The Washington herald., 1910-01-06
SPLITTER" Is DOOMED
Fewer Pitchers Use VapOr
Float Than Formerly.
JOHNSON NEVER TRIED IT
Great TvirIeF Found He
Could Win Games without Guilt
kaFoe and Kid EIberfeId Testify
to Walters Effectiveness.
By WILLIAM PEET.

IF Walter Johnson had a spit ball
among his assortment" said Jim Dele
hanty during a tanning bee in Washing
ton early last summer, "he would be
the greatest pitcher the game ever saw"
Johnson was frequently asked by the
writer why ne did not cultivate the
saliva fling" and replied Whats the
use. can get along quite well without
It, and from what other twirlers tell me,
1t is likely 10 injure my arm"
In order to make a success out Of the
spit ball, a pitcher must have a barrel
OF speed, and Johnson has the necessary
steam. as local fans will testify.
KID ElberfeId. the latest recruit to the
Nationals ranks said on one occasion
last year: johnson is the only pitcher
in the big leagues to-day who throws a
bali just where you expect it-and then
when it comes over, you can't hit IT,"
Johnson's great success has been his
good control and his terrific speed. The
ball comes over the plate so fast that
Il takes a jump before reaching the bat
ter. Charley Street is about the only
catcher able TO hold Johnson with any
degree Of success. although Mike Kahoe
managed TO get along fairly well with
the big fellow
sample of JOhnsOn's Speed.
Kahoe himself tells a story which
shows something Of Walters great speed.
IN a game at 81. Louis one day" said
Mike, Walter was feeling IT. and never
saw him use such speed. We were play
ing the Browns. and the game went six
teen innings. I called for time about the
tenth inning ana went 10 the bench
for more padding for my glove When
the game was over my hand looked Ike
an order OF liver, and was swollen SO
badly that could not use it for three
days. A peculiar thing about Johnson's
pitching IS that the ball when It strikes
your mitt. instead OF stopping, keeps on
spinning like a top. I have caught q
great many pitchers in the course OF my
baseball career. but none OF them had
Johnson's speed and jump ball"
a Cleveland exchange printed a very
interesting story the other day about
spit ball pitching, Here IS the story:
Tie SPIT" ball IS surely On the decline.
a few years ago PLAYERS and public we're clam0r-
!rE for some legislation that would do away with
tie eKIectCrato-. low u seems As II the spit"
bali IS . die a natural death.
At the tine some legislation sgzins, the spittsrs'
vas beng urged a number q the leading baseball
lights. IrUUinCut among them being Clarke Grif-
hih said that any legislation would BE- impossible
that che pitchers would set around any rules for
mulated 20 do away With the elusive splitter. d"
They added that legislation in few years would
I be unneceSsary. that the pitchers would ALL the
new delivery themselves.
What az that time appeared % be rather broad
ana foolish statement now appears N have bssD
3 bit q vision. The spit hall which has done
more 70 spoil hitting and delay games than sly
one other tAing appears doomed % Tass oaC q
e11ste1Ce. and 10 diagnosis VIII be needed TO de-
termIns the cause.
Scarce I'm American League.
"spit' ball pitchers IN TIE American League last
summer were rather scarce. A few years ago any
new pitcher who cane 70 the bF leaEue from tbs
ball ne had. They belisVed such a delivery neces-
sagy 20 Success Few q the youngsters who adj
vaneei 20 the big leagues last year 5sbbled With
the splitter az GA most Of them depending OF
Uld-tiue speed and curves for success
Probably not more than a dozen pitchers including
youngsters. used tho spit bali last summer Harry
Howell < the ST. Louis Brcwns wss TIE only man
on tie s.. Louis staff who used the 'snittsr" and
because q an injured ann be did little DO work.
GcC-Es Mullin. q the Detroit club used the 1apor
ball II a PINCH while others 70 USs IL were Joe
Lake. "Heiuie" Berger, Jack Quinn, 81 Walsh,
Frank smith, Jimmy Dygert. Cy Morgan. and
DOG Rcisling These were The most prominent
users Of tbs splitter" Since practically every
pitcher used the SPLITTER uore or less few wears
ago II can be readily how fast the delivery Il
/ losing caste
There : 10 getting away from, TIRE fact that the
spit" ball ruins a pitchers arm. When the deliT-
ery was o-lgnlted the twlrlers cousnd5i that such
vas not the case bit baseball history Tefutes such
statements and beliefs. a number q the leading
opponents Of the splitter have dropped cut q tine
game, quite few have gone back % the miners,
and q those 10 the American League last year.
Howell snl Wash suffered with had arms
The entire abolition q the "sIitter' wiz meet
with general favor smmg fairs and players, and
thCg IS sure 10 be general thanks when the delivery
IS 10 mOTe There j. SUIT n be more hitting better
fal1inr and shorter rarnes without IL