The Washington times., 1921-08-18

The baseball fans Of a generation
ago have a warm spot in their hearts
for Rusie. He was the ranking pitch
err OF his time, a widely known figure
in the national sport, which hadn't
grown to such dimensions as now but
was on its way. The wonderful every
other day pitching Of Rusie and Jouett
Meekin in 1894 landed the Giants in
second place in the twelve-club league
of that year and won the Temple Cup
series for them. incidentally, Meekin.
now living in Indiana, never came
back from the hard work he did that
year.
" Sees Lively Ball.
Rusie reported for his new job a
few days ago. and Miller Higgins,
Yankee manager, handed him a base
ball. 80 that's the lively ball?" said
Amos. We'll, 1t feels to me exactly
like the ball l used to pitch In the
nineties. IL it's any livelier l have no
means Of telling 1t. so III have to take
your word for It,
Il believe the ball In my time didn't
nave a cork center. II was hard
enough then to keep the other fellows
from making hits. My speed?" added
the big fellow diffidently. ooh. /
dunno. They said had a lot of it,"
They also say nobody ever had as
fast curve ball as you"
Yes. they said that when / was
pitching, but it isn't for me to say.
NO, l can't tell what / could do
with this ball. 1t feels Just the same
as the old ones, no difference at all,
but L couldn't do anything with a
baseball now. It's been a good while
since / could. Couldn't even throw
one. Arms gone
Threw Light Ball.
Notwithstanding Rusie's speed, he
threw what is known as a light ball
easy to catch. Cy Young threw heavy
speed. Control helped make Rusie the
crack pitcher he was, but when he
first reported to New York he was
wild as they came. 1t took him some
time to get control and, asked how
he got 1t, he answered:
practice, practice, practice"
Il can't see much difference in the
game now and then. either" continued
the veteran. They're doing just what
we did, the hit and run and the bunt
and all that. Maybe outfielders play
back farther now. You know, we
didn't have the foul strike rule. and
that made 1t harder on the pitchers.
They had to pitch more balls.
Rusie Is fifty years old. With him
are associated the names of Dick
Buckley, Jack Warner, Park Wilson
and Duke Farrell, all of whom caught
him. Buck Ewing also caught him a
few games. Ewing, Shorty Fuller,
Mike Herman and Dad Clarke, con.
temporaries on the Giants, have
crossed the great divide.
Asked About Writers.
Rusie asked about Sam Crane, Joe
Villa and o. p. Caylor. These men
were writing baseball In his time, also
Bill Norr, Dan Mills, Frank Hough.
Tim Murnane, Jake Morse, George
Taylor, Lou Houseman, Leonard
Washburn, Joe Campbell, John Fos-
ter, Sy Sanborn, Jim Kennedy, Lang
don Smith, George Stackhouse, Ed
Sheridan, Jack Sheridan, Rem milford,
Charles Dryden, Harry Weldon, Doc
Crafty, John Gruber, Bob Larner, Abe
wager and Tommy Rice.
A few of these men are still in the
game, some are in other pursuits and
goodly number-Caylor, Washburn,
Norr, Taylor, Weldon, Stackhouse,
Murnane, Smith, Kennedy and Camp
bell have crossed to the other side.
Rusie looks well-big and rugged
and hearty. Time has dealt kindly
with him, and for that the older gem
Grafton of fans, who knew him when
he was one of the games stalwart
figures, will be glad.