"The Tedious Slowness Of Some Pitchers"

... the tedious slowness of some pitchers in handling the ball. When a pitcher‚ after getting it into his hands‚ invariably goes through a large variety of twistings and turnings‚ changes his position‚ rubs his arm and his spine and feels if all the bones are in proper position ... before delivering the ball‚ and repeats the same manoeuvers each time‚ the spectators get restless and lose interest. The query is often heard "Is ___ going to pitch to-day?" And if answered in the affirmative‚ "Well‚ I guess I won't go. He's too slow. Life is too brief and the benches too hard."

The Sporting Life, August 19, 1885