New Britain herald., 1929-06-21
BY VIM. M. BRAUCHER (NEA Service Sports Writer)

Once upon a time 1t was prac- tically impossible to hold an Ameri- can league baseball game in Phila- delphia without the services of Mir. Mack's 100 per cent talking en- ployc, Edwin Rommel.
 It came to point last summer where Mir. Rommel had to speak to somebody about it. He did.
 "I don't care seven and one-half damns what happens out there to- day., spake Rommel. "I don't care two whoops in anybody's hades if 1e pitchers get their domes knocked loose and we drop 15-run lead.
 I'm not going into that box to- day. wouldn't go in for Musso- lini. King George. Rasputin or the ex-czar of all the Russians. That's final. I'm no relief pitcher. It's q dirty. lousy job.."
 It wouldn't be very wild guess to infer from this that Edwin Rom- mel wasn't 50 fond of being a relief pitcher.
 Gets the Call
 But be that as it may. half an hour ater Rommel had unburdened himself of his groans. he was out there on the hill trying 10 win a ball game that George Earnshaw had started.
 This year, though, it's different, and it appears that Eddie's moan foll pnt unop daof oorc LIor lofnlv the big knuckle ball specialist has been starting games for MT. Mack and finishing quite few of them too. Up to June IS his mark was six games wone and none lost, out of Il in which he took part. Last year he was in l3 games, of which he won 13 and lost five.
 As much as he hates the job Rommel is rated as probably the greatest relief pitcher in the game today. That would be discountine some very nifty troubla shooting the last few years by F'irpo Mar. berry of Washington and Wilcey Moore of the Tanks. of course. bu, the fact remains That American league managers have not ye, formed the habit of leaping up and down in glee when they see Eddie walking out to jaws.
 | Throws Mean KnuckIer Taws here is proper word, too for Rommel is master of one ol the wickedest knucklers a batte, ever guessed at. That. in spite ol the fact the young man started ou, in life as a spitball pitcher and had 10 learn all over when the wet de. livery was banned in 1917. Rommel's first shot at the hi. show came in that year when tho Baltimore Orioles took him souttt for the training trip. When tho club returned to Baltimore Romme was dropped. He continued to hans around the Orioles park. however an done day Gutter" Drury. frs baseman. showed him how to holt knuckle ball.
 | Eddie worked with the ball three years before he conquored the pesk, delivery. Meantime he pitched ii 1 the Blue Ridge league and fol Newark. At Newark he finally be- gan to show stuff and in the sprin, Of 1919 the Giants took him on. Rommel is great jockey" hi, wisecracks from box and bencf furnishing good copy for the scrih blers upstairs One day when Rom. mel was pitching to Giant batter. 1 Benny kauff rolled the knuckle bal back 10 the box. and Romme grinned.
 The next time Kauff came to bat Rommel fed him another. Kauf rolled that one back, too, and Rum mel made few select chirps abou dumb batters he had known. | The next time kauff came up Benny shouted: Put something oI the ball. you ham,"
 Rommel fed him another knuck Ter and kauff again rolled it bacl to the box For the third time Ed die had the laugh on Kauff.
 McGraw. however. was umpirin; from the pitchers box and he didn' relish the hnmor. He advised Ed die to use his arm a little more ant rest up the lip. Later McGraw le