European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 8, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pitcher Sam Mcdowell below had too much respect for Mickey Mantle left to throw him a spitball. Cheats sri Prosper by Gene Wojciechowski los Angeles times Ken Brett threw a spitball but Only once. It was late in his major league career and Brett was desperate. So were his manager and pitching coach who suggested that he try to throw the wet one. The Ball squirted out of Brett a left hand and sailed Over the plate. Over the Batter and Catcher. Over the stunned Umpire who turned in time to see it smack against the Backstop on the Fly. Brett smiled sheepishly. A a us i wont let that happen again,11 he told the astounded Umpire. And thus ended the Ball doctoring career of Brett a Journeyman Pitcher who played for 10 teams during a 14-year stay in the major leagues and never had the foggiest idea How to give a Ball a saliva Shower. A a i put too much spit on it Quot said Brett now an analyst on California Angel radio broadcasts. A anyway my heart Wasny to really in  but what would have happened had that spitter shot perfectly toward the plate and then at the last moment darted Down and away from the Batter s swing Quot i would have been in a dilemma Quot Brett said. A i stunk and i had a bad Arm. I retired at 33. In a glad it did t work. I would have had to use  Dick Williams a former major league manager does t share Brett a hesitation about breaking rules. In fact he said Quot anything Short of murder is  if Williams had his Way the spitter would be allowed Gaylord Quot Petroleum Jelly Quot Perry and his 314 victories would be in the Hall of Fame and baseball rules would be Bent and broken whenever necessary. According to Williams cheating will forever be a fixture of the game because baseball is a cruel exacting sport. It grudgingly allows Success. Three hits out of 10 times at Bat has become a Standard of excellence. Twenty victories in 36 starts can earn a Pitcher a by Young award in some seasons. There a a financial Factor too. Another season in the big leagues can mean a half million dollars to an old hand. Faced with the option of fracturing a few rules or Selling aluminium siding what do you think a desperate Veteran will try Quot i have no problem with cheating Quot said Joe Torre a former major league manager and now a member of the Angel television team. Quot whatever you can get away with. I mean we re not going and robbing stores or anything. And anyway what about football holding now that a illegal but they get away with  or How about pro basketball you get six fouls. In other words six free chances to cheat. Or How about pro hockey you grind your stick into an opponent s Thorax and get a two minute penalty. Joe Niekro then with the Minnesota twins ventured to the Anaheim stadium Mound on aug. 3,1987, with an Emery Board tucked in his Back pocket. He planned to give the Ball a Little manicure. In the fourth inning suspicious umpires gathered around Niekro and asked him to empty his pockets. Out fluttered the Emery Board. To the showers went Niekro. Cheating Isnit new. Ted Spencer curator of the baseball Hall of Fame said the Baltimore orioles of the 1890s were especially devious. Accomplices in the stands armed with hand mirrors would reflect the suns rays directly into the eyes of opponents the orioles also were known to hide extra balls in the High grass of their Home Outfield. The strategy occasionally backfired. One time after a hit two balls came flying Back toward the infield. In the Early Days of baseball there was Only one Umpire for each game and he stood behind the Pitcher s Mound rather than behind Home plate. It Wasny to uncommon for the orioles to turn a single into a triple simply by cutting across the infield when the ump was Busy looking the other Way. Oriole infielders would Spike bump Block and push opposing baserunners. Today s players Are slightly More Subtle at cheating though not always As successful. Pitcher Kevin Gross then with the Philadelphia Phillies once got the Boot for attaching sandpaper to his Glove. In 1980, Rick Honeycutt a Seattle Mariner at the time used a thumbtack and sandpaper to Aid his pitches. He was caught and tossed. Los Angeles dodger reliever Jay Howell was banished from a 1988 National league playoff game against the new York mets a and suspended for two More games a for u ii i Uii ulily ills a a placed Pine tar a no no. The 104-Page official baseball rules covers everything except forgiveness. If you re caught a out of there. If you re not caught then s Quot sometimes wonderfully successful things can Han Don Drysdale the legendary Dodges stakes nerve to cheat a certain arrogance. Dryad Hall of Fame member occasionally threw a spite a Toh i doctored it every now and then Quot he said Quot sure Drysdale who pitched 58 consecutive scoreless innings in 1968, said Quot i did anything i could to win i figured it was like going to War. There ainu to no rules in War to me. That a just the Way that i worked if Thuv did no to like it that a their Tough  now Drysdale said the game is As sanitary As an operating room. Players done to face the same pressures the minor league systems Arentt As Well stocked As the minor league systems Aren x As Well stocked As they were 25 years ago so there is less Competition f jobs. Starters pitch fewer innings. Players paycheck Are guaranteed win or lose. There Are lots of ways for a Pitcher to cheat he Cai do what Honeycutt and Gross tried which is to attach a piece of sandpaper to his Glove and scrape away. Mike Scott of the Houston astros often has been accused of applying a Nick or two to the Ball the better to make it swerve or dip. Hall of Fame Pitcher Whitey Ford threw a Tudball and won 236 games with the Yankees. He also is reported to have worn a razor Sharp Belt buckle the better to Cut the Ball. Sam Mcdowell of the Cleveland indians threw a spitter to everyone except Mickey Mantle. He hero worshipped Mantle and refused to throw him anything but fastballs. Quot he wanted to Challenge him Quot said Phil roof who played for the indians in 1965. Some pitchers glue pieces of Emery cloth to the Palms of their hands. Some attach fake fingernails to their own making it easier to scuff the Ball. Some spread Pine tar on their gloves and use the Sticky stuff to get a better grip on a pitch. Some pitchers apply vaseline to the Back of their hair. Some especially in brisk weather pretend they re blowing warm air on their hands. They re not they re spitting. Some pitchers pretend they re wiping moisture off their hands. Fat Chance. Then there Are the helpful catchers who do their Pai in the cheating Chain Rick Dempsey now with the dodgers used to scrape the Ball hard against the ground just before throwing it Back to the Pitcher. Roof when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970, once asked a Pitcher Quot if i scuff the Ball can you handle it Quot of yes said the Pitcher. At game time roof slipped on a Golf Glove he wore on his catching hand. Sewn to the Glove by his wife was a Small piece of sandpaper. Roof used it All nigh. The Pitcher ended up with double digit strikeouts consider the pitchers View. Many of today a ballparks have artificial turf which Means some Normal Groundnuts become hits. The strike zone has shrunk. The designated hitter lives in the american league. The degree of slope on the pitching Mound has been lowered. The threat of the juiced up Ball looms Large. Quot name something in the last 15 years done for the Pitcher Quot said Tony Kubek a former Yankee who now does color commentary on the teams Cable telecasts. Perhaps As a Way to even things up hitters have fewer cheating options. They can try to sneak a peek Al the Catcher and see where he positions his Glove which is a great Way to get a Ball thrown at your ear Flap or they can customize their bats. Tracy Ringolsby a longtime member of the baseball writers association of America who used to cover the Angels for the Long Beach press Telegram remembers when several players ordered their bats with no finish on them. Then they would Cork the bats and apply a coat of finish to help mask the Marks. Bill Williams vice president of advertising and Public relations for Hillerich amp bradsby which makes Louisville sluggers said his company  think of making a Bat that violated major league specifications. Quot when they leave Here they re the Way they re supposed to be Quot he said. That does no to mean they stay that Way. Williams is aware of players who have driven nails into the barrel o a Bat. He also knows of players who have drilled holes in the Bat and replaced the Wood with lighter substances. Quot they re trying to generate faster Bat Speed Quot he said. Quot i would never say who they were but there were a Page 16 the stars and stripes Friday june 8,1990