Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-02-20
Pitchers Slab to Be Lowered,
About Only innovation.
BALLS AND STRIKES STAND
High Praise fer Pitcher Johnson
From Quaker City.
THE DETROIT'S YOUNG BLOOD
Racing at New Orleans-Big Scores
at National Bowling Congress.
Golf in the South.

One of the questions likely TO come be-
fore the big leagues al their meetings
next week in New York is that relating
to the lowering of the pitchers slabs II
this is done by the ma iors. as it has
been done by the minors the rule also will
go into effect as Il regular standard for
base ball. ard VIII mean the altering of
every real diamond in the country. Under
the present rules the pitchers mounts
may be raised Il inches higher than the
nome plate. and. of course. the other
bases. but the slope must be gradual.
AT some grounds. however. it is well
known that this height is exceeded and
IN one case the pitchers slab is said
10 he close to two feet higher than the
rubber home plate. The suggestion that
Inc pitchers stations be lowered has been
made in hopes that batting NAV be i'm
proved.
There IS a great deal of speculation
Wnether the reduction of the height of the
pitchers plates will bring any increase in
the pattlng. Pitchers like the raised po-
sitlon In the middle of the diamond. as
they nave commanding place a little
niSher than the opposing batsmen. and
nave little extra leverage in delivering
the ball to the batsmen But how much
benefit this really is is a matter for specu-
latlon. 1t is possible that some tentative
iuit VIII DE agreed upon at the coming
meetings of the big leagues. and that eX-
periments VIII be made with the lowered
pitchers plates What can be done with
the slabs on the same plane with the home
plate VII not be known until the expert
ment is tried and this has not been done
In recent years at any grounds of the big
league clubs. But the idea will have sew
erai advocates at the meetings and the
question most likely will receive some
well-organ.zed support. 1t is a matter of
opinion who is in the best position to
Judge of the results to be attained by
The passage of any measure which will
bring this change in the playing field.
Little has been said anent the matter by
the players or the managers of the many
league teams, and most of the talk on
The subject has been made by club sec
retaries and owners
Here IN Washington the box IS slightly
raised above the home plate but it is
We'll inside the limit prescribed by the
league and the rules of the game.
Hugh Duffy who for several years was
leading batsman in the National League,
and who hit for over 300 for ten consecu-
tive seasons against the best pitchers in
the country. said in an interview in Bos-
ton yesterday that he thought nothing
would be known of the strength of the
proposed regulation until it had been
thoroughly tried. He thought. however.
that pitching on the fiat would greatly
help the men who use an underhand ball.
and that pitchers like McGnnity and
Sparks would have great advantage. as
they could deliver the ball with more rise
on it than is now possible when they are
pitching higher than the batsmen
There will probably be no more tamper-
ing with the foul-strike rule and the
idea of having only three balls instead of
four balls count for a pass to first base
has not as yet found much apparent favor
with the base ball rule makers.
The other idea of having three balls
and three strikes does not appeal to the
base ball men at all. The feeling every
VI G at hal lie hurt fl,ca
game If anything does, and they think
such a rule would result in more bases
on balls rather than bring about better
hitting. because of the necessity for the
pitchers to keep the ball closer to the
plate all the time.
Horace Fogel. in the Philadelphia Tele-
graph. says: THE sensation of the base
bah world in the pitching line last season
was Walter Johnson of the Washington
club. In Johnson Manager Cantillon
picked up the real big find of the year.
and he ought to be the "whirling noise
during the coming season. Johnson is
big. raw-boned. six-foot westerner. He is
only twenty years of age. and if he takes
the proper care of himself he ought to
develop into one of the most powerful
men In base ball.
Fred Parent has signed his White Sox
contract. and Comskeys team is now
complete for the coming season. The for
-
regulars TO hand in his document and
Fielder Jones need not worry about the
future. Parent will be placed at short.
while George Davis will be shifted to sec
ond base. filling the position formerly held
by IsbeiL Tannehill will be at third, and
''Jiggs Donohue at first base. There are
no holdouts in the White SoX camp. with
the exception of Altrock but Comiskey Is
not worrying about his left-hander. Mig
knows as we'll any other man that he
did not take the best of care of himself
last season, and is looking for cut The
other man that has not signed is Patsy
Dougherty. but the left fielder has said
he would take his contract along to Chi
cago. The team will leave for California
March D. and Secretary Fredericks prom
ises one glorious trip for the PLAYERS and
friends that will be taken along When
Fielder Jones declared that he would play
with the White SOx this coming season
and handle the reins of Comiskey's team
the president of the ''holdout club had
shown the way for the others TO get in
line. Jones realizes that he must play
base ball, and cannot turn down the lucra-
i've oner made by the management. Base
ball Is a funny business and no one
knows this better than the club owners
y ball player will be making strong de-
mands and holding out during the winter
months. thinking that he has something
up his sleeve When the spring comes
around the ball player reports. sinks into
the cushions of the Pullman, Tolls in the
lobby of the hotel provided by his club
rams WIFI Ills IeHOWS. whom he has not
met since last fall. and in two days has
found himself again. He is once more of
and with his club
Hughey Jennings will be much dis
pleased man If both Pitchers Suggs and
Summers fail TO make good. Suggs cost
the Detroit team 81. 500 in cold cash. while
Summers was secured from Indiana polls
for money consideration and the trans
fer of Pitcher John Eubanks. In round
numbers these two pitchers cost the Tiger
management about $1,000. If one of them
makes good the club will feel recon-
pensed for the expenditure. Both of them
may blow up. but club has To take such
chances In base ball