Evening star., 1942-02-25
Must Learn 10 Rely
Less on Fast Ball,
Develop Curve
Needs Change Of Pace
Also to Be Sensation,
Says GriHs' Pilot
BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Stor staff CorreSnonSert

Star Staff Correspondent.
ORLANDO, Fla, Feb. 25.-There
Is no guarantee that Slim Sid Hud-
son will enjoy his most successful
season this year, but if Manager
Bucky Harris's observations have
been correct, the Mats youthful
right-hander at least is calculated
to improve.
Sid's flaws are few in the estima-
ton of Harris, who has groomed
the 25-year-old blond carefully
since the day he reported as a
rookie here two years ago. Bucky
is convinced, though, that Hudson
must remedy those defects before
fulfilling the promise he has dis
played.
"Sid has a swell fast ball" de-
clares Harris, but he's been de-
pending on it too much. In a tight
spot he's been inclined to bank
on that fast one and it's gotten
him in trouble. He could stand a
better curve. He must develop that
change of pace to become really
fine pitcher The fellow with the
strongest arm in the world couldn't
get by on a fast ball alone and
that's about what Sid's been at
tempting to do.
I'm not worrying about him.
We're gonna have several chats
down here and I'm confident he'll
absorb what I have to tell him.
He's been losing some close games
because he's been throwing that
fast ball in the groove in tickliSh
situations. Batters have realized
what's coming but this season Sid
should show em better mixture"
Bucky Always High on Sid.
Hudson has been no failure in
his first two years in the majors,
but Harris believes that in Sid the
Mats Possess a hurler who should
be sensational, not merely success
full. Since taking the tremendous
leap from class D baseball Sid has
won 30 games and lost 80 and
Harris doesn't feel he is being
overly optimistic in thinking Hud-
son can whittle his defeats and
Increase the victories.
Harris has been high on Hudson
since his first preliminary peek at
the towering youngster. Two years
ago, give or take a few days, Bucky
saw Sid toss a few balls and
sstounded onlookers by predicting
Is major league triumphs for a
pitcher who had toiled for Sanford,
Fla, the previous season.
Bucky admittedly was plunging
overheard and it seemed he had
allowed his enthusiasm to sway
him, for two months after the sea-
son had been launched, Hudson
owned miserable record of two
wins against nine losses and that
brace of victories didn't boost Hud-
gagements he had permitted
dozen hits.
Then came the night of June 81,
1910. an evening that will live for
keeps in the Hudson and Harris
minds. 1t was the turning point. |
Ridiculed and discouraged by early
pastings, Sid faced the Browns on
a sweltering night at st. Louis, and |
not until the ninth inning did the |
Browns obtain hit. Rip Radcliff
destroyed Hudson's no-hitter with
double to right that fell in fair
territory by less than 2 feet
Made Neat Comeback.
Succeeding events proved Hud-
son's caliber, for one pitch later
Radcliff was perched on third base,
due to a passed ball, with none out
and the Browns trailing, OIL.
Calmly Hudson struck out George
McQuinn, disposed of Harlond Cliff |
on foul and forced Walter Judnich
to fly out, ending the game with
Radcliff still fidgeting on third.
That was the springboard, for
Hudson won seven straight games
before dropping a close one, then
came back with his second 1-hitter
against the Athletics Next to /
Johny Wander Meers brace of no
hit games with Cincinnati in 1898,
Hudson's two 1-hit games probably .
rank highest in first-year pitching
achievement. He completed that f.
freshman year with II wins, 16 de-
feats.
Hudson again was away to poor
start last season. but with a club
that nestled in the American League !
basement most of the year he fin
ished with no worse than a 1914
record. Of all the Mats, Hudson's
future probably is brightest. He has
youth, ability and ga draft rating
on his side, with only a better
change of pace barring him from the |
heights.
Sid never will create friction
among the Mats. He's no hick, with
his ability to flatter a suit and con-
duct himself in gentlemanly fash
ion, but he isn't above accepting the
challenge of the rawest recruit to a |
game of pool. If he reaches the |
sensational stage, nobody will regret
1t.