Turn Off Ads?
Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: Spitball v. Knuckleball

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Cincinnati
    Posts
    384

    Spitball v. Knuckleball

    I was just thinking about things baseball could do to make the pitching more competitive without raising the mound or changing the distance to the mound so I was wondering . . .

    I know baseball outlawed the spitball in 1920 as the result of Ray Chapman's death. I was just wondering whether the spitter is a lot more dangerous than the knuckleball. Was outlawing the spitter a reasonable reaction to the Chapman incident? Could the spitter be brought back safely to give the pitchers another tool in today's offensive environment? Or was the spitter too dangerous because it could be thrown at a higher speed (or with more movement) than the knuckleball?


  2. Turn Off Ads?
  3. #2
    Beer is good!! George Anderson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Indianapolis
    Posts
    5,964

    Re: Spitball v. Knuckleball

    Are you sure the spitball was outlawed because of the Chapman incident? I'm thinking it was outlawed because it was not being used in the spirit of fair play.

    However to answer your question no we should not allow the spitter anymore than we should allow players to take steroids or cork their bats or pitchers to scuff the baseball.

  4. #3
    Churlish Johnny Footstool's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2001
    Location
    Overland Park, KS
    Posts
    13,881

    Re: Spitball v. Knuckleball

    The Spitter was infinitely more dangerous. Edgy. Provocative. Wonderously irreverent.



    Seriously, knuckleballs are generally around 60-70 mph. Spitballs are basically wet fastballs, so they're a lot more dangerous.
    "I prefer books and movies where the conflict isn't of the extreme cannibal apocalypse variety I guess." Redsfaithful

  5. #4
    breath westofyou's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2000
    Location
    PDX
    Posts
    57,002

    Re: Spitball v. Knuckleball

    The spitter was abolished because of

    1. Low Offense

    2. On the heels of the worldwide influenza epidemic it was deemed unsanitary

    3. It had extended to encompass everything from shine baals to spitt balls to emery balls, it was in short out of control.

  6. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Cincinnati
    Posts
    384

    Re: Spitball v. Knuckleball

    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Footstool View Post
    Seriously, knuckleballs are generally around 60-70 mph. Spitballs are basically wet fastballs, so they're a lot more dangerous.
    Hmmm, thanks.

    I had read somewhere that the spitball ban was related to the Chapman death, but I guess that was just one more factor. I have a nice baseball photo book ("Baseball's Golden Age") with pictures by Conlon from the early 20th century that includes pictures of Chapman, Mays and the catcher (whose name escapes me).

  7. #6
    Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2002
    Posts
    3,783

    Re: Spitball v. Knuckleball

    What I would do to lower offense:

    - Commish should persuade the umpires to expand their zone a little
    - Raise the mound slightly
    - Stick to the steroid testing except make it tougher, etc.

    I don't think I'd bring back the spitball though.

  8. #7
    Member Spitball's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2000
    Posts
    5,642

    Re: Spitball v. Knuckleball

    Whoa! I was wondering who this Knuckleball poster was.

    Jack Hamilton was a known spitballer when he came two inches from taking Tony Conigliaro's life with a pitch. Though Hamilton and his catcher denied it, the Red Sox insisted that the pitch was a spitball. I was listening to that game in 1967 and for the horror of that moment, I would vote against legalizing the pitch.
    "I am your child from the future. I'm sorry I didn't tell you this earlier." - Dylan Easton

  9. #8
    Member blumj's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2005
    Location
    Northern MA
    Posts
    5,120

    Re: Spitball v. Knuckleball

    Quote Originally Posted by Johnny Footstool View Post
    Seriously, knuckleballs are generally around 60-70 mph. Spitballs are basically wet fastballs, so they're a lot more dangerous.
    No joke, it gets really frustrating for Tim Wakefield sometimes because batters are always leaning in to try to get hit by a pitch, and even when it's really blatant, the umpires almost always give them the base.
    "Reality tells us there are no guarantees. Except that some day Jon Lester will be on that list of 100-game winners." - Peter Gammons


Turn Off Ads?

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.

Thank you, and most importantly, enjoy yourselves!


RedsZone.com is a privately owned website and is not affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds or Major League Baseball


Contact us: Boss | Gallen5862 | Plus Plus | Powel Crosley | RedlegJake | The Operator