The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-04-01
old FIGHT NAGED
ON FIELD FOR YEARS
Pitchers and Batters Triumph at
Various Times Thru Rule
Changes.

methods which We're sharply defined in
black and white, there has always been
war between the batters and pitchers,
and it has been waged with varying sue
cess at times, in the end eventually re-
sulting in the pitchers having a little
the better Of the argument.
S. When the National league met in Chi
seago, in the early nineties the pitching
distance was changed after one Of the
hardest fights on the part Of the rule
makers in years. Cleveland, which
had just begun to have visions Of a
championship organization, opposed the
change, as it was pretty generally I'M
deretood that it might make trouble for
the Cleveland team, which had then got
together one of the strongest corps Of
pitchers in professional baseball.
Nevertheless the rule was changed by
a majority vote and the distance from
the plate was increased to the present
| figure. For two or three seasons the
pitchers were little slow in overcom-
ing the new handicap, but by and by
the old man became better accustomed
| to it, while the newer generation of
pitchers grew up with it and discovered
that they could regulate their curves
quite as we'll at the new distance as
they did at the old. /.
Batting Increased.
In the first years Of the new distance
the, batting increased to some extent;
in the two or three seasons which fol
| lowed, it remained at normal figures,
but recently it is the contention OF some
baseball experts that the pitchers have
again triumphed so perceptibly over the
| batters that the latter are falling be-
hind in their work, and that a change is
again needed to encourage g. freer hit
ting. r. .@
| While the number of batters who are
able to bat at 300 is not up to what IT
has been some years in the past, it is
! possible that it is not altogether due to
superior work on the part of the pitch
ers, but to greater proficiency in field,
ing. =. g
Both professionals and amateurs, as a
rule, handle hard chances at the present
time with more skill than they did in
the past. In part, this is due. to the
| gloves which are worn by both outfeld,
ers and infelders, and it is also due to
the fact that ballplayers, as rule, are
quicker on their feet than they were ter
4 Years ago. Not that there were not
speedy ballplayers ten years ago, but
where there were but two or three on
team it is now the case that all players
Of a team are fast and agile. ..55
l The spit Ball. >,-,,::..z
) s While the "spit ball = may have beer
terror to some batters in the last two
wears, something Of its efficiency il
offset by the fact that there are no
!, three pitchers in the United States VIII
dare use it and depend upon controlling
it accurately A pitcher may emplo.
it turnout a game with success, only t.
lose the contest in the last inning by
wild pitch. This has been demonstrate
! so often on the field that it is accepted
, as baseball truism.. s. AZ >. =.
| Abo,ishing the foul strike rule t ha
been suggested as means OF agar
2 placing the pitchers on the defenslve
but it is not certain that this would a; &C
} complish the end sought. Perhaps tn
q better way to secure more batting IS {
pay more attention to teaching tn
! Younger generation Of players to bat j
a the right way, and not to trust bl1ndl
+ to luck to develop experts with tn
> ubig stick There are several exam
j pies in both leagues Of players who al
se1f-taught batters, and who have IN
= nroyed at least 20 per cent because
d their persistence in practice. =,
/ No one has yet suggested that tn
i game should be played with eight pla9
q ers instead Of nine, in order that tn
:. chances to make runs may be increased
:. altho such proposition should not :
+ unexpected from some over-enthusiast'
u 1 60 - 80. 80 'rSEs