The Washington times., 1922-08-06
JIM CORBETT
SEES LESSON
IN IRON MAN
Mcoinnity Still Going Strong at
Fifty Because He Kept Him
self In Good Condition.
BY JAMES J. CORBETT.

By JAMES J. CORBEIT.
Copyright 1872. King Feassres syndi-
cate. Incl
DVERY athlete can find lesson
ID in the life story Of Iron Man"
Joe McGinnity, who, at the
age of fifty, pitched and won ball
game not so long ago from players
young enough to be his sons. The
veteran, who passed years ago from
the scenes Of major league glory,
didn't do like most men do who go
into athletic retirement. He always
had prided himself on physical fit
ness; always had made condition
the paramount thing Of life.
And so when he faded from the
horizon of. the big leagues. he never
forgot the golden rules Of health. He
knew he had lived his starriest base
ball years. hut he likewise knew
that the real years of life lay be-
fore him. Realizing that neglect OF
health and failure to keep In good
condition not only would shorten his
remaining years but also force him
into the risk Of illness. Iron Man"
Joe never let a day pass without
doing some exercising-and never
did he live other than sanely and
cleanly-plenty Of sleep, plenty OF
fresh air and plenty Of. wholesome
food.
Easily Stood Strain.
Then, at fifty. ,McGinnity came
back to the ball fields, pitted his
arm and brain against one Of the
sluggingest teams in the minors
and whipped them. And when the
game was over Iron Man Joe was
SO little fatigued that he could have
pitched another nine innings in spec
tacular fashion. ri g..
It's story which reads like ro-
mantle fiction. Yet It's one from
real life. And likewise it's one that
no athlete OF today should forget
nor fail to heed.
McGinnity's whole lifetime has
been OF rather spectacular nature;
one which is made up Of doing
things out of the ordinary through
sheer will power, willingness to work
and ambition.
He became q semi-pro player back
in 1898, and then was with Mont
gomery IN the Southern League un-
til the club disbanded. due TO a vel
low fewer, epidemic. He quit the
game then, remaining in retirement
for a year or two. Later he came
back as q semi.pro, played q while
In the minors and then got his big
chance with the Baltimore Orioles,
an opportunity which came to him
ut an age when most pitchers are
considered at the beginning Of the
end of their careers. For McGin-
nifty was close to thirty then,
But he became a pitching sensa'
ton almost over night and remained
no through the years. He reached
his real heights of greatness with
the Giants, and gained undying fame
and the title OF Iron Man" by pitch
ing frequent double-headers.
No Great Trick.
There never was any great trick
In it." explained McGinnity In after
years. II was pitching those games
with my head, more than with my
arm. An arm may not be able to go
eighteen innings in a day .unaided,
but It's different with the brain.
"A slow ball and few good curves
that was about all i had. But 1
guess Il was enough. for I used to
win quite often In those days. al
ways studied my batters-and II
wasn't long before knew what
they could and couldn't hit. After
that II was sort Of easy.
They can tell me all the glowing
things they want about fast ball
pitching, but I'll never believe other
than that a pitcher with an ounce
or two of brain matter, few curves
and slow ball can win more ball
games-and last longer In the big
leagues.
"a fast ball isn't hard to hit. 1t
carries little deception. But slow
ball, twisting and turning Its way In
lazy fashion-that's something diff
ferent.
IF you don't believe IL, ask the
men who faced Mathewson, Clarke
Griffith. Dusty Rhoades, Babe
Adams, Jack Quinn. Nap Rucher
and the others in the days Of their
greatness"