The evening world., 1911-07-22

mar that they class With hin Is Chrsty Mathewson of the Giants Som II the
old liners sN that Tim Keefe 20 Just q IS good. tut the majority incline toward
Clarkson and Mathewson. -
The most important development In pitching ron lo until 3 as ne s"
ball This remarkable curve, or break-iti isn't rearya curve-was scovere by
Elmer strckett a ne time a member of TIT Brooklyn hub A in other great
Inventions Or discoveries the inventor did lot reap the benefit himself jack
Chesbro saw sicklet working with the peculiar curve during a exhibition
game at New Orleans an began to develop It. He became the most effective
pitcher in the business the following year. Other pitchers picked up TIT T"
ball. and row It 10 universally usd.
The spit ball differs from IN curve in that Il gets its direction from the
thumb instead OF the fingers. By thu wy thisis a good place to explain that
drop an all those variations are know simply q a curve" One is simply
al extension Of the other In other words . drop" Is nothing more nor less
than IN ~ curve" with . little mors bend to it, The 'lnshoo" is not q
curve at ALL 1t is a ball thrown with such speed that It naturally breaks or
Jumps inward. The inshoot 10 . natural motion of the bail according to he rules
of sravtaton. while the "out" or eurvs ball. Is n that Is made to curve
unnaturany.
thrown by spinning thu ball of the ends Of the first m second fingers The
rotary motion makes II curve outward. The spit ball. on the contrary Is not
directed by the tips Of thu fingers at H. The spot o TIT bah hat 10 usually
covered b the Fps of the fingers Is SO moiNened with saliva that the myers
slip of without causing n friction The less friction the greater thu break
Therefore when thu ball leaves the hand It Is drectedb b. the thumb. This gives
It a peculiar wabblns motion and It Is hahs to "break" either to the right or
to the left
The spit ball Il. very effective in that 1t breaks more sharply than . curve
and cannot be followed by IN w Of the batter.
I-HE NTH great discovery in pitching was made by Mathewson when he
introduced the fadeaway. This hs not lassed in the important stages
= of pitching given above as It as never been in general Use.
Mathewson does not claim the invention oft he fade-away though he Is M
only twirler p successfully develop It. He say that Virgil Garvin II Brooklyn
was III frstm Ia % ue IT, BAng of IN nauistive and Inventive turn Of mind
Mathewson say Garvin working with this peculiar cuve nd Immediately took
liz up
The difference between hi fade-away an the ordinary curve Is that It curves
oown m n as it reaches the plate. 1t is very difficult to explain the method
almost opposite to the curve ball. In throwing a n ordinary curve the palm Of
the hand is toward the face Of the pitcher AM he send he ball spinning of
the ends Of his fingers. In throwing tn fadeaway Mathewson turns the back
of his hand to his face with the palm toward the batter. The ban leaves the
hand at a pont between the second n thrd finger n is made to rotate
inward instead o. outward. 1t IL very dinhcut to controls an for that reason
s not generally used.
Within the next twenty years may rave another curve, but justin II
looks impossible. 1t is likely. However. that the old timers thought the same
thing forty years ago B.. D.