The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-01-30
Billy Evans Says

have often been asked if it isn't
far more difficult to umpire balls and
strikes when some star pitcher is
working than with couple of aver
age twirlers doing the hurting.
>~The impression prevails that it lis
much more difficult to Judge the
curves and speed of the truly great
pitchers. That fact that the star
pitchers ere usually very trouble
some to the batter creates the belief
that they are equally severe on the
umpire ~"
1t may OCCASION some surprise
when l say. that d majority of tia
great pitchers of the game are easy
to umpire. ! can offer any number
of arguments 10 substantiate such
statement.
First: Most of the great pitchers
have such confidence in their ability
that miscue on the part of the
NhPAAo uoCou bhCou a IulHS ~
them. Miss perfect strike on some
star and ninety mine times out of
hundred he will pass it by unnoticed.
Miss q strike on some ordinary
twirier and he will in all probability
let the world know it.
Second: Practically every great
pitcher has good control. Good COM
troll means much less work for the
umpire. The star pitchers invariably
have the batter in the hole, forcing
him to hit. The ordinary pitcher,
who is constantly working. on the
batsman in an effort to make him
hit bad ball, is usually in the hole.
The batter is working on him. That
means trouble for the umpire.
Third: 'Batters as q rule do. not
seem quite as fussy when some star
is pitching as with the ordinary
twirler working. They seem to5take
it for granted that the star should
be able to fool them, but they qucs
ton the right of some "busher' ..
get strike past them. '@'.
+, ~
1t is just like day of when called
upon to work for pitchers of the
Matthewson, Johnson, Brown Ben.
der type. On the other hand, ifayou
draw some ''busher' who is wild.
thereby constantly in the hole, you
have days work ahesd Of YOU !
Likewise. If You get some "crabby"
veteran, whose stuff is fast fading,
and who is hanging on because of
his wise old head rather than his
good old arm, you are busy person.
There are some star pitchers who
make plenty of work. For instance,
if Stanley Coveleskie lis pitching for
Cleveland and Urban Shocker for St.
Louis, the umpire is set for a tough
day.
. /Coveleskie starts with a spitbal!
and finishes with one, to use the
words Of the rest Of the American
League. Coveleskie has a varied as
sortment of spitters, all breaking il,
q different manner. Calling 'em to ,
quick on "Covie" Is fatal, for often
in the last six feet the ball takes its
deceptive break.
a.s. :. -. -: j,"t
Few pitchers in baseball mix them
up mor6 than Shocker Of St. Louis |
First he slips the batter spitbatl,
thnn ho hnoL ~
curve, then fast one, next differ
ent sort Of splitter, followed up by
a floater that seems TO- hang in the
air on its way to the pl1te. Shocker
means work not only for the batter
but umpire as we'll. /
Carl Mays gives; the umpire a
days work. Carl is hard to please.
In addition, his underhand ball is
kept constantly at the knee to be
effective. The low ball is the diff
cult delivery for the umpire to Judge.
ID Then again, when considering. how
difficult i is;, for the batsmsn to
judge the offerings of the star
pitcher, remember that he must hit
the ball. while the umpire merely
has to pass judgment on it.
would much prefer working,
dozen ball games with Walter John
SON doing tho pitchiag than one
game In which two recruits were on
the rubber. ''i.s!, "1@s4 pr-ar1
=. =. !. 50. h..