ryyEIBWjiWlB!iPpifpffPWWBpW HOW MY DAD TAUGHT ME TO PLAY BALL-B- Y JOE TINKER, JR. "liillifi'ii I in $m&BfflsL 4d&itte Eleventh of a Series of Photos, Posed Especially by Joe Tinker, Jr., for The Day Book, on "How to Play Baseball." wTTTTW1lfflTfffrTMiBBWIlTllMM PITCHING THE SPITBALL How do you pitch the spitball? I remember asking my dad to explain this delivery the first time I saw Ed 1 W Walsh on the slab. It is probably the most deceptive ball a batter ever struck at and is thrown at medium speed. ting of the fingers is only to allow To throw the spitball wet the first the ball to slip away easily. and second fingers so it will slip, in- Moisten the plain surface on top of stead of roll easily. With the latter the ball (top fig.). You must get a movement the curve is sharp, but lot of speed on this one. Use the with the former it is sudden. It is overhand delivery, the first and sec-a- nd hard to control and the beginner fingers oovering the plain sur- usually makes a lot of wild heaves face. Keep the other fingers away and is apt to be discouraged. from the seams (bottom fig.). Always remember one thing; in or- Unlike the ordinary curved ball the dinary and curve pitching the ball pitcher cannot be certain of the side leaves the thumb first and the finger direction the ball will take as it last With the spitball this is re- breaks downward. The perfect versed. The thumb, instead of the "spitter" drops from a batter's hip to fingers,, controls the ball. The wet his knees or below in perhaps twQ.