Sport: The Sweat of His Brow

At Cincinnati's Crosley Field last week, Pitcher Schoolboy Rowe, a lantern-jawed giant of a man, was in trouble. He glanced around, mopped his brow with his fingers. Two Cincinnati players were on base, and a dangerous man was stepping up to bat. Schoolboy fired the ball in toward the plate.

It came in without turning—Batsman Bert Haas could almost count the stitches —but took a wicked dip just before he swung. Haas barely ticked the ball, which dribbled a few feet. It was an easy put-out at first. Roared Haas: "That was that sweat ball!" The sweat ball...