Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-03-02
IN The FIELD Of SPORT
Some Radical Rules in Base Ball
Agreed Upon at League
Conference.
Gossip Of the Puss.-Mccoy Itch
ing For a Fight..A Jeffries
Rumor.
University Of Wisconsin is After
the Seaman Cup in Eastern
Regatta.

Some radical changes in base ball
rules have been announced as the result
of the meeting of the National League
base ball magnates held this week in
New York. At the close of the session
it was announced that the report of the
committee on rules and reconstruction had
been under discussion. A rule was
adopted which does away with the in
territorial "fouling off of pitched balls
by batsmen The first and second
pitched balls fouled by the batsman,
unless two strikes have already been
called against him. shalt henceforth be
counted as strikes
Rule No 8, defining he position of the
catcher's line. Was altered SO that the
catcher will have to sand within ten
feet instead of ninety feet of the plate.
This places the catcher up behind the
bat turnout the game.
a rule making the pitcher deliver the
ball to the batsnan as soon as the latter
takes his position al the plate was
adopted. Should the pitcher deliver the
bail to any other place than the plate
a ball will bescalled for each delivery.
A rule was passed Which penalties
one ball against the pitcher if he fail to
deliver the ball tosthe batsman within
twenty seconds after the latter has ia
ken his position.
rule was adopted empowering the
umpire 10 remove from the game. and
II need be from the grounds. any player
using improper language TO another
Istayer, captain, manager or spectator.
Written proof OF the offense must be
submitted 10 the president of the league
within ,wenty-four hours. and he may,
II the proof be satisfactory, suspend the
offender, from playing
\ bafsrnan may not henceforth take
his base II hit by pitched ball. but the
ball will count as a ball against the
pitcher. Several rules conflicting with
the changes named were stricken out or
changed TO conform 20 the alterations
Kid Mccoy returned 10 New York this
week from his trip abroad and created
some surprise when he resume. his
bamba site talk. The Kid says he wants
te fight Sharkey, Corbett Fitzsimmonss
and Jeffries in turn. and is confident
that he can whip them all. He declares
that he has taken on weight and is in
finer condition than ever before. BY
What right Mccoy can expect match
With any Of these heavyweights is a
2shasrkes might prove easier than the
effets because the sailor has gone
away back Wnile the Kid has improved
lface their meeting at the Lenox Attn
stetic Cub three years ago III. az, Nc
10y insists his fight With Corbett was
strictly on the lesIei. he would have lit
tie chance of Winning in another mill
With Gentleman jim AS for Fitzsim-
mons, no well-pested sporting man be-
ileves that Mccoy should meet him il
the chance should be offered On ring
form and records Mccoy does not class
NTH F'itz. The Kids poor showing
against Sharkey Rubin and Corbett
must be taken az proof that he has no
business With the cornishman. who ha 9
put al three of these f1eavyweights
away in the most decisive manner. Re
garding a battle with Jeffries the same
argument applies. The champion in
condition would be too big and strong
for the Kid to overcome He has beat
en- Sharkey, Corbett and Fitzsimmons
which is quite a record Mccoy. as
many sporting men have argued. has
few victories Of Importance in his rec
ord If he is actually spelling for a
fight Choynski. Walcott and Tommy
Ryan are ready 10 tackle him.
The talk that Jeffries may never fight
again because of an injured knee is NOT
generally credited The champion has
been sufferer from rheumatism for
the last two years When he complained
OF an injured left arm before his fight
With Sharkey II was common rumor
mat rheumatism was the real cause OF
MS dlsablement. Physicians who have
examined the boilermakers say thar his
trouble has been caused by the great
amount of work he has done reducing
mig weight. He has been compelled TO
take off 80 much flesh that his road
work has been more than that accom-
plisied by other big pugilists. In sweat
ing himself down .Jeffries contracted a
severe cold some time ago and chronic
rheumatism developed But the cham
spion by constant training kept the all
ment We'll under control. His left arm
has not bothered him during the past
year, which has been source of en-
.couragement to him.
So many stories have been circulated
about the proposed movements OF Tod
Sloan that it is hard to tell just what
the intentions Of Americas premier
jockey are. The latest rumors are that
he intends to go in for racing on large
scale at Chicago. The secretary Of the
Harlem Jockey Club is the authority
for this statement He says that last
week when he was in San Francisco
Sloan outlined his plans. The latter told
the secretary that he would have the
best horses that money could buy and
tina. he would race them at Chicago in
the summer; that is. provided ne re-
ceives license from the Western Jock
ey Club. 1t is Sloan's intention to ride
his own horses Perhaps the most inter-
esting part OF the conversation between
ha M,