Evening journal., 1911-08-09
CUB PITCHERS
VARY CURVES
Members Of Chicago Staff Use
all Of Known Slants and
Delivery Styles
TONEY IS UNDERHAND
in HIS DELIVERY

Pitching in nearly all its forms can
be seen by watching the twirlers OF
the Chicago club STAFF perform. Ways
of throwing the sphere to the batter
are many. and there also are many
methods Of gripping the pellet before
striving to put over a strike or 70
tease a batter. Most twirlers have
some one curve they specialize in.
while the others are strong with more
than one. In delivering the bulb
there are the overland, underhand
and side arm action. Besides this,
some peg with a half side arm mo-
ton
All these forms are possessed by
Manager Chances fingers. In addl-
tion there are styles Of gripping the
globule known as the "knuckle ball"
the "spitball" and the SLOW ball"
Ways for heaving the last are numer-
Gus. II is said there Is only one way
Of using the first two. although
twirlers claim TO have a system Of
their own, but when IL came down 70
demonstrating It was found the differ
ence from the general rule was not
noticeable.
The "knuckle ball" is thrown by
placing the ends Of the first and sec
ond fingers to the first joint on the
seams Of the sphere or on the smooth
part OF the leather, according to what
kind Of bender Is desired. In throw
ing a splitter" saliva is applied to
the ball. upon which is placed about
an inch of the first two fingers. Most
"spitball" throwers throw with an
overland delivery and the same case
applies to the "knuckle ball, although
there are some who throw both curves
with the side arm and under hand
motion.
Both the '1nuckle" and "spitball'
are dificult to control and also hard
to catch. Lou Richie is the only
member Of the Chicago club stan who
utilizes the first named curve, and II
is his speciality, while Harry McIn-
tire has made himself a great finger
with the "spitball." McIntire losi
his best attack when he tried TO ac-
quire a curve last summer. That was
1.-THE reason he was not SO effective as
he Is this season. He has devoted al
his time to the saliva curve, and wher
It breaks and he has control Of II very
few batters are going to increase
their batting average of him.
Riches lnuckle ball is every bit al
deceptive as the spitball, and Il Il
harder to catch Manager Chance, VIII
broke into major league company a
a catcher, recently declared that It
difhcult for him TO catch Richie
knuckle ball. owing TO the shar
II l. al "a &
II when Il strikes the glove. Tn
knuckle ball probably is the deades
curve thrown TO the plate, becaus
It does not revolve more than ono
or twice after leaving the finger
hands Unless It is met squarel
Il is a hard bender to place safely
Richie Fools Batters.
Richie has perfect control Of Il ant
fools the best of batters with It. |
also is a hard ball to throw and man.
, pitchers cannot peg It on account o
the strain on the arm. The grip 4
not so firm as on an ordinary curve
and for that reason requires NOR
action from the arm and shoulder
And it will be noticed that Richie ha
about as free a swing Of the arm anl
shoulder as any twirler IN the leagu
when in the act Of delivering III
ball
Few of the other Cub twirlers hav
tried TO acquire the knuckle ball. Few
also have tinkered with the "spitball
because of the idea entertained tha
It Is injurious to the arm. McIntir
has been throwing it for years and hi
arm is in good condition.
Mordecai Brown probably is tn
!, greatest overland curve pitcher IN IN
game. He also has a side arm bende
| that is as effective as his overhan
twister. In working on the mound h
varies these two styles which is on
= reason for his effectiveness. Ere
Toney is the only underhand flinge
! on the team, although Manage
, Chance is striving 10 make an over
, hand thrower Of him. Chance doe
not believe in the underhand deliver
5 much, but Toney himself declare
( If he we're permitted TO use 1t all tn
time he would be more effective tina
= he is. Batters also declare It is
wicked ball to hit at, owing to IN
shoot and speed with which II tear
into the hitter. Toney Is complet
4 master Of the style, as he throws j
and out curves and also a drop he
e also acquiring an overland drop tha
promises to be a wonder.
king" Cole heaves with an over
hand motion and occasionally uses
side arm ball. But most Of his pitch
= ing is done from over the head. 2
S Reulbach and Cin Curtis are side
arm throwers and hard on the catch
er, as a side-arm ball probably is on
q Of the heaviest balls, aside from
y knuckler, for a backstop to receive.
. Often during the season Jimmy Al
, cher will sustain three OF four bruise
J. on his mitt hand from catching Reu
: bach, Curtis and Toney, because a
. the balls they throw come to the plat
with tremendous speed and are heav
: II is entirely different with Brow
!, Archer says the three-fngered indiv
Z dual pegs the lightest ball or cur'