The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-10-17
BASEBALL RULES
MAY Be CHANGED

| The coming winter will see some
changes in the rules of baseball in all
probability. Either the abolition of the
| foul strike rule or the invention of some
rule to offset it by handicapping the
pitcher is a practical necessity if the
career. With the pitcher in the role
of absolute monarch, the action of the
game has become largely mechanical,
so far as the average spectator is con-
cerned. The games are fought and won
by skill and science, which is lost to
the general public, because so much of
it is confined to the curves and other
wiles of the pitcher, on whom depends
pretty nearly the whole battle There
is not enough batting or base running
to allow for exhibition of much science
by the other eight players in the at
lacking side of the sport. Their share
of public honor is confined to an oc-
casional chance to make brilliant
fielding play. A large proportion of
the games played nowadays shows
scores in which the total runs for both
teams viii not be more than five. The
team which is fortunate enough to bag
a couple of runs or more in the first
inning has the game practically won,
and the. element of surprise and uncer-
tainty is ninimized. This is particular
~ true in the American league, where
the teams are more evenly matched
in pitching strength than in the Ma
tional. The American league inclines
toward the abolition of the foul strike,
and perhaps further handicapping the
pitcher by compelling him to use fewer
motions in delivering the ball. The Ma
tiorlal league inclines toward retaining
the foul strike and offsetting it by some
such means as reducing the number of
balls emitting a batter to first base.
The American league does NOT need the
foul strike for the purpose which Gauss
ed it's original adoption; the National
league does. That was to shorten
games. The American league games
were short enough without the foul
strike. A comparison of the time of
games in both leagues. covering a con-
siderable period of time, has demon
strated that the time required to play
an inning averages from two to three
inlnuLSS tOlSSt III Tie 4NcIiOlldl tileAh III
the American league. Much of this diff
ference occurs while the players are
changing sides.
@-.0-s@-.@eGts9-s+w.w.s0-s@-s@s@s@-s
third base, bringing in two men. Then
Rowe came in on Freitas' smash to CEN
ter. Honan was put out trying to slide
home. George Bruins made smart hit
and brought in two more men. En-
Gee and Bruins trotted in, seven runs
altogether being made.
The Punahous spent little time at the
bat in the latter half of this inning,
and in the next inning gave the Ma
kikis two runs, poor playing on the
part of the Punahous being responsible
for them.
The fifth inning was a Punahou deal,
five runs being Tailed. Crook, after
reaching third, went out while attempt
ing to steal home. Larsen numbered
home, scoring the first Punahou run of
the day. After Lemon got to first he
trotted around to third on wild throw
to first. A wild pitch sent Lemon home.
Martin in the meantime had planted
himself on a bag and came home on
Enos' hit to shortstop. Fernandez,
after hitting safe for first, got to sec
ond on bad throw which passed the
baseman, and then passed on to third,
coming home on safe hit.
Neither side scored in the sixth, the
Makikis making one run in the seventh.
About this time the Makikis played the
old, old trick when the Punahous had
man on third and one on first. The
pitcher purposely threw an off ball and
the catcher made great showing of
n haIl To
put out the man who had started from
first to second base. Shortstop En- Gee,
however, ran out close to the umpire
and the ball purposely went into his
hands The man on third base had
started home when the ball left the
catcher's hands, but in an instant En-
Gee had fired the ball back to the catch
er, who put out Crook as he came on
the dead run for home. The trick was
old, but was prettily played and with
success.
In the eighth inning Honan hit past
third. the bali falling outside the foul
flag on the marking line of right field.
A man on third ran home and the UNI
pire permitted it to stand declaring the
hit was fair. Both teams made a run
in the ninth.
The teams lined UP as follows:
Makikis-En Gee. S.; H Bruins, rf.;
Kila, c.; Fern. 3d.; G. Bruins, 1b.; r.
Rowe, CT. Honan. rf.; Aylett, 3D.;
Freitas. p.
Punahous-Lemon. S.: Martin, If;
Enos, cf.; Macy, 3D.; Fernandez. 3d.;
Milton. p; Crook. h.; Larsen, c.; John
son, IF.
The summary of the game by innings
is as follows:
1885 67s9
Makikis ......O o I 2011 LIP