The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-05-15
SIDELIGHTs ON BASEBALL.
Stories Told of Men Who Figure in
 the Game.


 After all that has been said and written about the spit ball copyright ed by Happy Jack" Chesbro. of the New York American League Club, 1t Is pitchers of other days have to say about the new fangled invention which seems to be the hoodoo of batsmen.
 50 far as I have been able to study the spit ball." said c. s. Merritt, now of this city and at one time regarded as the best amateur pitcher in Chicago, T do not see how 1t differs in any way from the old high inshoot to which on the subject while I was in Chicago last week. That it is not a new de- velopment of curves we both agreed. that are key to to foo at and newspaper reporters in the dull season of the game like t9 get fresh years ago we heard of the snake curve, and even nowadys the players talk In mysterious whispers of ball which curves in more than one direc- tion.
 'Thls is all nonsense. for the reason that when a ball has once left the hand of a pitcher 1t can take only the one curve he can impart to 1t by the twist as 1t leaves his hand. It may drop suddenly, but that is due to the varying control of speed in the delive-
 '0The high inshoot, which seems to now be called a spit ball, has always been a terror to batsmen for several reasons, chiefly that absence of con trol made it's course very deceiVing. Since the distance to the pitchers box has been increased Chesbro appears to have acquired exactly the right control, "Chesbro Is now experiencing the same trouble I had in using this ball, which is very apt to strain the wrist sssp pT the rhere s no Got Chesbro has demonstrated his ability | to make this ball effective. but If the result would tend to develop lasting | Injury to his wrist I would not recom- mend any of the young pitchers to try | it.
 MT Merritt was at one time the leading pitcher in the Chicago Amateu scheduled games also defeating the teams of the Western and National Leagues. He developed from that same class of prairie players In which Powell was a star and was obliged to turn down" an offer of $2,500 a year from A. G, Spalding because of an astigmatism and lack of desire to be- come a professional pitcher.-New Or leans States.
 Umpire w. B. Carpenter. who Is off ciating at West End Park In the series | between the Travellers and the Pelicans, was the first umpire to work behind Chesbro in the American League last season when the famous New York pitcher sprung his renowned spit-ball. In conversation with a Gazette repre- sentative yesterday MT. Carpenter said:
 'I worked several games in the early part of last season in which Chesbro did slab duty and noticed that he was | using a delivery which l had never be- fore seen. What bothered me and all the other umpires was the peculiar breaks and curves the ball would pur- | sue in its course to the catcher, some- | times breaking in toward the batter | and at other times in just the opposite direction. As the season wore on Chesbros slow ball" as 1t was then | called, had won for him a long string of victories, and 1t was a long time before anyone became aware of the fact that he was wetting the ball just 1 as he was about to deliver 1t to the batter. What made Chesbro so effec- tive with thils particular delivery was the fact that he had such q good slow ball which he used with the same mo- tion and came floating up in such a manner that one could almost see tht | seams in the cover. Then when he | would switch and hand up a spit-bal with exactly the same movement, bu which, as 1t reached the plate would take a shoot in either direction of iron ter completely at his mercy"
 Continuing, Mir. Carpenter said: "Th' spit-ball is the hardest ball for ar umpire or a batter to judge. believe It's effectiveness is due to the poor con dition ball assumes after 1t has beer In play a short time The cover be comes quite wet and when hit a few times naturally gives and becomes mor' or less loose. and to certain exten