The state herald., 1907-07-05
SPIT BALL AND
THE RAISE BALL
REGARDED BY MOST PLAYERS
AS TWO DELIVERIES HARD
EST TO HIT SAFELY.
FIRST IS HARD TO DRIVE OUT
Goes Slowly Even When Hit Hard Un-
less Met Squarely on the Nose
Jump Ball Makes Batsmen Pop Up,
but Few slabmen Are Able to Han
die This Style Effectively.

oie iHis otyle EHectivcIy.
What is the hardest ball that
pitcher can deliver to hit?
That question asked of some two
dozen ball players on major league
clubs, including some of the best bat
ters in the country, brought with
hardly an exception the opinion that
1t was either the spit ball or the
jump ball. Most players lean to the
opinion that the spit ball is the hard.
est single delivery used by pitcher
to hit, and practically all of them
agree that this delivery is the one
that is worrying them the most, be.
cause II is in more general use, while
the jump ball can be successfully
handled only by very small percen.
tage OF pitchers. Players are prac-
tically unit, however. in saying that
in the hands of master like Waddell
or Young the jump ball, or raise ball,
is as hard TO hit safely as its recent
rival.
When working rightly the spit ball
is practically an unhittable delivery,
and were 1t not for the fact that its
use makes fielding uncertain 1t would
be even more deadly in stopping run
getting than II is. Properly delivered
II comes almost straight up to the
plate, but Just when II looks like 1t
was coming on over with only aver
age speed, 1t suddenly drops from a
fInCttnn ni inch n half
When the spit ball refuses to take
this break 1t is the easiest thing in
the entire repertoire to murder When
II Is breaking right there is no way
as yet found TO hit 1t successfully.
Even II the bat connects with tho
ball II only drives II down to the
ground and gives one of the infelders
an easy assist. unless he happens to
get his fingers on the wet spot when
throwing. Then there Is an error
charged up. The spit ball Is the dead.
est ball batsman has to drive. and
even when hit hard II can be driven
but slowly unless hit squarcly on the
nose. When the spit ball first came
out batters thought they had discover.
ed remedy for II In a slash almost
straight down as a cricket bat is used,
but the trouble is that the pitchers
have discovered ways TO make the
ball break out or In at the same time
II takes its down shoot, and. OF course.
the slnshing style Of batting was no
better for this style of batting than
the ordinary horizontal one. Players
are now pretty well agreed that a hit
Is rarely made of properly delivered
spit ball. and that about the only hope
for batters is TO try to pick out the
ones that are badly delivered by thu
pitchers.
One Of tho peculiarities about tho
jump or raise ball is that batter who
is hitting in perfect form has less
chance OF hitting II than one who is
out Of form, Before the spit ball cane
In the raise bali was the king Of them
all. The trouble with this delivery.
however. ls that II takes tremendous
strength and speed 10 handle II. aud
II eau therefore be used only by com.
pnratiyely few pitchers. When II Is
breaking properly in tho hands OF u
pitcher who can control Il the orcct
ls almost the exact opposite Of that
OF the spit ball. Instead Of being
hit ON top. the ball II hit below. and
popped up In the air. with an easy
out In sight for the felders Tho
jump ball comes mp fast until II gcts
almost ON top of the batter. nnd then
II takes slight jump. Possibly II Is
only n small fraction OF an inch. but
that is enough To cause the bat to hit
below the middle A batter hitting
perfectly at the ball has no chance
10 drive It safe. AZ the break comes
90 late aud II 80 fast that theru is no
chance to alter tho swing Of the bat
80 meet II squaroly, a faulty batter
who normally hits too hiRh, on the
other hand. n the one most likely tal
Eet hits when Il n being used, How
effective tho delivery Is Is shown by
the fact that most Of tho nohll games
arc 10 the credit OF pitchers who use
g.
Roth the spit hall and jump bail aro
what may be clasnod m naturally un'
batiablo deliveries, and when "a pitch.
or has either at hla command no par
ticular hoadwotk IA required. The
trouble h that either delivery cannot
be- used continuously without Grip.
pling the one using them. and. further
more. even the most expert In their
lse cannot always make them obey
their wiz Why II ia no one has been
able Ia explain. but It n fact that
one day pitcher may have any par,
ileular style ~ delivery perfectly and
may be- absolutely unable to com.
maud II day ur 20 later Hence.
pitchers whn roly solely upon one Ja'
livery are never reliable. md II IL the
ono VIM has not one. bat half q dozen
styles Ia use. that counts the most
Ia winning samea Not nnly h this
the rnsr, but pitchers who uso a good
variety laai the lonFoHi, owing to the
fact that tho strain n better dlslfih