Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-10-21
CHANGE OF RULES NEEDED.
Big Leagues Arc stirred TIP as Result OF
Chesbro's Spit" ball.

when the American and National
leagues meet this winter and the question
Of rules Is brought up the first thing 10
be discussed will be the ACCESSIBILITY Of
doing away with the foul strike next
season,
Tho change, for It now seems certain
that there Will be some sort Of change,
may be laid At the door of Pitcher
Jack CHESHIRE Of the Hlghlanders, and
his famous spit ball which, Il Is
said by many will rcyoluuonlzc pitch
The invention Of this form Of delivery
Is held by CLARK Griffith to be one Of the
greatest innovations In the national
game. President Brush, Manager Nc
Graw and others claim that II Is "a men'
ace 10 tho game unless conditions are
brought about which will Offset H.
Instead Of changing the "fOul strike
rule several managers have advocated
and will suggest at the leagues meet
ing the proposition " giving the bats.
man a base ON three halls instead ot
four President Hart Of the Chicago
National club. will be the man to propose
a change.
~ Is almost certain that something
Will have 20 be done 10 offset the ef-
fcctiveucSs Of the pitcher" said Presl-
dent Hart 1.-THE invention OF the spit
ball Is unquostiOnably the greatest thing
In baseball since the discovery Of the
curved ball As II Is. the pitchers are
effective enough, and I should think that
II pitcher were allowed only three balls
the effect Of spit ball could be over
come.
"This new ball and It's possibilities arc
worrying all the clubs 10 tho country
and there iHs no doubt In my mind about
new rules being made on Us account
As matter Of fact II was this spit
ball which lost the Hlghlanders the
American league pennant, and Chesbru,
It's inventor was directly responsible
for the winning run made by Boston
IN the fatal ninth inning He bad used
the ball several times during the game
with great effectiveness IN critical posi-
lions He had another crucial moment
. on his hands when he pitched his spit
bal In the ninth. but this time he did
not get the proper twist TO his delivery
and the slip was disastrous
The league magnates are looking
ahead They know that all of the crack
pitchers VIII practise up on this new
style Of shaft all winter long. In or
der to perfect themselves. Some Of
them would become masters 0f the
twist before the opening Of next season,
and II So they viii prove the most form
liable twlrers on the slab. That the
hatters can educate themselves up to
landing on the spit ball is foolish 10
presuppOse. Il would take several sea-
sons to train the eye for such a freak
fish, elusive twist so az 10 be able 10
land on II with any degree Of precision.
Therefore the managers are alarmed
that when Il comes 10 handing out the
spit" the batters will be moved down
In dlscouragng numbers, and thereby
lessen the interest Of the game. In the
past few years the SALESMAN has become
greater factor In the game than ever
before, Master hands at the bat have
proved no match for the crack pitchers,
and what the people want 10 see IL some
good stick work and not pitchers bat.
tie With a spit ball that no one could
TOUGH the game would lose moro than
half It's interest, and no matter how
good a line OF pitchers team had, II
there were no spit" hall statesmen In It's
ranks, II would stand but little chance
10 get into a pennant- winning stride 10
Is believed that the balls-take.your
base idea would Offset this and assure
the game Of the more DESTROYS features
Of base running and run.gettlng.