Spitting on the Field
By Susie Yakowicz

Hock-ptui! Recognize that sound? It’s hard to miss on the baseball field. Although many of us think spitting is downright gross, baseball players have been doing it since the early days of the game.

Back then, players often chewed tobacco (called “chaw”) during innings and spit out the juice. Chaw kept their mouths from getting too dry in the dusty ballparks, and they used the spit to soften their gloves. But chaw had a downside. Like other tobacco products, it caused all kinds of health problems. Once the dangers became public, many players quit chewing. The minor and college leagues even banned chaw’s use. Not all players spit because of tobacco chewing, though. Some pitchers did it for a different reason. They applied spit to the ball before throwing it to try and trick the batter. These spitballs or “spitters” would curve unpredictably, making them nearly impossible to hit.

As you might guess, spitballs drew plenty of criticism. People argued that pitchers who threw spitballs were cheating, and officials complained that spitballs resulted in low-scoring games. Then, in 1920, Cleveland Indians batter Ray Chapman died after being hit in the head by a spitball. The impact was so fierce, it sounded like the ball had struck Chapman’s bat. Spitballs were outlawed that season.

But baseball players didn’t quit spitting. If you’ve ever watched a baseball game, you’ve probably noticed them spitting sunflower seeds in the dugout. Maybe you’ve seen them spitting gum or their saliva while waiting for a pitch. For many players, spitting helps calm their nerves, kind of like fingernail biting. Since baseball innings can be long, chewing seeds and spitting the shells is also a satisfying way to pass the time. Sometimes pitchers spit on the mound to mark their territory, and some players just spit because it’s a tradition.

So next time you go to the ballpark, don’t let all the spitting gross you out. Remember, it’s a habit that’s as old as the game – and baseball wouldn’t be baseball without it!

Spitball’s Cousins
Did you know that spit wasn’t the only thing pitchers used to doctor up a ball and throw off the batter? Here are the names of other trick pitches that involved an altered baseball:

• The Shine Ball—A ball that has been rubbed against clothing, so that one side is clean while the other is not.
• The Vaseline Ball—Like the spit ball, only with petroleum jelly applied instead.
• The Mud Ball—A ball with mud applied to it. The mud not only reduced spin on the ball, it made the ball harder to see, especially at night.
• The Emery Ball—A ball whose covering has been scratched with a small file, emery board, or nail.
• The Scuff Ball—Another name for an emery ball.