Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-19


by most pitchers needs a speeding Zip
there is no doubt. Just what could
be done to bring about such desired
result is too deep proposition for
me to answer. / do know the pitch
ers in most cases take up almost
twice the time needed. and that the
catchers. as a rule. are equally slow
I have talked the proposition over
with some of the best pitchers and
catchers in the American League, and,
while none admitted it point-bank,
it was easy to see from the CONVEX
ploying such tactics because of or
ders. Thus 1t would seem the big
gest obstacle in speeding up the
action of the battery men would be
managers that dilatory tactics is
strategic bit of defensive power. That
Will be difficult to accomplish.
1t is a rather interesting fact that
most great pitchers are twirlers who
don't waste a second. Take Walter
Johnson of the American League and
Alexander of the National. and you
have about the last word in pitching.
These two stars are almost perpetual
motion when they step on the rub
Der. Each needs only a hasty glance
in the direction of the catcher be-
fore cutting loose with the ball. 1t
is rare to have a ball game in which
Johnson or Alexander Is one of the
pitchers to go more than an hour
and a half. That is snappy time to
put game through in. while one
hour and forty-fve minutes is salts
factory. time. Inability to complete
the ordinary ball game in less than
two hours is proof many annoying
features have cropped up to slow the
action. When the American League
made bid for public favor the speed
with which the games were played
~ t. - fnv
patronage. OF late years the Ameri-
can League has offended with others
in this respect. although President
Johnson has made every effort to
remedy the fault.
Evil to Be Overcome.
Dilatory tactics by battery men Is
just one of the many evils that origi-
nate around the pitching rubber. Dur
ing the last four or five years. when
freak deliveries have been in vogue,
the doctoring of the ball. Dilatory
tactics by the pitcher are primarily
resorted to in the hope they will get
on the batteTs nerves. They not only
slow up the action, but affect batting.
Next to the slowness on the part of
the ball is the next worst evil
In the American League we have
pitchers who can take new bail.
rub it in the palm of the glove, and
before it is delivered to the batsman
from the color tot the sphere one
would imagine the ball had been in
play four or five innings If the
practice is permitted 1t will be only
a few years before it will be an ex-
travagant waste of money to bother
about new balls. Pitchers will tell
you they discolor the ball to take
of the gloss that makes 1t difficult
for them TO grip it. That is bunk.
The pitchers blacken the ball to make
the task of the batsman all the more
difficult. There is a rule covering
such a violation, but a uniform inter-
probation of that rule must be adhered
to in order to get results.
Many pitchers violate the rules that
cover the proper manner Of delivering
the ball to the batsman. Many are
getting away with balk motions that
are about the limit lin deception.
There is no doubt that most Of the
evils. from playing standpoint, CEN
ter around the pitcher. Clean up the
pitching situation and you will get
more action, more hitting, better base
running, three important assets for
success.
Copyright. 1919. by W. q. Evans)