Evening star., 1942-07-04
Old Star FoiIed Hitter
With -Four Motions
Almost Alike
Cove What Better Didn't
Want; Change in Style
Aids Dodqers' French
BY GRANTLAND RICE,


There has been much worthy
praise tossed at pitchers winning
from $50 to 300 games-Lefty Grove,
Red Ruff1ng and Ted Lyons, for ex-
amples.
How could any pitcher ever win
over 500 games, as Denton Tecum-
sch (Cy) Young did? We put this
query up to big Cy. the Paoli Phe-
nom, Paoli being an Ohio hamlet.
Well" Cy said, II was big and
strong, with good arm and pitch
ing delivery that carried little phys
ical strain. I also had some
thing"
Control" I asked.
Control, sure" Cy answered.
''But what did most of the job in
winning 512 games in % years was
this: I had four different pitching
motions that looked exactly alike.
This is something that no batter I
faced ever knew.
Never Had Sore Arm.
II always was a big fellow, over
200 pounds, and I'd turn my back
to the plate in my windup. BY the
time I'd unraveled and turned the
ball loose it would be on top of the
hitter before he knew what was
coming"
Cy came to Cleveland around 1890
from his Paoli farm with few wisps
of hay over each ear. AS a starter
he shut out Chicago with three hits
and he still was winning ball games
in 1911.
I've had a tired arm" he said,
but never had sore arm.
The best way to win ball games -
Cy said, lis to know what the batter
doesn't want-and give it to him.
Sam Crawford was a great hitter
He was a pull hitter So I just fed
Sam pitches he couldn't pull, on the
outside. Pitch inside to Sam and
he'd murder you. Most of them
have weak spots, even if they're only
few inches wide
This meant good control" I sug-
gested.
What good is pitcher without
control" Cy asked. That's the big
part of pitching"
New Knuckler Helps French.
Larry MacPhail was talking about
Larry French.
Here's a smart fellow" MacPhail
said French was getting close to
33 years when he came to Brooklyn
He had depended largely on good
fast ball and pretty good curve
But after 16 years service Larry
knew that fast ball wouldn't get any
faster-nor his curve ball break any
better. So he began looking around
He got Fred Fitzsimmons to show
him the knuckle ball this spring and
Fitz gave him full treatment. This
gave French the chance to save his
fast ball and to mix up the knuckle
ball with speed and curves. 1t gave
him just the thing he needed to
round out his equipment and start
him away on one of the best years
of his career"
The best average French ever had
was in 1896 with Chicago when he
won 18 and dropped 9 for .s67
mark. Considering the start Larry
had drawn this season, 1912 should
be the best year he's ever had since
he began pitching for a living in
1926.
No Rest for Dodgers.
MacPhail is dead certain both
major leagues will 60 all the way
through to a world series finish.
There are two factors that viii
make the decision" Larry said
''the Government and the people.
know both are for it, including the
War Department"
The Dodger mandarin is among
those who can visualize terrific
World Series show, well beyond any
thing baseball ever has known. Herr
is baseballs chance to do a big jol
in a big way. Apparently the mair
worry MacPhail has about his Dodg
ers is a case of "pennantitis."
"All last summer he said, "ou
team had no thought about thu
World Series. They were kept to-
busy beating the Cardinals and try
ing to win the pennant. When th
pennant race finally was over ther
was a natural letdown. We can
afford any letdown now. For NJ
one can say what men will be take1
for the service"
The Dodger boss figures Brooklyn
Is only about 10 per cent off in at
tendance so far. Which isn't s.
bad considering the loss Of nigh
games, rain on the last Western
trip and much longer lead thai
Brooklyn knew year ago. Bot
leagues could have used closer races
I'D like to see us 20 games ahead,
MacPhail said. "Or even 30"
Ed Barrow and Joe Mccarthy fee
the same way about it In the othe
league
(Released by the North American