Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-03-18
Interesting Discussion Of the Evo-
luton of the Curved
Ball
FIFTEEN YEARS IN THE GAME.
He Derides Art OF Pitching Into Three
Slages--"Drop,' the Curve" and
The Fresh

Clark Grlfflth, manager Of the Yam
KEGS, and the old-time Chicago dia-
mond idol, when asked recently for a
talk on the evolution OF the curved
ball, gave what is proaby the most
thorough and comprehensive chapter
of baseball history ever offered the
public. lie goes back for about NJ
teen years and during that time many
of the most famous pitchers ever
known have come and gone.
The Hoosier Cyclone Amos Ruse,
the speedest pitcher who ever turned
a ball, flashed ON the baseball world,
sparkled with meteoric brillancy for
ten years, and his spark died out even
more suddenly than il appeared Buf-
hngton, John ClarksOn. keefe, Welch,
Calvin and other pitching cracks OF
nearly a decade ago have occupied the
center of the baseball stage during
Grniths career have made their little
bow and retired, some by reason OF
age. some from loss OF their pitching
arms and some from other causes,
Grlhth has always been a pitcher
and one Of the very best, simply be-
cause he was brainy player, and used
his head as well as the physical ability
with which he was so eminently sup
Piled. Griffith has lasted as q pitcher
as long as he mas, which is much longer
than the general ran Of twirlers, be-
cause he has used his brain.
When he first became known az n
pitcher ne used the drop ball, the de-
livery that has sent so many Of the
top-notch pitchers 10 the stable for
o.n1 Tho .MpW Work f11nnapar nnQ
been, ana is a close student OF the
pitching end Of the game. His arm
gave out on account Of the straining
snap necessary 20 give the deceiying
drop TO his ball, and he laid off nearly
shree years. During that time. however
he nursed his injured wing studied
new and less wearing deliveries and
when he had acquired what he was az
Ter, he entered the batebal field for
the second time and reached the top
almost al q bound.
Griffith puts the pitching during the
last 10 years into three distinct and sep
arate stages viz The drop stage. the
curve stage and the fresh stage
The latter Is the present stage and
includes the spit ball" the raise"
tine fade away" the incuiVe and gen
eral mixing 'em NJ. In explanation %
this Griffith said. During the first
stage such pitchers as Burlington, Had
dock, Ramsey, John Clarksop and 9TH
ers became famous as exponents of the
drop, which caused as much OF sensa-
tiOn and puzzle 10 batsmen at the time
as the spit ball OF Chesbro did last year
Every pitcher tried to acquire the de-
livery, some succeeded but many more
did not, and the latter can consider
themselves lucky.
THE delivery required a snap TO the
arm and wrist that put every pitcher
who followed II up out Of business soon-
er or later, Burlington was obliged TO
retire when he should have been at his
best.
'Haddock succumbed In short order,
as did Ramsey, The latter was shrewd
enough TO quit using the ball IN tho
nick of time, went south, where the eli
mate is warmer, and managed 20 last In
a minor league up to this day, but he
never would be successful In the big
leagues other pitchers who continued
10 use the drop fell by the wayslde ana
either gave up pitching altogether or
took up other playing positions.
Then continued Griffith, came the
curve bali stage. The ball was curved
years before this, but the pitchers pre-
Vlous TO this time had used the tear
Ing wearing snap TO give the ball the
required tNlSt Wnlcn II necessary 10
cause the bail 10 break Rusle was the
first aud best exponent Of the new style
of curving lie had "A natural delivery
round arm swing and did not snap
the ball. He merely rolled the sphere
off his fingers, and even with his easy
graceful motion he could get more OF
a break to his ball than any pitcher
ever saw. He could get terrific speed
with his delivery also, More In fact
than any pitcher before.
"Rusies strong right arm did not "a
back on him from his pitching but from
other causes. IL Rusie had taken prop
err care OF himself he would have been
pitching yet. There We're three pitch
era who by close study OF that great
twirler's methods and | consider Ruslt
next 10 Chesbro the best pitcher who
ever wore spikes, became nearly az
great as Amos.
"By continual and constant use OF
the curve batsmen gradually got 50
they could hit IL, and then pitchers
were Obliged 10 dig UP some new de-
livery, Change Of pace was tried al
though that was not new, for Tin
keefe had a most deceptive slow bal