El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1914-03-21
Fans No Longer Complain of
Lack of Batting In Games
Passing of Spit Ball Has Increased the Fitting Ability Of
Batsmen; Excessive Use of Spit Ball Delivery Is
Blamed For Lack Of Hitting Heretofore;
It's Virtues Were Problematical
BY BILLY EVANS.

a few years back there appeared to
~ be constant demand for more
4 n hitting in baseball. Fans and
critics bemOaned 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. have always had my
1 doubts about it I often wonder which
! makes the most lasting IMPRESSION
IL 70 II game in which free smuggling
predomInated or an extra inning pitch
eTs battle which wound I'D with a score
OF to after Il innings of brilliant
play. The latter exhibition has always
impressed me more forcibly.
WITHIN the last year or two the cry
1or more batting appears to have died
out Everyone seems pretty well sat
lsfled with the present brand of ball
InaI IS being played No longer is the
superiority OF the pitcher over the bat
Ter harped upon. A few weeks ago 1
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 he at
trIbuted the change in attitude. His
answer to my question appeared quite
logical to me.
BIames the Spit Ball.
The gradual passing OF the spit ball
pitcher has been a big factor in help
Ing the batting end Of the game" re-
i
a number of years in the big league be-
fore the spit ball was added to the
stock IN trade Of the pitcher. In those
days / had no particular dread Of any
thing that might be thrown by the op-
posing tWirler I always could hit
speed and curves. I must confess. how
ever, that the spit ball got my goat
feel safe in saying that the great
use of the spit ball by nearly every
twirler during the four or five years
d hnnH I'll.
popular, decreased my batting average
at least 20 points each year.
1t 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 different
pitchers. With the spit ball pitcher
it was entirely different. He might
throw two spitters in exactly the same
way. One might break six inches,
while for some reason the other would
come up without the slightest break.
Most pitchers have told me, that as a
rule they had no definite idea as to
how big break the ball would take.
1t can be easily seen that the batter
therefore, was at decided disadvan-
tage.
BatteFs Always Up Against 1t.
"A good many of the players 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 con-
meet with the ball before it took the
elusive dip. I tried such a method
and never met with much success. I
finally got to the stage where simply
assumed my regular batting position
and merely tried to make by bat hit
the ball, regardless Of what kind of
pitching was served. I used no new
tangled ideas in trying to solve the
moist delivery Honestly the best So
luton I exer heard for hitting the spit
ball, was the TESTING remark of
player who said the only safe way to
connect was to hit the ball on the dry
side. Unfortunately, after three OF
four innings there was no dry side to
the ball"
To me the opinion of the veteran big
Lacquer just about hit the nail on the
head, especially his concluding remark
that after three or four innings there