Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-07-30
IRON MAN DEFEATS
TEAM Of SLUGGERS
At THE AGE
McGinnity Says He Saved
Pitching Arm by U.s.
ing His Head.
BY M J.

Copyright, 1922. by King Feature Service
Every athletic fan finds a lesson in
the life story of Iron Man. Joe Nc
Ginnity, who, at the age of 80. pitched
and won a 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 20
into athletic retirement. He always
had prided himself in physical fitness:
always had made condition the para
mount thing of life.
And so when he faded from the hori-
zon of the big leagues, he never forgot
the golden rules of health. He knew
he had lived his starriest baseball
years, but he likewise knew that the
real years of life lay before him. Real
izing 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.
Then, at 80, 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
Mar joe was so little fatigued that
he could have pitched another nine in
nings in spectacular fashion.
It's a story which reads like roman
tic 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 a semi pro player back
in 1893 and then was with Montgomery
in the Southern league until the club
.~dlsbanded. due to a yellow fever cpl
demic. He quit the game then. re
naming in retirement for a year or
two. Later he came back as a semi
pro. played a while in the minors and
then got his big chance with the Bal
Orioles-an opportunity which
came TO him at an age when most
pitchers are considered at the begin
ming of the end of their careers. For
McGinnity was close to 80 then.
But he became a pitching sensation
almost over night and remained so
through the years. He reached his
real heights of greatness with the
Giants and gained undying fame and
the title of Iron Man" by pitching
frequent double headers.
There never was any great trick
to t." explained McGinnity in after
years. Il was pitching those games
with nv head. more than with my arm.
An arm may not be able to 90 Is in
nings in a day unaided. but it's differ
with the brain.
"A slow ball and a few good curves
was about all l had. But I
guess it was enough, for l used to win
quite often in those days. I always
my batters-and il wasn't long
before / knew what they could and
couldn't hit. After that it was sort
of easy.
They can tell me all the glowing
they want about fast ball pitch
ing. but I'll never believe other than
n pitcher with an ounce or two Of
brain matter. a few curves and a slow
ball can win more games-and last
in the big leagues.
"a fast ball isn't hard to hit. Il
carries little deception. But a slow
ball, twisting and turning its way in
law fashion-that's something differ
ent.
"If YOU don't believe it. ask the men
who faced Mathewson. Clarke Grit
Dusty Rhoades. Babe Adams.
Jack Quinn. Nap Rucker and the others
in the days of their greatness"