Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-08-04
CURRENT BASE BALL TALK.
Bv Jacob C. Morse.


| II is strange indeed. that one still hears
| the nowl about the way that Ban johnson
provides close races in the American
! League. AS if Mr.. Johnson had the least
! thing to do with this matter,
| Is it reasonable at all to suppose that
| Mr.. Johnson would arrange a race in which
! two OF the best ball cities in the country
/ would have clubs completely out of the
| race, as Is the case with New York and
| Boston. or that the St. Louis would be
also a member of the completely down.
| and-outs? Such thing is as ridiculous as
! it is prepoSterOus. Mr. Johnson hasn't the
! least thing to do with the playing arrange
| ments of any club. Doubtless things were
| different a one time when clubs were in
bad shape and his aid was invoked and
! then he could not but respond. 1t Mr..
! Johnson who helped provide Boston with
| Outtieider Jack Hayden last season, and
! everybody who follows the game at all will
! remember how little that individual helped
the Boston club. Boston has needed no aid
! In that direction this year, and for that
| matter no other club SO far as can be as
| certained.
| 1t is up to the clubs themselves to make the
| race as strong as they possibly can. If
| things had not gone wrong with the White
! SOx they would not have struck the slump
| they did. AltrOCk is not the AltrOck he
! was last season. and the club has also
! been handicapped in the absence of Frank
! Smith This has compelled the other
| pitchers to work overtime and of course
| the strain has been felt. Then Lee Tame
| hill. the excellent third baseman, has been
| out of the game whole lot this season,
and that has made vast difference in the
| playing Of the team. George Davis has
! also been out of the game more or less.
On the other hand the Athletics have
/ been coming all the time. There is nothing
! particularly surprising that this club has
/ made the squirt it has made 1t fell down
| woefuly in Detroit on the last trip. The
Athletics have improved wonderfully by
| the accession of jim Collins, who has
| played great ball for that club. no matter
what there Is to be said about his work
| for the Boston club, and there is no doubt
| at all he will be the roster of the Attn
| of Nichols for Monte Cross has work ed
| well. for Nichols ranks as one Of the best
| hitting infelders in the country. Mack
| has q well-rOunded team, which he failed
| to have ever since Lave Cross left the team
and the manager found himself unable to
| land winning combination until he Sc
cured Collins.
The club that has made a most creditable
showing is the Detroit club. Its work is
really the sensation of the American
League race. 1t was deprived of the serv-
ices of Mcintyre, one OF it's most depend
able players. at an early stage in the race.
and although Jones Is good Sub, he
| fails to shine In comparison with the other
man. The same can be said when Downs
| is compared with Schaefer. Not the
| same" Then Mullin Is not playing any
where near the ball that was expected Of
| him. Still Detroit is in the thick of the
| battle and stands good chance any
| of remaining there to the very end Of the
| battle. The eastern trip has but one more
| week to go and then hostilities will begin
| in the west for the last time.
People count the Clevelands out of the
race every year on general principles.
hat lkay lie fpd ay ovid Vic
| year worse than ever. If the club in the
| present makeup finishes fourth 1t will do
| we'll indeed. and last season 1T finished
| third
| There is doubt at all that patrons of
| base bali are becoming heartily sick and
| tired of the kind OF base ball they are
| compelled to see today. On all sides one
| hears complaints of the lack of hitting,
consequently of getting and base run
| ming Some remark that 1t Is simply tire
| some to sit through game Of ball nova
| days and that it is Just like so much time
| wasted.
! a lot of talk is made that it is the pitching
that is too much for the batsman. 1t is not
| that much as that the fielding Is I'M
duly strong. owing to the fact that as the
! veteran Dicky Pearce observed in his first
| game in decade that the mitts used by the
| fielders were of such size that 1t was no
| wonder that batsmen could make so few
| hits. Who is there that does not notice
| game after game how the infielder can block
| the hottest of driven balls and throw out
! a man after it? Line ball after line ball
is blocked and caught by the help of the
mitt.
| "If had my own way" said Mr.. Pearce
| the outfelders would wear no mitts at all
and those worn by the infelders would be
| fngerless and cut down in size Look at
| the big thing the pitcher has on. He can
| block about anything that comes through
| the box and get his man. This should not
be There should be limit. too. to the size
| of the big pillows used by the first base
man and the catcher. There Is no need
| at all for the employment OF such mon
| strous affairs. They have gone simply from
bad TO worse. They are just making the
| game a fielding game pure and simple, and
| cutting out all the points that commend
| themselves to the patrons OF the sport.
| Said the veteran Harry Schafer: Tho
penalty of the foul strike Is altogether too
| much on a batsman and must be modified.
The game was all right with the foul strike
| eliminated. They should have let we'll
! enough alone. but every now and then some
| smart aleck gets in his work with some new
| idea. Nine times out of ten he does not
know how to handle ball himself. and Is
! unable to discuss a measure from practl-
| cal standpoint. The game as played today
! is not interesting. 1t is the exception and
not the rule when man gets his base.
1t should be the other way. Take big
| Cy Young Rube Wadden Joss. Karger.
| Brown and others l could mention. but l
| simply quote these for illustration, what
| chance does batsman stand against that
! kind of pitching? Precious little must be
| the answer"
The National League has always fought
the abolition of the foul strike tooth and
! nail doubtless largely because the American
] League favored IT, President Ban Johnson
fought the rule for awhile and finally gave
up the fight. but with the feeling against
| the rule there is little doubt he can be IN
duced to lend his influence against its con-
tnuance. What the American League ought
to do Is to go back, no matter what the
| National League people do. and there is no
DOUBT that the national League people
would be forced to get into line