The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-15
WESTERN LEAGUE STANDING.
Baseball Notes.

It is not often that a first baseman
goes through a game with but single
put-out to his credit. Bransfleld of the
Pirates made that record Sunday.
You won't see the hit-and-run game
played much this season. remarked
Dick Padden recently. ITO play that
game the batsman must try to place the
ball. and the chances for his making
fouls are naturally thereby increased.
The result is that he soon finds himself
in hole and must hit at anything that
may come along. That fOuI-strike rule
is sure to put a stop to scientific hit
ting, for the players cannot take
chance"
The Pittsburg and Cincinnati players
came to an agreement last Saturday to
ignore the rule by which q pitcher could
be prevented from warming up between
innings by having the batsman hurry
to the plate. The players realize that
1T is cruel to force a slab artist to pitch
when his arm is even a trifie stiff. 1t is
more than likely that all the players of
the National League will come to the
same agreement before many more
games are played.
If thinner could catch every game Of
a whole season for Cleveland, it seems
that two capable catchers ought to be
enough for a team; of course, there is a.
chance that both of them would be laid
up, but there is also a chance that three
of them will be laid on the shelf. With
two catcherS, a team could afford either
to carry an extra Outfielder or, where it
this season, six pitchers could be used.
Fred Clarke's injury received in a col
lision with Third Stacker Rayner, Of the
Remnants, is far more serious than was
first supposed, and Pittsburg writer's
hardly expect to see their manager in
the game for several weeks to come. A
cartilage has been torn loose from the
ribs and physicians have ordered Clarke
to rest indefinitely. His absence from
the fray bids fair to cost the Pirates lots
of games in their Tits with the eastern
teams. In the meantime Tannehill will
cavort in the left suburb
There promises to be trouble between
Cincinnati and Boston over John Dobbs,
the Outf1elder who was given ten days
notice of his release while the Reds
were in ST Louis. Harley developed a.
case of charley horse q. day or two later,
and Dobbs went to center Mcbride 60
ing to left Dobbs made great hit
with the fans of yorktown; in fact, he
is the whole thing over there when
Noodles Hahn IS not in sight Dobbs
agreed to go with the Boston National
League club. but Manager McPhee of
the Reds decided to retain him. In the
meantime Boston had released Jack
Barry, to make room for Dobbs- Now
both teams insist upon having him, and
it is up to Messrs- Soden and Brush to
settle the matter.
Kittridge has caught every game for
Boston so far this season. Yet 1t IS
quired the catcher to remain within ten
feet of the plate throughout the game,
has made the receivers work very hard.
Games are averaging close to one hour
and thirty minutes each now. and it
would be a fair average to say that a
catcher is required to stand behind the
plate forty-f1ve minutes in all Dividing
it up into nine innings, one will see that
the catcher works five minutes in each
inning. Any able-bodied man is COM
petent to do harder work than is re-
uufred of a catcher for much longer
periods than that To the layrnan it
looks as though managers will finally
cut their teams down to two eatchers,
then take the extra man for the pitch
ing staff or as a utility outfielder