Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-10-16
BALL IS
LATEST WORRY
OF THE UMPIRES
Peculiar Curves Made Possible
BY Roughening Surface OF
Leather Before Delivery

/ ana WHY mas ~ ueSu DdITSu py OlutLdlS
of the game?
These are questions fans are asking
and ones not easily answered without
some study and research.
| Several baseball men were asked for
their idea of the emery ball and not
one was able to tell how ii Is pre-
pared, held of thrown.
This new delivery, II permitted,
probably would reyolutionize the game.
That is the opinion OF many pitchers
and veteran men OF the diamond.
Kid Gleason, who in his day was a
pitcher and a student OF the game.
says If this new delivery were per-
mitted no club in baseball would
make more than five hits q game OF
any hurler who used IL 1t would an
initiate the 300 batting species, Glea-
son thinks.
Sand Paper Is Used.
The impression seems to. prevail
among many that the ball is rubbed in
order to give the hand tighter grip.
but this is erroneous The fingers do
not touch that part OF the ball with
which the player has tempered The
ball is not smoothed as others mag
Inc, but is, r0ughened by the applica-
tion of sand paper or emery paper to
the leather between the seams. This
is accomplished by fastening piece
Of sand paper in the glove. In pre-
pairing the ball for delivery IL can be
Eroughened without detection
After the ball has been roughened
by the application Of the sand paper
the sphere is grasped with the fore.
fingers over the seam in such a man
ner that it breaks away from a left
handed or right-handed batter by re-
Fersing the ball
The application Of sand paper has
peculiar effect on the ball in its fight
to its destination. 1t has the effect
of making the sphere take peculiar
curve due to its friction In passing
through the air.
Used for More Than 1 Year.
Z IL is said this shail has been used SCI
cretly for more than a year and that it
helped Cy Falkenberg set up his great
pitching record in the American
league last season It is also rumored
that Bill James, one Of the big three
secretly been using the new curve all
the season. Probably other alleged
sensations will develop to show this
curve has been the cause of certain
comeback performances OF pitchers
about to disappear from the big league
circles. Suffice it to say, the emery
ball" in all its various phases is with
US and has opened a controversy that
may lead to no end of discussion and
bitter differences. Pitchers will prob
ably contend this delivery is as per-
missible as the spit ball.
Baseball officials seem to be unani-
NOUS in their opinion that the emery
ball clearly infringes the rules, but
they may have trouble preventing its
use. Other means may be found to
accomplish the purpose for which the
emery paper was nsed.
While some contend that Falkenberg
Ii the discoverer Of the emery ball, |
this is denied by Pitcher Joe Wood Of |
the Boston Red Sox. who says this
homer belongs to George Kal1Ier. for
merly with the Cleveland Maps.
: As the story goes, Kahler had been
to his best form and one night dream
ed that he had discovered new curve.
that he used sand paper in his glove |
and that by rubbing the ball against |
the paper violently he roughened the |
surface and made the sphere take a /
peculiar fight through the air, bathing /
10 explain.
The next morning Kahler hurried to /
seek the services Of a rookie catcher I
after purchasing some sand paper. He /
was astonished at the peculiar action
,f the ball after being roughened.
The young catcher was unable to re-
seiye the sphere with any degree Of
accuracy. Kakler was astounded at 1
Ifs discovery and related his expert
sHce to Yean Gregg. Both pitchers
with the new curve, Il
With the same results. It was baf-
ling. but difficult to control.
Gregg went to Boston and ii was in
he Hub that he impaired his secret to Il
Ioe Wood. The Boston speed mer-
liant used the delivery and was be-
at the result He used II In II
Number Of games. Wood passed il
"a to other players and finally Ray II
1eating and Carroll Brown Of the New
fork Highlanders gained knowledge
4 the new discovery Of Kalller. Keat-
ne, being q spitball pitcher, was more
Ised to controlling an unfuIy delivery
nd had surprising success with the /.
lew curve i.
The deception, :, as Ii was termed BY
ian johnson WIS hrouohf To fffa at-I