New Britain herald., 1919-11-01
OFFICIALS A UNIT OPPOSING SETTER
|Heydler, Robinson, McGraW,
 |EbbetS and Foster Against Freaks

i New York, Nov. That quick and Favorable action is likely to be taken on the recommendation to abolish the spitball and all freak deliveries was Pndicated by inquiries along this sec tor of the baseball front yesterday. John Heydler, president of the Ma lonal league; John McGraw and John oSter of the Giants, President Charles |fi. EbbetS and Uncle Wilbert Robin- son or the Dodgers all are heartily ln 1aVor or abolishing the freak deliver es
 Il Col Huston and Harry Sparrow of he Yankees were noncommittal, say Fng the influence of the Yankees would be cast either for or against as Mama ger Miller Higgins might dictate. &Wh1le Miller has not been rabid &agalnst freak deliveries he never has shQWn any great faVoritism for them. Huggins is likely to fall in line with the rest of the procession and come 3out for straight pitching
 "The National league long ago de- clared itself against the splitter and other freak deliveries,' said President Heydler. 1T am glad of MT, Johnson'5 recommendation to the National com mission. for it indicates the American league has come around to our way of Thinking and hence it will be an easy thing to fegislate against the splitter.
 "There cant be any halfway action taken. The rule the joint rules com mittee will frame must be a drastic Dne, prohibiting a pitcher from moist ening hand or glove, raising the ball Rbove the shoulder before the act of delivery, or rubbing the ball on his
 
 will abolish freak deliveries for once and for all."
 Must Consider Veterans.
 While declaring his opposition to the splitter and all freak deliveries, President Ebbets of the Dodgers said it only would be fair to some of the pitchers now earning their livelihood n the big leagues to give them a req sonabIe amount of time to change their deliveries.
 'I strongly am in favor of abolish ing the spitbalI, emery ball, talcum ball, shine ball and all other artificial pitching deliveries,' said the squire. "A batsman is not allowed to tamper with his bat, f1atten it or put lead in it. There is no more reason why a pitcher should be allowed to use artificial means for increasing his pitching eff fectiveness.
 But in justice to some of the pitch ers who have been and are earning their livelihood with the spitban I think whatever legislation is passed against the splitter should contain a clause permitting the veterans who have been depending principally on Eheir splitter a reasonable amount of time to develop a new delivery. It isn't right to suddenly reduce their effectiveness, and consequently their earning ability without giving them a would be a good idea to permit the veteran spitball users to continue their delivery for season, but at once bar newcomers from using the ball. Then 1921 can be the deadline for every one.'
 "A good pitcher need not use a spit ter or any other freak delivery de- cIares John McGraW. John Foster secretary of the Giants, backs him UT with, 'I m against all freak deliveries particularly the so-called splitter Ex- peetorating on the ball is unsanitary to say the least
 In answer to a telegram asking Manager Robinson of the Dodgers his opinion of freak deliveries Uncle Will bert wired: Never had any use fol the splitter or anything except straigh pitching It doesn't make any differ . ence to me, however, whether the. abolish it or not. Anything will sui me. What is fair for one is fair fo alI''