New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-10-02
Enunciators May Bother
Giants While Playing at
White Sox Park
By Louis Lee Arms

While watching the Yankees pro-
tect their franchise in the American
League the other day it occurred TO
us there are still few things left
unsaid in the matter of this world
series. The Yanks naturally suggest
ed shine ball, and that brought to
mind Mr.. Edward Cicotte. who will or
will not play an important part in
this series, and his widely celebrated
method of delivery.
People have different opinions OF
the shine ball. We are inclined to
agree with one of the brainiest pitch
ers in the business. who informs US
that the shine ball is no more than
an extra -knuckle ball which sails and
shoots on the same general physical
principle as the splitter" The Yam
KEGS to a man do not believe this.
They say the shine ball comes up to
the plate like little gentleman, only
to turn suddenly two or three back
hips, disappear mysteriously and con-
Glade by plucking a white rabbit out
of the batter's hip pocket. The Yanks
have not beaten Cicotte since the
Prince of Pilsen wore short pants.
While sympathizing, we do not
agree with the Yanks. Grip base
hall by the first two fingers and thumb,
as all pitchers do, and it is obvious,
the fingers being longer than the
thumb. that when the ball is thrown
it first departs from the thumb. and
then rolls from the fingers. 1t is this
roll off the fingers that gives the spin
to the normal pitched ball. Walter
Johnson and Grover Cleveland Alexan-
der are the two foremost opponents
of this whirl ball pitching. and their
style of delivery cannot be likened to
Cicotte's method.
Origin of spit" Ball
Some patriarch of the pitching box
figured out long time ago II he
could eliminate that roll off the finger
tips and it's consequent spin he would
have something new. That was in the
Star plug era OF the national pastlme,
when to chew in public or private was
a mark of hardihood and not at all a
social fox pass. 1t was scarcely a
coincidence that sooner or later the
ball would be visited with Star plug
shower Out of such humble circum-
stance the spit" ball grew.
The spit-ball ran true to the simple
law of physics. The two fingers, or
The ball where the two fingers
clutched, were moistened, keeping the
thumb dry and sanitary. and, in con-
sequence, when the ball left the thumb
il slipped and did not spin from the
fingers. This gave il the dead-ball &C.
ton which is accomplished BY expert
billiardists-it is astonishing how
much billiards and pitching have in
common. Relieved OF its customary
spin, the ball approached the plate
barely revolving or dead, and tho
atmosp heric friction did the rest. II
caused the spheroid to dive and shoot
al extraordinary angles, and, so far az
the batter was concerned, tore new
gaps in the English language.
The knuckle ball is the aristocratic
brother 10 the splitter" His laundry
is always clean and dry, and sartori-
ally he might have been turned out
by Brooks Brothers, but in his aero
batic instinct he is no less than
brother 10 his slattern companion. j,
one crooks the first two fingers OF his
hand and sticks his thumb straight
out as approved by the bylaws OF the
Waters Union, Broadway District