New Britain herald., 1924-01-09
UMPIRE DISCUSSES
 GREAT PITCHING
Billy Evans Comments Upon
 Walter JOhnSOn'S Work

Pitching is the art of combining the resources of the arm with the alert ness of the brain. 4 majority of pitchers work on the theory that pitching is purely a physical act. The thought of most pitchers is to keep the batter from hitting the ball through sheer power, either dazzling speed or a fast breaking curve. It Is the history of the star pitchers of the major leagues that most of them did not start to perfect the finesse of the game until they started to slip or were forced to use their head in an effort to make up for physical defect.
 It is rather interesting fact that great many pitchers have per fected their game as the result of some unexpected injury that threatened to seriously interfere with their diamond career.
 There is the case of Walter Johnson, famous pitcher of the Washington Ma tionals, in many ways perhaps the greatest pitcher that ever matched wits with a batter, according to Billy Evans, who says: 'I umpired the first game Walter Johnson pitched in the American league. have perhaps um- pired a hundred or more since. As look back to that first game Johnson pitched against the hard-hitting De- troit Tygers, losing 10 ] after a bit ter struggle, a marvel at the style he used. AS l umpire for Walter Johnson Of today can still marvel at his delivery. For perhaps eight years Walter Johnson was the pitching sem sation of the day purely because Of his terrific speed. Johnson could throw ball a little faster than any pitcher l have ever seen. and what is better, could control if. To use parlanee of the ball field. Johnson threw the ball past the batter. They couldn't hit what they couldn't sec was the way Gabby" Street, Johnsons catcher, ex- pressed it.
 The Walter Johnson of today is an entirely different pitcher from the Johnson who made his debut in 1907. True, speed Is still great asset, but it is no longer his only stock in trade.
 Illness and injuries as will befall every athlete began to sap some of Johnson's strength and cut down bit on his speed. Eaters who were once soft picking for Johnson's fast one began taking liberties with it. Appar- entity Johnson decided that the time had arrived when 1t was necessary to coll upon the brain to accomplish some of the thing that had been en. trusted entirely to the arm. He be- gan to pay more attention to his curve. He soon developed curve that he threw with great speed, that broke quickly, also curve that was thrown with a slow motion and broke lazily away from the batter. Incident ally. he dabbled in several varieties of slow balls. Johnson no longer re. lies entirely on speed, he uses his head as well as his arm.
 Really I have no regrets as to my pitching career, remarked Johnson one day last summer, but honestly l night have lasted until was so if had started using my head as well as my arm when 1 broke into the Amer ican league"
 
 Perhaps no pitcher conserved his arm more than did Christy Mathew son, master pitcher, who vies with Johnson for greatness. Matty never wasted q bit Of energy. He was easy to hit with no men on bases, when pos siblc safe drive meant nothing, but
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