The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-02-22
Magnates Suggest Longer Base
ball Games Hereafter.
Big Men OF Both Major Leagues
Want Time Heightened.
BATTERIES TOO FAST.
Fans Think They Don't Get
Their Moneys Worth.
Kilfoyl Says About One Hour
and Forty Minutes Right.

San Francisco, Feb. 22.-Longer
games of baseball are likely to be the
rule this season. Not more innings, of
course, but a longer duration of each
individual contest than was the case
last year. The plays will go through
somewhat less rapidly and the average
length Of time consumed by each game
will be increased a considerable num-
Der of minutes-possibly to an hour and
40 minutes or even two hours That
this is the sentiment held by a number
of magnateS in each organization de-
veloped at the baseball conference here
recently 1t is felt by them that it
lowers the class of baseball to rush the
game along and that, moreover, the
public does not like short games.
Last year it was something of a fea-
ture to hurry games through as quickly
as possible. This was especially true
in the American League. any number
of games being played in an hour and
20 minutes and less.
The ideal length of a game of base
ball was the subject of an interesting
discussion between Ned Hanlon, mana
ger of the Brooklyn team, and Presi-
dent Kilfoyl of the Cleveland club dur
ing the baseball conference. 1t is
worthy of note that these men, repre-
sentatives of clubs in two major
leagues. agreed perfectly that the ten
dency last season to rush games
through was wrong.
Il do not believe in these short
games" said Hanlon. ITO begin with,
if the pitcher and catcher work too
fast they overlook many of the finer
points of the game. They don't have a
full grasp on the situation all the time,
and are apt to make mistakes which at
critical times may lose games. They
don't play heady baseball.
THE people don't like these short
games, either. They pay for an after
Moons entertainment, and they are apt
to feel that they don't get their mon
ey's worth when they see game rush
ed through in an hour and Is or 20
minutes. A game lasting nearer two
hours suits them much better"
Kilfoyl in general agreed with this
opinion.
81 know" he said, that in Cleveland
a lot of the fans thought some of our
games were too short. But we had one
crack battery that used to work like
lightning. The ball went back ana
which was the pitcher"
THAT very quicknesS may have cost
you several games remarked Hanlon.
But it didn't was the reply. 1.-THE
pitcher in the ba tterydL refer to did the
best work of the season. He Won some
thing like Is out Of % games
Well he's an exception to- the rule, !"
said Hanlon. II always have my
catcherS hold the pitchers down II the
latter get to working too fast. I want
! everyone on the team to fully realize
just what the situation is before avery
ball is pitched. If the battery works
too fast they don't do this. Then the
first thing you know some inexcusable
play is made and it may cost you the
game.
1.-TWO hours may be a bit long for a
game, though it did not use to be so
considered, but 1 don't want my team to
play game in much less time than
that"
We'll" said Kilfoyi, Il think we
have perhaps been playing a lot OF our
games too quickly, but it strikes me that
two hours is going to the other ex-
treme. About an hour and forty min
utes hits me as the ideal time for a
game
"At least that" added Hanlon.
From an hour and forty to an hour
and fifty minutes is just about right
for the average game. This gives the
players plenty of time to use their
/ heads as well as their hands. Also it
/ just about suits the crowd. They see
1 enough baseball and get away from the
game in time for their dinners with
out having to kill half an hour or so in
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