The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-03-05

The Fourth OF March will be a great day
this year. II not merely will mark the re-
entrance Of tho Democratic party to the
possession of all branches OF the Federal
Government. but 1t will be tho beginning
OF n period Of economic change such rs
even Americans OF mature & have not
seen. The Fourth OF March will be q great
day, big with the fate Of the Democracy.
Yet there will be In the March calendar at
least one other day not wholly unworthy to
be mentioned with March 4. on the list OF
fate. We mean. OF course. March 7. 1893.
On that day the meeting OF the National
League of Baseball Cranks will be held at
the Fifth Avenue Hotel: and mighty con
st!tutional changes. full Of solemn import
and not without effect upon the circulation
Of our %fifty-cent pieces. will be de-
liberated. Shall the Diamond be enlarged ?
Shall the pitcher be removed from his pres
ent shrine to intlcld centre. and his box thus
be discstablished? Shall the Flat Bat be dis
curded? Shall the game DO simplifled
Shall there be " n lucid definition ola balk
To this last question we say yea and
many Of EN-. except that a lucid definition
Of u balk is not. as far as W. know. within
the present resources OF photography. A
Uukh ii u ain Ilu IL u Ill
In regard to the pitcher: This genius
might we'll suffer a setback. II the pitcher
were set back, the result would be. we sup
pose. that he would pitch balls which could
be found by the bat. The learned gentlemen
who receive more or less colossal wages for
going through the forms OF playing the
now practically obsolete game Of baseball.
object to IL gamo that sends the fielders
hunting. The Fool Public, which is allowed
to provide the more or less colossal salaries.
likes a batting game. The more the ball
is whacked the greater the Joy Of the
spectators. This may not be Science,
but it is Fact. likewise Fun. The evolu-
ton OF the pitcher. who. after in
conceivable delays. tortures. circum-
spections. witchcraft. and damphoolery
multitudinous. finally delivered" a ball
seen principally by an umpire. has de-
stroycd the gayety Of the benchers. In
baseball. rs in boxing. 1t is the swat" and
not tho guard that counts. Our best citi.
zens don't expose themselves to the calami.
ties of the weather. and the solicitations OF
the score-card demon. for the purpose OF
seeing eighteen wooden men do the lignum
act. They want to see the batsman lift the
ball. even II he lanes q dog outside the
grounds with it. Since the days Of MI.
cHAEI ANGELO KELLY. tho theory has seem.
ed to prevail among the Dandies OF the Dia'
monG that strong men and brave women &C
out for to see them be. This Is q mistake
Eighteen barber's poles. or q Provident
wood yard. arc just as cheerful and attrac.
tive as the conventional baseball collection
Of sticks. In baseball. people want motion
not rest. II setting the pitcher back will
contribute to the poetry of the motion. bacl
let him go. He can't 40 too far back. The
pitcher has asserted himself too much. W.
deprecate violence. but it must have DC
Cured to humanitarians that tho supply
OF pitchers might be reduced with advan
tage. The pitcher. as al imitation OF thu
irreplaceable tenor, has fatiguing qualities
As for the pitchers box. we advocate Soak
ing" the pitcher. or else he should be pu'
underground. and be allowed to come VI
and throw n ball at the bat and retire unit
tho ball has been returned to him. Thu con
spicuity OF his box has had a d%oterioratinl
effect upon his minor morals. He acts tot
much: he pitches too little.
Without wishing to suggest radica
changes. we may be allowed to favor thu
abolition OF the lay pitcher: likewise OF tn
catcher in the mask. There Is no use for
catcher. He is useful ut times as a thrower
but why should he be expected to catch
good solid fence that reflects tho growing
surliness of the pitcher Is preferable. /
pitcher that makes a real balk. should b.
slain in his box or made an umpire.
Let us have improved baseball.