Clipping:Pitching delivery; improved curve pitching

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Date Saturday, November 6, 1880
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The most skillful pitching ever seen in the professional arena was that which marked the season of 1880. Not only was greater speed shown, and more variations of the “curve” delivery than ever before, but there was more strategic–“headwork”–pitching exhibited, as a general rule, than in any previous season’s work in the annals of the game. By the word “pitching” we of course mean the existing method of delivering the ball, which is neither more nor less than an underhand throw,, and not a square pitch at all; for by regularly pitching the ball, though great speed could be obtained, no such accuracy of aim or thorough command of the ball as is attainable by the underhand throw would be secured. The marked improvement exhibited by curve-pitchers this season, not only in their command of the ball, but also in their endurance, is, of course, due to their increased training and practice in this method of delivery. When the old school of pitchers began to take up the curve, they brought into play a new set of muscles, and to overtax these with the same amount of work as the muscles trained in the old method could endure was likely to disable them from work in the position. Those of the pitcher who got into the curve-delivery by degrees and without over work were, of course, best able to stand the season’s pressure, and the most effective pitchers for 1881–all other essentials being equal–will be those who have trained their pitching muscles the most intelligently. New York Clipper November 6, 1880

proto-pitching rotation

A feature of the club management of the Chicago team of 1880 was the constant change of pitchers, not in regard to the substitution of another pitcher when one becomes punished, but in order to avoid giving one pitcher too much work in his position. The duties of a curve-pitcher, required to send the ball in with great speed and with variations of the bias imparted to the ball, are too arduous to be long sustained without injury to his power of effective delivery; hence the important of the frequent changing of pitchers, even to the extent of one pitching in one inning and another in the next, and then again of giving a pitcher a rest of a day off. By this system of careful training or nursing of his muscles he will be enabled to pitch through an entire season without injury, whereas by overtaxing him–as too many pitchers have been–half the effectiveness of his delivery is lost. It has long been a rule with club-managers to have a change-pitcher in their team; but the past season’s experience has proven pretty conclusively that two regular pitchers, as well as a reserve-man, are a necessity for a first-class team. The Chicago management this past season has shown this pretty conclusively, for a large share of the success is due to the judgment shown in nursing their “batteries.” Of course, there will be exceptional cases, where a man of strong physique will be found capable of enduring an unusual strain on his pitching muscles; but, as a general rule, it will be found that two regular pitchers will be needed to thoroughly do the work of a championship campaign, with a third in reserve in case of emergency. New York Clipper November 6, 1880

Source New York Clipper
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Submitted by Richard Hershberger
Origin Initial Hershberger Clippings

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