Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-27
YESTERDAYS ATTENDANCE.
National League.
American League
PNEUMATIC BALLS
PALMED OFF ON GRIFFITH

DETROIT. Mich. September 27-Nine
lives has the cat. and twice that many have
the New York Americans. One day they
are on top. the next day they are down and
out, and the next day We find them tied for
first place. Just when all hope seems to be
gone they bob up again with a cluster OF
wallops. and up fies.the flag.
Any rooter who goes through this cam
paign and lives will be immune from heart
disease the rest of his natural life No such
base ball race was ever seen before. and 1t
begins to look if the final result will de-
pend on one glance. as was the case two
years ago, when CheSbrO threw away New
York's chance by a misguided spit ball and
gave the championship to Boston.
Here is the dope: Chicago beats Detroit
with ease. New York defeats Chicago with
equal ease and then Detroit turns around
and puts it all over the Highlanders. Can
YOU beat that for form? Were they on the
turf the whole outfit would be ruled or
for inconsistent form. Take that kind of
dope and see II you can figure out VINO
ought to be the winner.
This fellow Armour. by the way. Is the
trickiest proposition in the way OF a man
ager that ever worked at three-card monte.
Last season he laid one over on Chesbro by
putting a lot of chemicals on the ball so as
to play havoc with the spit ball. and he did.
This time the ball players firmly believe he
rung in phony ball that broke up yester-
days game.
The Tigers got hold of this rather re-
markable ball and slammed it into every
corner Of the lot Immediately after this
frightful slaughter had ended the ball could
not be found. Some claim that 1t was
thrown over the fence. The Highlanders
raised big hue and cry, all Of them want
ing a crack at that same three-baSe labeled
ball But it was not forthcoming and Um-
pire Hurst had to use nothing but new balls
from then until the end of the game.
Probably you didn't know 1t. but a man
up in Ohio has invented a pneumatic base
ball which he hopes to eventually get SUBJ
stituted for the present one used in the
various professional leagues. The difference
between his ball and the one now used Is
that his has pneumatic cushion inside. In
the original balls there Is a little round rub
ter Around this is wrapped yarn. and then
comes the horsehide cover. The new ball
has compressed air in the center instead of
rubber and when batter hits 1t the drive
Is likely to go over the fence.
The Highlanders experimental with the
pneumatic balls during practice at st.
Louis, and they could hit them so far 1t
into the bleachers the first time they tried
it. This Is the kind of hits it is believed
that Armour ran against yesterday On the
outside the difference in the two balls can
not be detected. The cover Of the new ball
is an exact duplicate Of the one used on
the regular article.
Charlie Frank manager Of the New Or
leans club, used a trick ball during the re-
cent Southern League season and Is now on
trial before the board of directors. The
players will not accuse Armour of pulling
off another of his tricks. but they shake
their heads and admit that 1t Travelled "a
mighty long ways