Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-05-23

games against the big teams Of the major
league. Early last summer predicted the
reorganization OF the Western league and
expressed the belief that it would meet
with decided success. There Is no reason
TO change the tone Of that belief The times
are propitious; the circuit is strong and well
arranged; good men are behind the various
clubs; teams seem to be we'll made up, and
last of all the league has at its head an ex-
ecutive officer who Is in himself tower OF
strength to the organization.
lhave the pleasure Of personal acquaint-
ance with President Ban johnson of the
Western league, and what Is said Of him
herein is q matter Of knowledge, not Of
hearsay. He was associated with the sport
ing department Of the Cincinnati CONNER
cial Gazette in 1885, when / reported the
Cincinnati games for that paper. In later
years he took up the baseball work Of The
Commercial Gazette and became one OF the
most pronounced "cranks" I'm the west.
During the excitement Of game Ban was
accustomed to grow wild and woolly. A
cowboy on crusade was mot In 1t" with
him on such occasions. 1t was nothing un-
expected in Cincinnati TO zee the present
presiding officer Of the Western league
leaning far over the front of the press box
and paying his wordy and not ambiguous
left handed respects to the offending um-
pife. No umpire to my knowledge was ever
mobbed on the Cincinnati grounds, but had
such an assault occurred 1t is most prob
able that Ban would have cast the first
stone
It is OF such baseball stuff that President
Ban Johnson is made. Heis In the game
heart, soul, body and creased trousers
There is nothing lukewarm or uncertsin
about his love for the sport. His knowl-
edge OF the science is not entirely theoretic-
al. In his school days Ban was a catcher
for the Marietta (O.) college team and
was accounted the best amateur catcher
I'm the state. With a mind that is entirely
impartial, will that is forcible and an en-
thusiasm that Is powerful, Mr.. Johnson, it
seems to me, is bound TO be the right man
in the right place for the Western league.
That he is n prime fighter was proved by
his hearty, whole souled work as secretary
of the American association during the
latter's war with the National league ia
1891.
Every year the National league appoints
a committee Of three to revise the playing
rules, and every year the committee pro-
ceeds to do the revisisn act whether there
is need of revision or not. They utter the
sentiment of Flanagan of Texas, what
are we here fori" and straightway begin to
paw over the playing rules like so many
terriers digging for a rat The result is that
something must give way before them sim
ply to justify their appointment.
These rules committeeman usually are
"magnates," who can tell the difference be-
tween the home plate and the bat bag, but
not much more. IL ball players like Anson,
Comiskey, Ward, Hanlon, Pfeffer, Tebeau
or Nash were put on the committee, "revi-
sion" would not be INDUCED in for the mere
sake of making a showing.
The last rules committee made more mis-
takes than Bob Ingersoll ever laid to the
credit of Moses, the ancient lawmaker and
the original rules committee Of one The
most glaring, asinine blunder of the bunch,
however, was the abolition Of the trap
ball" To do this the committee submitted
a rule which was adopted and which says,
''The batsman is out IL be bits fly ball
that can be handled by sn innelder while
first base is occupied, with only one out"
In a recent game Arlie Latham put the
seal Of Righteousness upon that rule In
way that should call for it's repeal forth
with. There was man on first base; one
man was out; the batsman popped up a fly
which threatened to hit Arlie on the head
unless nc InONtu Ut pub up uls uhuus. i1o
moved-got out Of the balls way and let It
fall to the ground with dull, sickening
thud." Then he picked up the ball. tossed
It to the pitcher and shouted,
"We don't have to catch that kind this
year. Mr.. Umpire"
McQuade. a National league umpire, was
officiating, and he called In rather sheep
ish way, 'Batter's outp And he was out
according to the rule as revised.
Yet this is baseball playing as those
"puddin' head" rules committeeman are
making il. Isn't IL about time for Presi-
dent Young TO name men on that commit
tee who will not monkey" with the rules
Unless there is need for a changei IL would
not be so bad If these rule butchers affected
only the playing in the National league.
but unfortunately they revise rules which
are used by every club, professional, semi
professional or amateur. which exists In the
United States.
Baseball Is the national game Of the Unit
ed States, and yet a most unusual and par
adoxical situation has recently arisen to
belle the name. The Buffalo club of the
Eastern league signed two young players
whose home Is In Canada. Some disap-
pointed players on this side OF the line noti-
fed Immigration Inspector de Barry. The
inspector autographed to Washington for
Instructions. He got them-to wit; IL the