The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-08-13


Base BalI-What Is II ufIl nIsm? -
We have not burdenea our readers
with base ball matters, but SO large a
take an interest in the Ma
tional game, that We think they will
appreciate the following criticism on q
game between two celebrated Eastern
Clubs-the Matuals of New York,
and the Marylanders of Baltimore.
The criticism includes definition of
the terms Muffnism, Mufs, &c.:
1t is surprising the difference of
opinion which exists in regard to the
cause of the Mutual defeat on Satur-
day; and still more singular how few
there are who are aware of the true
cause. Some charge the defeat to the
alleged mufinism Of this and that
player of the Mutual nines whereas
there have been but few first class
matches this season which have been
marked by less really mufhn " play
than this contest was. This state
ment- may appear strange, but it is
nevertheless true, and a careful analy-
sis of the game will prove it. The
question is, what is mufhnism In
base ball? and this question We will
briefly reply to:
"A ball is /" maffed p when it is bad
" judged as it falls; it is muffed also
il it be not picked up neatly when hit
moderately hard; fielder is also
guilty of muffin play il he stops or
handles ball elumsily, or throws it
hastily or wildly to any particular
part Of the field aimed for. Muffin
ism is simply the result of lack of
| skill, practice or Judgment IN the
player, or of all three. But players
do not muff ball when it is sent
to them from the bat with so great an
| impetus that to attempt to stop 1t,
even IL the sight be quick enough to
Judge it, would insure the almost GER
tain result of split hand or broken
fingers. Neither do they muH a
ball when, after judging its fall skill
fully, so as to grasp it fairly they can
not prevent its bounding out OF their
hands. They also do r muf q
ball if it be swiftly, but not accurately
| thrown to them, and they fail to hold
| it owing to Its exceeding elasticity.
/ These errors are not those Of inferior
fielding, bat are errors resulting from
the use of an improper ball. In the
early part of Saturday s game high fly
balls were well judged, and would
| have been held bat for the excessive
{" life in the ball just so, too, was it
/ in regard to stopping the hot balls
which came from the bat. The Mary
| land Nine scored nine runs off Swan
dell's pitching, and total OF seven
teen bases ON hits, though it was far
| better supported than that of Wolters,
the ball having become deadened by
the early batting of the early innings
| of the game. It is all very we'll TO
say that the ball is as fair for oAe,
| side as the other," but the least ex-
| animation into the merit of the case
shows that it is not. As well say that
1 a rough ground or common field is
as fair fair for one club as another, "
when it is we'll known that in such
case the best felders have no chance
/ to avail themselves Of their skill, and,
therefore, placed upon an equal footing
with their inferior opponents in this
respect, while they are also placed at
| a disadvantage at the bat, the poor
batsmen but heavy hitters there
by having the advantage over the
| batsmen who depend on skill
alone for success. 1t is just
the same in regard to an elastic ball,
the poor felders but heavy hitters
| being benefited by it at the cost of
/ the batting and fielding skill of the
superior nine. In the case of the
Mutual and Maryland Mines, what
ever superiority the Mutuale possessed
in real batting or fielding skill-and
it is not to be questioned that they do
possess twas nullifed by the Excess
sive elasticity of the ball they played
| with, and the game then become
simply trial as to which could hit
the heaviest; not display the most
skill IN batting, but which could hit
the rubber ball the hardest, and which
could face the hot music of the bat
best. or best hold the lively ball.
Combined with this the Marylands
had an advantage IN having nothing
to lose and everything to win, while
the Mutuals we're placed in the posi-
ton of being over anxious to win the
first trial match of their reconstructed
nine. To attribute the defeat to the
glarlng misplays of either this or that
man of the nine, to the want of
4 brains in rot changing the pitcher, or
solely to the superior play of the vic
torious nine, shows carelessness of
observation, If not q lack of judg7
ment In those who do it. Re-
member what fine play was
shown by nearly the same nine, and
that an inferior one, in the Mutual
| and Cincinnati club match-the finest
game of ball known In the history of
/ 0ur eama. and ramemheIa Ton that
that game was played with hard but
non. elastic ball, which obliged the
! contestants to depend for success on
4 batting and fielding skill alone, COM
bined with strategic skill, and not on
hard hitting, and 1t will be at once
seen that it was neither the pitching
nor the alleged muffin play which
cost the bIutuals their defeat on Sat-
urday, but merely their playing with
a too elastic rubber ball. Ii you want
sklllful play at the bat and on the
held, with short, lively games, marked
by small seores-the trUes& indication
OF skIllful play--yOu must use a hard
but dead ball. If you want, in
stead, game In which home runs,
large scores, and So called muffin
fielding are the features, why all you
have to do is to use just such ball
as was played with On Saturday, and
with which the Atlantics and Ath-
letIes played In their tedious and
poorly played game at the Capitoline
Grounds. ElaE1
A pitcher in base ball is never
punis bed by the batsman as long
as chances for outs are offered off his
pitching. Ii the chances are not