Evening star., 1942-02-27
'MasteEon Due
To Win on Slab,
Harris Feels ~
WiIdness Seems Gone
With Style Changed
By Coach Bengough
BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star Staff Correspondent.


ORLANDO, Fla, Feb. 27.-Nearly
three years ago an 18-year-old kid
was sent to the mound by Manager
Bucky Harris for his first major
league start, and when the young
ster beat the Detroit Tigers, Al, on
six hits, Harris enthusiasm was
understandable and infectious.
1t seemed the Mats had dipped
in baseballs grab bag and plucked
14-karat article. but tall Walter
Masterson never has fulfilled that
early promise of May afternoon
in 1899. In three full seasons with
the Mats, he has won only nine
games and you are privileged to
ask why he has been named
starting pitcher for the 1912 cam
paign. .r
The answer is that Harris still
feels the dark, towering Masterson
has the equipment to win, providing
he can locate the plate without aid
of a compass. Bucky admits this Is
the wear Walter must show some
thing or else and Masterson, at
least, believes he Is prepared TO
click.
After three seasons, Masterson Is
confident he has discovered the
reason for his wildnesS. He Is
confident, that is, that the reason
for his wildness has been discovered,
for if a cure has been found the
credit must go to Coach Benny
Bengough.
Altered style May Help.
Walter has been in Orlando sew
eral weeks and during that time
has worked out on numerous oc-
casions with Bengough. Benny
detected Walter was pitching on
balance starting off high on his
right toe. He changed Masterson s
stvle and a miracle has been
wrought-at least in a few practice
pitches. ,
The test will come when Master
son faces fellows with bats In tneir
hands, of course, but meanwnlle
walter is effervescent concerning
the change. He believes he Is 1oi-
lowing through for the flrst Time IN IN
his life and that the result WILL
make a pitcher OF him.
"I've thrown lots OF pitcnes 10
Rennv since he changed me around,
saws walter, "and only three OF
fYiem have been bad. My fast ball
is no good when it's high because
it takes off-sails-but this way
I'm keeping it low and getting 1t
over the plate"
Keeping his pitches in the vicinity
of the plate has been Masterson's
paramount problem. At times ne
has sacrificed speed in order to DO
il and that hasn't helped. When
he hasn't his speed, he isn't
much of a pitcher. as his earned
run average of per nine innings
last season would illustrate. Among
the 72 pitchers in the American
League who labored As innings or
more, only three were worse IN tnat
department.
Rode Bench for Months.
Snatched from Philadelphia S
sandlots, where he was pitching a
neat brand of ball for Landreth
Seed Co.. Masterson was regarded
SO highly that he was retained with
the club in the late months of 1888
although he didn't pitch a ball. 1t
was stipulated in his contract that
he couldn't be sent to the minors,
so Harris kept him on the bench
in the hope he'd soak up the niceties
of major league play.
That May, 1889, performance
made it appear that Masterson in
deed had profited while sitting. BY
the end of the season, though, he
had been Inundated frequently and
since has displayed only flashes Of
the brilliance flashed in his major
league debut. Walters pride has
received several severe jolts. There
was that time in Philadelphia, for
instance, when Ihe walked the first
four men to face him as a goodly
collection of his family and friends
watched.
He has averaged only three vic
tories against six defeats in his three
full seasons with the Mats, but Har-
ris still is visioning in him future
polished pitcher. He still may be a
baby in a baseball sense, but this
season he must become a man.
Harris has cleaned the slate in
regard to Masterson. He is for
getting or at least forgiving the past
and gambling on the youngster to
come through. Harris, Bengough
and Masterson feel the risk may
yield dividends.