Montana oil and mining journal., 1936-06-06
Montana
Sports ules
of other days
Of other d0gs

coast. He purpoSely struck out, though
there were two men on bases, so he
could say hello to the cheering Proup.
He was not only surprised but delighted
to find that the fire" chorus was from
Butte. His next three trips to the plate
we're productive of hits. When the game
was over Jack and his Butte friends
took the wheel out of Wheeling that
night.
Looked at First Spit-BaII
Getting back to the "spit-ballv AS a
member Of the Tacoma team, while
playing at Portland. he faced Elmer
Stricklett, the first pitcher to use the
splitter" Jack was always q good hit
ter, had a great eye, avoiding the bad
ones. Jack saw bali coming up that
looked good, but as it reached the plate
it took deceptive break, but not before
Jack swung wildly to miss 1t by foot
mitt. Jack picked it up and discovered
saliva on 1t. He tossed the ball to the
pitcher but 1t went far to the right of
him. Jack walked UP to the pitcher and
asked what the hell" also mentioning
slippery elm Stricklett said he was ex-
perimenting, begging Jack not to men
ton the incident. Jack said he would
broadcast 1t to the world. Stricklett
pleaded with him while the Jumps
bawled to them to play ball. Finally
Jack told Stricklett he would be mum"
provided Elmer would not dish up his
screWy bail while he was at the plate
The pitcher agreed. Whenever Jack
was at the plate, Elmer would give him
fat" ones, but the rest Of the batsmen
experienced a nose-dive in their batting
averages trying TO solve the spitban OF
Stricklett.
At the end OF each season Jack re-
turned home to Helena. Clark Griffith
owned ranch near Craig. Each fall
Griff would arrive In Helena for the
hunting season and to look over his
Craig preserves Jack and Griff were
great friends. They had lunch on the
lay Griff arrived in the Capital city. /
Sent "Spitter" to Majors
Jack asked Griff what he thought of
he spitbaII. Griff said he had never
heard Of it. They we're eating at Maui
ice Weiss cafe at Helena, and leaving /
heir lunch, repaired to the alley back
If the cafe. Jack had secured a glove
which Griff adjusted TO his hand. Flan-
Who didn't know how to catch them.
Triff was interested He wanted to
NOV how it was done, and, Will.
-nown as q great hurler in the majors,
vas given a pitching lesson by Flan-
lery. The splitter" was taught to Griff's
)itching staff the next season.
Jack Chesbro was the ace Of the
Tew York pitching staff and he took
o the new delivery like duck to water,
njoying his greatest season. Happy
Iack" ChesbrO has always been rated
S one of the greatest Of Spitbau pitch
rs. When Stricklett was using the
splitter" at Portland, it was not illegal,
ecause 1t had never been used before.
t was something new. Years later,
teps we're taken to railroad the splitter
ut of baseball. Brooklyn purchased
tricklett from Portland, but Elmer had
My average success as major Lacquer.
Coast Best of All in '90's
Jack insists that the minor leagues
ot only gave birth to the splitter" and
squeeze play" but were responsible
Vere adopted and perfected by thel
major leagues.
Mr.. Flannery, as the umpires called
i'm, insists that baseball as played in
be late COS and early I900's was plenty
asst. The game is faster now, according
} Jack. Flannery has always insisted
nat the Pacific Coast league In the
lte '90's was the fastest of all leagues
that day. The National was the only
lajor league, the American league
eing unknown until 1892 Jack had
ffers to play with the Chicago and
incinnati teams, but In those days of
wv salaries he could draw down as
luch money in the Coast league as the
ubs or Reds offered to pay
Calls Johnson, Cobb Best
Walter johnson was the greatessl
Itcher In baseball, and Ty Cobb thel
reatest all-around and most valuable
layer, according to Jacks way Of
linking. though he has never seen
amy major league teams play Babe
nth, Larry Lajoie and Hans WagnerI
re rated by Flannery right behind
Obj.
The best minor league pitcher in
ack's estimation was Pete Dowling.
no pitched for Butte league teams In
)O4-05. Tony Mullane was next in his
,lect list. OF all the batsmen who inn
reSsed Jack In the minors, he recalls
Dlr who played in this neck of thel
oods. They were Hippo" Huelsman
nd Joe Marshall, long range hitters,
nd piggy" Ward and Red Mcmillan.
DOt or place hitters.
He's q Grandfather
When asked what year he broke intol
aseball, Jack remarked it was a per-
NAL matter The old boy knows what
is to bc Qrandfafher-in fWo Dlqeac