Bobby Spriggs - Ambidextrous Pitcher 1948

Ambidextrous Pitcher

Bobby Spriggs - Two arms are better than one

Berkeley Springs, W. Va. - Equally easy and adept with either righ or left hand as a pitcher, Bobby Spriggs, 16, closed out a smart baseball season with Berkeley Springs High, and is considering going to West Virginia University.

Young Spriggs showed his ambidextrous ability against both state and out-of-state teams. When he wasn't pitching, he was playing third or second base -- right-handed, and taking his cuts at the plate right-handed. On the mound he prefers to be a southpaw. He started two games as a right-hander, one as a southpaw, and one occasion switched his delivery during the game.

He and coach Jerry Calhoun consider switching during a game unsatisfactory, however, because of difficulty in getting both wings sufficiently warmed up.

Which delivery Spriggs uses depends upon whether right or left-hand swatters predominate in the opposing batting order.

In addition to his pitching and infielding, Spriggs was a batting star with an average of .533 and striking out only once the entire season.

A versatile athlete, he captained last fall's football team.

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