The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-27
CURRENT SPORTING TALK.
n q. MILLS GIVES hrs views ON
THE KICKING QUESTION.
e.Ss ths sfatuates Can stsp II sy sfnhins uts
Fart 81 tue Pisycra' Contrnct,-Ebbc,s
wants 60 Get on tho National Board
Will seara NE Reappcintea fran Harvard =

"A. @. Mills. ex. President OF tho National
League, who was one Of tho original trainers Of
thp national agreement, which Is the bulwark
OF the game, lis among those who advocate the
~atolition Of rowdy bnil playing. He has had n
great deal OF experience with baseball mag
mates, and his views are based upon II knowl-
edge OF their methods. When asked yesterday
by q reporter Of THE SUN what would be a rem
edy for the existing troubles, Mr.. Mills said:
"As far as I have Investigated the matter,
and / have read the articles in TIE Sun with n
great deal OF interest, 1t sooms to me that tho
club owners of tho League are TO blame for tho
dfsgraoeful behavior OF their players on the
neld. The umpire question has alays boon n
nupject for discussion ever since the National
League was organized. In 1878, at II meeting
Of that organization at Cleveland, the first move
was made by tho magnates, including myself,
for the protection Of umpircs and increasing
their power. In those days an umpirc's time
Uas taken up chiefly in watching the pitcher,
who was compelled by the rules not to deliver
the ball without keeping his hand below his
shoulder. There was SO much trouble over this
point, and pitchers were so much inclined to in
dnlge in tho overland delivery, that umpircs
we're severely handicapped In other decisions
by being compelled to watch tho twirlers. So
IN 1878 ] was ono of the advocates Of the rule
that permitted the overland delivery, and after
. hard fight the League adopted 1t. The.prim-
airy reason for this was to give TO the umpire
ouough power to watch not only the pitcher.
but all the other players In the field, and to be,
20 TO speak, monarch Of the diamond. Tho
LeaRue then made 1t o point at all times to sup
pcrt.the umpires In their rulings, for 1t was ap-
1reciated that IL tho players were permitted to
run riot the game would lose its popularity.
Hinco that time the umpire has had his annual
troubles, and though the magnates have en-
dsevored to protect him. the players have grad
ualy been allowed to indulge in riot and disorder
In their efforts to win.
Elm my opinion there is only one way to stop
this trouble. and that is not only to forbid the
players to kick, but to make 1t a condition Of
the contracts which the players must be asked
10 sign. OF course. we all know that some mag
mites in tho League are q little too much inclined
ID support their players in protests against tho
umpire, for the reason that they believe their
patrons of tho game want 1t. They think that
BY standing up for the rights Of the people In
their cities they are only doing what is neces-
pary to further the interests of their clubs. But
iftthey will look at the matter from o sportsman
like standpoint they can hardly fail to see that
tbey arc In the wrong. 1t may be possible that
. few Of these same magnates believe that kick
ing and ~riotous behavior on tho part of their
HSement.. The reports of disorder on the field
e. spread upon by some newspapers are pos
utbly regarded by them as OF 80 much attraction
that the public will come to the grounds in
lhrGer numbers than If no trouble was heard Of.
o Az IN oS al S a d = the IN t f%asTft aSRn Of fi and all c EHts
want to win for that, reason. II is, therefore,
natural for some rather ayaricious owners to
support their players when the latter make ex-
cuses for defeats. I am a believer in lively
baseball and in contests which show rivalry
sOOme interest Gae in their teams effo IT to . VIM diispba but
when they resort to shaking, their fists in the
throat and afV Threatening MIN w with Bodily harm
and mob rule, it appears to me that in justice
70 the public and the self-respecting patrons of
sicn!s game tho League should take summary &C.
National Board in the place left vacant By the
}ate 9. =. Byrne has not been settled BY the
The Brooklyn Club. said yesterday that he be-
Neyed the place, belonged by right 70 the Brook
Pired. Ebbets also stated that no would like
e sssu anS t the duties Ibas of Of . ths ISs tbanS on the h
With professional baseball and has learned the
Begin work on t66e board with a thorough fnowi.
s ave % o. be sn son HafisHs en1 E6sess.s w aESs %as auo essi
p not iSnf s sEo sd IN f Hmn 4 s sT,r9 as o,b being Si,S Sf "a INST
S sESo6s.1a. wdn play * a a nls nos p samis tss hraeS.
q yesselday assnd 4 thhoy diSobey me they viii
. There 10 considerable fun making over the
EYid". taviGne. tho nghtweight champion.
Es1uco himself to 1913 pounds and Dixon viii
then consent to moot him. The also addition
ready SIGNED articles to fight Walcott." La
SWo. hard, nshts with Waicott prove, and he
you'd DO IN . lauEhable pr~edicament II he drew
Pc SoiS aed anS On ionE Pa aSo n %nS' to as i sEsFy sbo1s
S22 pounds again.
The Atnlstio; Committee at Harvard Univer-
NY has authorized Capt. Dibblee to appoint q
kspresenteayo Of the Crimson to serve on the
Sfthia committee Haryard's interests have boon
booked after by Joseph H. Sears. ex-captain of
Slose student Of football and has been instrumen.
u In making many Of the new rules which
hfSs p ;:Is'S 81 70 SoPPa liiSsi the R ee Sss n SS IT. ta PiE1ssS9 eo
care for HArvard's weffare, both on the com;
h s1sas.t end hs = as ses capG q 5 ishs ssa Win a md m ISisl
tSSSus al'1 Sossis y s ss@iff smifias so %fth 0h feot i5sill r wSS;
Ssrt sssss' T Psiaset 81 TO vii IT, a %s asnaff, l s.nd Alex OK:
eade5 honnatt. who was tho head coach Of the
been regarded es an expert rule maker. Yale,
Untversity Of pennsylvania, and Cornell will
S SssS s'a and sh ssu Hl ;. d6S ss { 81 P sSs SnIfa ths gts sss
Esyal Academy win be tho sixth member.
plxtty good authority that Yale and Princeton
WIN DO tho originators of them. with Harvard
giving ready assent. The suggestion of The
b1N that tho quarter back be allowed TO run
with the ball This year as soon as he shall re-
cetyo 1t from the centre rush, is meeting with
general favor. and 1t will be brought to the at
fention Of the committee In a formal manner.
Julian W. Curtiss said yesterday that he was in
favor of having Yale back up the suggestion for
tho reason that he thought 1t would help TO
mako the game moro interesting and cauas
many new formations behind the line. Every
football man who has been asked for his opinion
on this point has expressed no reasons for sus-
tanning the old rule. On the contrary, experts
believe that 1t will do no.harm for the commit
~. 70 make a trial OF such a rule next fall. and
then II II does not work successfully abolish II.
Another change that will DO considered by the
committee is the question OF a penalty for off.
side play or foul tactics, when one team Is with
IN 1--WE yards Of another's goal line. According
to tho present rule the penalty under such cir
oumstRnces 10 half the distance, which Is
Thought to 30 particularly severe, providing
ienee. IL Il Thought thai insIend OF inhictino