The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-09-14
Combination.
NO MORE SPIT BALL
SAYS II. G. PULLIAM

CHICAGO, Aug. 28.-President Har-
ry G. Pulliam of the National league
and a member of the joint rules com
mittee is as strenuously opposed to
what is known as the "spit ball' as is
Manager Frank Chance, also member
of the joint rules committee, and Pres
ident Murphy, owner of the world s
champion Cubs.
President Pulliam, however, is not
as radical as President Murphy of the
local club in the action he would take
to suppress this form of delivery. The
league executive recognizes the fact
that there are dozens of pitchers in
the two major leagues, to say nothing
of the hundreds in the minors, who de-
pend on the "spit BALI to keep them
in the game and earn their salary. For
this reason he would favor passing a
law abolishing the "spit ball, - as adj
vocated by President Murphy, but add
a clause which would not enforce it
for two, three or five years, thus CIV
ing the pitchers who now depend on
IudG 1Otu VI w SAshSA
drop out of the game without financial
injury or to change their style of de,
livery and become thoroughly accus-
toned to getting along without moist
ening the ball.
'fTo me the spit, ball is an unclean
style of pitching; to me it is disgusting
at all times, said President Pulllam,
who was visiting here on his last swing
of the season through the Western
cities of the circuit. 81 am opposed
to that style of delivery and in favor
of legislating it out of business.
CAT the same time / recognize the
fact that there are many pitchers the
country over who depend on that style
of delivery to hold their jobs, and it
would work an untold hardship to put
the law into effect next season, for
many of these men would be deprived
of their livelihood at one stroke of the
pen.
''The usual custom in America is to
make a law and enforce it at once, re-
gardless of the havof4 it may cause in
other peoples affairs! In England it is
a law prohibiting certain
things is passed, but not to take effect
until those who are in that business
have an opportunity to get out. That
is one of the things / learned when l
was in England last winter, and that
is my idea of passing a law against
the spit ball.
EsTo prohibit it and keep it out OF
the game will be easy enough once we
pass the rule. Some people affect to
think that the pitchers will circumvent
the lawmakers and find some substitute,
but if the rule reads plainly and posi-
lively that no player shall, at any time,
put anything on the ball, it will be
EASY enough to enforce it. Pitchers
might keep on putting their hands to
heir mouths, as they do now for the
spit ball. blufing the batsman and
using the prohibited de-
livery. If that subterfuge were resort |
ID to, it could be killed instantly and
forever by making it balk for the |
pitcher to go through such motions.
The rule can be worded without diff
icultv so that the spit ball will be |
killed. Haven we stopped players
driving a new ball? We can stop the !
spit ball just as easily.
tfT am in favor of passing the rule |
AGAINST that form of delivery this win
er. but hang on it the clause making
( imperative for two years at least, or |
ven three or five if necessary for the |
rood of the game. Pitchers will know .
hat the time is not far distant when |
bey will positively have to give it up
md youngsters breaking into the game
will not insist on learning it as they do
low. while the present users of 1t Will
ither gradually drop out of the bust
less or as gradually work into another
tyle.'