Page:America's National Game (1911).djvu/431

 wonderful wings, their pitclier having the most marvelously developed arm ever seen in a pitcher's box.

"As indicative of the aptitude shown by the. Japanese players in the development of the game, it can be said that when they arrived in this country the 'bunt' was entirely unknown to them. After their first game a class in instruction was held, with the result that this style of playing was at once assimilated, and the brown men 'worked the trick' successfully thereafter.

"Here is a description that fits perfectly the pitching wonder, 'Iron Man' Kono: 'This little, strong-winged brown man is the goods. He pitches every day, neve'r seems to weaken, and is always the last man to complain of being tired. He has excellent control, and while his curves have not reached the development of the American professional, they are as good as those of the average amateur."

In the fall of 1909 a team from the University of Wisconsin visited Japan, playing nine games that had been scheduled by the Athletic Association of Keio University, whose guests the American college men were.

The Keio champions had some trouble defeating the Wisconsins, winning three games out of four by very close scores of 3-2, 2-1, 5-4, and losing the fourth game by 8-0 in favor of the Americans.

The Wisconsins won two out of three games with the Waseda team by 7-4 and 5-0, and losing the third in a shut-out, 3-0.

The Wisconsins easily defeated the Tokio team in two contests, 10-0 and 8-7.

In the spring of 1911 a team from Waseda University visited the United States, first playing in California, where they acquitted themselves with credit in games played by fine teams. In fielding the Japs are first-class. They are no match for the best American batsmen, and they have not yet developed pitchers equal to our stars.

Following is the story of a game played some time ago