The Lincoln times., 1955-04-11
Splitter Is Not
Cure-A||'' Says
Phi||ies' Coach

The Sporting News this week
has another interesting story on
the proposal to return the spitball.
It gives the views of Whitlow Wy
att, once a BROOKLYN fireballer.
He's in favor of legalizing t he
pitch again.
But Wyatt told The Sport
ing News. return of the splitter
would not be any cure-all for
pitching troubles. Pitchers who
think they would become winners
overnight would be disappointed.
They forget he went on, THAT
they'd still have to control it. No
matter how many pitches fellow
has. none of them are any good
unless he can get the ball over the
plate"
How many deliveries must a
pitcher have in order to be effec-
tive? That question put to Wyatt
Drought this answer: lone pitch
might be enough - if the pitcher
knows how to use it. Naturally, the
more pitches he has. the greater
chance he has of getting the bat
ter out. And to this extent, if no
other. l believe the return of the
splitter would help.
Wyatt said he thinks a pitcher
should learn one or two pitches.
and after he has mastered them
90 on to others. Variety without
control. he said. won't help. The
way he looks at it. variety is vall-
able but not absolutely necessary.
we all know" he told The Sport
ing News. that almost every bat
ter can be pitched to-Some high,
some low; some inside. some out
side. But there are times" he said,
when the pitcher does not know
the batter'S weaknesses. and it's
then that he can rely on the great
est skill pitcher can have. That's
the ability to vary the speed of
every pitch"
Wyatt went on to say that with
the ability to vary the speed of ev-
cry pitch. the pitcher can get by.
With control, of course. Its not
as easy as it sounds" he said. "for
the pitcher must learn to throw
with something on the ball at
more than two or three different
speeds. The ability to do this is
more important than variety. but
if the pitcher can do it with three
or four types of pitches. so much
the better"
Speaking in favor of returning
the splitter, Wyatt said it seems
that for years everything has been
done to help the batter. It's time.
he said, that something was done
to help the pitcher.
Wyatt's career dates back to
1928. He's back in the majors now,
for the third time, but this time
as pitching coach. And he's with
the Phillis. the team he was with
when he bowed out ten years ago.
There's every indication. says The
Sporting News, that he'll do the
Phillies considerable good. It's re-
ported that Philadelphia had to
agree to a three-year contract at
a price of perhaps $4,000 a year
to get him not only because At
lanta wanted to keep him on as
manager. but other major league
clubs wanted his services as a
pitching coach.
Wyatt not only knows how to
pitch himself, says The Sporting
News. but he has the ability to
pass his know-how on to others.
The Phillies' young pitchers swear
by him. And as for Wyatt. he says:
That's the way it's got to be.
You can't help anybody unless
they have confidence in you But
first of all, you've got to make
them believe in themselves.
Coaching the young pitchers
these days. The Sporting News.
Wyatt is the picture of patience
and confidence. These qualities,
combined with knowledge learned
the hard way, should prove of tre-
mendous benefit to the Phillies.