Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-17
Figures Are Surprising.


The remark made by Evers rather in
terested me at the time. In looking over
the records of Mathewson the other day l
recalled the words of the great little
second sacker. The cold figures bore out
the statement by Evers that Mathewson
made You earn your way to first there
was a slim chance of getting there via the
pass route. considered. of course, the
cheap method.
During his career as a member of
the New York pitching staff Mathew
son worked in 629 games. r pitcher
goes through the ordinary season in
the games allotted to him and averages
about two bases on balls per game he
is considered steady pitcher. one who
has control. I could hardly believe the
figures in Mathewson's case. Covering
sixteen years, in which he was in 629
pames. Matty averaged only one and
three-tenths bases on balls per game
That one feature perhaps explains IN
a great measure the wonderful success
that was Mathewsons during his career
as a National League pitcher
Don't step at top speed all the time
seems to be theory all really great
pitchers practice with much success.
Every fan has been-to game in which
a pitcher for seven innings has looked
like the greatest pitcher in the world.
He had something on every ball he
threw. He worked as hard with the
bases empty as when they were filled.
"
the weak hitting pitcher up as he did
when the star batter stepped into the
box. Then all of a sudden the pitcher,
although trying just as hard, seemed
base hits began to get numerous, runs
started to go over the plate in punches.
Then came the derrick. The pitcher
who looked like the real thing for
seven innings went to the showers in
disgrace in the eighth
Conservation Wins.
pitcher who seems to be getting
bumped pretty hard each inning, but
manages to escape without many runs
scored on his delivery. You sort of
wonder why the batters don't bonn
bard the fences with line drives. 1t is
all a bit mysterious. Such pitchers
are the ones who as a rule meet with
the most success, who last longest
Some pitchers use up as much energy
in one game as others in two or three.
The good old pitching arm just has
about SO much stuff in it. The wise
fellow ConServsS it.
There have been few greater pitch
ers than Jack Coombs. I shall always
remember a remark he once made
when asked what he figured was his
best asset in the pitching line. Coombs
had a great curve, almost unhittable,
but Jack didn't say that was his one
pest pel ne ndu d great CHdnSe OF
pace and dazzling speed, but he didn't
pick either as his ace in the hole.
My one best bet is what I have in
reserve. When I am in a pinch it is
always possible for me to show the
batSman a little more speed than he
has previously looked at. In a pinch
my offerings are a little bit different.
am calling on my reserve force. When
a pitcher uses all his stuff all the time
he has nothing a little different to
fool the batsman whom a crisis ar
riveS''
The words of Coombs can be followed
to advantage by many pitcher
Walter Johnson for two years went
the limit on every ball. now he uses
the system of Coombs and Mathewson
Be easy to hit with the bases empty,
hard with the bases choked. Go along
without using all your stuff, so that
when the pinch arrives you have some
thing in reserve There are a lot of
angles to pitching. If you doubt it,
talk the subject over with some of the
stars of the game. You will soon be
convinced.
Copyright. 1915 by w C. Evans.)