Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-22
BY BILLY EVANS.

\ few years back there appeared to be
a constant demand for more hitting in
base ball Fans and critics beInoaned the
superiority of the pitcher over the batter
They insisted that hitting was one feature
of the game that appealed to the crowd
more than any other. l have always had
my doubts about it. I often wonder
which makes the most lasting impression
"a Il to II game, in which free smuggling
predominated, or an extra inning pitchers
battle. which wound up with score of
= 70 l. after twelve innings of brilliant
play The latter exhibition has always
impressed me more forcibly.
Within the last year or two the or!
for more batting appears to have died
out Every one seems pretty well salts
fled with the present brand of ball that
is being played. No longer is the su-
periority of the pitcher over the batter
farped upon. The present existing con-
Gitions seem to satisfy. rev weeks
ago ] was discussing this feature WITH
one of the big stars of the game,
one of the greatest batters that ever
faced a pitcher. I asked him TO what ne
attributed the change in attitude. His
answer to my question appeared quite
logical TO me.
Blames the Spit Bail.
The gradual passing of the spit bail
pitcher has been big factor, in helping
the batting end of the game, remarked
the star player. II played for a number
of years i'll the big league before the spit
ball was added to the stock in trade of
tire pitcher. In those days had no par
ticular dread of anything that might be
thrown by the opposing twlrler always
curves,
never very fond of a slow ball L man
aged TO do pretty well against such
kind of pitching. l must confess, now
ever that the spit ball got my goat
feel safe in saying that the great use
of the spit ball by nearly every tWlrler
during the four or five years when that
style of delivery was so popular oecreas-
ed my batting average at least twenty
points each year.
cit was possible for a batter to time
speed, also to set himself for the slow
ball. as well as get familiar with the
various curves used by the dlnerent
pitchers It was possible for HIM 10 shit
around i'll the batter's box, TO hetter
position himself for the different styles
of deliveries resorted to by the twirlers
who depended on straight stuff with the
spit ball pitcher it was entirely different
He might throw two SpitteTs in exactly
the same way. one might break six
inches, while for some reason the other
would come up without the shshtest
break. Most pitchers have told me tha1
as a rule they had no definite idea as TO
how big a break the ball would take II
can be easily seen that the batter. there-
fore, was att decided disadvantage
Batters Always Up Against It.
"A good many of the play got an
idea that the best way to hit the spit ball
was to stand up in the batter's box just
as far as possible without getting out OF
the lines, hoping to connect with the ball
before il took the elusive dip. l tried
s,cf a method and never met with much
success ! finally got to the stage where
/ simply assumed nv regular batting
position. and merely tried to make my
hat hit the ball. regardless of what kind
of pitching was served. l used no new
tangled ideas in trying to solve the moist
delivery. Honestly. the best solution l
ever heard for hitting the spit ball was
The testing remark of a player. who said
the only safe way to connect was TO MT
the ball on the dry side. Unfortunately.
after three or four innings there was no
dry side to the ball.
To me the opinion of the veteran dig
Lacquer just about hit the nail on the
head. especially his concluding remark
that after three or four innings there was
no dry side on the ball. 1 have always
believed that the poor condition OF the
ball had lust as much to do with the eff
fectiveness of the spit ball as the delfv-