The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-09-21
EMERY BALL FIRST
EMPLOYED BY FORD
Freak Discovered When Heating
Tried It Secret Of Great
Record in 1910.
NAY BE LEGISLATED OUT
Campaign Against Spitball Is
Likely to BE Brought TO
Fore Again.

Ray Heating or the New York Nmeri-
cans attracted widespread attention
throughout the country a week ago IN
| his victory over the Athletics This
notoriety was 4 backfire ne reported eS-
/ clusyely In THE SUN. Eddie Collins the
I shrcwd second baseman OF the worlds
I champions. became very suspicious as "A
result 81 the puz2ling behavior OF kcat-
/ iugt offerings. An examination OF the
. bah proved that Il had been ronEhened
! on one side. Collins called upon Umpire
/ Connolly to examine Keat!ug's glove, In
which was found set IN tho palm a square
| Inch or so of emery paper. With this the
pitcher had roughcned a good finger hold
on the sphere. enabling him to spin II
more readily and effect the sharp breaks
/ that led to the discovery OF the artiice
When Keatiug's trick was discovered
/ the news leaked out that most OF the
! New York pitchers had mastered the new
/ style OF delivery. Indeed most Of the
] tTirlcrs who were supposed to be expert
| In the MANIPULATION OF the spitball were
| using emery paper instead OF saliva.
/ They were schooled In the art by Catcher
] Ia Sweeney, who for several years was
the battery mate of Russell Ford. 1t
/ WIS Ford who first discovered the cum
ming use 10 which emery paper might I've
put His experiments along these lines
resulted in his wonderful record Of
/ tw"uty-slX Victories and only six defeats
| In the American League campaign OF
1910.
That season under George Stalungs
/ Ford a. frs' Year man established on"
Of the most "uNlahle records OF all time.
H. came from the southern League
highly recommended as a spjtnll pitcher.
In fast company within q few weeks he
. gained wide publicity a. the originator #
freak delivery 1t was claimed that he
could break his spitoo,l nj will TO either
a. j. Ca L.. la. 4
bic against a lett handler rs against IA
right handed bltsmln
tn" truth OF the matter IL that Ford
/ throw very, very few spitballs to Amcri-
can League h1t'crs His freak or double
hArrellcl splitter was nothing more than
the emery papercd style In which Kclting
was discovered. occasionally Ford would
offer the moist brand. but only Otter
enough to keep concealed his real ace.
sweeney was In on the secret" said
Ii Frank tndnce recently. But he kept
N" secret well. lie was the only man in
the business outside OF Ford VINO had the
faintest idea OF RUSS secret up 70 a few
weeks ago. lie tells me- that the discovery
was made quite by accident. Kah'cr. The
cleveland pitcher. dreamed one night that
Ford told him tho secret. lie Immediately
experiments with emery paper and found
that he could get marvellous results. lie
told Sweeney OF tho discovery and
sweeney Immediately realized that Ford's
secret had become an open book. II w's
th"n mat ne impaired instructions 10 his
battery mates
Ford was far more cunning than kel'-
, ing 'Adncr continued Kay had the
emery paper seW"d IN ne palm or his
glove. ~ soon NJ connolly called Tor the
I INIT t0r 'at was out OF tho nag.
f"ld, J am told, never lcit hi'nselr
open Ia this way lie wore glove from
? "li'' the palm mad been cut Then 10y
ptlminS the emery paper %" was able :"
r"ugheu IN" surface or tho ball 10 the
required degree without running the RISK
~ detection rms q" accomplished wh.ie
j | hluiinE IN" motions OF preparing spit
' bali kedt!nE was too careless IN his mo-
{ lions TO get away with such smart
/ oun'h OF players as III" Athl'tics'
p chance declares mat never In his long
[ experience mas %" seen Such puI/lInI
assortment OF shoots and twists as result;
! from IN" delivery of ball properly doc
( torcd with emery application.
Mack men were completely justified
with what Beating hurled nj them,' said
tho Peerless Leader. Ray mad those
sluggcrs hopping around to save lhci'
' lives or course mono of the pitchers II
: our league have mastered the delivery as
$ well as Ford had IN 1910, for they haven
g had time enough to work ON H. II
= Sweeney, who was familiar with every
phase OF the t"bS"r' NtW YORK hhd =