OCR Text |
Show TODAY'S SPORTi ANGLE Now that Ed Walsh, former star pitcher on tho Chicago White Sox, Is to bo an American league umpire, an interesting storyin which Umpire Tommy Connolly figured. Is recalled. Walsh was a difficult pitcher to umpire um-pire for. He had a deceptive spit-bail spit-bail which lie used almost exclusively. exclusive-ly. A spltball is most effective when kept low. Likewise, a low ball is tho hardest for an umpire to Judge. Walsh had uncanny control of bis pltball. it was his favorlto delivery, even with two strikes and throe balls on tho batter. At such a tlmo most pitchers wouldn't think of using that stvle delivery because of the difficulty in controlling It. WAL6H I1AD GRJ il i i:i It seemed that Walsh could keep throwing the spltball all day and have It constantly break over the plato at tho knee Every ball he pitched was Just a strike or Just a ball so far as height was concerned. During a gamo in Chicago in which Tommy Connolly was working tho plate, It so happened that Mr. Walsh was taking considerable objection to tho official's rulings. Connolly stood for his almost constant objections until un-til his disposition gave way. Then with all the dignity possible, he Htopped the game, removed his mask, and turning to tho grandstand, said. "ladles and gentlemen I desiro to beg your pardon for not knowing that Mr. Walsh throws nothing but strikes." Connolly's shot of sarcasm had tho desired effect Walsh was quiet tho rest of the day. |