The Washington times., 1902-09-10
WORKINGS OF THE
FOUL STRIKE RULE
Not Alone Responsible for the Fact
That There Are But IS National
League Batters in 900 Class.

The foul-strike rule has been held re-
sponsible for the fact that there are only
twenty-five National League batters
in the 300 class this year. According
to the New York Sun. 1t may be in a
measure responsible, but study of the
existing conditions will reveal other
things that have bearing on the
number of 800 hitters being less than
usual
The foul-strike rule went into effect
last year, and at the end Of last sea-
son there were only twenty-four 300
hitters in the National League.
In 1900 there were thirty-fivc hit
ters with averages Of 300 or better
in the National, so that SO far the foul
strike appears to be to blame for the
slump. But one reason for the condi
tion, and one that is generally over
looked, is the fact that the American
League for two years has been making
big inroads in the batting strength OF
the National League.
There would be not a few more 300
hitters in the National League, foul
strike rule or no foul-strike rule, il that
League still had the good stickers it
had two years ago, and the fact that it
has not is as much to blame for lack
of 300 averages as anything else.
When a league loses at one fell
swoop at least dozen good batters one
need look no further to account for a
falling eff in batting. Following is a
list Of players who were in the National
Leagae last year and are now in the
American: G. Davis, Delahanty, strang,
Green, Mcfarland, Daily, Doyle, Selbach,
Harley. Padden, Mccormick, Warner,
Criger, Hickman, Hartsell, Flick. Nc
Guire, Heidrick, Burkett, and Wallace.
OF these. eight had percentages Of 300
or better under the foul-strike rule last
year, and in all probability would have
1t this year, bringing the number of .3I0
hitters this year up to thirty-thre,,
which is pretty close to normal. Fur
thermore. the American League has in
it's ranks such hitters as Barrett, La
joie. F. Jones, Keister, Stahl. Williams.
Inns, who went with it from the Ma
tional League last year, still further
taking away from the batting strength
of the National.
1t only goes to show that the foul.
strike rule should not be held respon-.
sible for falling OF in number of 300
batsmen. bu; rather that the fault is
due to the National League being short
of batsmen of 300 per cent calibre and
who could hit over 300 with or without
the rule. 1t also goes to show that the
American League is the stronger hit
ting organization.
The truth is that the National League
is top heavy in pitching strength, There
is a capable pitcher in the National to
every 300 hitter. and with this array of
pitching talent to make trouble for the
exclusive array of batters below the .30N
mark, it is little wonder that the batters
are suffering. There are to be found in
the National League pitching ranks,
among others, the following Willis,
Pittinger, Mathewson, Cronin. McGin-
nifty, l.. Taylor, J. Taylor, Donovan, Kit
son. Newton. Evans, Hughes. Fraser,
White, Chesbro, Lever, Doheny, Tame
hill, Philippe, Phillips. Hahn, Poole,
Menefee. and O'Neill.
The strike between pitchers and bat
ters will endure SO long as baseball en-
dures, but at present in the National
League the preponderance Of strength in
the box is noticeable.
What the National League needs to do
is to dig UP more native batting ability.
1t is the absence of sufficient Of that
ability rather than the presence of the
rule that is handicapping
the batting just now