Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-03
Manager Griffith on Playing
Rules for Next Season.
IN FAVOR OF A CHANGE
Wants to Cut Out Long Foul Flies as
Strikes.
SEVERAL BASKET BALL GAMES
Favorites Showed Under at New Or
leans Races-Good Bowling Bat
tles-3ase Ball Notes.
SEVERAL BASKET BALL GAMES

this city In another fortnight TO give the
schedules sanction, settle upon the rules
ard adopt such routine measures as are
necessary properly to begin another base
ball season. there is going to he more
agitation regarding some method to in
cI case batting than has generally been
anticipated.
II may be that the final result of all de-
bate Will be the adoption of the playing
rules just they read at present. That,
of course. will include the foul-strike rule
as it has stood since 1t was first promul-
gated by the National League, but that
does not mean that efforts will not be made
TO amend 1t.
Perhaps 1t is not we'll known that
prominent manager of the American
League was really responsible for the foul
strike rule. When Clarke Griffith was
member OF the Chicago National League
club he made as careful study of pitch
ing as he has continued to make since he
has become the manager of the New York
American League club. He came to the
conclusion that more good pitchers were
being ruined by batters who purposely
fouled the ball than league club owners
could possibly afford to lose. Young pitch
ers brought from minor league teams who
seemed TO have good points about them
were speedily discouraged after they had
pitched two three games against vet
eran baters, who destroyed the effectiveness
:
at will until they had exhausted the
strength of the aspirants FOR major league
places.
Old and Young Suffered
AS for that matter Griffith said, the
older pitchers sometimes were kept in the
box until they had become completely dis
gusted over the refusal of the umpire to
call strikes when it was apparent that the
batter was not making the slightest effort
to bat the ball TO fair field
For all these reasons he suggested to
James \. Hart of the Chicago club that
rule OF the nature of the present foul-strike
lule be passed TO give the pitcher some
show. Hart thought well of it, and so did
most of the persons to whom he talked
about 1t. The result was the adoption OF
the present rule.
At this date Griffith is opposed to its
adjustment as a whole. He says that
nothing worse could happen to base ball
than to put the game again absolutely at
the mercy OF the skilled batters; but he has
proposed a modification which he Will put
before the rules committee when they
meet here in joint session, providing. OF
course, that the other members of the
American League rules committee look
uIon the plan with favor.
Grifith's Plan.
Griffith would so change the wording of
the playing rule In regard to batted balls
that it would read as follows: ANY batte1
ball that drops on the fly out OF bounds in
TO or over any stand or fence foul
ground is a foul and not q strike"
In his opinion this would give the bat
tiers, especially the free hitters, who arc
least disposed to try to foul the ball, more
opportunity to make safe hits, because they
would hardly be likely to attempt to knock
the ball over the fence in foul ground.
1t has frequently been urged that one of
the greatest tntustices created by the foul
strike rule is the penalizng of a batter who
makes a beautiful line drive to the outtieid.
which sails out OF bounds, foul by two or
three feet 1t is bad enough to have such
a hit foul without being compelled 10 pay
the penalty of an attempt to bat the ball
fairly by having strike called. II Crit
hths modification to the foul strike rule
were adopted, such hits would be exempt
from the strike classification and the batter
would be given additional opportunity to
make fair hit.
Frequent fouls are made over almost all
grand stands during the course of a game.
These. according to Grihith's idea are not
necessarily purposely made fouls. They
usually come from a full swing at the ball
with the intent TO drive 1t TO some point on
fair ground but owing 10 the great speed
of the pitcher, or to The fact that the batter
hits little under The ball. II is pushed sky
the limit of the grounds To call such hits
fouls only, and not penalize them as
strikes, Griffith urges. would not place any
unnecessary burden on the game since it
IS out Of the ability OF the catcher to get
them and therefore the ball is never strict
ly IN play.
Would Handicap Umpires.
The suggestion made by Callahan of the
Chicago Americans that a certain limit OF
the ground be marked on in which all fouls
snail be exempt from strikes. is not favored
by Griffith for two reasons The first is
that II would throw additional work on the
umpires. who have enough to do as 1t is.
ana the second is that some players are
skllilul enough with their bats to foul the
ball to that part OF the field which Callahan
would exempt as free ground
II Grifith's proposed amendment to the
iouI strike rule should go through. he says
1t would favor those clubs which are made
up OF free hitterS.- Cleveland would be a
team which would lose nothing by H. as
tAefe are many players on the Cleveland
team who have a long. forceful swing on
the ball, while Washington would also
pront TO some extent by such Il rule
IL would help the Cinclnnatis. New Yorks
ana Fttsburgs OF the National League 10
some extent. as there are some heavy hit
ters on all three OF those organizations
want II distinctly understood" said
Grinlth. when he was talking about the
icul-strike rule in general, that 1 am not
a believer In doing away with II entjreII.
1t mas been well proved that it is almost
our or the question TO find umpires who
VII take CHANCES OF calling strikes on the
GROUND that the batter purposely foulsd
tho ball. II is almost impossible to blame
The urnpires for declining to be too radical
IN making such decisions, While they NAV
khow that tho batter is foullng the bali
neupcrateiy' and the batter may be per-
tectly aware OF the fact himself there IS
always a chance that foul viii be called
When the batter aid mean to hit the bali
out n he could: and when that hsnpens
there Is sure TO be an argument and the
umpire Is inclined to feel cheap II he thinks
that he has uninteutionally made a mis-
toke. After two or thres arguments of that
kind he begins TO he difident about making
decisions on such plays. for the umpire Is
no more anxious to invite trouble than IS
the player who IS trying TO do his best
Il is far better to have an ironclad rule
which does away with giving the umpire
any Jurisdiction IN the matter and which
puts both batter and umpire on the COM
mon basis of knowing exactly where they
stand"
Set Back Young Twirlers.
Griffith went on TO say; ITO abolish the
foul-strike rule in It's entirety would be to
set hack all the young pitchers who are
now engaged in trying to make their way
into the major leagues 1t has been proved
In the last two years that IL Is difficult