Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-12-04
MATHEWSON TO
USE SP|TBALl
Big Six" Will Try Sa|ivary De-
livery Next Year.
BATTERS HAVE SOLVED HIN


T Is Less Effective. and McGraw Has
Consented 20 Let Him Adopt Puz
cling BaIi-i1is Control Is a tiardi
cap. and He Is Losing His Speed.
CHRISTOPHER Matlewson will prohahl,
he found using the Spitball next season
III an effort to retain his usefulness H.
II pitcher He Is under contract for two
years longer with the New York
Giants. and he does not want those
two years to he what his last tw1
months the past season were.
Matty knows full well that he is no
longer a young man in full vigor ol
athletic ability and recognizes the fact
that he is not as effective as he was il
his prime.
1t has been said that the great pitcher
can pitch for several years after his
arm goes back Oh him on what he
knows. There is some truth in that.
but still he feels that If he adopts a
new delivery his years of active serv
ice will lie heightened.
Matty has been pitching SO long that
his deliveries that were once SO puz-
cling have become less effective than
In the Inlst. for the reason that the op-
pOnentS have become so familiar with
his style that they stand up before him
with all the confidence in the world
and just lay back and wait for the
balls they expect
There was time when If a batter
made more than a single of big Six"
1t was rarity. But now as many long
drives are made or him and as fire.
quently as of other pitchers with much
less reputation.
Matty has always had better con.
! troll than any other pitcher who ever
occupied the box. Now, as the time
has arrived that he has not the speed
he used to have. he finds that bis &C.
curacy Of aim is Il handicap to bis
effectiveness. Ratsmen face him with
the utmost confidence. knowing there
is no danger Of their being hit. 1t IL
not often that control works against
"a pitcher. but 1t surely does now in
| Matty's case. If he was bit more
by adopting the splitter he thinks
| he will not he as true in locating the
plate.
Manager McGraw has never allow
I'd his pitching crack to use the spit
ball In fact. none Of the Giants
pitchers. with the exception of Bugs
| Raymond and Big Jeff" Tesrean
have been allowed to throw 1t. But
| M"t;raw. wishing to have Matty Oh
! his team as long as possible. has told
| Mntty to 20 us far as he likes from
now on and to pitch amy kind Of ball
! liz wants to.
Marty has been influenced largely in
| his determination to adopt the damp
sling by the success of Leon AmeS the
past season IN takin. up the delivery
An,pS was never much Oh rOntrO
, wien he was Il Giant. and the fac,
that ne seemed to Improve in accuracy
of aim when using the splitter influ
enreh big Six" in his decision
II will he remembered that Jack
! Chcsbro. after he left Pittsburgh and
| joined the Yankees. adopted the spit
| ter and became wonderfully effective
with 1t Jnrk's arm mad gone stale
and he saw that the only way hp
could continue in the game was to pick
nI something. new and he selected the
splitter as n means Of salvation He
succeeded beyond his fondest hopes
| The fact that he pulled the Yankees
| ~
very last day Of the season. although
the championship WAS lost by his Wild
pitch proves that Chesbro's showing
was phenomenal
Matty should be able to get even bet
ter control than any pitcher who has
tried the splitter One spring IN Marlin
Matty experimental with the saliva
pellet. and he fairly made the ball talk
1t would take three or four little jumps
or CULVER in the air from the box to the
plate. and sporting writer named the
new delivery the "Quiver." 1t took the
funniest gyrations Imaginable.
Although there have been many
claimants to the discovery OF the spit
ball. some critics are inclined to be-
lieve that Frank Rowerman Ia entitled
to the credit Of being the Christopher
Columbus Of the delivery Frnnk was
a catcher. hut ne had inrlinntiOns to
become a pitcher. and whenever he
/ could indu"p any one tO cntch him
which was seldom. hp would always
TOSS up the bail after wettinc 1t. and II
would shoot and Jump In the most pun
zlinu munut.r This WAS fully fifteen
years ago.