The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1909-06-23

What makes a baseball curve?
The spin given II by the pitcher.
How many curves can q ball be
made to take?
That question Is open to discus
sion. Some say one, others de-
clare four or five curves are pos
lsible.
Why does the ball curve after
being spun by the pitcher?
1t curves as the result of fric-
ltion caused by revolving against
1.-THE air. When a ball pitched by
la right-handed man is delivered
with twist from right to left,
one side constantly spins into the
air, the other away from it. The
side spinning against the air gets
the greater friction and as moving
bodies follow the line of least re-
|sistance, the ball edges away from
the friction. In brief, the air
pushes the ball in the direction
|of its spin, resulting in what is
known as an tout curve"
Every time a ball is thrown 1t
spins, but ordinarily the thrower
does not spin it rapidly enough to
cause 1t to curve perceptibly.
Six spinning motions are pos
sible.
Two of them. the vertical spins
to right and left, do not curve the
ball. Instead they hold 1t to its
course as rifling In a gun barrel
holds bullet true.
OF the others, the horizontal
fright to left produces the out
curve. The horizonal left to right
produces the "in shoot" which
disappeared when pitchers were
forced to deliver every ball with
the same motion to prevent tel
agraphing" to the batter their IN
tention only to reappear when
Mathewson and Joss brought out;
their famous "fadeaway" ball. A
vertical spin away from the
pitcher develops a drop ball" and
la vertical spin toward the pitcher
produces the rise" ball.
But only strong, supple wrist
and powerful fingers can produce
a curve. In the hands of good
pitchers, with a wrist capable of
Swapping" the ball the instant of
delivery, the sphere can be made
to do wonders.
Pitchers declare they have but
two deliveries-the fast ball and
the curve-and they believe what
they say; but watch a Mathewson,
"Cy" Young, Brown, Joss or a
Walsh, and you will convince your
|seif that they have more in their
repertoire than they confess.
For instance the s'fadeaway.
lOnly Joss and Mathewson have It
under perfect control. This ball.
delivered overland with the same
motion they use In throwing the
straight ball or out curve, falls
off rapidly to the right as 1t nears
the plate.
This break, or curve, or shoot.
is obtained by Jerking the fingers
from left to right behind the ball
as 1t is released. 81
Then there is the jump ball, a
straight ball of tremendous speed.
given quick rise as it reaches
the plate, after the way the "fade-
away" is produced. The pitcher,
as he releases the ball, whips his
fingers downward, producing al
fast backward spin which takes"
as the ball travels, causing a rise
or Jump" of a couple of inches.
A curve that Is wonderfully eff
fective is the "out drop" which
Is, in fact, two-way curve, thel
ball breaking down and out near
the plate. This ball is delivered
after the fashion of the outcurve
save that instead of a horizontal
spin the pitcher spins the ball on
an angle which is about half wayl
between the vertical and horizon
tai.
And still pitchers claim theyl
have nothing but the curve BALL
and the fast one. They refuse toll
between the different
curves and slants which are ap-l
parent to those who sit back OIL
the catcher and study what thew