The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-23
FERD SCHUPP OF
GIANTS HAD LONG
ROAD TO SUCCESS

the young pitcher Of the New YORK
Giants who emerged from the dust
and turmoil of the battle for the Ma
tional league pennant last season TO
find himself famous, did not attain
the heights by any sudden dash. His
path to glory traced it's way through
the vale of hard knocks, and there
were times when critics chanted his
requiem as a major league pitcher.
Schupp, however, rose superior to a
| fate which seemed determined to push
him to the wall, and today he is
hailed by many as a worthy sue
cessor to the once mighty Rube Wad-
dell.
| For three years the sibilant south
paw sat on the bench, wearing out
more trousers than shoes. His way
| led from the shelter of the bench IN
| the dugout to the bull pen In right
| felds Occasionally he was allowed to
go in and pitch few innings when
games were hopelessly lost, or Ger
| tainly won But the thrill Of starting
] a game was denied to him by the
| mandate of John J. McGraw.
| Finally, late last season, Schupp
acquired that break to his curve, the
| hop to his fast one and the necessary
| control McGraw then sent him out
to pitch, and how well he succeeded
| is written in the pages of baseball
history. Allowing 80 earned run to
the game. he outranked the mighty
Grover Cleveland Alexander and led
| the National league.
When the Giants startled the base
ball world by tearing away on the
record breaking winning streak that
| lasted through 26 games last fall,
Schupp did. more than his share. He
! pitched the, team through to no fewer
| than six victories, and performed the
! task in a manner that established his
greatness beyond all doubt.
! Working those last seven games,
| Ferdie made a wonderful record for
himself. He allowed 20 hits and five
runs in. 63 innings, and that surely
entities him to rank with the best.
His previous record, however, does not
compare. He truly woke one morning
/ to find himself famous.
| Success. however, has not gone to
/ his head. He has been in the big
league long enough to know that
many come UP, write their names on
Fame's scroll, reign for a while and
pass.
/ Schupp came to the Giants in 1918
I :
T League. In 1912 he won % games
and lost 20 with Decatur. His work,
however, was much better than his
record would indicate, and he was
deemed worthy of trial in the big
league. All his experience was gath
cred in the Three I League before he
came up under the big tent. He played
/ a little around the sand lots, to be
fsure, but never wore the Uniform OF
l any school or college. n
what was the proudest moment in
your 1ife?" we asked him yesterday.
He thought for few moments and
then replied: Zone Sunday last fall,
when I was left off a Transforming
trip. The first three years of my life
with the Giants consisted Of one trip
to Long Branch, or New Haven, or
some other nice quiet little city after
another It got so that I used to keep
my travelling uniform packed up in a
special bag so as to save time on
Saturday afternoons. hope that
work is finished for a while.''
well, how did you find yourself SO
! sudd enly?" we asked him.
II don't know" he said. ''It seemed
awfully long to me. There were times
when almost thought I'd never de-
the same. 1t was an effort we'll made
energy well spent. After all, base
ball is not much different from any
other line Of endeavor The plugger
will get there when the sprinter will
burn himself out quickly.
The days on the bench seemed long
but / learned a lot by watching the
other. fellows work and listening to
McGraw He is a wonderful general
this same John J. McGraw, and what
he doesn't know about the game does
not exist. He was more than patient
with me, and hope that 1 will be
able to Justify his faith in me. In the
beginning I was willing, but I guess
1 I didn't have much else besides the
spirit;
Lack of control was one of my
worst troubles. continued Schupp
"a pitcher has to have control or he
will never go for in this league. The
ability to put the ball where the
pitcher wants it makes the work
| twice as easy.
when I first came UP to the Ma
tional league used to try to buzz the
ball past the batters. The scheme
never worked. The batters did all the
buzzing, and the clatter Of hits sound.
ed on my ears. while the fans yelled.
Take him Quit"