The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-08-26

ability of the pitcher rests almost en-
tirely with the amount of speed he
is able to apply TO his twirls. Ken
nedy. of the Biooklyns-he Of Roar
ing Bill' title has been in poor health
lately, yet his curves have been just
as much at his calling as ever. The
fact that he has been unable to COM
mand his former speed has been sut-
ficient to spoil their effect. 1t seems
as though the ball must be pitched
with such swiftness that the most
schooled and .sharpest-eyed hitters
have no opportunity to intercept its
course.
1t Is this very natural development
in hitting experience that has called
the in-shoot more into play this sea-
son, as it is the twirl to which the
most speed may be applied 1t is also
believed to be less wearing on the
pitchers arm. The peculiar little jerk
of the wrist. required to produce the
curves, is not needed in effecting the
in-shoot.. The ball is held, however.
much the same as for presenting the
out curve. The only difference in its
production is that instead of being
delivered through the thumb and In
deX finger it is allowed TO glide out
directly across the tips of the first ana
second phalanges.
The drop ball" (which proceeds
straight from the pitchers hand for
time and then falls to the ground,
has greatly increased in popularity this
10 a rnp rl-lh hl,A tu-iyI
Up To this passing season it has been
considered the most tickle of all curves.
having been known TO desert different
star pitchers for weeks at u time much
IL their disgust and mistrust in its
use. The drop bah Is effected by sew
eral different methods. Dad Clarke,
of the New YOrkS, handles the sphere
the same as he would to present the
out-curVe. giving it an odd twist from
the wrist while RuSie used to bring
an extra finger into commission. II is
essential to start this ball at a good
height. most pitchers .dt1Vering il
from above the shoulder For quite n
period tlarkson,of the Baltimore team.
who has employed the drop ball most
successfully, found himself utterly un.
able 10 produce il. although he handled
and delivered the sphere precisely the
same way all the time. Meekin. Ehrst,
Inks and Daub have used ii without
year.
ON" Of the latest ana probably most
effective twirls employed this season is
IL combination down and upshoot. 1t
consists of an up twist applied to the
drop ball delivery. 1t is necessary tn
employ the greatest possible speed to
make it effective. and is therefore con-
sidered the hardest delivery i'm the
pitchers repertory. 1t is more than
likely that those who employ it con-
stantly will not last long as iwirlers.
Hawley. of the Pittsburgs. has been
most successful this year with the raise
ball" 1t is probably the oldest in use,
but, employed with discretion. Hawley
has shown 1t to be still very effective.
To produce the "raise BALI the sphere
is thrown from about the height of the.
pitchers waist. 1t effects Il gradual
raise until after passing the plate-in
fact. the raising is SO slight and resu-
lar when properly administered that the
batter is unable to see the bali is not
coming straight toward him. while the
degree of the upward course is sufficient
to cause an unfortunate miscalculation
in welding the bat.
Many people who have watched the
delivery of Orth, of the Philadelphia
aggregation of base ball tosscrs, have
marveled at his effectiveness They
wondered how he fooled the batSmen
with what seemed to be straight ball
The close observer would remark that
they almost invariably struck under the
ball. This was owing to the fact that
Orth is master of the Jump ball."
which, being one Of the pitchers tricks
that few men have mastered is one of
the most effective used. 1t comes up to
the plate apparently straight and then
takes quick jump. This shoot is con-
sidered the greater phenomena of all
the twirls used on the diamond by the
scientists who have spent much time
trying to solve them. 1t is produced by
holding the sphere well in the palm of
the hand. with the tips of all the fingers
pressed closely to it, the first and sec
ond phalanges having almost entire
control of the ball. however The hand
is held with its palm toward the ground
and the ball is swung from as high as
the shoulder with a sudden sweep down
ward. When released it is allowed to
glide out over the tips of the first and
second fingers.
Breitenstcin. Of the st. Louis club. who
has done such brilliant work in the
box. apparently without exerting much