The Washington times., 1929-04-05
ACTS
As LEADER
FOR TEAM
By nabe Ruth


By Rabs Ruth
DALLAS, Tex April 81.
Some Of the boys who have
beep howling FOR . return Of
old fashioned baseball, are go
ing 10 set their wish this sea
sOn: At least they will if they
watch the Boston Braves.
For tie Braves, under John
Evers are playing the type Of
baseball that used to go 50 big Is
years ago. And maybe will again
What mean Is that John has
the Braves playing the old sacrifice
and steal game. He hes them play
ing for one run all the time de-
pending on his pitchers to hold,
once they have q one run lead.
And. IL you've got the pitching
strength, that's q good game to
play.
Personally I've always favored
the hit ana run style more. But
4tlUXst2 sNIlt4E y OC(4uoG a IA AAAlACA
myself, and / like to see the other
fellows up there taking their cuts.
Of course, it all goes back to the
old proposition that no two teams
are alike, ana that it's up to each
team 10 play the sort Of game they
caIl play best.
THE Yankees would never be
success playing the sacrifice
and steal game. On the other
hand the Braves haven't punch
enough to play the slashing,
smashing game we play
IT will Be interesting to see how
Johns ideas work Out. IT has been
several seasons now since we have
had one of the old type ball clubs.
George Moriarty tried to develop
Sofie at Detroit, and I'll say for
George that he had his gang rum
ming bases n great shape. But the
Tigers. like the Yankees. were more
sIHgging type or club and the
thing didn't work out 30 well.
THE washington pefinant winners
or 1894 and 1926 were that type Of
ball club. They had few sluggers,
but for the most part they played
= conservative one-run game, with
their pitchers carrying the burden
Of protecting q one-run lead.
As the exhibition games go BY
and the time comes nearer and
nearer for the opening Of the sea.
son, I'm more and more impressed
with the value Of control on the
part 81 pitchers. Tin several of the
games we've played this spring
and the ball game
Not only does base on balls
unset the pite her. Ii upsets the
whole bah club. II fellow feels
sort Of hopeless standing ont
there I'm the field and watching
pitcher PASS man after man.
IL tie batter hits you've at least
rot chance To get him out.
Hut u IIe gets down to first
without ever lifting his bat from
his shoulder you're licked 10
start with.
Our kids are having that lesson
Impressed on their mind every day,
and suppose the young fellows in
ether camps are getting 1t, too. Only
the other morning was standing
out Ii front Of our clubhouse talk
1ng with Herbie Pennock when
some of the kid pitchers came along
and young Rhodes began asking
tions.
what ii 1T that makes the dif.
ference between b winning pitcher
and rookie? he asked Herbie.
Herbie didn't even hesitate.
Well. sir, re said, s.the
real difference. between the
rookie and the Old.tiner Is just
one thing control.
"But I've got control Rhodes
saids II can put that bah over the
plate any time want to.
Herbie laughed. That s not con.
troll, he said. It's easy to ritch
over the plate But when you get so
cnn hit EiFee.inch mark from the
pitcherss Aox then you'vs Eegun
10 learn something about coitrol Z
Rhodes grinned and Wake Il But
little while Inter noticed him
out there throwing -and iustead Of
Just tossing them over the plate he
had the catcher holding up his
glove as a target and he was pitch.
ilig to the mark That's the only
way to learn to pitch. It's what
every young pitcher shonll to--
even before he ever tries to break
hook.
tcopyright, 1874 BIZ the chrIsty
Walsh syndicatel
BiE ~ EngaEements. Marriages.