The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-03

| PRESIDENT Sn1Veley mas instructed MS
umpires to forego the National agree
ment rule which compels the con-
| tinuance of a game while it is raining
as long as there is even one person in
| the bleachers. Frequently instances
| have occurred in recent baseball his
| tory when the home team wanted the
game continued, to have some friend
protect himself with traincoat and UNI
brella and sit in the bleachers until the
| last dog is hung. THAT rule is bad,
said President Shiveley to his umpires
the other day in letter of instruc-
tons. THAT is the only word which
Will fit the case. 1t prevents sports
| manlike conduct in case a team wants
the weather conditions are such as to
necessitate the cessation of a game I
want you to call it, despite the fact
| that a few people remain in the
bleachers.''
The official edict has gone forth!
The Western association will allow its
pitchers to cross-f1re, and neither cap
tains, managers or the autocrat, his
Umps" may whisper May" There are
a number of pitchers in the circuit
who step out of the right side of the
box and wIizz - the balls across the
plate to the eminent mystery OF bat
! tiers. The principal ones are Jack
Root of Oklahoma City, Westcott and
Red Davis of Sedalia, Curly Speer of
Leavenworth and Ben Henderson OF
Guthrie. Not a single one OF these,
| however, does it as a regular thing,
| but merely as an additional help in
| fooling batsmen. The manner in which
the seal of righteousness was stamped
on the cross-fred ball is rather inter
esting. The story: President Shive-
| ley came to Topeka on Saturday after
noon to see the White Sox and Sedalia
| play. Just about the time at which
the players had gotten into their
clothes and were ready to leave the
Mr.. j. Pluvius let go of good soaking
rain. So the players of both teams
and the president of the league took
seats in the lobby of the hotel, while
waiting for a possible break in the
storm, and, of course, talked baseball.
After Umpire Chic had a number of
| technical matters regarding indicator
decisions settled, Dick Rom of Sc
dalia asked: Say, Doc, how about
cit is ali right" replied shiveiey.
1--WE allow it,
1.-THE dickens you dol" roared Dick
Rohn. Owens, Lewinson and Rea-
gan, three of your umpires. have made
our pitchers, especially Westcott, cut it
out. OF course. when they kicked, the
gag was off. and we had to make our
twirlers keep their feet inside the box.
They declared that you said it wasn't
a go in this league
''I never told them anything of that
kind" replied Shiveley. 81 have never
at any time refused to allow a pitcher
to cross-f1re.s Take Gibson in the
I American association for instance. He
had nothing else. Old Red Craig, last
year in this circuit, is the same kind.
If the boys can get away with it, there
is nothing wrong about the play that
| I can see"
'All right" smiled Rohn, eve have
the best cross-firing pitcher in the cir
cult and he is going to do some of it.
His name is Westcott.''
A dispute arose in the National ho-
tel on Saturday afternoon concerning
| the number of hits made by the White
! Sox during the last three weeks, while
the team has been having its awful
slump. President Sheard who was on
hand. carefully removed his straw COW
ering and after running his finger
around its edge announced that GER
tain number of hits had been cleaned
from opposing pitchers by White Leg
batters.
| "I acquired this chapeau three
! weeks ago. he said, land there is a
| nick in the brin for every hit made
by the team. The big hicks are three
| them. This little hole in the crown
represents Tom Hughes home run at
Joplin. This nick laying his finger
| where square inch Of star straw was
| missing, represents a three Dagger
| made by Abbott with two men on the
sacks
In explanation of this singular score
sheet, kept much after the manner of
the frontiersHlan who made a notch in
his gun-stock after every time he killed
man, it may be said that Mr.. Sheard
always sits at the entrance of the
grandstand while watching a ball
game. Every time a White Leg makes
a hit, Tom punches his head into the
air and the post next to him makes a
nick in the brim of his hat. The size
| of the indentures is always determined
| by the importance of the batsman s
work.
The double-header for the Fourth of
July at Association park has been split
| One game will be played in the morn
ing and the other in the afternoon.
The morning game will be called at 10
O'Clock, and the one in the afternoon
at o'clock.
The Chicago Chronicle tells of new
play which Captain Frank Chance has
invented: Captain Chance of the Chi
cago club has a new trick which he is
working successfully. It is a fake start
for second and then going down when
| the catcher and second baseman are off
| guard. The fake steal cannot be work.
ed by a novice, but the base runner
| must be an expert. With a man at bat
that can bunt, the first baseman will
move in and the base runner can take
a good lead off first as if he were going
down when the ball is pitched The
catcher draws back to make the throw
to second and the base runner draws
back as If to return to first, but keep
ing his eye on the catcher. AS soon as
| he drops his arm and the second base
man starts back from his position, the
runner legs it for second in earnest
The catcher and fielder are off their
guard and the runner has the advantage
| of his lead off first. Chance has worked
| it several times this year.
Lyon, pun chased the Sedalia bali team,
| is anxious to dispose of his interests
| The attendance has been so small in
the Shoplifter town that the newspapers
have been ashamed to publish the fig
| ures.