The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-07-12

| The following questions were pro-
pounded by reader of the State
Journal, and inasmuch as knowledge
concerning them is not common, they
are given with the answers:
! If after the batsnan has two
strikes, he attempts to bunt the ball.
and 1t results in a foul. shall it be
called strike as per section of the
rule?
Ans.-If a batter has two strikes
and attempts to bunt the ball it is his
| third strike and he is out, whether he
hits the ball fair or foul, or misses it
2-Is it a balk for the pitcher to at
tempt to throw to any base without
completing the throw. or does that
rule apply to first base alone?
Ans.-It applies to first base alone.
! 3-If the batsman hits the ball and
the ball hits the plate and rebounds
and hits the batsman. is the batsman
out?
Ans.-Yes. if the batsman is in fair
territory. If he has one foot out of
the batsmans box he is not out.
| 4-If a foul off the bat hits any
part of the batsnan's person, is the
batsman out?-
Ans.-It stands to reason that he is
not because if foul bail is hit by a.
batsman. it is a foul, regardless of the
| fact whether it hits the batsman, the
| catcher, spectator, or the ground.
If the runner cuts first base, or
any other base. and the umpire sees
him do the same, what must be the
umpire's decision2
Ans.-That depends on the play that
| is made. If both the umpire and
players see a runner cut base, and
the ball is thrown to the base which
he did not touch before he can re-
/ turn to 1T. he is out If the umpire
sees the runner cut a base, but the
players do not and do not throw the
ball there, the runner is allowed such
fadvance as he has made. The same
/ fact holds if the players see the runner
| cut the base and the umpire does not.
It is an unwritten law that an umpire
| ought to- fine base cutter, but it is
| seldom enforced.
| Eff the coacher runs the line
from third base to home with a base
| runner, can the base runner be called
out?
| Ans.-On only one condition can he
be called out. Suppose there is a man
on third. The batter hits an infield
| grounder. The man on third holds his
| base, but the coacher runs in home
close to the base line in an effort to
confuse the men who are handling
the infield grounder or fly. 1t makes
no difference if his ruse is successful
or not, the man on third must be
called out 1t must not be forgotten,
I however, that when a ball is hit to the
outfield, and the coacher runs to the
home plate with the base runner, cry
ing to him to ''SIide, Hit the dirt"
or in other ways coaching him, that
his action is perfectly all right.
Blackburn, off-hand binding. 100
words, price: asking for it. when a
| batter goes to the plate he ought to
make UP his mind as to whether he is
going to hit a curved ball or straight
one. Suppose now when go to the
bat, I say to myself. Now I'm going
to hit a curved ball. The pitcher
throws me straight ones and he has
tention of hitting straight ones. He
throws three benders, and he has me
again. But that is all right. If he
should throw the curve ball. or the
straight ball you are after, it is nine
chances to ten, you will at least keep
the horsehide from going into the
catcher's hands. There is some art in
batting"
| Here is still another transfer story.
| The Sedalia Democrat springs it: A
| telegram is said to have been received
at lola Saturday afternoon from Spring
field, where the Oklahoma City bail
| team was playing, asking that a pro-
position be made Manager Barnes to
return the Oklahoma. City franchise to
| lola for the rest of the season. Inmed-
lately following the receipt of the tele-
gram a meeting of the lola baseball
| fans was called and a subscription to
raise the money necessary started. 1t
| is stated on good authority that SO, 600
| can be raised at once. Word that has
reached lola from players who have re-
signed their places on the Oklahoma
| City team tends to show that the for
ner lola players are duly offended at
| the treatment accorded them by their
home people, snd are anxious to be
transferred from the metropolis of Ok
| Iahona to the hustling little Kansas
city, where they formerly held forth.
From Sundays Leavenworth Times:
| Umpire Owens work yesterday was
great deal more yellow than it was the
day before and then 1t was bad enough.
The crowd was after him from the time
he made his appearance until the game
twas over. From the miserable exhibi-