Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-09-01
CURVE PITCHING.
The Bali Players Who First Mastered
the Peculiar Delivery-BOb Matthe VS.
ON Curves.
From the Philadelphia Press.

From the Philadelphia Press
In those days when the first professional asso-
citation was just getting on its feet there were no
castirOn regulations about where the players
should sit or stand, and very often whole team
stood close around the batter, giving him points
when they could and spending the remainder
OF the time in "chaffing" with the umpire or
pitcher. Cummings delivery was known to
every man in the profession as very peculiar,
and Matthews, whose straight work was begin
ming to give way before it. made up his mind to
take advantage of a position near the bat to
learn the secret. He watched Cummings hands
carefully, noting how he held the ball and how
he let it CO. and after few weeks careful prac-
tice in the same way could see the curve in his
own delivery. Then he began to use it in
matches, striking men out in a way that no one
but Cummings had ever done before. and in a
short time he was known as one of the most
effective pitchers in the field. To-day he is
pitching the same old curve, with all the tricks
In delivery that years on the diamond have
taught, and the batters don't seem to hit him
much better than they used to-.
Other pitchers had to take up the curve or
quit playing. just as Mcbride and Pratt did. and
before the Centennial the regular craze for curve
pitching had set in, which finally forced both
league and association managers to abolish old
pitching rules and allow any throwing delivery
which would assist in puZZling the batsmen
Every pitcher was popularity supposed to have a
choice selection of curves which he sent in at
pleasure and his value was usually reckOned on
the number of different ones he could use
That idea, by the way. is still prevalent and
there are many people who believe in an ''up'
curve and down" curve, an sin" curve and
an out curve. Zig-zag and double" curve,
and ''shOots" and Jumps" and fast and slow
balls to match.
:" That's all mistake" said Matthews, while
talking over some OF his experience. II never
saw but one curve. and never made any more.
OF course a ball will shoot in q little distance
but you can't call it a curve. because you can't
mold that kind of pail 80 as to make
curve out of It. The only genuine
curve is the one which turns out from
the batsman. but, after two or three of that
kind, straight ball, if it is properly pitched.
looks as il it was turning the other way. Drop
balls. or balls which apparently shoot or curve
downward, are all deceptive work. and are
thrown from the highest start the rules allow
Rising balls are the same thing. started from as
near the ground possible, and pitched up
waro. Slowed balls are started slow, with an
apparently fast flourish. for if they were ever
started fast l don't know what skill could hold
them back, and, as to balls which 90 both in
and out, why that is manifest impOssibility l
know there have been several tests made of
that. one particularly at Cincinnati, where four
posts were put up and the pitcher required to
make the ball go on one side Of one and the
other side of the next, but don't think he did
1t. II he did it was through some deception in
regard to the place where he was standing No.
sir Good, strait pitching, thorough command
over the ball, good out curve and good in
with to-day, and l, for my part, don't believe in
ANYTHING else