Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-01-05
DEMAND FOR SPIT BALL PITCHERS
HAS FALLEN OFF-THEY ARELOOKED
ON GENERALLY AS IN-AND-OUTERS

| PEELED Larry to swing at the splitter for
| the third strike.
| Ed Walsh of the Chicago White Sox
! was to the season of 1906 what Chesbro
| was to 1903. Walsh was working with
| only fan success when Fielder Jones
| prevailed on him to take up the spit ball
Walsh worked and worked with 1t and
| In 1906 he startled the base ball world
| with his sensational work His pitching
| was large factor in the winning of the
| pennant and the worlds championship by
| the White Sox. His work in one of the
| games with the Cubs, in which he struck
| out twelve OF the hard-hitting National
| League champions proved him to be the
! pitching marvel. Walsh held up well I'M
| der the strain and did good work last
season, although he was batted quite
| freely during the closing stages of the
| campaign. Several times during the sea-
| son lie was compelled to rest for A week
| because of sore arm caused by the ex-
| cessive use OF the splitter and overwork.
Jimmy Dygert's Delivery.
Perhaps the most interesting as well
as one Of the cleverest spit ball pitchers
in the business is Jimmy Dygert of tie
Philadelphia Athletics. In size Dysert Is
one of the smallest pitchers in the bust
ness, yet he is one of the speediest in
the American League. Dygert, in my
opinion is the only pitcher using the spit
ball today who in no way Injuries his
arm. Every pitcher using the splitter de-
ponds on snap motion to make the
break OF the splitter all the sharper. Not
so with Dygert. He delivers it with a
free and easy delivery. using exactly the
same motion as when throwing his curve
or fast ball. Dygert's splitter Is one of
the most effective in the business.
Very few left-handers use the spit ball.
IN fact, Oscar Graham of the Washing
ton team was the only southpaw to have
1t in his repertoire. The main reason for
this. no doubt. is that left handlers have
enough trouble getting control of the old
time curve without mixing in the saliva
ball. Eddie Plank, Jess Tannehll and Il
number of other southpaws tried out the
splitter, but soon discovered that it would
be necessary to have the plate widened
II they ever expected to get one over.
Dig league managers have learned that
spit ball artists, as a rule, are in-and
cutters. When they are good they are
very good, but when they are bad they
are very rotten. No longer are star slab
artists advised to take up the splitter.
The managers realize they are far stead
Ter without it and are much more liable
to weather the tight places if something
other than the splitter is the twirler's
chief stock in trade. The same feeling
has spread to the minor leagues and no
longer does the bush manager get on his
happiest smile when Il pitcher applying
for a job makes known the fact that he
has great spit ball.
Spit Ball Pitchers Passed Up.
year or so ago when one of the big
league managers went on a scouting trip
In quest of pitchers he looked with favor
on the Splitter. Now it's different, the
same manager much prefers TO learn that
the pitcher he is after depends on good
curves speed and change of pace for
success. OF course. a good splitter VIII
hut hn viy,lo
the wet ball is looked upon with the great
est favor. Few. if any, of the young
pitchers who broke into the American
League last season used the spit ball.
The minor league pitchers realize the sit
uation. and the number of bush pitchers
who have passed up the splitter is sur
prising.
There are a great many more spit ball
pitchers in the American League than the
National. For this. no doubt. the batters
of the older league are truly thankful
Glen Liebhart is CIevelands leading spit
ball artist; Harry Howell shines for St
Louis with the wet ball: George Mullen
Is Detroit's champion moist Singer: Ed
Walsh and Frank Smith vie for the damp
ball honors at Chicago: George Winter
is Bostons leading expectorator; Dygert
Is Connie Macks star twirler with the
spray ball: Charley Smith leads the Wash
lngton corps of experts as the leading ex-
ponent of the splitter. while Jack Chesbro
still holds the honors In New York
Every batsman in the business would
say amen if every spit ball pitcher would
suddenly lose his cunning. It's the spit
ball artists who have put crimp in his
800 batting average. No doubt a large
number of fans would repeat the amen
for the spit ball pitcher has caused him
many late supper with his dilatory
tactics in preparing to pitch. Some insist
the spit ball Is destined to pass out of
base ball. while others claim it has come
to stay. Time alone will tell.