The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-28
THE NATIONAL GAME.
Professional Mines for the
Season of 1874.
ALTERATION IN THE PLYING RULES.
The Proposed Boston and Athletic
Trip to England.

Trip to England.
mo voice OF the bat rs again heard In the land
ana again does the '.dead ball" c,eave the ambient
AIR and now ana then catch some sLaid Old resi-
Aeater in the region OF the third vest button and
cause nam TO close up after the fashion Of the per.
suasiye jacS-snie. But then 1t Is great game
shis base ball-and great number OF enthusiastic
individuals indulge in the neathfnl exercise and
mashed fingers 1t affords. The season thus far has
been exceedingly backward; nevertheless. the pro
Scssona clubs are all well organized and for the
most part ready Tor action. But eight clubs have
entered for the championship whip pennant, and
these are required to play series OF ten games.
zach with tue otner, making total OF 800 matches
besides the pracuce games.
THE RULES
The professionals and amateurs play under
dincrent rules those governing the former class
having been materially altered AT the meeting OF
tbe professional association held In Boston last
month. Not that any alteration whatever was
needed or wanted, but simply because some
people have insane desire TO make change
year after year. that they may keep their names
constantly before the base ball public. The latest
and most absurd amendment to the rules is the
one requiring the umpire to call all balls sent in
by the pitcher which are not over the base az
..wides instead OF calling them ..balls hereto
fore. The intellectual iuminary who fathers this
rule is the same who, only year ago. had one
passed requiring an umpire to ''call" every ball
save the first one pitched-that the pitcher might
send In = little too low q little too high
or little TO side or the other
OF the base. This rule was exceedingly
absurd, and had 1t been carried out to the letter.
would have ruined the game, for 1t gave the
pitcher no latitude Whatever. No man, however
proficient as pitcher, put the ball just the
right SPOT every time. aud he should, therefore, os
allowed TO deliver at least Two balls without SUBJ
tecting himself TO the penalty OF having them
.-cailedn ana the striker gwen hts base. But, as
slough the object were TO ny from one extreme to
another both OF them nOnsenscal and absurd, .
rule IL now adopted resIric- ing the umpire to
scaling" every third ball pitched over the plate
but not az the proper height ana requiring him to
call each bah "wlden that goes outside or inside
she home base, that, while last season man
could be gwen q base on four balls pitched. this
year the pitcher denver at least twelve balls
before base can be given. An effort was made
30 have the Amateur Association endorse and
adopt this rule, but they would nave more 70
DO with 1t than with the ten men dodge.
THE PROFESSIONAL MINES.
The professional ban player is Inherent in
his habits, wandering about from one club to
another. and rarely playing two consecu-
tive seasons in one nine. Probably the men
who make up the Boston nine are less SUBJ
ject TO this charge than any Others. Win
the execution o. catcher and right-helder the
champions have tue same team they presented last
catcher. O'Kourk hrst base, barnes second base
scnarer third base, George Wright short stop.
Leonard left neld, Harry Wright centre field. ana
George Hall right field. Inc substitutes James
White and Thomas BeaIs. This Is a very strong
playing nine ana. owing to the excellent training
and management Harry wright Is sure 10 ave
them, they viii probably retain Tor another season
The chang tonsnIp empiem.
THE MUTUALs.
As usual, New YORK puts iortn nine strong in
.-MlErleW9.
u. Allison, catch; Joe start, Grst blse; John Nell
snort Stop; aatasld. lett aed: semson, centre centre
Aeid; Higham. right fed, and PaIte rson, substl-
tute.
Tnese mon are all good nelders and excellent
batters, and, under the competent management
which has them In charge, should make record
The Athletics OF Philadelpna come TO the 'front.'
With playing nine strong any they
previously put in The field, and with when they
hope TO win the pennant. As usual, Dick Mcbride
Mci;eary rs catcher, FISHER nrst base. Battan
end base. sutton snort STOP Arson third base.
GeOney left field, McAnlan centre neid, Cl2pp
right neid, and Sensenderler and Reach substi-
sutes.
THE PBIIADELPHIAs
II is questionable whether or not the Ph1ladei-
pima nine Is as strong III playing ability as 1t WAS
ey msny tss they are no
posted. Cummings Is the very best Of
while Hicks has superior behind the BAT. Mack
plays first class AT INST base but Kadcnr At second
- considered a failure; ditto hOdsworth at third
Fulner plays short stop a. wei as any, while ES-
Eicr has no equal IN centre field. York Is nrst
class in left fed and Bechte rs tip top right
xeder. With Fulmer ~ third Craver at second
and Hodsworth at short stop, the nine would
aoubtess. be much stronger than At present
paced
The Chicago White stockings are hard set TO
win game from. Not only are they expert neld-
but they are very heavy htlsrs ana always
play steady game Zettlne, the charmer, trans
ACTS the business OF the pitching department. and
Malone
These men are strong In their respective posi-
Sns ana ana ALWAYS play Wen 'oge9ner peyn Is a
home when on second base, Meyefle, the atten-
uated youth, ills the position OF third base in ex-
ceent style; Force Is all that could be desired at
short stop; while Cutnbert, Treacy and Hines
make up storming outneId- The substitutes
THE HARTFORD NINE
And now the land OF wooden meetings and steady
habits can beast professional Dne. They at
tempted IT two years ago but tneir Mansnelds were
quickly dlsl osed OF by the stronger mines VITA
whom they were brought in contact and so they
passed out.n This season things have more
cheerful aspect however, the CLUB having soiid
Fisher IS pitcher Hastings catcher Mills first base
Addy second base Boyd tnlrd base. Barlow short
sarns p1e sp e ne hed ke centre hs 1aot a1a
player, issubstitHte. The nine Is already In fine
trim and VIII ere long give good account of
THE ArLASrrcs
Contrary TO the general belief the Atlantic nine
are really very strong They have Dehlman
nrst base Hall at second Ferguson az thlrd Pearce
at short, Bond az pitcher, Hsdes az catcher, Booth
lelt held, clinton centre neid and Farrow right
ncld Bond IL young pitcher and this IL his nrst
season IN a professional club; but ne VIII bother
the best o! batters. IL Is not generally believed
that ne ~ rs effective d pitcher as Britt who
pitched ier the Atlantic ast season; nevertheless
he - good, and, what As more, Is improving All the
while. Like Fisher ne ~ very swift.
THK BALTIMORE CLEE
The good people the Monumental City could
not wholly give over the ldea of having a profes-
ssonal niue, they went to work and got together
nine pretty good players, and 8itn tnese they ex-
pecI 10 annoy the otncr cluos IN about the same
WAY tn2t mesquite annoyr Jackass
THE fnir TO EUROPE
As previously announced In these columns the
Boston anu Athletic c.uDs are gong TO England