Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-03

fected was in reality changed-only made
over into good English-and the work kept
the committee in session last Monday night
from O'Clock until 1 the next morning.
President Pulliam has been loud In his
praise of Mr.. Noyes' work. and the general
base ball public will heartily join him when
once they get hold of the rules and quickly
recognize the marked changes.
The more widely a question Is discussed
the better the results. as a rule. The az ia
ton for a gesture system whereby umpires
could indicate all decisions has Commanded
general approval from the public and some
opposition from the umpires. They have
claimed it would be a hardship to be com
PEELED to- indicate every "ba i and strike
by raising the left or right arm, and that it
would give the players an opening for more
kicking II an umpire forgot his signal N the
confusion CT several simultaneous plays. 1t
remained for Clark Griffith to make the
best suggestion yet offered, barring the pro-
posed electrical scorebClrd HIS solution
would be TO have umpires Indicate by some
motion of the right arm when a strike is
called on a tatsm1n. No such motion by
either arm. OF course. would inform the
spectators that 1t was a bail" This would
cut the umpire's objection TO the gesture
system down to small proportions. There
has been no intent at any time TO make a
gesture system mandatory on the umDres
by incorporating it into Il hard and fast
rule. The idea merely WAS that the league
presidents suggest to their unp'rei the
adoption of such a system and that they
gradually acquire the habit of using Ii in
games, just as has been the case with the
present signals used by umpires TO Indicate
close decisions on bases There is no rule
compelling an umpire to motion safe or
out on the bases. but nearly all of them
do by force of habit on plays which are not
at all close. 1t is popular with the Specta-
tors. and so should Manager Gritfith's sug-
gestion prove if adopted by the indicator
men.
Threats of base ball players to retire from
the profession unless certain salary ue-
mands are met always cause the patrons of
the game more worry than they do the
club owners. the latter being annoyed
rather than worried. There are few in
stances in thirty-one years where ball
player has retired voluntarily from base
ball-perhaps one In a thousand of all the
men who have played in major leagues
Their cases have been exceptional and their
business opportunities unusual. The aver
age good ball player-and generally only
the stars threaten to retire-might average
SIS a week In the business world by work
Ing the year round. Many could not The
star player base ball salary runs close to
1900 year or better. and he earns this in
six months. with the opportunity to put IN
four or five months at So a week. if he can.
That is why there are so few voluntary re-
tirements. For large part of the friction
with players over contracts the club owners
financial standing of bal club is referred
to by an official he begins to talk in large
figures. Through some mistaken impress
sion that 1t will have a good effect on the
public the club owner usually magnifies his
profits on a season. and few cubs ever have
lost any money-for publication. The tend
ency to swell attendance figures in some
cities is in line with this. The players read
the papers. They believe their employers
are making all the money they are credited
with making. The players estimates OF
crowds at ball games have been enlarged
by well-meaning press agents. In the
worlds series of 1909 some of the New
York players openly questioned the official
attendance figures issued by the national
commission because they fell SO far short
of what had been claimed for crowds at
the Polo grounds. which they knew could
not have been greater. Giving the public
and the players the facts regarding clubs
financial affairs in far either has a
right to know them would eliminate many
demands for higher salaries which now
are based on false estimates of prosperity.
Connie Mack will be the only American
League manager that will not appear in
uniform and turn a few tricks on the
coaching lines this year. But as Connie
has already won two championships from
the bench he is probably not worrying
very much. OF the other seven directors
of play. four-Lajoie. Jones, Stahl and Crit
fith-are playing managers. The other
three-Joe Cantillon Of Washington. Hugh
Jennings of Detroit and Jimmy McAleer of
st. Louis-have bid their playing days good
bye. but they still like to get into a uniform
and show the public that they have not for
gotten how to coach. At pinch McAleer
or Jennings could jump in and play part of
a game. but neither has any desire to do SO.
In the National League there are but
three real playing managers-Fred Clarke
of Pittsburg, Frank Chance of Chicago
and Fred Tenney of Boston. McGraw still
wears a uniform. but seldom plays, while
the same is true of Patsy Donovan of
Brooklyn. Murray of the Phillies and Han
lon of Cincinnati and McCloskey of ST.
Louis are bench warmers. While last
son resulted in victory in the big leagues
for two playing managers, the preceding
years saw two clubs managed from the
bench take off the laurels. To tell the
truth. 1t does not cut much figure whether
a team is directed from the bench or from
the field providing the manager is cap
able man. Jimmy Collins. a playing man
ager won two pennants. and Fred Clarke,
another playing director, captured three.
On the other hand. Frank Selee. a bench
manager. has won more pennants than any
other manager, while Ed Hanlon also took
his share.