The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-01-27
KALER INVENTED
. emery" BALL
Rough Spot on PHI Makes II
Gut Curious CapGrS.
SCHEME BARRED BY RULES.
Smoky Joe Wood, When Caught Using
Sandpaper, Transferred Task of
Roushenine Ball to JanVrin-SeVerai
Pitchers Adopted System Until Ban
johnson Stopped II.

hod9nSHlH9 bdiI TO JaHNfin-SSNSia'
Pitchers Adopted sy stem Until Ban
johnson Stopped II.
Manager Bill CarIigan OF the Boston /
Red Sax has been talking about the |
emery" bail and has told some base !
ban secrets concerning the pitchers :
who used the deceptive delivery. Some |
pitcher discovered that by making a !
small spot on new ball rough with |
sandpapcr and then throwing the ball
with great speed it would jump and
twist in an inexplicable manner, much
like the spit ball. The reason for it is
that the rough spot offers resistance to
the air.
The use OF the emery ball had been
going on for perhaps two years until
it became quite common last summer
and Umpire Tommy Connolly caught
Ray Heating OF the New York Yankees
using it, There was no rule against it,
but Connolly sent the ball and the bit
OF emery paper he had taken from
Keating's glove 70 President Johnson
of the American league. and rule
was promulgated barring the use Of
sandpaper. with a penalty of 500 for
breaking the rule.
Manager Carrigan says that, as far
a. he can learn. IIalcr of the Cleveland
club and Buck O'Bricn were about the
first to discover the fact that by rub
bing the ball against 4 piece of emery
paper a pitcher could make ball jump
and cUt curves as no other style of de-
livery could. Manager Carrigan added:
Joe Wood and Gregg We're master
hands at the business. Wood especial
ly was uuhittable when he used this
style OF ball last year. One day last
season we were playing the Athletics,
and Wood was standing the AIackmen
on their heads until Pennock. who was
working for the visiting team, became
very wild, and Eddie Collins tossed the
ball to Connie Mack, who called the
attention of the umpire to the rough
ness Of the ball on one spot.
''The umpire asked TO see Woods
glove. but before handing over the
glove Joe slipped the piece of emery
paper from Il slit in the palm of the
gloves After that the bail was thrown
players got and Janvrin roughed the
spot ON The ball before tossing it tC
Wood. / doubt il Wood could have
finished the game but for Janyrin'>
help with the emery paper.
Buck O'Brien had the emery paper
sewed to the side of his waistband an6
was working the emery bail when PEG
pie were giving him credit for pitch
ing the moist ball"
Ray Collins had little trick dow1
TO 4 science and was hothering tn,
Tigers on their own grounds wher
Noriarty discovered that s0methin:
was wrong aud informed Umpire Ton
Connolly, who waited until Collin
came to bat with his bali shirt hangini
loosely over his belt Then, takin
Collins unaware. Mr. Connolly raise,
the shirt and snatched the emery pape
from Collins belt.
This paper was sent to Presiden
Johnson. Nothing was done, but tn
players knew they We're being watched
1t was Tommy Connolly who caugl
Ray Heating of the Highlandcrs an
reported it TO President johnson, VIII
sent out an order that any pitcht
caught working the new wrinkle woul
be fined 500 and suspended.
By this time the players were col
tinually looking for the emery pap'
artists, and it took very slick ma
10 get away with tho trick.
II is said that Dick Rudolph was g
pert Mt this kind of delivery and cou
throw the moist ball as we'll as Il
other curves. having remarkable co
troll of all
Manager Carrigan would not ha'
given away this secret of the ball fie
but for the fact that the roughing of
ball cover has been prohibited, and t
players have given up the idea of IL
ing to work il again.