The Washington times., 1906-02-08
THREE-BALL RULE
FOR PRES. MOVES
Doesn't Think Much of Foul
Strike Change.
SHOULD WEAKEN PITCHERS
Their Strength Menace to BasebalPs
Popularity-Change Would Make Diff
ference on Different Dimaonds.

That something should be done to IN
crease the batting IN major leagues is
generally agreed. and that the American
League wishes TO see that step taken be-
fore next season is practically certain.
Clarke Griffith, manager of the New
York Americans, was in Washington
yesterday discussing proposed innova-
tions with President Tom Noyes. of the
Washington Club, who, with Connie
Mack. manager of the Philadelphia
Athletics. is on the rules committee os
the American eLague
Messrs. Noyes and Griffith had a long
informal discussion of the rules at the
Ebbitt House, but the committee will
not adopt decided policy until it meets
in New York, on February Is, the day
before the annual meeting of the Amer
lean League on the next day there
win be joint meeting of the committees
of the American and National Leagues.
and at that joint meeting the baseball
laws for the coming year viii be pro-
mulgated
Griffith Favors Foul Rule.
Clarke Griffith. being a pitcher. and
well aware Of the troubles of that
branch Of the profession. is in favor of
modifying the foul strike rule so that
fouls which pass out OF bounds" such
as over the grandstands, or into the
sands or bleachers, shall not be called
strikes. as they are at present, the arsu-
ment being that they are clearly unin-
territorial and are not made for the pur-
pose of worrying the pitcher or delay
ing the game.
President Noyes is in favor of this
change IL nothing else better can be
worked through, but ne is first and last
an advocate of the base on three balls
which Is meeting with a great deal of
favor among baseball writer's and fans,
although il has not been thought that
it would be passed IN the near future
He considers that the modified foul rule
would be artificial in its nature ana
cause baseball on one diamond TO diner
from that on another, while the three
bah rule would make the game the same
everywhere. In speaking OF the matter
this morning, Mr. Noyes said:
Three Balls Helps Batters.
Il favor the proposition to give the
batter his base on three balls for
number Of reasons. In the first place,
it is absolutely simple and leaves no
room for the umpire to exercise his
judgment He. has troubles enough now
and We do not want TO make his lot
harder.
In the second place. it would not
only add 10 the number OF men reach
tng first, but ii would lead to more bat
ting which the public is demanding
with an insistent voice With only three
balls leeWay the pitcher would have to
get the ball over the plate with more
certainty. AS ii Is now. the best of bat
ters Is apt TO have a couple of strikes
on the frst two balls pitched. and after
that the tWirleT has three balls with
which 40 try to fool him, and when a
man has Two strikes against him he is
practically at the mercy of the first
gNE al k.we~s rfu-
Of speed BY cutting down the number
OF balls with which a pitcher may ex-
pertinent he VIII be forced to do his
best 70 get 1t over the plate pretty
batter a better show.
Wants Pitchers Weakened.
1t is claimed the three-baIl rule
would demOraliZe the pitchers, but I
do not see where that comes in. When
the foul-strike rule was adopted it Ger
tainiy demoralfzed the batters TO a
large extent. as is proved by the small
number of men who reach the 300
class. Making the pitchers less effec-
tive is exactly what we want accord
ing TO my idea, and to call the addi-
tionaI hits Generalization Of the
slabmen is merely quibbling- We must
give the batters some recOmpense for
what they lost when the foul was cali
ed strike, and get more action on
The modification Of the fouI-strike
by which fouls out Of bounds are not
TO be charged against the batter, might
be accepted If the three-baIl PROPOSE
ton is not, but do not thing much of
1t. 1t would be artificial; would place
great discretion in the hands of the
umpire and would make a game OF
baseball on one diamond vary largely
from a game on +nother. Grounds
which have low grandstands or bleach
ers running close to the fouI-Ifnes
would allow OF vastly greater number
OF no-sJrike fouls than those which are
differently laid out, and in consequence
a game in one city would not be ex-
aCtly the same as in another, and this
would Introduce a variable quantity IN
estimating the merits OF the various
teams y game at National Park. in
Washington ought to be just the same
as one played on a school lot, or in the
Desert of Sahara, but this will not be
the case If what is a foul in one place
IS a strike In another
sun, IN order TO have more batting
l would be willing to subscribe 10 This
condftion-tf the Chree-ball change is
not. aHOnfaJ - -