Clipping:Twisting the ball
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| Date | Sunday, July 25, 1869 |
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| Text | One of the most singular delusions indulged in by the members of the fraternity is the idea that by imparting a bias or twist to the ball, in pitching, all the results of such pitching as that of Martin’s follow. Never was anything more erroneous. The only effect of in fair pitching is to bother the catcher. In fact, the only bias that can be given to a ball in pitching is by the right or left, and neither of these affect the batting. If a forward rotary motion could be imparted to the ball, as in round-arm bowling in cricket, then it would assist in producing foul balls; but this cannot be done in fair pitching. The results attributed to a twist are the effect simply of curved lines and of judgment in outwitting the batsman. Let any man twist a ball as much as he likes, and pitch it fairly for the batsman, and the ball will be hit square to the outer-field every time it is sent in. Martin’s effectiveness lies in his strategy and judgment, and in the deceptive curved lines of the balls he sends in, and not to any twist he imparts on the ball; for the less he twists the ball, the less trouble he gives his catcher. Let every one examine into the theory of the bias given a ball, and its effect when the ball is hit, and he will see the absurdity of attributing the “Martinizing” of the ball to twist. New York Sunday Mercury July 25, 1869 [Maryland vs. Eckford 7/29/1869] Undoubtedly, if the Marylands had been favored with swift pitching, the expectations of their admirers would have been more fully realized; but Martin’s slow twisters were incomprehensible to the Baltimoreans, fresh from the rifle shots of Harrop and McBride, and they could do little but put up fouls and flies, and retire in rapid succession. Hopper and Worthington, however, got in two splendid cracks, knocking the ball over the out-fielders’ heads, each thereby scoring a clean home run. New York Dispatch August 1, 1869 |
| Source | New York Sunday Mercury |
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| Submitted by | Richard Hershberger |
| Origin | Initial Hershberger Clippings |
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