THE CHINA MAIL, DECEMBER 21, 1937.
SOFTBALL INVENTED IN NW AMERICA
TALES OF PITCHING PECULIARITIES
TO-DAY'S "SPOTLIGHT"
(By "SHORTSTOP)
LEO H. FISCHER the President of the Amateur Softball Association of America, has some in- teresting tales to tell about the game. According to him, the game was invented in the Northwest of the United States, the first organised game being in Minneapolis and St. Paul some 25 years ago.
There it was known as kitten-ball because all the balls were made by a fireman in his off hours, and he had the notion of using the picture of a kitten as a kind of trade mark. From the North- west the game spread to Florida, then the Southwest, the middle West, the Pacific coast, and finally, to the East, where it seems to be enjoying great prosperity.
Five years ago a national or Shanghai, of its baseball squad ganisation was formed and since since 1923, and had the honour of then it has conducted annual being the manager of the Chinese championship.
Iteam there that won the baseball championship in 1935 at the C. N.
PECULIAR DELIVERIES.
It is said that there is a Softball A F., meet. pitcher in Chicago with such a
"The only time we played soft- peculiar delivery that even he him- ball in the States," said Abe, self hardly knows whether he is to "was during the winter months to throw to the batter or to first base keep in training. We always play- if there is a man on! In a critical ed in gyms, and it was the old in- game a heavy hitter came to the door baseball plate, and the count was two and "It's a different brand of game three on him. He took a toe hold they play over there," he added. and swung heavily as the ball left He meant, of course, that here in the pitcher's hand. He had struck Hong Kong, we weren't playing out when, as a matter of fact, the softball according to Hoyle, pitcher had thrown to first base. For the past five years, Abe has The story gives one an idea of the been content to sit on the sidelines speed of some of these softball and watch the younger generation pitchers when they really bear at play. He says that he is getting down
boo old but, somehow or other, he
"It is also related of another speed is always the one his team picks ball artist who had been burning on to take a turn at bat as a pinen- them over like Walter Johnson, that hitter, while fans can always hear when he had two strikes on the bat Abe yelling from the coach's box. ter with the winning run on third. It would probably take a twenty- and two down, he varied his tactics mule team and a tractor to keep for the third strike. He sent up a Abe from playing ball, if he would floater. The batter was set for a only admit it.
fast ball and swung before the ball Abe says that he has more fun reached the plate. He missed, but than you can shake a stick at wh the momentum whirled him around, he's helping out the youngsters, his bat still extended, and this time and right now, he can be seen in it came in contact with the ball the afternoons coaching both the knocking it for the inevitable home Vets and the English Forum run, of course.
“SPOTLIGHT”
The one man who has helped the
most in putting China on the base
ball map is, at the same time, very
reticent about his many varied
achievements.
Abe Liu, of the Vets Softball Club, knows baseball from the ground up, but it was with extreme dificulty that we could get him to talk about himself. The informa- tion we gleaned from other sources helped in putting together his im- posing record
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