Effectiveness of the spitball.

[kairos12]

In 1920 the spitball was outlawed. However, 17 spitball pitchers were grandfathered and allowed to continue. Over the subsequent decade the ERAs of pitchers went up overtime, but not for the 17 spitball pitchers.

[sharedvalues]

1. Spitball moves like a modern splitter

The point of the spitball was to let the ball slip out of the fingers with less rotation than a four seamer.
That made the spitball seem to drop compared to a normal fastball.

The modern way to achieve the same effect is the split fingered fastball. The ball comes out of the pitcher's hand with less spin than a normal fastball and appears to sink.


P.s. Gaylord Perry was throwing a spitball in recent times.

[Brother Buzz]

2. Gaylord Perry never got the memo