Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-29
MANY PLAYERS HURT
BY BEING SPIKED
Time Some Action Should Be
Taken to Do Away With
Knifelike BIades-WouId
Improve Sport.

The equipment used by base ball play
ers has undergone changes from time to
time. which have not kept pace with the
changes in the rules of the game.
There is, Of course, a good reason for
this in the fact that experiments neces-
sary to arrive at sound results are ex-
pensive, long-drawn out and most fire.
quently prove a source Of loss instead of
gain to the investigator, whereas the
adoption Of simple rule may benefit the
game wonderfully.
A man may be a fine player, and yet
have little originality. even in relation to
those objects which he must continually
use, and which he feels should be i'm
proved or done away with altogether.
Rresnahan of New York must be cred
tied with the latest addition to base ball
paraphernalia. It took independence ana
foresight to lead the way and wear his
shin and knee guard. While THIS appli-
ance interferes slightly with the speed OF
the catcher in his pursuit of foul flies, II
adds to the catchers confidence in every
other emergency. and thereby really re-
suits on the whole in quickening and
STRENGTHENING the position back of the
plate.
The field for the inventive mind will al
ways be open. as long as the game Is
played, but 1t should be borne in mind
that, as the patent Office phrase goes. the
prospective inventor should be one
.'skilled in the art of base ball playing
before he can hope to fill some long-felt
want
Evolution Of Ballplayer's Shoe.
1t is not necessary to go into ancient
history in order to explain the changes
that have taken place from the day of the
fiimsy canvas and leather shoe without
any spike or plate to this season of
1903, when the high-class player is equip
ped with a low. lightweight shoe made of
the finest. strongest imported leather, fit
ted with handmade spikes" fve-eighths
of an inch long, with knifelike edges and
angles and constituting the most danger
Gus element of the national game Of the
period.
When the spikes or points of these
plates become dull the file is frequently
brought into use by the player and the
original danger increased by carelessness
or intention. Player after player is in
jured-often several in one game. Many
a valuable man sits on the bench or re-
mains at home for weeks and sometimes
months at time as a result OF "Spiktng
bees" Talk about unproductive capital!
What about the investment tied up in this
way all over the country? How do the
reckless. dashing young college players
and fast amateurs fare?
Well. they simply slaughter each other
at times. Through fierce desire to win
at any cost, they take chances that the
professional can't afford to take or knows
too much to take. You ask what Is to
be done about it. Let public opinion, let
the players themselves force the necessary
legislation through the big leagues. Can
a practical. comparatively safe spike be
designed? l answer most emphatically,
yes. Experiments which have been con-
Quoted for the past six months by the
writer have demonstrated that something
much safer than the present design is
quite possible. I will go so far as to say
that at least rs per cent Of the danger
arising from the use of today's Spikes.
can be eliminated with little or no loss Of
the runners speed or surefootedness.
Danger in Steel Projections.
Danger will always Turk to some extent
in these steel projections. but it Is neither
good sense nor good management. and
moreover, it reflects but little credit on
the leaders of the sport to sit idle and
take for granted that nothing more can
be accomplished in the direction Of safety
Do you want to see more base sliding,
faster footwork In every department of
the game? Do you want cleaner sport on
the diamond? Then urge with persistency
and enthusiasm that this departure be
made, and be assured in advance that
many thinking and influential people are
with you and will welcome the passing Of
this most notable crudity Of the game.
Let no one hoodwink you by preaching
the doctrine 1T can't be DONE" In the
bloody Roman arena the sword gave way
to the cestus in the gladiatorial contests
Let the modern ballplayer profit by the
example.
Give the umpire authority to examine
spiker's shoe when he cuts an oppo-
nent. and if his spikes" are not of the
adopted standard and in proper order let
him be fined or punished in some other
way. as are offenders against any other
of the rules. The presence OF the shutter,
the stretcher and the ambulance as neces-
sary concomitants of the great, clean ma
tional sport should be cut out.