Forums → WEPR → Banned baseball pitches

Why? Do they kill people? If they do, I say yes, if they don't, I say no.

And why is this here? Shouldn't this be in the Tavern?

I've been a High School baseball and softball umpire for years, so here's some background on those pitches.

The spitball was banned in 1920 after it killed a batter. By putting petroleum jelly or spit on a ball, it makes it lopsided. This makes the ball wobble a bit when it is pitched. It makes it harder to figure out where it's going to end up. That, and the fact that they re-used the same ball for the whole game, made it really hard to see the pitch. The batter who was killed did not even react to the pitch because it was so hard to see. The MLB finally banned the spitball, and now a ball must be replaced when there is any sort of mark on it. And I'm completely fine with that rule.

The screwball is not illegal, it's just uncommon because pitching it too much can really mess your arm up.

screwball is a good picth if you can throw it but the spitball is dangerous and seemed logical it was banned

i think it can stay here since it is a minor world event but yeah it could go in the tavern. that's weird though, why would they ban those pitches?

any modification to the ball should be illegal. every batter gets the "same" ball to hit

I don't think they can be banned. I through a splitter and nobody can hiot it. If they ban it, I am screwed!

OH! Sorry about my last post, I thought it said splitter, but instead it said spitball.

I don't really care because I never throw a spitball.