New Britain herald., 1927-08-04

Twenty years ago major league
managers looked with favor on six
foot pitchers.
A scout who had the nerve to
recommend a youngster. say five feet
six inches in height and weighing
perhaps $50 pounds, would be in
dire danger of being dismissed by
return wire.
Wee Willie" Sudhoff was one Of
the first pitchers built along the
above lines who disproved the fact
that height and weight were abso
lutely necessary for success as a big
league twirler. However. at that
time, Sudhoff was regarded as a
freak, turning trick that few 9TH
ers of his size could.
Of late years most managers have
changed their opinions on the pitch
ing question, but even at that a
good, big pitcher always gets more
favorable consideration than q good,
little HEAVIER.
In the world series OF last fall,
Grover Cleveland Alexander and
Jess Haines, two siX-footers, scored
the necessary victories to win
world championship for st. Louis.
While they were turning in victories,
Sherdel, often called Wee Willie"
was pitching Just as effectively but
losing because the breaks refused to
favor him.
While it might be wrong to class
lack of size as physical weakness,
there is no question but that defec-
tive vision should come under such
classification.
While it took years to break down
the barrier Of size relative to prom
Using big league pitchers, 1t was even
more difficult for the bespectacled
player, pitchers in particular to get
a chance. Old-timers would have
scoffed at the idea of a player with
weak eyes making the grade as a
big Lacquer.
Lee Meadows paved the way for
the bespectacled tWirler. There are
in the big leagues today six athletes
who wear glasses in the perform
ance of their duties, five of them are
pitchers, the other, Shortstop Topor-
Ger of st. Louis.
Since control is perhaps a pitch
er's greatest asset, it would seem
that defective vision would handi-
cap him more than any other play
err. Forced to get the ball over the
17-inch plate, between knee and
shoulder, weak eyes loom as the
worst possible ailment; yet such is
not the case.
1t is rather strange coincidence
that the two best bespectacled pitch
ers in the game, Lee Meadows and
Carmen Hill. are on the same ball
club, Pittsburgh. OF the first 81
victories scored by that team.
Meadows contributed 10, losing only
one game, while Hills record up to
that time was nine victories and four
defeats.
There is an odd angle to Hills
connection with the Pittsburgh club.
Last year. Owen Bush, present man.
d9fI VI iIt 1 RATES, piiOttu inc LII
dianapolis team of the American
Association. Hill was bis star pitch
err winning 81 while losing seven.
Bush sold him to Pittsburgh for a
sum reputed to have been 100000.
At that time Bush hadn't the slight
est idea that he would be the next
manager of the Pirates.
1t is said Bush believed he had
outsmarted Barney Dreyfus in the
deal as to price. Next, Bush finds
himself manager of the club to
which he sold Hill. In the spring
Hill was slow starting but Bush felt
that since he took lot of Pitts
burgh's money for him he was com
PEELED to give him a thorough trial
1t Is fortunate that he did
Outside Of possibly Kremer. nc
two members of the Pittsburgh club
have done more to keep the Pirates
out in front than the bespectaclcd
Meadows and Hill. They have brok-
en- down for all time the big league
barrier relative TO a physical weak
ness such as poor Cyesight