The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-04
SPORTING news.
The Spit Ball Will Cut Figure
Next Season
In the Records of the Batsmen
of the Big Leagues.
CUTS DOWN BIG SCORES
Is a California Discovery of
Player Stricklctt.
American League Batsmen
Think 1t a Terror.

Cleveland, o., Oct. 4.-I1m Murnane
says: The spit BALI is bound to rev.
olutfonize baseball fully as much as the
curve ball did 20 years ago. This ball.
said to be discovered by one Stricklett
while playing with the California
league last season, has made double
score ball games out of the question.
Jack Chesbro. of the New. York High
landers, has worked it to the best adj
vantage for his club for over three
months Chesbro was wise enough to
tell the players it was giving him a
sore arm, but now the pitchers nave
discovered that it is simply pitching a
medium passed straight ball, and in no
way likely to lame the arm as curve
pitching would.
The batsmen of the American league
say that it is utterly impossible to hit
the ball square as it breaks in so many
different ways just as it reaches the
plate. The ball is sent about waist
high, and usually shoots or drops.
Chesbro and Powell, of the New York
club, are using it constantly. Mullen, of
Detroit, has now mastered it, while
Gibson, of the Boston Americans, has
used it for some time without his op-
ponentS being wise to the fact. Billy
Dineen has already mastered the new
invention. DR.. White, of Chicago, and
other clever pitchers are fast getting
control, so that by the time next sea-
son comes round every first-class pitch
spit balls to the batSmen.
The players claim that it will ruin
the batting, and, unless the foul strike
rule is eliminated, runs will be very
scarce next season..
Chesbro pitched two hard games in
Cleveland and went right to Detroit
and pitched an eleven-inning game,
showing that there was no strain on
the arm. The ball is pitched with the
first two fingers held stiff, after rub
bing the fingers across the lips to get
the proper moisture Lew Criger says
that the constant shooting of the ball
bangs a catcher's hands all up, and
when throwing to bases the catcher is
likely to make q wild throw as the re-
suit of the slippery spot on the ball.
The idea is to keep the mitt in 'front.'
of the face while going through the
preliminary motion. Now and then the
pitcher will pitch fast one or a curve,
but five out of six balls used by Ches-
bro are the spit ball. and all the
Jobs the other clubs put up to doctor
the ball so that the other fellows can
kill the effect has not disturbed the
great New York pitchers faith, in the
There is another interesting side of
this new idea, in baseball. If Chesbro
can pitch every other day, or six days
in the week if necessary, what need
will a club have for carrying along a
string of five or six high-priced pitch
ers? Three box men will suGice under
the new conditions. This will save the
clubs about $4,000 a season, or the
leagues over 100000 a year-quite an
item and one well worth considering. /
By doing away with the foul strike
bunting will be increased 25 per cent,
the players figure out, in this way Off
setting the late invention.
The public will never stand for light
stick work, for the felders would have
little chance to display their fielding
qualities, and the public are the ones
to be pleased. There is something for
the magnates to ponder over.
The most picturesque thing about
ball playing is the running catch of a
fast outfielder. Who that saw that play
will ever forget Dick Johnson, Curt
WEIGH or Jimmie Fogarty, and the late
Jimmie McAleer or Bill LANCE? All
with great speed, sure eatchers with
one or both hands and who would dive
for low drives like seagulls after small
fish. You remember the outfielder
much better than the inf1eiders of the
past.
The commission made 4 hit in put
ting a fine on the Brooklyn club for
playing that game at Youngstown.
Arthur McGovern's r;ame was left off
the Boston American list by some mis-
take.
President John 1. Taylor failed to
send in the name of Pitcher Stricklett