Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-22
PITCHER WHO CAN MIX EN- UP"
IS WINNER IN THE BIG LEAGUES
Art of Pitching Has Advanced and Stars of
the Mound Are Masters of the
Twirling Art.

The art of pitching in the major
leagues has advanced so rapidly that
today the slabman who expects to at
tain the position and distinction
achieved by an Alexander, Mathew
son or a Walter Johnson must be a
master of the art. which means that he
must be able to put everything on
the BALI that any other pitcher does
without making a feature of any one
style of delivery. writes George Young
In the Philadelphia Ledger. In other
words, the successful pitcher of this
age must be able to throw a variety
of curves and shoots. for 1t is the fell
low who can mix them up who wins
the majority Of his games and is found
among the leading pitchers at the end
of the season.
Whether Grover Cleveland Alexander
Is a better pitcher than Christy Ma
thewson. who invented the "fadeaway.
or Big Ed Walsh, the King OF Spit
ters," were in their prime; Walter
johnson, the speed Demon" is today.
or Al Mamaux, the Pittsburgh sensa-
ton, will be in another season, Is all
a matter of opinion. There Is no doubt
but that Alexander. the f'hillies' main
stay, is one of the greatest pitchers in
the history of the game. and, barring
accidents, he promises to be wizard
for several years to come, despite tne
fact that it was declared Alexanders
arm would not last more than another
season because he used too many curve
balls.
AS matter of fact, Alexander, like
the most successful of the pitchers in
major leagues today. does not depend
upon his curve ball all the time, but
"mixes 'em up" and there is no twirl-
er in either the National or American
League who can use greater variety
OF curves. shoots and twists than the
big Nebraskan. II probably is true that
his curve ball is his best and that he
uses it more than any other style OF
delivery when he is I'm hoie" or
there is particularly dangerous bats
man at the plate, but Alexander uses
Just about as many fast ones as he
does curves. with an occasional spit
ter" ''knuckle ball, hoater ana
even the fork ball." which has been
talked about so much this year
Alexander and the Scientist.
the assertion that there was no such
thing as a curve ball. that it was all
an optical Illusion. His arguments
were quickly disputed and Alexander
himself offered to prove to the seien-
fist that he could make a ball curve,
crop, hop and float in the air at his
that the Phillies' star. as well as most
any other pitcher. will convince the
skeptic without much trouble that his
knowledge of pitching base ball is
very limited.
1t is an assured fact that If pitcher
sticks to one style of delivery for any
length of time he either will pitch him
self out of the league or be driven out
by the opposing batsmen. There used
to be time when pitcher could get
away with "a straight ball and a
prayer" a style of delivery which made
Al Orth. now an arbiter in the National
League, famous, but those days have
gone. and so have the days when a
pitcher can depend entirely upon his
splitter" or "roundhouse curve" The
batsmen of today have seen enough
although it still is used by many pitch
ers in the major leagues as well as
those OF the Federal and the minors.
there is not as much use made of 1t as
in the past, and few twirlers use it
solely.
The spitball undoubtedly Is an efYec-
tive delivery in the hands of pitcher
who can control it, but 1t is one of the
most injurious to the arm. and that is
why many of the best pitchers in the
game today have given ii up. Jack
chesbro and Ed Walsh were two of
history Of the game. but 'i the spitba a1
finally dropped them into the discard.
Walsh has given his arm a long rest
and recently staged creditable come
back performance with the White Sox,
but he did not prove himself the won
derful pitcher of former years.
what makes splitter so effective
is the fact that II breaks two ways to
the side and down. and it is the pitcher
who can make it break the way he
wants il to who is the most successful
with the delivery. A splitter" breaks
quickly with snap. and 1t cannot be
followed by the man at the plate. or
the catcher either, for that matter, like
q curve. In delivering splitter" the
ball Is moistened and grasped by the
pitcher with the first two fingers and
thrown straight. 1t is the way the
ball is held and the force placed upon
II with the fingers that make it slip
off the end of the fingers and break
suddenly when it reaches the plate. 1t
is forcing this snap to the delivery
that strains the muscles of tho arm
and wrist SO that pitcher who uses
the splitter too much is not very ef-
fective with curve or fast ball.
There are various kinds OF "spitters'
used by the major league pitchers to-
day. Some of the most successful twirl-
ers. use 1t, but not as much as those
who gained tame with It. Harry How