Evening star., 1914-11-08

IL pitcher for New
II York was Ray
II r. keating, master OF
III @S the spit ball: the
II batter was Eddie
II 1MaI Collins, m 6 h y
II hitter of Mack's
| 81 great team. 1t was
| the second appearance of Collins al
the plate. He had struck out his first
time up. Keen Of eye. Collins is not
often a strike-out victim, but he had
been completely fooled by Keating. He
each ball by such wide margin that
somewhere, and he didn't figure the
| trouble was entirely with Collins.
On his second appearance at the plate
| Collins stood motionless. He never
| took his bat from his shoulder. He
| studied Keating's actions carefully
| and when Umpire Connolly declared
him out on strikes for the second time
Collins insisted that the arbitrator
make an examination of the ball. The
umpire did SO and discovered a large
rough spot on the leather sphere which
Collins insisted made it possible for
heatlng to get the unusual break on
the ball. He also requested that Con-
molly examine the glove used by Keat-
ing. as he insisted he was creating the
rough spot by means of a substance
concealed in the glove. Connolly did
SO and, much to his surprise, discovered
therein.
That was the public birth of the emery
ball. although the delivery was several
years old at the time Umpire Connolly
made known the facts of his discovery
TO President Johnson. His verdict in the
case spelled the finish of the emery ball
as far as the American League was con-
cerned. A bulletin was issued to umpires
| and managers. which contained the in
formation that use Of the emery ball
would result in fine of s10O and a thirty
day suspension to the pitcher resorting to
the unfair practice.
Watching for Phoney Balls.
While President Johnson's MESA ge
was the death sentence to the emery
ball as far as the American League
is concerned. the possibilities created
by the use of the emery paper still
live, and in the future the umpires
will often be kept busy throwing out
balls. By means of the roughened
spot created by the emery paper, a
pitcher is able to get all kinds of
pSSalidi DIcdhS ON the Dali. Inc
roughened spot makes it possible for
HIM to get much f1rmer grip, thus
making it possible to greatly increase
the spinning Of the ball through the
air. Air resistance is largely re-
sponsible for the unusual shoots a
ball may take. A revolving ball Of
fers much more resistance to the air
currents than Z ball that acts other
wise. The roughened spot also af-
fords greater resistance in the air.
All these things combined make the
emery ball u more feared delivery than
the spit ball. f..
That pitchers Till be able to throw
a ball quite similar to the emery ball
without the use of any outside COIL
trlVance is II certainty. Walter John
son, the star pitcher of the Wash
! ington club, demonstrated. this fact
to me before a game at Philadelphia
during the past season. 1t is possible
that the close relation to- the emery
ball will be known next year as the
concrete ball. All of the parks i'll the
American League have concrete stands.
Any time ball hits the concrete stand
hard enough it creates a spot almost
identical to that which would be made
by use of emery paper. To demon
strate this fact. Johnson took u brand
new ball. and hurled it with great force
against the concrete wall in front
of the stands in right field at Shibe
Park An examination OF the ball
showed a rough spot about the size Of
a quarter. Using this ball, Johnson.
by shifting the grip ON the roughened
spot. caused the sphere to take all the
peculiar shoots for which the emery
ball has become famed. Eddie Ain
smith did the receiving, and before
pitching the ball, Johnson would sign
Ainsmith just which way he intended
the ball to break. Despite this knowl-
edge Ainsmith was compelled to do a
lot of fancy stepping. and some equally
fancy catching to hold the bail. john
son, of course, with his terrific speed
was able to make the bail take almost
unbelievable shoots. Next year 1T viii
undoubtedly be one of the duties Of
the umpires to closely examine all
balls used. and Immediately throw out
of play those that for some reason
have roughened spot.
Was Great Aid. to Joe Wood.
Just how hard it is to hit the enl-
cry ball, when the pitcher has control.
was demonstrated by Joe Wood last
year. When right Wood uses a sweep
ing curve to advantage. mixing it up
with great speed. Late in the year
some one showed him the emery ball.
Wood perfected the use of 1t. and in a
game with st. Louis struck out fifteen
men. Bill Dinneen, who umpired the
plate in that game, is authority for the
statement that Wood did not use a
curve during the contest. Dinneen, in
| speaking of the game, marveled ut the
| fact and said he never saw Wood haSe
| such an unusual break on his fast ball,
| despite the fact that his speed was
! only ordinary. Woods great work was
| made possible by the use of emery
paper.
! A pitcher not familiar with the prop
| er way to throw the emery ball Is at a
| big disadvantage when using a ball
that has been rOuKhened. This was
| shown in Il game at New York this
i fall. Wood was pitching for Boston. He
| was put out of the game by Umpire
Chill for disputing play. Hugh Be
/ filled at the time. The first three balls
| pitched by Bedient We're wild pitches,
| !, runner scoring on each heave. Be
| dent was holding the ball in such a
| way that it was shooting up. The ball
| was thrown out, new one given Be