The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-02-17
Corbett's Daily Letter
 On Great Sport Topics
HENRY AVIDSON
By JAMES J. CoRBETT

One of the baseball quizzes that never has been answered in conclusive fashion, is:
 "Who pitched the first curved pail?"
 Veteran diamond performers of 50 and 50 years ago cannot agree in their answer. Some insist that Bobby Ma thews of the Baltimores of 1S66-67 was the man who first threw a real curve; others claim that Alphonse Martin turned the trick for the first time, And still others nominate Arthur Cummings of the Brooklyn Stars of 1S63-64, and Joe Sprague of the 1862 Eckfords Of Williamsburg (now a suburb of Brook lyn, N. Y.
 The claim of Mathews adherents is not given much consideration. Ma thews began throwing his ball at a far later date than any of the other three mentioned. But it is quite pos sible that Mathews was the originator of the "spit balP' which was not used by any other twir1er until nearly three decades after he passed from major league view.
 Mathews threw a wider and more vicious breaking curve than any other moundsman of his time. And always as a preliminary to throwing such ball, he would spit on it and then without rubbing it on his glove, would pitch to the plate. The resultant twist CT baffled batsmen such as did no other delivery in the days before the National league began.
 Aruthur Cummings, generally credit ed with being the first curve ball pitcher, was asked some years ago;
 "Did you originate the curve baii
 "No, I don't think I did," was Cum mings answer AS far as l have been able to figure out Alphonse Mar tin threw the curve ball before I did. But mine curved far more than Mar tins and considerable publicity was given to it. That gave the public the impression that I really originated the curve but l give that credit to Martin who, understood, was throwing some- thing akin to curve some years be- fore my time.
 q hit upon the curve ball quite ac- cidently Just as l was about to de- liver the ball in the usual way one day, I lost my balance. That threw my arm out of line and when the ball left my hand there was twist Of my wrist. Imagine my surprise when the ball went sailing up to the plate on a direct line only to take sharp outcurve as the batsman swung for it. Naturally, noticing the effect on the ball with such wrist motion. l practiced the next morning with my catcher and very shortly had per 1 fected an outcurve.
 "Toward the latter part of my ca reer showed Tommy Bond how he'd | the ball when l was throwing a curve and Tommy not only proved an apt pupil but very shortly perfected the | incurye, which 1 had not thrown. He l could throw the ball with an in or an outcurve and was. l think, the first | two curve pitcher"
 | Alfred H. Spink, reviewing the na- I tional game, said
 "Alphonse Martin was apparently the | first man to pitch curve ball. lie | introduced it in 1863. Of all the slow | ball pitchers that ever lived I think that Martin was the greatest one cf them all. His slow ball would come | up to the plate at q snail-like pace. It neaarly drove anxious batsmen crazy waiting for it to get to them. And | then, just as the ball reached the plate. it took a sudden swerve away and the batter would miss. Martin pitched the ball with a twist of tine 1 fingers and the wrist, manipulating it much as does the billiard player when he wants to put English on q billiard l hall
 Not only was Martins pitching a
 ntalizing affairlfor the batter. but il
 413so1l xt hat sgfe1{1 {1Uucy to- UpGe