The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-02-15
Baseball News
Rules nf the fsan,e.


 When the joint rules committee, rep resenting the American and the Ma tional Leagues meet here on February IA. says The New York Sun, Clark Griffith, a member of that body, will offer a modification of the foul strike rule, which, if adopted. will surely in- crease the batting, at the same time restricting the practice of "fouling off good ones Grifith, who was recent iy delegated by President Johnson to represent the American League at the coming conference. was the originator of the foul strike rule as 1t is en- forced today He devised the scheme himself and suggested 1t to James A. Hart, President of the Chicago Nation als, who had it framed Into a law Since then, as the pitchers have in- creased their effectiveness from year to year, Griffith, like other baseball ex- perts, has become convinced that the rule is too far reaching, and that It should be modified in some way to help the hitters. James Callahan, of the Chicago Americans, unfolded a scheme the other day that involved the draw ing of g line across the outside point of the home plate at right angles ex- tending from stand to stand, behind which all balls dropping beyond the reach of the catcher should be called this idea from Griffith some time ago. and while the New York Americans manager naturally is still an advocate of this innovation, he has improved
 
 for the consideration of the joint com mittee:
 Any batted ball that drops on the ay out of bounds into or over any stand foul ball, and not a strike"
 Griffith says that if this rule is adopt ed 1t will not only improve the batting, but will also increase the public in terest in the game in many ways. He says thar with such rule in effect balls fouled into or over the grand stand or oyer the right or left field fence would be called fouls. and that few if any players can Intentionally knock the balls in these places. Grif- hth also says that in almost every case when q player hits this kind of a foul he is honestly trying to knock the bali into safe territory as hard as he can and that under such circumstances 1t is an injustice to call strikes on him when the balls drop outside of the foul lines where player cannot reach them. With this rule governing the play Griffith declares that the players who are able to foul the ball on the would be kept in check by the calling or strikes, as under the present rule and that intentional foul bunting would be prohibited as in the past.
 An expert can intentionalIy fouI the ball down the lines" said Griff'th yesterday. but not over or into the stands. because batsman must either III the ball early or late in order to cause of this fact I believe that unin- tentional fouls should not be called strikes, and if my rule is adopted I feeI sure that 1t will result In increasing he batsman's confidence and also Seep his intentions right If he knows ,nly full drives on the ground will he 'alled strikes he will be up oh his oes at all times trying to hit the ball 'ut for all he is worth He will face he pitcher with more confidence in limSelt Knowing that 1t will be harder or the boXman to put him in the hole Jn the other hand he is up against a ough proposition when he drives a 'all over the left field f~nce a couple 'f feet foul and has strike called on i'm, or when he booms q hieh foul 'Ver the top of the grand stand. "Of course, any ball that can be lamed will result in an out. But If the 'all is moved in the restricted teritt,- " 1t must be called a strike as it loes not go out of bounds That is understood anyway and the u~1pire's 1 ask is in nowise comDlicated I want O see some modification of the fouI | trike rule. and if my suggestion does lot meet with the approval of the ,ther members of the joint committee, nen I shall be in favor of any chang | nat will increase the batting I think , veil Of Comiskys plan to reduce the lumber of called balls from four to hree ns 1t would decrease the pitch T T ettectiVeness. Tn my opinion there mould be more batting. and the pres mt slump is almost wholly due to the oul strike rule as 1t stands on the books and Is enforced"