Evening star., 1924-11-22
Tricks
CHAPTER XXI.
BY II. Ct. SALSINGER,

IT HERE is no player in base ball
who ever knew as many
= tricks as Cobb. He was
Slick" He had studied all the by
play of the game. He knew the
turns and twists. He could fool
them.
On the field Cobb has limped for
days with nothing the matter with
either leg to fool some opposing team
into the belief that there was some
thing wrong and that he was handi-
capped in his speed and then, when
he had the opposing team fully con-
vinced that he was crippled he put
on one of his dazzling bursts of speed
at the right time to win a ball game
He often pulled stupid plays on op-
posing teams with full knowledge
that they were stupid and full inten-
tions to make them look stupid. He
wanted TO create the impression that
he did not know any better on a
certain play, and then, when he had
the opposing players thoroughly be-
lieving that he really did not know
any better, he calmly took advantage
Of that belief at the first opportunity
where he could gain heavily through
a move that was based on the wrong
impression.
Faxed Lnme Arm.
He used to pretend that his throw
ing arm was lame. He would warm
up, throwing with decided effort
and making short throws. Ball teams.
always looking for a pronounced
weakness, would notice this. Soon a
base runner tried to take advantage
OF the observation and Cobb's "sore"
arm suddenly became well. He would
have the runner fiat-footed.
Sooner or later he passed up these
tricks. He had to. They got wise
to the fact that Cobb had been act
to his ruse.
At the time when Cobb was at the
height of his playing career he made
1t his business to get on friendly
terms with certain players on each
team. From them he would get what
ever Information he could. Every
club has its clubhouse secrets. 1t is
the aim of every team to cover its
weaknesses and prevent the opposing
teams from discovering them.
Cobb became extremely friendly
with player on the Washington
team. He would meet him whenever
Detroit played in Washington, and
the two would get into a conversa-
tion on the merits of their teams.
Free Information.
The player would seek information
from Cobb, and Cobb would give it
freely. He, would tell his Washing
ton friend that a certain pitcher on
the Detroit team had trouble with
his fast ball. Yes. sir; the fast ball
had lost its hop and every hit made
off this pitcher was off his fast one
And Bobby Veach had a sore arm. He
had trouble throwing ball to the
infield. And the Detroit catcher had
strained his arm in wrestling
match. He was the only good catch
er Detroit had, so Jennings had kept
him in the game, but he really
should be out, nursing his arm. Some
team would get wise to the fact that
| this catcher had the bad arm and run
| bases wild on him.
The player would conflde in Cobb.
One OF the Washington outflelders had
| a bad arm. Griffith had succeeded in
keeping the fact secret, but 1t was
bound to leak out. The arm was very,
very bad. And one of the Washington
catchers was also going badly. He
had some intestinal trouble and he
was slow in getting the ball away on
a runner going down.
That afternoon the Washington team
would be all set for the Detroit pitch
err. Batters would be going up wait
ing for the fast ball that didn't have
hop any more" They were to slug
the fast one. And about all they saw
was curve balls and slow balls. They
saw them too late to hit them safely.
Once in awhile the fast one came
along, but 1t seemed to be hopping
better than ever, from all they saw
of 1t.
What Happened.
And every time a Washington base
runner tried to run on the Detroit
catcher's bad arm he found the ball
in the ipfielder's hands ahead of him.
Whenever. Washington player
tried to run wild on a hit to left
because Veach couldn't throw the
ball to the infield because of sore
arm" he would find the ball travelling
ahead of him as if shot from rifle