Can Gaylord Perry make it without grease? Everyone in baseball was asking that question about the Cleveland righthander this spring. The prospects did not look good. For ten years Perry had baffled National and American League hitters with the best spitball, or slickest greaseball, in the game. Working his way up from simple saliva to sea moss, baby oil, hair tonic, slippery elm slop, Vaseline and finally vaginal jelly, Perry had loaded up the ball well enough to win 183 games, earn $100,000 a year, and be selected as the best pitcher in the A.L. in 1972. Then last winter, officials...
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