The Bismarck tribune., 1934-01-10
Spitters Included Chesbro, Ci.
cote, Quinn, Shocker,
Mitchell, Grimes
TAKES FUNNY HOP At PLATE
Red Saw Little Service In 1893
After 1e Seasons With
Chicago Outfit
By JIMMY DONAHUE

pitched spitballs to glory. Then came
Eddie Cicotte, Jack Quinn, Urban
Shocker, Allan Sothoron, Bill Doak,
Clarence Mitchell, Burleigh Grimes,
Dutch Leonard and Red Faber-all
members of that noble band who
earned their living by wetting a ball
and making 1t do funny hops.
Now there's only Red Faber.
Red is the one remaining hero In
the saga Of the splitter. The story
doesn't go back so far. The delivery
is only 30-odd years old. And yet
this greatest Of all trick deliveries Is
ready for its fadeout.
There Is some doubt about the orr
gin Of the splitter. The accepted
story Is that Of George fNldebrand,
veteran American League umpire.
George broke into baseball as an
outfielder in an eastern league. One
day he noticed a kid pitcher, Frank
Corridor, moisten his fingers and
throw a ball that took funny hop.
George and Corridor practiced that
ball until they had it under their con-
troll.
Corridor never achieved great fame
as q. spitball artist, but Elmer 6trick-
lett did. Elmer lost his Job as q sa-
cramento pitcher, but got 1t back
again when Hildebrand, then catch
er, taught him how to throw the spit
ter. Stricklett finally made the ma
Tors with his freak delivery. He
taught 1t to Jack Chesbro Of the
Yanks, and Big Ed Walsh Of the
White Sox.
Chesbro used 1t to win Il games
IN one season, and Ed became the
most effective artist ever to fling the
moist pill.
Until 1919, the splitter was the bane
Of all hitters. They hit mighty pop
fouls to the catcher, or bounced puny
punches for easy infield chances.
That year, however, big league mo-
guls, fearing the quality Of pitching
and its effect on the batters would
rob the game Of its color, decided to
ban the splitter IN 1920. To provide
hurlers using the ball with means
OF earning their daily bread, officials
allowed them to continue throwing It..
Minor league stars using 1t were
barred from the big leagues with that
type Of delivery, however.
+ \ =
In 1920 the official list Of spitball
pitchers was:
American League-Russell, Boston;
Faber and Cicotte, Chicago; Covele-
skie and Caldwell, Cleveland: quinn,
New York; Shocker and Sothoron, st.
Louis, and Ayers and Leonard. De-
troit.
National League-Bill Doak and
Marvin Goodwin, St. Louis: PM
Douglas, New York; Fillingim ana
Rudolph, Boston: Fischer and Nit
chell, Cincinnati, and Grimes. Pitts
burgh. -.
one BY one these pitchers have
dropped before the scythe OF Fatner
Time. At the beginning Of 1888 there
were only three spitters working IN the
big leagues, Faber, Quinn and Grimes
Clarence Mitchell. one Of the few LETT
handed pitchers Of this type oau'
left the ranks in 1882. Quinn was re-
leased by Cincinnati, and Grimes wa
released by the Cubs and Cardlnala
during last season.
\ + +
So that leaves only Old Red-tne
guy who has been with the sox since
1914. and who has pitched under jim.
nv Callahan, Clarence Rowland, hio
Gleason, Johnny Evers, Eddie Cot
Inns. Ray schalk, Lena Blackoun'
DOME Bush and Lew Fonseca-
The mild-mannered red-head nas
labored faithfully In the vineyard. He
hurled In moro than 40 games IN eacn
Of seven years. reaching the peak u
1915, when he worked 50 contests
HIS best year was in 1921. when MI
splitter won Is trays for him.
Red saw little service with tho sos
in 1888. winning three and losing four
but pitched splendidly during the city
series.