The Washington herald., 1917-01-23
FOSTER HAD bad Wing
when in Big Series
Bit of Strap and Iron Will Keep Him
Going.

New York, JAN 22-An innocent bit of
leather strap, coupled with the loyalty
of a pitcher to his club, and an iron will
which would not succumb to pain.
Here is one of the factors which helped
the Boston Red Sox capture the Ameri-
can League pennant last summer and
eventually ride on to WORLDS cham
pionship.
It NAV be difficult to appreciate this
statement until we mention the fact that
the pitcher in question was none other
than the diminutive George Foster. the
little giant" of the Boston hurting corps,
and that rival teams in the American
League have always held the most pro-
found respect for him.
Had the rivals of the Red sox known
that Fosters arm had gone back on him
the Red Sox would have lost much OF
their prestige, and we have Hughie Jen-
nings' word for 1t.
During the latter part of the season
Foster pitched under great difficulties
After a hard game he would shuttle to
the club house suffering the tortures of
overstrained muscles, and would throw
himself on a rubbing table while the Red
Sox trainer tried all he knew to rub the
anguish from his pitching wing.
The bit of strap was used to hold the
deltoid muscle of his salary wing firmly
in place. 1t is the deltoid that takes the
burden of pitching. and when Fosters
deltoid went back on him he felt that he
was through.
But rather than let rival clubs and
players know of 1t. and hoping that his
presence in the bull pen, and on the
mound at intervals, would uphold the es-
TEEN in which other clubs held Boston,
he stuck it out like the game little South
erner he Is.
And now Foster says he is through.
He said SO last fall, when he cut up
the world series pie with his team
mates. and he has written friends in
Boston during the winter that he has
no plans for returning to the diamond
Down In the Ozarks, among the roll
Ing hills and the whispering pines, Fos-
ter intends to enjoy life in his country
home. letter written just before the
Christmas holidays to a friend in Bos-
ton once more confirmed his decision to
retire. He says there are other things
in life to be considered, and he has often
remarked that he would never consent to
be a bench warmer.
So, unless the lure of the diamond
which comes with the first signs of
spring proves too strong for the little
slabster, Foster will be among the
missing at Fenway Park next summer
II he does not come back baseball will
lose one of the stoutest-hearted and
most conscientious players who has
graced major league diamonds during the
last few years.
Foster has emblazoned his name In the
'no-hit hall of fame" and he has been
the hero Of a world SERIES In three
years with the Red Sox he has accom-
plished what other pitchers fail to gain
In lifetime in baseball
He Joined the Boston club in 1872 and
became the first one of the teams win
ming hurlers, but an injury to his knee
put him out Of the campaign. The fol-
lowing year he won IA out of 22 games,
and In 1915 he captured 20 out OF % full
games In which he worked. During the
first part Of 1916 he was a mainstay of
the Red Sox, and although his arm failed
him toward the close of the season, he
Is credited with Il victories and de-
feats.
He pitched In two world series, winning
two games against the Quakers in 1915,
and he finished a game in the series last
fall which had been lost before he went
to the mound.
With Bill Carrigan catching. Foster
pitched his great no-hlt game against
the New York Yankees last June.
II he stays In retirement he has GER
tatnly earned his leisure. He will always
be missed by Boston fans.
Nano Leibold who went TO the Chicaso whits
sox two years axo from Cleveland rs being touted
Q the Sox regulA- right fielder for next season