San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-08-12
Walter Johnson, Babe
Adams and Rube Mar
guard Still Going Great
With Forty-five Years Of
Major League Experience
Among Them-They Tell
How They Do 1t.
BY GEORGE CHADWICK.
Copyright, by The San Antonio Light.


Copyright, by The san Antonio Light'
New York, Aug. 11.-Down through
the ages, triumphantly they come
johnson and Vanguard and Adams.
Forty-five years of big league base
ball can be divided between them. Two
of them, Adams and johnson, are on
the winning side of the ledger so far
this year; and the other, Vanguard,
is with a club hopelessly grounded IN
the lower regions, yet he has credit
able record. The old arms retain most
of the speed and cunning of youth;
but the wise old heads that direct the
arms have still morc-they have the
experience and knowledge of years.
Walter johnson went TO Washing
ton in 1907: Richard Marquard TO
New York in 1908. Charles IL. Adams
to Pittsburg in 1909. They are three
of the most famous pitchers in base
ball. for fame in baseball attaches tn
more than one attribute. A pitch n
that may be famous as n curve ball
pitcher. as drop ball pitcher. as a
speed king, AS winning pitcher.
Adams and. MaNnard have been
members of championship teams
johnson never has. His feats as L
pitcher are probably greater in num-
Der than those of the other two. Moth
ing that he ever did surpassed the rec.
ord that he made against the New
York Americans in successive games.
His speed has been the theme of
critics young and old.
Won a World Series.
Adams won world series for the
Pittsburg team and stepped into fame
in year. 1t was he who in 1909 took
up the task of defeating Detroit when
the older pitchers of the Pittsburg
club were through. They gave up the
ship. They couldn't bring their team
to victory.
Vanguard made his first appearance
for the Giants when they were in the
thick of championship race and with
Cincinnati to defeat. and he lost. The
loss of the game settled heavily upon
his spirit and he could not bring
himself back to the ease of mind which
had been his when, as a member of the
indianapolis team. he had pitched that
nine through success after success un-
til the New York club advanced the
then fabulous price of $1,000 for his
release. For n year he did not settle
TO his stride and it was only by re.
establishing his assurance that he be-
came winning pitcher again and
when he was confident of himself he
wGs the same positive bunch of human
energy who would not, concede su-
periOr.
These three pitchers are cited rs
examples of what pitching is when it
is not unbroken by the use of "vicious
methods" Not one of these men ever
labbled with the spit ball or with
any other artificial aids to pitching.
"How long can n pitcher remain in
haseball?" the writer asked of Walter
Johnson, al am not quizzing you TO
make a statement as TO how long some
nitchers NAV have stuck TO the game.
but am asking for general reply as
to the chances Of pitcher"
Must Take Care Of Arm.
"A pitcher may remain in baseball
as long as he win take care of his
ARM replied johnson. "No pitcher
ever should pitch with n sore arm and
if pitcher feels that his arm is weak
!. from the strain of hard-fought game
he should rest until he can feel that
the strength has returyed. If q
pitcher delivers the ball properly he
will not strain his arm. In time the
twisting of the muscles may cause
them to bunch and to lose their sup
plencss. In time. l suppose the mus
cular power in the arm will deterior-
ate.
"What should the coming pitcher
know about pitching that the old
pitcher did not know" was asked oil
Adams.
"He should know what the old pitch
err did know" was the reply. THAT
will be enough. l nm not making the
reply in any boastful sense rs an old
pitcher. but because the old pitcher
had far better knowledge of pitching
than the nitcher who sDrang up IN
the spitball era. The pitcher with the
spitball was with the school of luck
and the other with the school OF
brains.'
"what is the biggest thing that
pitchers need these days to make them
rood?- was asked Marquard.
Control" was the reply. "Every
kid who starts this year. or next. or
the year thereafter. should learn "a
control the ball. Every nitcher should
learn how to curve a ball. Bntters are
smart. They have changed their tae-
tics.i They are hitting hard. The con
troll does not mean that YOU throw
the ball over the center of the plate
all of the time: it means that you
throw il around the corners Of tho
Mate where it is like bait dangling ~
| front Of trout. II means thnt yor
never give n halter a ball over the