The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-17
PITCHER MAY LOSE
HIS CHANCE AT BAT
Plan to Permit Eight Men to
Do Stick Work Sug-
gested.

CHICAGO, Feb. 16.-Manager James
T. Hayes. of the Davenport club of the
Three-I league, who has been in base
ball for a score Of years, advocates a
radical change in the rules which he
thinks would improve the game much
better than would be the abolishing Of
the four strike rule. Discussing the
changes of rules that might be made
by the joint rules committee at it's
coming meeting, Manager Hayes has
this to say:
81 don't believe the joint rules COM
mittee could do better than to provide
that eight men do all the batting. Sub
stituting a batter or a runner for g.
pitcher is often resorted to in order to
make the game easier for him. Why
not quit depending upon the twirler for
batting altogether? He is hardly ever
expected to do any hitting. His bat
ting record cuts little figure when he Is
signed. 1t is his speed and curves that
count He isn't expected to bat and
fans out a majority of the times that
he comes up to the plate. On the bases
he is usully a dead one.' Nothing
makes a game so much as plenty of
hitting and gingery base running. The
pitcher contributes neither, as a rule.
In close game, If he gets on the bases,
the fans are glad to see him put out to
give him a rest. Stealing second or
third are feats not expected Of him.
Let him do nothing but pitch and you
will have introduced a novelty and d
feature that will take with the crowd
right along.
Favors Foul Strike Rule.
''Then keep the foul hit rule. It has
shortened the game, not too much, but
by taking out the tedious delays that
resulted from so much fouling Of the
ball as was chargeable to some batters
under the old rule. While the players
fell down in their batting averages
after 1t was adopted, it was noticeable
the past season that they picked up
quite a little. That meant a gain in
scientific batting. They know now that
they have got to hit the ball where 1t
will count and 1t Is that kind of bat
ting that brings the crowd to it's feet.
Il see that 1T is being suggested that
the error column might be done away
with. Those who favor 1t argue that
some players will go after balls If err
rors are not counted that they leave
alone now for fear of making errors.
The public won't stand for it. however.
The first question about game is the
score and the next is the hits and err
rors. The fans can figure out how a
game was lost or won from those three
columns and they won't want to see
the error column wiped out. *
The rules governing baseball as play
ed by the American, the National and
the mirror leagues are soon to be over
hauled. A meeting of the joint rules
committee will be held in a few days
in this city. The American league will
be represented by T. J. LOTUS. B. F.
Shibe and J. E. Bruce, the National
league by Edward Hanlon, James A.
Hart and Max Fleischmann, the minor
leagues by T. H. Murnane, P. T. Pow
ers. J. H. Farrell. M. II. Sexton and
James H. O'Rourke. Each organization
will have a vote.
HanIon Has a Plan.
Many suggestions have been made
looking to changes in the rules. The
foul strike rule which was in vogue
in the National league last year will
probably be the most important point
to be considered. The American league
and the minor leagues are opposed to
the rule. The joint committee will con-
slider suggestion which involves the
removal Of the pitcher from the bat
ting order entirely 1t is set forth that
few pitchers try to bat because of the
great amount Of exertion they have to
undergo in the box and that it would
be well either to send a substitute to
the plate or allow the eight members
of the team outside of the pitcher to
do all of the batting.
Hanlon has plan to limit fielding
errors to wild throws and muffed balls,
which will do away with the scoring
Of misplays on fumbles of hard-hi
gTounders.
Several years ago the rule makers
legislated against the big mitt, restrict
ting it's use to the catcher and the first
baseman, at the same time allowing
the other f1elders to use small mitts of
certain size and weight. But as the
players have learned to use all kinds
of mitts with pockets in them, so
that it is almost impossible to drop a
ball, the rule makers may be called
upon to legislate again.