The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-02-22
BASEBALL GAMES MAY
Be OF LONGER DURATION
Big Men of Major Leagues Say
that Playing Time Should Be
Heightened.
MAGNATES LIKE THE IDEA

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. H.-Longer games
Of baseball are likely 10 be the rule this
season. Not more innings of course. but
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 10 an hour and
forty minutes or even two hours. That this
is the sentiment held by a number of mag
mates in each organization developed 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, more
over, the public does not like short games.
Last year it was something of a feature
to hurry games through as quickly as pos
sible. This was especially true in the Amer
lean League, any number of games being
played in an hour and twenty minutes and
less.
The ideal length of game of baseball
was the subject of an interesting discussion
between Ned Hanlon, manager of the
Brooklyn team, and President kilfOyl, of
the Cleveland Club during the baseball con-
ference 1t is worthy of note that these
men, representatives of clubs in two major
leagues. agreed perfectly that the tendency
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 or the finer points of the game. They
don't have 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 afternoons enter
talnment, and they are apt to feel that they
don't get their moneys worth when they
see game rushed through In an hour and
fifteen or twenty minutes. A game lasting
nearer two hours suits them much better"
ion.
Il know" he said. that in Cleveland a
lot of the fans thought some of our games
were too short But We had one crack bat
terry that used to work like lightning. The
ball went back and forth so fast you could
hardly tell which was the pitcher.
THAT very quickness may have cost you
several games remarked Hanlon.
But II didn't" was the reply. THE
pitcher in the battery | refer to did the best
work of the season He won something like
eighteen out of twenty-three games
We'll, he's an exception TO the rule, said
Hanlon. Il always have my catchers hold
the pitchers down If the latter get to work
ing too fast. / want everyone on the team
to fully realize just what the situation is
before every ball is pitched If the battery
first thing you know some inexcusabe play
is made and IL may cost you the game.
Two hours may be bit long for game,
though II did not use TO be so considered
but / don't want my team to play a game
in much less time than that"
Well said Kilfoyl Il think we have
perhaps been playing a lot of our games
too quickly, but il strikes that two
hours is going to the other extreme. About
an hour and forty minutes hits me as the
ideal time for a game.
AT least that added Hanon. From
an hour and forty TO an hour and fifty min
utes is just about right for the average
game. This gives the players plenty of
frao m hofr dc aC their
hands Also il Just about suits the crowd
They enough baseball and get away
from the game in time for their dinners
without having to kill half an hour or so
in hafvy