Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-03-06
CHAPTER III.
Where Barney Gets His Smoke.

dealt with Walter Johnson's eX
ceptional speed and its effect or
a onnosinc teams. Where does ht
get this tremendous amount 81
"srnol<e" on his fast ball and why is j
that at the age of 40 years he sun re
tains more speed than any Other
pitcher in the American League, II
not in professional base ball?
have been often asked these ques
lions bv followers of base ball and
have given much thought to the mat
ter. In my opinion II is due In large
part to Barney's peculiar form OF oe
livery. He has what / wouid cal,
With ALI due respect TO him, freak
delivery.
Resembles Golfer.
watch the speed king in action ano
va, will readily understand what
mean. He doesn't snap his wrist OF
his elbow. but throws with a sort OF
sweening motion such as a golfer en-
n1ox-s in swinging on the ball, sort
~ nendulum motion. BY this method
thera is no strain on any part. or the
own or shoulder. His whole body Is
hahind every pitch. instead of the
work being placed upon any certain
set OF muscles.
pitchers who derive their speed
from a snap Of the wrist do not As
a rule. last as long as those VINO use
the free. easy swing. Look at 1FoFeI
Alexander, hero of the last Worlo
series, for an example. he rs size
arm pitcher. with an easy'worklhk oe-
livery. Alex the Great has been pitch'
ing a good many years in the Dig
show: only four years less IMAM John'
son. in fact--yet he possessed ehoukn
IN his good right arm last Fan al tne
age of 80 years, to humole the New
York Yankees on three occasions
,s..,,,e,,,o IN ST. Louis world cham
pionship.
Cv Young Pitched Overland.
understand that Cy Young, who
ystched overland, was OF the same
t.rna. Although I never saw the Paoli
e. rnner IN action, old timers In the
game have told me that Cy Young
+hraw with the same free motion. he
hurled for about % years in the ms 1or
leagues and before he quit the DIE
tanf he had written his name indelipiy
Al fhe records of the national game.
walter johnson is primarily low
hall uitcher, this being more eHectiVt
because of where the ball leaves ms
hand His motion is not underhand. as
that of carl Mays of the Cincnnau
Reds NJ. of Bryan Harriss OF the Bos.
+cn Red Soy, 1t Is above That ana
vat not as high as a side-arm pltcneI.
Another factor which has aioed
TsArnev in remaining in the majors
a. an age when most ball players
have dropped from sight Is the man
ner in which he conditions mas legs.
A bah players legs. you know. are
one of his most valuable assets.
when they go, he is done.
Takes Care OF Legs.
waiter takes very good care of his
y.1s EVERY Fall he takes the gun
: "a aors and goes in search of game.
TIA ,s esnAcialIy fond of fox hunting
"a ha has some fox hunting dogs OF
,.,t,icI1 he thinks a great deal. he gen
aralIv takes his little family, aIleI
Ara close of the base ball season, out
~ +he home of his father-in'iaW ~
paro New. where he enjoys a. session
NTH the big game. Even during the
..,a,s,o season. while in washington.
or,a is apt to see the Dig IellV" o"'
.fov q tramp with his dogs.
a. res,1lt of his offseason tralhiIis
xa-,.+saa walter reports at training
~ 49,. -, a +he Spring In splendld CON
'sstsn,, ana his legs are in great snare.
a. Hot Springs he wears OUT tn ne
.,tfer. han players, climbing the INNS
which abound there. Aur.
Tnhnson probably works more 1u,
sres 4. season than most pltcners' ~.
he tons less in a game man ue ss
os-,sa of ritci1ing. He does not hold
.hn fsal1 4. certain way. as most
*yr5raera do, He has never founo u
I, srassar-v 10 grip the sphere with the
!, nrars on the seams, such as the
Majority OF hurlers do, in order 10
the pitches more effective'
Walters Own Idea.
once asked Walter to what he at
\ ,-Ib,1ted his great success on the ga
Irnond. He pondered for rev min.
|utes. then replied. simply, y guess u
IIs hecause ] was born with a. long
right arm that could throw oa1i
faster than the batter could see.
waiter johnson never dissipates.
lrThat IS another reason why he has
'haen able to continue playing major
league ball for so many years. his
only dissipation, If 1t may be called
that. lies in devouring Ice cream.
before q game Walter must have MS
dish of the cream. whether the Gay
he hot or cool.
MANY q young fellow coming into
che big show for the first time mas
discovered to his sorrow that oaI
s,layfnR and boozing don't mix IN
fact, the big league owners won I
have much patience these DAYS WIN
a vonnratar who comes into the big
show with q reputation for highoalls
and white lights. A lad with fair
i-ese. IAN ability and exemplary habits
sHaA a, fax. better chance of succeeding
Ander the big top than a brilliant per
former who is undependable.
Drinkers Don't Last.
One of the sweetest-looking pros
meets who ever broke into the big
league went up to a major iesgue
club a. few years ago. He could do
everything: hit. run bases, field like a
fpeaIcer. throw 'em out at the plate
end all the rest of 1t, but~-~he liked
his liquor.
He did not remain a week in the
big snow after his failing was dis
rovnred. He went back to the minors
and he never returned.
We had couple of youngsters on
our club a few years ago who ap.
xeared destined for the top rung OF
the ladder. One in particular looked
aike a, mighty valuable acquisition
The boys were playmates OF old John
BarIeycorn and away they went, back
10 the sticks once more.
Rowdy Days Are Over.
The old days OF the rowdy bal
Volayer and the hard-drinking, hard
hitfing, diamond lun1inary are gone
forever. Long before prohibition
came into existence the major league
naEnates realized that time spent
with that sort of player was not
worth while. You can't go out or
the ball field and deliver your best Il
YOU have been out late dissipating
the naght: before. It Just can't bt
aonef
Wafter- Iohnsnn believes that an