believes
such a-move will save the day. than
Jones. perusal of the records would
the league in the use of pinch hitters
derricksd more pitchers than any other
manager and ordered the intentional
passing of a dangerous batter much
oftener~ than any other leader in the
organization.
1t is the Intentional pass custom to
which / have been working up to, with
Speaker playing the leading role.
friend Of mine in Cleveland, who
is anything but a base ball fan, read
so much about the great Speaker. he
decided said Mr.. Speaker must be worth
seeing.He decided he would give him.
self Leat by taking in his first big
1eague-game. simply because of Gu
riosity:-1o see il Speaker could really
do rev of the many things he was
reputed to have done in the past. He
took In one of the games of the opening
series with St. Louis.
In this particular game it so hap
pened Speaker twice came to the bat
, in a pinch. Just the spot the fans want
ed to see him I'LL, spot where a base
hit meant couple Of runs. and in all
probability the ball game. My friend
was glAd he had come. He would see
II the great Speaker could make a base
hit for the mere asking.
Then They Passed IRIS.
In each instance Manager Jones rush
ed out from the dugout, made some
mysterious moves. which were readily
understood by the catcher and the
pitcher. and then FASTENED back to his
pitcherS1hen proceeded to throw four
balls aas far from the plate. Spsasar
couldn't have hit any one
with an oar. Instead of seeing Speaker
merely saw the player stand foolishly
In the batter's box. while the pitcher
threw four wide balls, emitting Speak
or to first base, but depriving him of a
chance to make a hit, the one thing a
great many fans had paid real money
to see him do, and for which the Cleve-
land club had paid a fabulous sum to
Boston.
Several days after the game in ques-
ton I met the man. who had attended
his first big league game. I decided to
get his honest opinion of major league
ball, and Speaker in particular At the
time did not know he had seen
the game in which Speaker had been
deprived of his chance to star because
Manager Jones ordered his pitchers to
walk him. AS L recall it. Speaker did
nothing unusual in the field that after
{ noon, SO he looked far more like an
ordinary player than a million dollar
beauty.
Wonderful player that fellow
speaker" l remarked
b. 4 suppose So" answered my friend
II Was greatly surprised. / expected him
about Speaker
He sure can hit that ball." was my
next comment, "in a pinch he seldom
fails. He has made many a pitcher sad
by busting up the old ball game"
Guess everything you say about him