The Washington herald., 1908-08-16

Baseball has made great progress on its
technical side during the last generation
The game as now played by professional
teams is faster and harder. more strenu-
Gus and scientific than 1t was twenty OF
thirty years ago-many Old-tmers 20 the
contrary Notwithstanding. says the Bos-
ton Transcript II ernbodies more than
team work inside ball." and patent
plays. Bunting. sacrifice hitting. the
double steal. the hit-and-run game. the
squeeze play. and other Innovations. have
worked a transformation in the game
The modern game makes larger demands
on the players. il necessitates more
ground covering. quicker headwork and
livelier footwork. The development OF
bunting. for example. has called for great
er speed in the work OF third basemen.
first basemen. and catchers
The former must be prepared 70 come in
fast 70 cut on bunts7 the latter must be
able 10 cover ground in front OF the pIa--
as well as behind il Formerly. too. the
catcher played back near the stand when
no one was on bases. and from this posi-
ton could make comparatively easy work
OF the high fouls Now the catcher IS Id
under the bat" all the tine and has 10
Z 60 back fast in order 70 take the fouls.
I The catcher OF to-day must be not only
a sure backstop and q strong throwsr.
but a fast man in covering the ground
about the plate n short. the changes IN
the game have greatly wldened the ter
ritory which certain players are expected
10 cover
New Fielding Plays.
Not only in batting. but in fielding. new
/ plays have been invented Great players
have studied the possibilities OF their posi-
tons and have devised improvements upon
/ the conventional style OF play. Take. for
example. a play introduced by the bra5uy
/ Fred Tenney az frst base The old-riue
I first basenan was content 10 play f--
/ the batter when q runner was on first
base and a ground bail was hit toward
i first That is the first baseraz would
simply take the batteC bail and tag the
Z base. retiring the batter. but allowing TIE
runner on first 70 90 down 20 second IN
F raolested- Teuney worked out q new play
for this situation Instead Of playing for
the batter" he came n On the bal
d whipped u 10 second. thus cutting of the
man on base. and then he rushed % -1-s-
. 81 time 10 receive the return throw from
. the second basemau. thus putting out the
batter Other 1rst bzse-en initiated the
e-a-- H-aat- Al - NV ----a-- -----a-A-
' the game
Much debate has Taged among followers
I OF the game over the question whether
. the great players Of to-day are really ST.
/ peri0r % the stars Of two or three decades
. ago. individually Ire old stars were prob
P ably as great a. the leading players OF The
. present Il * doubtful whether any mem
. Der Of the league teams Of this year sur
I pass n skill such finished baseball artists
T 7f the past as Dickie Johnston Charlie
. Ferguson. Williamson FOEarJy, Rad
I bourne and the incompatible King Kelly
I As individual performers these players.
. and many others that might be named.
. stand easily abreast o. the best diamond
. talent OF to-day. But The game itself has
/ moved forward sine their day To be
sure. the fielding averages Of the leading
+. players tn recent years are notably higher
Z than those Of the best men in The SOS
and Sos Bat the vast Improvement II
/ fielding averages cannot be regarded as
. conclusive proof Of a real advance IN
playing ability
Why Averages Are Better.
/ The explanation Of the swollen averages
: twofold- IN the first place. the use of
mitts and gloves has greatly relieved the
wear and tear on the feIders. enabling
them to handle with ease balls that would
make trouble for a bare-hauded player.
I The advantage OF protective apparatus IS
I especially evident in the case Of the catch
ers. L has raised the fielding averages OF
8 the league caJchers - per cent IN the last
/ twenty years In the second place. the
I growing IenienCy OF the official scorers in
{ the matter Of charging errors 20 players
: has helped 10 raise the fielding percent
I ages. Nowadays. when a PLAYER misses
+ a hard chance on a ba-red bali the play
I rather than an error for the fielder The
latter Is always given the benefit OF The
! doubt Formerly the scorers were mitch
I more severe in this respect Thus liberal
I scoring and protective apparatus have
I combined 20 elevate fielding averages
NO Place for Indifferent Men.
Many persons unfamiIiar with profes-
sional baseball have a notion that Il Is
/ less interesting 10 watch than amateur
I and college ball Professionals are sup
{ posed 10 play the game in a Hfeless. me
chanicaI fashion. doing their work ike
hired men. whereas amateurs are inspired
/ by a genuine enthusiasm for the sport it.
[ self A contest between college teams is
therefore. commonly thought 10 be more
+ lively. strenuous. and exciting than a pro-
tessional game Most professionals play
I the game for the love Of it-they are am
ateurs at heart An Indifferent player
/ cannot last long IN the big Leagues. The
+ zest Of the game grips the professional
I as strongly as Il does the amateur. but
+ the former does not break so easily under
/ the strain in 9 league game between
{ Two teams that are Eghting for position
You VIII see as much rivalry and excite
rneEt as IN a bis college game. and vastly
steadier and better playing The preva-
I lent notion of the inleriority OF profes-
I sionaI 30 amateur and college baseball. IN
[ point Of interest 10 the Spectators. is
I largely faIlacious.
ISSUE CALL FOR PENN PLAYERS
| nunker Arfisfs VIII Go Into Prac-