Evening star., 1938-07-21
WESSCORES1 18th
WITH NEW STYLE
Tolls Through Rain With
Changed Wind-up That
Battles Tigers.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.

Wesley Cheek Ferrell, the tall Tar
heel whom Owner Clark Griffith
threatened with bull-pen duty on &C
count Of ineffectiveness and who
served as target Of fans abuse, stood
today with IL pitching victories and
his goal OF a 20-game season within
sight. Wes is temperamental, but he is
not the pop-off type. Still, in the
wake Of 7-to-2 victory over the
Tigers, he has right to ask, Whats
all the fuss about?"
Because he took bad lacing the
last time out, Wes drew down the ire Of
Owner Grifflth. The fans, never warm
toward Wes. howled bitterly. But the
guy with the bum right arm and
enough heart and will-to-win to dis
tribute among a staff Of pitchers still
has IL wins as against 7 defeats,
and how can you laugh that of?
Ferrell, with an arm ailment which
years ago robbed him of any semblance
Of fast ball and who constantly has
been forced to switch to new wind-ups
or to abandon wind-ups entirely
loo 1iFS NAStoi lNS Illd1l ally OIltCl
Washington pitcher. Trailing him,
with seven victories, comes Dutch
Leonard, fugitive from the Atlanta
chain gang. Monte Weaver and Jimmy
De Shong come next, with only five
wins apiece. and after them come
Harry Kelley and Elon Hogsett, each
with four wins; Ken Chase and Pete
Appleton with three apiece, and Joe
Krakauakas with one victory.
He Keeps Amazing Schedule.
With no trace Of anything except
supreme confidence in himself, Fer
rell prophesied at Orlando during the
Spring that he would win 20 games for
Washington this year. "I1l lead the
league, too," added Yves nonchalantly.
He really is an amazing fellow, this
Ferrell. Most Of the time he couldn't
make hitter blink if he hit him
between the eyes with fast ball. He
gives up more hits per season than any
pitcher in the major leagues. He hasn' t
been among the earned-run leaders
since he hurt his arm with Cleveland
five years ago. He is absolutely un-
predictable once he walks to the box
Yet. with uncertainty the only GER
tain thing about his work, Wes main
tains an amazing schedule. He said
he would win 20 games this year. That
was at Orlando. After 1 win 20
may be able to squeeze in one or two
more before the end"
Not many people took him seriously.
Wes' talk sounded like that of a golfer
as he steps up on the first tee. Usu-
ally it is enthusiasm debating to the
mind. but in Ferrells case it isn't so.
Little more than half the season has
been played so far and Yves possesses
IL victories. The campaign has ap-
proximately two and one-half months
to run.
Weather Wasn't Kind.
If can win four games month"
said Ferrell, Il figure to make my
goal. Thatll mean about % wins
III get my 20 anyway No.
How can you laugh on guy like
that? Yesterday he pitched in wealth.
er that would cause a less courageous
pitcher, particularly bad-armed vet
eran, to be goff. It was pouring rain
when the teams ran on the field. Grit
fifth. wanted to preserve the Mats
record Of not having postponed game
this year. The rain never let up and
in the third inning it literally fell in
binding sheets. 1t should have been
day prohibitive for control pitch
err" to which Ferrell answers the de-
scription.
But Ferrell went out and scattered
nine Detroit hits and won going away.
A lot Of Tigers reached base but only
two scored while II were stranded. A
lot Of long drives were caught by the
Washington outfielders and three
lightning double plays in the inf1eld
helped Yves OVER some tough spots.
But the point is that Ferrell. while
he may look bad or lucky, still wins
ball games, and that is more than
most of Bucky Harris pitchers do
pitchers with pitches that travel twice
as fast as Wes', with curves that
crackle and bend, with KNOCKERS and
screwballs and bewildering change-ups.
He Flashes "New" Wind-Up.
There was q particularly interesting
point about Ferrell's pitching yes
terday. He used what looked to be a
new wind-up, movement not unlike
Harry Kelley's. 1t was new to WASH
ington fans but Yves had an explana-
ton for it.
eve got Clipped elbow as we'll
as bad shoulder" said Wes. When
pitched for Cleveland I took a full
Wind-up, like I used today. But
after I hurt my elbow I couldn't take
the wind-up because couldn't bend
my arms so that MY hands disap-
peared in back of my head. AS a
result, the hitters could see when
I was going to throw a curve.
Il can't explain it, but yesterday,
for some reason, could get my hands