2011

The Spitball: Managers Like the Spitball…when their Pitcher is Throwing It: Chick Fraser Gets Mgr. Frank Chance to “Soften” on the Spitter

Managers Like the Spitball…when their Pitcher is Throwing It: Chick Fraser Gets Mgr. Frank Chance to “Soften” on the Spitter

"Manager Chance has never been a believer in the 'spit-ball,' but his opinion has been changed a bit this season on account of the great number of good men who have shown up with the saliva delivery and generally these twirlers have proved puzzles to the Cubs. It now develops that Chance is training 'Chick' Fraser in the art of the 'spit-ball' delivery inasmuch as 'Chick' has been anxious to use the wet ball, having tried it with wonderful success. With Moran as backstop Fraser showed his marvelous breaking ball to Chance recently, and the big manager was himself surprised, as was also catcher Moran.

"'What's this you are sending me?' asked Moran when Fraser called Chance over to the side lines [sic] and began 'licking the ball.' He fired it at Moran and it broke half a foot, so Moran said. 'That's a peach,' said Chance. 'Get in the box and try it.' Fraser went into the pitcher's box and that same bunch of right and left-handed sluggers which head the Cub batting list smashed at the 'spitball.'

"Fraser had them fanning and hitting slow infield bunts for half an hour, while Chance stood back of the box and seemed wonderfully pleased with the new delivery of the man he got from Cincinnati."

Sporting Life , August 17, 1907

In 1907, the 33-year-old Fraser was near the end of his career, joining his fourth team in four years. He did win 19 games for the 1907 and 1908 Cubs.

In 1911, after the Chicago White Sox had swept the Cubs in four straight games in the "City Series" (played in October, after the regular season, in years that neither club was in the World Series), Cubs manager made what Baseball Magazine (March 31, 1913) called his "historic remark,"

"If I had Ed Walsh I would win the championship of the world. I would pitch him in every game."

Ironically, this comment appeared just before the 1913 season, the beginning of the end of Ed Walsh's career, most likely from overwork. After averaging 24 wins the previous seven seasons, he would win only eight games in 1913 and only 13 games for the rest of his career.