Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09

ICemen IN the STANDS TO WATCH SdlllDiiliS
it wouldn't be bad idea to instruct them
to also arrest any overheated fan who
takes it upon himself to batter the queens
English and throw cuss words at the play
ers in such quantities as to make the air
blue in their vicinity. The profane and vul-
gar fan has become almost as big a detrl-
ment to the game as the professional gam
bier.
Bothersome Balk Rule.
The enforcement of the balk rule to the
limit this season in the American League
is going to create great deal of trouble
for the pitchers until everything reaches its
proper groove and moves along smoothly.
Last season the National League held the
twirIers down to the letter of the law, and
as a result it is claimed it decreased pitch
er's effectiveness fully 20 per cent and adj
vanced the base running in like ratio.
The pitchers will have to know right at
the start just what movements they VIII
have to cut out. In speaking of the matter
recently Case Patten said:
II have some motions that I am afraid
will not get away from strict umpire, ana
then they may. 1t is going to be pretty
hard on most pitchers at the beginning or
the season. They will not know where they
are until told by the umpire Then they are
likely to be unlucky enough to get in so
badly with advanced base runners that
they will lose games which they ought 10
have won. In my opinion, the rule Is not
worded plainly. 1t speaks of motions with
the arm. shoulder, nip or body. 1t does not
say anything about the knees. The ques-
ton is does the word body cover the knees?
The knees are certainly part or man )
body. but why should stress be laid on the
arm shoulder and hips if the knees are to
he included in the word body? There are
some pitchers who use their knees as much
as they do their hips or shoulders, and cam
not get along without the dipping motion.
4sTf all Ia hnV r n
the motions that will be likely to come
under the head of balk If they keep their
wits about them. but the rub will come
when there are three on bases and no one
out. / have been practicing the proper mo-
ton ever since the season opened, and L
don't think the restrictions Will injure my
effectiveness"
Jacobsen and Wolfe have motions that
must be cut out to avoid a balk being called,
but Townsend and Hughes have few, if
any, preliminary movements.
When Lotus Led the Band.
Harry Wolverton, the ex-senator, and
present third baseman of the Boston Ma
tionals, was kept quite busy yesterday and
| last night shaking hands with old friends
who dropped in at the hotel to see him. He
| is stin the genial gentleman of three years
ago and had many pleasant words to say
about his playing period i'm this city His
game today is better if anything, than it
was when it attracted attention in Phila-
delphia. During flaming bee with sew
| eral friends Wolverton told the following
! story of bygone days that made the group
| of listeners laugh heartily. Said he:
Il will never forget the year / played
| here under Tom Lotus, We were having
| grand time that season, especially with
| LOTUS who could not sit on the bench and
| see us beaten without getting off something
| original and funny. We started west on one
| of the trips, and lost game after game right
| off the reel. No matter how big a lead we
would obtain during the game we would
be beaten out by an unfortunate error or
stupid play.
"One game, l remember well, was
played at Detroit, with Delehanty in charge
Manager Lotus having gone up to Chicago
on business with the American League
president. We had the Tigers beaten to q
! standstill up to the last inning, with two
| out in their last turn at the bat and one
| man on second. A line fly was sent out to
| Billy Keister. and the Baltimore boy had
Judged it all right, and started to walk to-
ward the hack. Just as the ball was falling
| into Keister's hands he slipped on banana
peel or something like that, and the ball
sailed over his head to the fence. think