The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-07-14
e PAGE OF SPORTS
'nBhLL KEEPS
AVERAGES DOWN
It HltterS in Big League
Agree 1t Is Hardest
Curve to Hit.

hat is the hardest ball that pitcher
deliver to hit? That question, asked
Fome two dozen ball players on major
que clubs, including some of the best
ers In the country, brought with
Oily an exception the opinion that it
either the spit bali or the jump bali
zoSt players lean to the opinion that
spit ball is the hardest single delivery
Dy pitcher to hit, and practically
~ thein agree that this delivery is one
Is worrying them the most because
IN more general use. while the jump
can be successfully handled bV only
Perry small percentage OF pitchers.
4yers are practically a unit, however.
3Yeylng that in the hands of a master
? Waddell or Young the jump ball. or
he ball, Is "a hard TO hit safely as its
lie recent rival
hen working rightly the spit hall Is
zctcaliy an unhittable delivery. and
~ IL not for the fact that its use makes
ing uncertain it would be even more
S1Iy In stopping run getting than it is.
Straight for Plate.
=Foperly delivered. the spit bail comes
|ost straight up to the plate, but just
ten II looks like il was coming on over
only average speed it suddenly drops
a traction of an inch to half a foot
len the spit bali refuses to take this
4
.hIng repertoire TO murder. When it
breaking right there is no way as vet
fnd TO hit IT successfully.
wen If the bat connects with the ball
Enly drives IL down to the ground and
rs one Of the infielderS an EASY assist
Eess he happens to get his fingers on
wet spot when throwing. Then there
n error charged up. The spit ball is
deadhest ball a batsman has to drive.
even when hit hard il can be driven
a.
l.. ~ '''' '''''s'' on 'ne
No Way to Hit 1t.
heF the spit ball first came out bat
Ynught they had discovered a rem
y y in slash almost straight down
Ia cricket bat is used, but the trouble
|hat the pitchers have discovered WAYS
|make the ball break out or in at the
pc time 1t takes its down shoot and of
|rse, the slashing style of batting was
better for this than the ordinary hort
tai one. Players are now pretty well
reed Uhat nit IS rarely made off a
perry delivered spit ball and that
put the only hope for batters is to try
PICK out ones that are badly delivered
the pitchers.
|ne Of the peculiarities about the jump
raise ball is that a batter who is hit
= In perfect form has less chance Of
ing 1t than one who is out of form.
Effect of Raise Ball.
efore the spit ball came in the raise
Il was the king of them all The trou-
with this delivery, however, is that
taxes tremendous strength and speed
handle II, and il can therefore be used
y by comparatively few pitchers
ben it is breaking properly in the hands
Ia pitcher VINO can control it, the eff
L is almost the exact opposite of that
the spit ball
vstead of being hit on top the ball is
II haN Z l.
easy out IN sight Of the fielderS. The
PIP ball comes up fast until it gets
host on top of the batter, and then il
les slight jump, Possibly it is only
small fraction of an inch, but that is
bugh TO cause the bat to hit below the
Idle A batter hitting perfectly at the
p has no chance to drive il safe. as the
LAX comes SO late and is so fast that
IRE is no chance TO alter the swing of
bat TO meet it squarely.
faulty batter who normally hits too
|h, on the other hand, is the one who is
st likely TO get hits when it is being
ID. How effective the delivery is is
pwn by the fact that most of the no-hit
mes are to the credit of pitchers who
1t.
Hard to Control.
10Th the spit ball and jump ball are
at may be clasSed as naturally unbat-
DE deliveries, and when pitcher has
ldwork is required. The trouble is that
her delivery cannot he used continu-
sly without Gripping the one using H.
j, Furthermore, even the most expert
their use cannot always make them
~ their will.
Why It is no one has been able TO ex-
in, but il is a fact that one DAY
cher may have any particular style Of
livery perfectly and may be absolutely
able to command il a day or so later.
nee pitchers who rely solely upon one
livery are never reliable. and il is the
: who has not one, but half dozen
les to use. that counts the most in
-NInE games. Not only is this the case.
! pifAhers who use a good variety last
longest, owing 10 the fact that the
ain is better distributed. On this ac-
int while il is we'll for an ambitious
cher to acquire, if possible, one Of the
turalIy unhittable styles Of delivery, il
also we'll TO cultivate a variety and
IN to use headwOTk with il.