Clipping:Clarkson on pitching strategy 2
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| Date | Saturday, December 21, 1889 |
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| Text | [from an interview of John Clarkson] “Do I think that curve pitching is on the decline? Well, I should answer yes and note that question. The effectiveness of curve pitching is certainly not as great now as in former years, but many reasons can be assigned for this. The “eye” of the batter is, in my opinion, better now than ever before. The old leaguers, and, for that matter, all professional ball-players, are thoroughly familiar with curve pitching. They are, as a rule, not to be deceived by any curve a pitcher may have at his command. A ball must go over the plate for old stagers of the National League. Men like Anson, Kelly, Ewing, Connor and others whom I might mention, will very rarely strike at a ball that does not come over the plate, and a curve has to be a sharp one that will deceive them. “Now, this year a pitcher is given very little chance to “work” or attempt to deceive a batter. He is allowed four balls to “work” the batsman while getting three strikes. Such being the case, the man who puts the ball over the plate most will attain the best results always. “But can he put them over and prevent the batter from hitting safe? He can if he knows the batter's weakness. Now, there isn't a batter in the country, and I have face and pitched against most of the good one,s who hasn't some soft spot, some place where you can put the ball and he will either hit it up into the air, poke it down to some infielder or miss it altogether. There isn't a batter playing ball to-day who hasn't some such weakness, and a pitcher, to be successful one, must ascertain that weakness, always to remember it and put the ball over in that particular place. “But curves come in very well yet. Now, you take a batter when he strikes at a ball. He will invariably either draw away from or move nearer to the plate. The movement in many instances is slight, but, nevertheless, there is a movement. To a pitcher who has perfect command of the ball nothing is easier or more effective than to throw the ball to the outside of the plate for the man who draws away, or keep it in close to the man who moves nearer. Now it is almost an impossibility for batters of this kind to hit the ball safe, and that should be a pitcher's main idea—to so deliver the ball that the batsman cannot hit it safe. Strike out pitchers are of the past. The great strike out pitchers of former years are now either out of base ball or are playing some position other than pitcher. They have lost their arms in a foolish desire to make a great strike out record.” “Then curve pitching having, as you are inclined to believe, seen its best days, what is the most effective style of delivery?” “High and low, fast and slow balls,” was the quick response “With change of pace and full control a pitcher can outwit the best batters in the land. A 'drop' ball is also most effective, but it is also the most dangerous one for a pitcher to use. Pitch a 'drop' very often and it will soon be good by to your arm. But change of pace and command is as I said before, about all that a pitcher needs. But his command must be perfect, and, in fact, when we come to get at the true secret of a pitcher's effectiveness it can all be expressed in two words—speed, command. That is about all there is to mere. Pitching. The man in the box must do the rest with his head. “A man my be possessed of terrific speed and have perfect control of the ball. He is hit hard, and people who see him sending the ball over the plate with lightning-like rapidity, wonder how it is that opposing batsmen hit the ball hard and safe. The reason is a simple one. Such a pitcher depends entirely on brute force. He never brings his brain power into play. He pitches the same way to the same men day in and day out, yet he never thinks to find out their weak points and work them. He is a mere machine, and the intelligent batter will never have any difficulty in hitting the delivery of such a pitcher.” St. |
| Source | St. Louis Republic |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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