The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-04-09
DIFFERENCE IN BATTING.
The Radical Results Brought About
by Putting the Pitcher Back
Five Feet
He May Be More Pred minant II
the Game Than Ever
Before
More Bunting VIII Result, hut Not More
Ense Hits-Notes of tho Players and
MAgnates.

VOID comes from the south. where the
%PittshurCs. Baltimore s and Chicagos Of the
league are indulHing in preliminary prao-
lice with the southern league teams, that
the paltry five feet which the magnates, in
all their wisdom and great knowledge of
the present requirements of the game, in.
sisted the pitcher should be obliged to de-
liver the ball in addition TO the last sea-
sons distance. has not the effect the rule
intended. It may he that tho wise
officials did not intend that the increased
distancs should help batting. If SO. they
aro certainly most wise in their generation.
The pitchers, as n general thing, are pleased
with the change. Tho say that some pitch
ers will be even more effective than under
last seasons rates. The additional FIVE
feet gives the pitcher increased power and
control over his curves, shoots and drops.
and makes him moro predominant in tbs
am than eve.
With the pitcher even more effective
than formerly, as the experiment conolu-
sivoiy proves, bunting will be induloed in
by batters more than ever. and the five feet
further from the plate. whore the twirler is
now placed, will make il extremely difficult
for him to cover many of the balls that
drop in front of the plate which he was en-
abled to do last season. In fact the pitchers
threw out more men last season at first
base on bunt hits than did the third base
man. Batting will be diminished under
the now rule rather than increased. The
bunt should have been abolished at the
same time the other change was made.
Tho magnates who made the most de-
oided objection to any change in the pitoh-
er's position were officials of the Cleveland
and Boston clubs. who o their champion
ships last year by their players working the
bunt hit to as near perfection az possible.
1t is strange that officials of tail clubs like
Washington. Louisville and st: Louis
should fail to comprehend the immense
advantage which would be gained by them
in equalizing the playing strength of the
different teams by the proposed change.
1t is the salvation of the game to have the
teams as evenly matched as possible, and
the championship a genuine race instead of
q procession.
According to these theories there should
be only three clubs in the race-Bostons.
Clevelands and New Yorks. The latter are
made possible in thisl list by the shrewd-
ness of Manager Ward and Treasurer Tai
colt. who appreciated just what kind of
players the present style of the game de-
mnnded, and by skilful management or
ganizsd a team of base runners, bunt hit
tiers and players just built for making runs
without the help of home runs to carry
them across the plate. Unless all signs
fail. the giants Of 1893 will keep both the
Bostons and Clevelands guessing from the
start of the season to it's close. This judg-
ment is not arrived at through any feeling
of partisanship or metropolitan spirit of
braggadocio such as we have been accused
of by the journals of other league cities,
but from logical conclusions. the result OF
experience and last seasons study of the
game. Place q pin here for future refer
euce. "t-.