Litchfield enquirer., 1867-09-05
BASE BALL-THE OLD AND NEW
 GAME,

The present is an ago of progress, and from the spirit of progress which animates not only all industrial pursuits, but also the sports of the field, our national game of base ball can hardly be said to possess an immunity
 But complaint is made by rather nu- merous class, (of whom the gentlemen who would 6 like to play if the ball were not so deuced hare" Base Ball Illustra- tlons, page l6 affords D good illustration,) that the players are sub to such se- we're restrictions IS to limit the enjoyment Of the game to professionals, or to those amateurs who may chance to possess snpe- rior excellence. We deny it; and we base our denial not only upon personal experi- ence and the general ground that the in centlves of tho age are to improvement, but also upon special reasons. Of course. it is undeniable, that the present game of Baso Ball, in very many important features differs from the "Ancient' Game. And now, in oppositionAto to tho views os your last weeks correst tondent, we propose to show wherein tho superiority of the pres ent gaaso consists.
 Your correspondent makes the dissimi- larity of method in delivering the ball for tho striker an objection to our modern game as entrusted with the ancient, claim , ing that i'll former times the ball was thrown fairly and easily for the batman, and that the reverse Is the case now.
 We arc somewhat young in years, and consequently, our knowledge of the Old Mass. game is necessarily somewhat limited. But If remembrance serves us correctly, in the old gamo the ball not only was not de- livered " fairly and easily" but was thrown to the batsman with swiftness with which 1 the present method of pitcAing bears no comparison. Moreover, in tho good old days of yore, we believe, no penalties wero | imposed upon the thrower for the non-de- livery of the ball suitably for the striker But now, unless the ball is pitched exactly, ior-within fow inches eff tho place where tho striker may declare ho wishes it to come, the pitcher subjects himself and his side to the most severe penalties. Where 1 foro, VIC can perceive how there at present exist, more than formerly, far greater in ducements to-, and necessity of delivering the ball fairly and uniformly for the stri ker. And hence We deem the first point taken by your correspondent fails.
 The limitations which are imposed upon the batsman, also afford your correspon dent another ground of objection to the modern game US compared with the olden. A slight explanation may not be inappro- prlate here. In both games, let the striker be considered as standing in tho centre of a circle. Now, in the old game, in order to make the first, and after that, any num- Der of bases, he Is only required to knock the ball in any part, whatever, of that circle simply to hit tho ball. But in the mod ern game, in order to attain the same re- suit, he is required to bat the ball within q certain 90 degrees, or quarter of the circle. which is defined by the straight lines run ming from tho "Home'' to the first and third bases. The question then is, which is preferable? the 360 degroe or 90 degree method?
 We unhesitatingly choose the latter, for tho following reasons, viz: In the former game VIC consider the standard of batting to which ono is obliged to attain to make ms run much too low, unless he were sur rounded by large number of players, say twenty or twenty-five. And this again would produce another objection, to which VIC will hereafter allude. And the high de- gree of skill in batting, which in very ma ny cases, exists at tho present day, would enable good batter, playing in the old method, to remain in, almost ad infnHuna.
 But i'll our modern game the case is far different, inasmuch as the space in which a batter can knock Q ball to obtain run, is limited to one quarter it's former amount. As natural result, tho standard of bat tings is about trebled. Nor can we iudge the standard as raised too high. For our Base Ball experience has demonstrated to 1s that good batsman will strike three out of four, or four out of five balls. with. in the foul base lines, an ordinary one. about two out of three, and with poo, batter, the chances are about even. If the ball strikes outside the foul ball line. it is called foul; and if caught on the fly o, first bound, the striker is out-a penalty which is deservedly imposed upon him fo1 his poor batting.
 And even admitting that all the afore sad restrictions diminish the number ot brilliant hits, which we deny-yet from that very fact, we can learn to appreoiat. them better, and bestow the praise which they merit Let us suppose that ever,