New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-09-16
Perritt on Edge
For Big Series
With WhiteSox
After Being Kicked About by
Fate Poll Looms Large
in Baseball
Bv w. |. Macbeth

rated tooth against a "T' bone SIR
loin. In other words, he IS provoking
and troublesome. Sometimes he's mean
and csntankcrous to the Giants; at
other times even more 80 to the enemy.
For let it be known Poll Pcrritt is
n tempcramental cuss. just what he
is going to 90 nobody ever knows.
Least Of all himself. He can pitch and
pitch with the best. He has done II
and is doing il. How far Perritt will
, go il he ever gets the notion into his
head tina, he should so the limit only
history will tell. Right now he looks
like one Of the very best bets OF the
Giants I'm the worlds series with the
Chicago White SoN.
Never Had Much Chance
Truth to tell. Perrit never had much
of chance His major league associa'
tions always have been wrong. Fate
kicked him i'm the Stats when II asked
him to horn into the big show by way
Of the St Louis Cardinals. The St
Louis Cardinals Of five years ago,
mind YOU One cannot possibly picture
a less inspiring introduction to last
company.
Perritt may live down his st. Louis
mast ANYTHING may be expected of
fellow who can show such reversal
of form as Poll has shown this year
Until short few weeks ago ne was
nothing to brsC about as rlght-handed
pitcher Indeed, his chief claim TO lame
Law in the fact that he was JET les
re9u'S bgother-in-law. JEFF became so
unspeakably terrible himself that the
boost turned into knock. Maybe that
is why the tcmperamental Poll re-
formed.
The unvarnished truth is that Per-
rift took himself by the nape OF the
neck and got down to brass taeks. lie
turned the tables on his big brother
in-law Now Tosreau's biggest asset is
the family relationship. JEFF SHOWS
signs a. coming around. Both ends o.
the family may still figure IN the
classic.
Perritt is a pitcher Of exceptional
ability. He appeared a world beater
with the mediocre Cardinals the two
wears he toilcd in the Mound City. Not
That he shattered any pitching records:
But he won q far better percentage OF
games than the club he represented.
He more than held his own two years
ago with a very Disappointing Giant
team. And last year he almost APP
preached greatness in New York.
The great trouble with Perritt here
tofore has been failure to look upon
his profession in all the seriousness
Characteristic Of genius. Poll IS oig'
good ratured boy, willing TO get along
with the world as easily as possible. 1T
would be wrong TO accuse him Of iazl-
,ross lust because he was born and
raised in Arcadia. La, where the sun
..,,,,Lo- ON. .rrb;+iop and the hook
worm runs rampant
Lean and Lanky
Still. 10 is possible the heat may have
Influenced his career. Poll Is not so
rotund as his well-fed brother-ln-law.
He is lean and lanky. almost 70 cadav-
orousness He stands 6 feet inches,
hut weighs slightly more than 10
pounds in condition. He has not the
beef TO stand up under rough usage in
hot weather.
Pcrritt has shown his best form IN
the cooler weather of the season. He
has always been at his best form in the
spring and the fall. Hot weather seems
10 sap his strength. For that reason
he was never satisfied with his berth
in S.. Louis. He enjoyed much the best
season OF his career with the Giants
last year. and last year, II Will be re-
membcred, was particularly cool on the
whole.
In many ways Perritt bears strIk-
ing resemblance 10 Slim Caldwell. lie
IS not so irresponsible as is the Yankee
star. Nor has he CaldwellS wonderful
intuition. For Caldwell is possessed Of
exceptional pitching brains; he is one
\ Of the craftieSt moundmen that ever
NJ tOed the rubber.
" Yet Perritt is built along the lines of
Caldwell. lie is of the why, wnipcordy
type. with long arms and fitting physi-
cal development Of the torso. Like
Caldwell. Perritt is possessed of Won
derful speed and an exceptional curve
ball TO supplement it. With such
curve Walter Johnson would be IN
hittahl,.
Poll PeIritt attracted the envy Of
McGraw when he first broke into fast
company with the Cardinals back il
1912. lie was Just kid then; just
turned twenty. The leader of the
Giants had TO wait almost three years
before he landed him. 1t is a sure
thing Perritt didn't learn great de Il
IN those three years. He Is only
twenty-five now, and he seems to have
picked up more this season than in
all his previous experience.
Fair Slow Ball
OF late Perritt has shown every ear
mark Of greatness. lie seems TO be
studying batterS and making mental
notes of their strength and their weak
ncsscs. Heretofore this human slat
thought only OF burning his fast bail
past the hitter. Now lac mixes up his
delivery And he has pretty fair sort
of slow ball to toss in with the speed
and the hook.
"Perritt," said Miller Higgins the
last time st. Louis was in New York,
SIS the most improved pitcher ! have
known i'm long while. He always had
everything but pitching sense. That
seems 20 have come to him. Let hiri
once grasp the serious side of his
profession, and he will prove a real
terror"
In baseball, as in other walks of
lie, just about the same average can
be struck Many mortals are slow TO
round TO the serious side Of existence.
Poll Perritt is one who retained his
boyishncss to a late day. He is just
beginning TO take himself, life and the
game seriously. lie Is possessed OF
every natural attribute save perhaps
the physical stamina to qualify for
place among baSebalps Iron men"
How far he will 90 deDends entirely