The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-05-16
SLOW GAMES
INEXCUSABLE,
HIT RIOTERS
Indifference of PLAY e 5
and Umpires DisguSts
Many Loyal Fans.
Bv THOMAS S. RICE.

BY THOMAS y. hlCE-
Too much time is being taken UP in
playing baseball games these days
An examination Of the box scores in
the major leagues and IN some OF the
Washington amateur leagues will show
that games are running from l hour
and 45 minutes 10 hours and . or 10
minutes. which is unnecessarily long
II took the Athletics = hours and Is
minutes TO beat the Browns in St
Louis yesterday: New York beat Gin
cinnau in New York in , hours and 70
minutes: Pittsburg lost in Boston in
hour and AZ minutes: the ST. LOUIS
Nationals beat Pittsburg, { TO 3, IN
hour and 50 minutes. The only game
which came near being played in decent
time was that in which the Chicago
Cubs beat the Phillies in l hour and 10
minutes.
In none Of these games was the score
large. OF was there any record-breaking
work In the way Of piling up hits or
passes. The delay was probably due
entirely to the indifference and slowness
OF the players, especially the pitchers
in going about their duties.
Umpires Should Hurry En-
The fouI-strike rule-one OF the most
radical changes in basebalI-was adopted
in order 10 expedite matters and en-
able the fans to see a bright, snappy
exhibition without unnecessary time
killing. but the players as a whole. and
the pitchers in particular, are doing
much to neutralize the very advantages
claimed for the foul-strike.
silk o Loughlin has always been n
suckler for speed when he umpircs.
SILK is great drawing card and adds
materially 10 the receipts At every park
In which he works. and one Of mis-
strongest claims upon popular favor IS
his knack of hustling the players along
Some Of the other arbitrators in the big
leagues pay no attention TO this I'm
portant Getail. and many a man who
would otherwise so To a bali Elme
changes his mind, because ne decides
lhat he would be too long at the
grounds.
Lesson for Amateurs.
Washington is more interested in this
subject than any other city in either
big league. Here, in order TO accom-
modate the departmental employees
the games are not started in the mid
de Of the season until 4:80 D. m.
which is from an hour to an hour and
a half later than IN other places. II il
requires two hours to play 2 game
and half an hour. at least. to get home
you do not arrive until D. m. and
then, if you are boarding by the week
or have a wife you have failed to train
properly, your supper Is cold and the
female head OF the household Is peevish
and disaEreeabie. ...'
1t can thus be seen that by getting
The games over in about an hour and
forty minutes the umps will he corr
shutting themselves a great uplifting
moral force In the community
Amateur teams are very prone 10 Ions
contests on the diamond. and about
lho pest way Tor an amateur league 10
get a strong hold on the public is TO
compel its members TO be on the iumu
all tie time. The Marquette League az
inns city, is paying special attention Ia
Jne short-game subject, and Capt. c.
T. Edwards. ITS president prcdicrg IN "a 2
at the end of the season in viii he
round that the average time of the
Marquette games will be as small as
mat OF those in which the Washing
tVn American League team figures here
ms summer The other leagues might
book. ''e
1t is TO be hoped that Bin FoIev.s
laudable plan Of sending represenrative
group Of Washington high school ath-
ietes to jamestown. to take part in the
lnterscholastic championships. in July.
will not be allowed to die for want of a
little financial support. Washington 4,
50 near jamestown that il would be a
sad commentary upon the amateur
spOrISmanship OF the city IL II were ~
ran 10 have representatives there when
clLleS hundreds of miles further away
VIII have large delegations on hand 10
compete for the national honors
In the Washington schools are men
thoroughly capable Of holding their own
IN the sprints and runs against the
the jumps and weights is not so good
Out on the ctnders washington CouI6
make most credltable showing. m
ever there was an athletic enterprise
II is this jamestown proposition.
Max Clay. Of Dorchester. Mass. dis.
unguised himself on May 70 when in
PPltcning for stone School, at Po1nfret.
1ohn.. ne struck out twenty men on this
Pomfret High School team. Last season
IN a game against Rindge Manual Train
ing School he famed twenty men.
II would be interesting to know wber
Harvard is ever going to come to Iife
and realize that its name has no terror,
Tor athletic opponents. and that becaust
team Is from Harvard Ii is not --eces,
sarily winner before it Il arts. The
-, - - tiie harvard crew rs columbia
last saturday seems to have seen almosf
entirely due 10 the fact that EArvarc
ridicuiously underestimate the sfrengtL
OF the New Workers and Deliberately re-.
trained from hitting up its stroks unit
~ was too late to save the da- Tust
such absurd tactics had much to do yyitr
the deieat or the Harvard crew In
england last summer. Self-confidencf
Is one thing, but pig-headed. arrogant
sophomore conceit is another.
AL -ulRu Dali TFAEE