Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-23
SPIT BALL TO STAY
Walsh Claims vapor Float Is
Necessary to Good Pitching.
lit CAN BE CONTROLLED
Big Twirler Says It Is Just as Easy
to Handle as Any Curve
Ball Thrown.
IT CAN BE CONTROLLED

With the beginning Of the sprins
training comes that six-year-old discus
sion about how long the spit ball deliv-
cry will last, writes Ed Walsh in the
Chicago Tribune. l have noticed of late
that some of the critics have discovered
that that particular delivery is on the
decline, and that in a short time, IL there
is no base ball legislation against il. the
moist shoots will be thrown into the dis
card. Now, I might just as well take
say that the successful pitcher of the flu
ture, unless he has some other equally
effective delivery, will have to come to
the spit ball or fall behind.
Does the spit ball put the pitchers
arm out Of commission sooner than any
other kind Of delivery? 1t does not, and.
in fact. I might explain that it is the
easiest of all the styles I have. Clark
Griffith, now manager of the Cincin-
natl team. told me five years ago that
l was done for as a pitcher on account
of that particular delivery. Well, I have
used it this spring and it works just as
good as ever.
Few outside of the players on the
actual games. Well. sometimes nine out
of ten balls / throw are of that style
Of delivery. At Houston the other day.
after the first inning, I used 1t right
along, and l believe the opponents got
one hit
They say that the ball can't be con-
trolled. There is where they are wrong.
use it time and again on the third
strike with men on bases. 1t is just as
easy to handle as the overhead drop. for
instance. which is one of the hardest on
the pitchers that I know OF. Now, Nor
decai Brown has been an artist with that.
but I think right now that he would
have found the spit ball less wearing on
his arm-a great deal less.
Chesbro Of the New York Yankees tried
to get me to quit the delivery. but as I
found afterward he had an ace in the
hole. He claimed 1t ruined any mans
arm. He returned to 1t and used 1t
longer with effect than any other kind.
but Griffith took his cue from him.
To my way Of thinking 1t is the coming
delivery, and more and more pitchers
will use it. I would not advise young
pitchers to try 1t to the exclusion of
everything else. but IL they once start
they should keep at it until they have
mastered 1t. There are other effective
deliveries. but none that is easier on the
arm. critics opinions to the contrary.
Also there has been the idea that 1t can't
be controlled. That is another fallacy.
To show how much believe In 1t was
on the point Of using 1t In that game at
Cleveland in 1909. when with the bases
full and Lajoie up to bat q third strike
was needed to put the Frenchman out and
defeat Cleveland for the pennant. Also.
there was Sullivan's opinion OF II. There
were two strikes on Lajoie when Sullivan
signaled for a spit ball. It was ticklish
and 1 nodded my head, then something
made me change my mind. I crossed
Suliy, one OF the few times ] have ever
done II, and shot the ball straight over
the plate waist high. Latoie died at the
plate. but should again meet the same
emergency I would use the spit ball.
I have had sore arms. all right, but the
only time ever hurt my arm In pitching
was on fast straight one.