Thomas County cat., 1886-08-26
A BIB. PROBLEM.

aeT A BIB. PROBLEM. aa
An Accident which should Have Bees
Scored N Error for the Pitcher.
There was some talk made some time
ago. by some people connected in some
way with baseball matters, of amend
ing the rules of the National League by
enacting that when batsman is hit win
pitched ball, he shall be allowed to
take his base, and the pitcher shall be
charged with an error. But soIhe-
how, whether the pitchers lobby was
too strong or the batsman's cause too
weak l know not, the project appears
10 have failed Of = passage.
For my part / am sorry. was .
sincere advocate of the measure, and
used my powerful lung capacity and
indelible pencil (Which have since dis.
carded by special request of the editor)
in its behalf. In doing so 1 was actu-
ated by none but the most humane mo-.
tives. l am neither batsman nor y
pitcher. Batsmen have frequently
tried to curry favor with me by knock
ing hot fouls into that part of the crowd
where l was located; but l have al-
ways repelled such advances by get
ting out of the way, and letting some
other patriot catch the bail wherever
he listed. and as for the pitchers, I
can truthfully say that none of them
ever done me any injury. and probably
never will as long rs l remain stead
fast in nv determination not to umpire
a game of ball under any circumstances
whatever.
No, my love for the batsman is as
platonic as my animus against the
pitcher is righteous. Both are the
natural outpourings of sympathetic
and impulsive heart. Verify, l have
witnessed scenes on the balltield that
have stirred my soul to its utmost
depths, and made me long not only to
charge the pitcher with an error. but
to take bat and pursue the scoundrel
around the diamond like an ayenging
fate.
I have seen many a batsman step to
the plate as fresh and vigorous as 3
young god. and fully confident of
achieving no less than two-bagger,
only to drop his bat the next moment.
as the bali hit him in the elbow, and
then, after brief dance to the music
of his throbhing nerves. to feebly sell
out on strikes in accordance with the
deep designs of the pitcher. And Ihave
seen umpires thumped and bruised in
a most unmerciful manner by pitchers
whom they have offended by an inju-
dicious calling of balls.
But the greatest tragedy OF which l
was ever Mortified spectator took
place at a game last summer. The
captain of one of the mines was what is
technically known as ''kicker." That
is. he would stand near first base, and
harass the opposing pitcher by shout
ing in season and out of season: eli.
Mr.. Umpire, keep that man in his
box" Upon this occasion the "kicker"
was more than usually aggressive. and
the pitcher correspondingly excited.
At last the ..kickcr" took turn at the
bat.
saw a wild CLEAN in the eye of the
pitcher as he pulled the elastic band a
little tighter on his arm, and COM
pressed his lips as though saying to
himself: "Oh. you'll try to cheese me
up, will you?' He stepped back to
the farthest limit of his position. lunged
forward. and. with unerring precision
and undodgeable celebrity, sent in the
ball. 1t hit the batsman full in the
head, and keeled him into the arms OF
the catcher with force that Knocked
the wind out of the latters chest-prO-
tector.
1t was four weeks before that man
again came to the bat, and then his
face was fretted with plasters. and the
end of his nose was pointed. like the
finger of scorn, to the grand stand
Now, may be thought an exceeding
ly harsh man: but l certainly think
that that should have been scored an
error for the pitcher. And l further
more think that if the Datslnan had
been allowed TO take firstbase, or even
all four bases, he would have had no
more OF a poulticc than his injuries
called for.
believe q compromise has been
effected by which, whenever batsman
is hit with pitched ball the fact is re-
corded in the summary OF the official
score. But whether it is to be taken as
a fault of the pitcher. or joke on the
batsman, 1 am unable to state
Hophni Jones, in Puck.