User reviewer Daytom nailed it: A ghastly script error at the end of this episode alleging fireballer Bob Gibson, as said by Fred Thompson, made the Baseball Hall of Fame by throwing spitballs. Of course, it was actually Gaylord Perry.
I'm depressed a bit that nobody in the entire show's cast or crew recognized this before it aired, proving for the umpteenth time that writers and actors should never touch the sports world unless they really know their material since sports fans will explode at the first hint of inaccuracy or inauthenticity.
All you need to do is watch the execrable Wesley Snipes/Robert DeNiro movie "The Fan for proof. Or Tony Perkins, playing baseball like a CampFire Girl, trying to be All-Star MLB outfielder and hitter Jimmy Piersall in "Fear Strikes Out". Or meatball-tossing "pitcher" Michael Moriarty and elfin catcher Robert DeNiro in the maudlin "Bang the Drum Slowly".
Directors can learn a lot about casting a sports movie from the hockey film "Miracle", which employed college hockey players, teaching them how to act in brief scenes, rather than trying to teach snowflake actors how to skate and play believable hockey. It worked!