The Washington times., 1906-12-03
GRIFFITH PREDICTS
DOWNF ALL OF WALSH
Says White SoX Spit Ball
Pitcher VIII Fail Next
Season.
CITES SCME PRECEOENTS
Chesbro and Howell Sad Illustration OF
Dangers of New DeliveTy-May
Be Good Later.

Clark Griffith, manager of the New
York HighlaHders. says Ed Walsh won't
be such a sensation in the pitching box
the cOmingu>eason as he was this year
'Gri." who passed through Chicago the
other day on his way 10 his ranch IN
Montana doesn't wish the big White
SOx star any bad luck. but he says II
Walsh goes the way of all other spit
bail twirlers, the coming campaign will
not prove such a rosy path for him.
The ntue leader of the HIghlanders.
who put up such a scrap at the close
of the season TO snatch the pennant from
the Sox. bases his prediction about
Walsh on the records Of other famous
pitchers who depend for their success
upon the spit" ball But one pitcher
In the business ever had two good years
in succession said Griffith. That man
is Orth. You can name over all the
other great 'spitters' and you VIII md
that ] am correct
Chesbro Never Game Back"
There was Chesbro. in 1894: Harry
Howell in 1905: Winters. Gibson, and
a string OF others. II Invariably turned
out that none OF them ever followed one
good year with a repeater. OrIh is the
only exception. ChesbrO, in 1904. was the
greatest of them ALL but since then
hasn't been able To duplicate his sue
cesses of that Splendid season.
Il think the reason the spit bah
men fall down after a long run Of good
pitching is that they Overdo their ia
vorite delivery They try 10 get too
much of a break on the bail, with the !
result that they lose their knack of
pitching il and the BAH. instead OF tax (
ing the fine break just before reaching
the plate, slides up 10 the batsman /
without any drop on H. and then the /
base hit begins TO pop. They use too I
much moisture ON the bail.
II don't say that Walsh viii not be 4
a winning pitcher this coming year. but I
I do not believe he VIII be the seusa- /
tioH he was this season. He has enough /
stun To insure moderate success. but
1 doubt very much ii ne will be able /
To NOW down the 5atsmen Jhe way he /
did this season.
Uses Spitball All the Time.
Walsh was really a corker this year.
He had a wonderful break on that spit |
ball, and he was using il all The time. /
EIy haJsmen would go 90 the plate /
knowing absolutely what TO expect but /.
still they couldn't hit him with any de- 4
gree of certainty. Walsh always opens .
up with a 'spir bail, and then a high .
fast one. That's the program all Jhe .
time. Tie catcher doesn't even have 10 /
signal what 10 throw. fO- E,d would .
heave in the same thing anyway He :
was i'm the very height of his career
the past year, but. take my word Tor il, !
he won Dee going into the box every /
other day next sea@n. and winning
games i'm such sweeping style as made .
him famous the past campaign.
There is nothing SO easy % hit as !
spit ball pitcher when his delivery is /
q little on. The ball comes up to the /
bat just made to order for the bats
man, and without curve or drop on .
the ban IL is a picnic for any kind OF
q hitter to slam out the leather
Other Illustrations.
1T may seem funny that a pitcher
cannot throw "a certain kind of a BAH
as well one year as he does another. but /
that is what past experience shows US.
Harry Howell, of the ST. Louis Browns. /
was as good as any pitcher i'm the bust (
ness I'm l9)5, but he wasn't the fooler
last year ne was the year before. He
got along fairly WELL but that's all
Whether Walsh VIII follow in the foot
steps of Chesbro. Howell, and the rest
remains 10 be seen. / don't wish to
imply that Chesbro will never again be
as good as -r was lH 1904. On the con-
traTy, ] think le will come back into
his old form, and SO VIII Howell. After
so long the pitchers regain their old I
knaCk of throwing the spit ball and |
they become once more as good as
ever
''Sully" Differs With "Gnf."
Billy Sullivan. the catcher who han
died Walshs delivery in most of the
games played by the worlds champions.
thinks GriHth's theory is an rubbish
as far as Walsh is concerned. Accord
ing 10 "Sully," Walsh will be better
than ever the coming season. .'Confs-
key thinks SO, to0." said sullivan I'M
and I'H bet YOU Will find out tHaf
Walshs 1891 record win beat his Ign;
performances all hollow