Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 123, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1911 — PLAYERS FEAR NO PITCHER [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

PLAYERS FEAR NO PITCHER

Diamond Stars Htt Often, Yet Continue to Hug Plate—Unable to Move ' Out of Danger. Why is it that some people are so constituted that when standing on a high building or at any upper story window it is with only the greatest restraint that they keep themselves from jumping? Why this desire to fling oneself to certain destruction? There are other similar elements in other makeups that are no less certain to bring dire results. One of these comes in baseball, and no fewer than three of the real stars of the two major leagues are victims of a strange force that may ultimately lead them out of baseball forever. * • , . Ordinarily when a batsman grabs up a bat and steps to the plate he is cautious about getting hit by one of the shoots that are served up to him. One that looks too close for comfort causes him to fall back, and in hundreds of players this tendency, this involuntary movement due to the innate desire for self-preservation, leads the batter to shyfoot. However, the three players referred to are not of this kind.

Frank Chance, the leader erf the Chicago Nationals, is one of the ball players who when poised at the plate looking over the slants of the opposing pitcher, cannot get out of the way when they see a pitched ball coming at them. Some unknown force holds him motionless. He is aware of the fact that the sphere is traveling toward him, and he realties his danger, but try as he will he is held motionless. On several occasions Chance has been cracked on the head, and with bad results.

Jake Stahl, the Boston American first sacker, who retired this season, had a stripe of the same whatever-lt-is in his system. He was always glued to the spot when the ball started for him. He, too, felt chained to the exact position in which he stood, and several times he suffered in consequence of this strange mesmerizing influence power the approaching ball had over him. Syd Smith, the catcher acquired from Atlanta by the Cleveland Americans is the third of these players.

Smith says he realises what it, all means, and just what is going tohappen in case he does not get out of the way when the ball is coming straight toward him. He says he has tried to get out of the way, but actually does not move an inch. He cannot account for the fact nor the feeling that keeps him in harm’s way.

Jake Stahl,