New-York tribune., 1908-02-24
COMMENT ON SPORTS.
1CTTVITY IN B4SEBALL.
Ne-rs and Tiezcs on Current Topics,
6mateur and Professional

3 = Io,llian liz the controversy over the io"
famous blacklist resolution Of the Natohal As
soc;afion of Minor Leagues or accept MS iesie'i"
,,on Mr. Pulliam is still insistent that the
resolution which forever bars CONTRACT jump
+ro,,, organized baseball without hearing must
+ - .,,-ooa.ad and il is hoped his associates IN
the National League viii stand behind iliiii' o.
,,a resolution as has been said before IN thls
,ol,,,.,, is an offence 10 fair play and IN Niola
,,on ,f the basic laws Of baseball. 1t wouio Oe
q nitv if Mr. Pullam. who has worked haro anu
earnestly TO elevate the sport and VINO mas uo
rnuch TO make il popular as IL Il 'o''
sho.,ld be forced 20 carry out MS ul'iili0'ui
Z and hreak his connection with orgahiZeo p"0
hall. The opening of the season is ohly ie"
u,eeks off and there should be complete mar
,,,or,- ;r ,ne ranks as unless all signs fail the
wear 1905 will be the best ana most pfoopei"N
A. the history OF the sport 1t can be salo oii
go authority that the situation is less strained
than it was month ago. and that there l. ui'
s,,,or 10 throw oil on the troubled waters puI
+here should be no temporiZing. else the STORM
NAV break again That resolution must 60 anu
she sooner the better. 1t is not enough LOT 'he
National Association to say that IL i iiiopei"
tive and does not constitute a BLACKLIST AS j
glands the meaning is clear; il is not open 10
any other Interpretation
The various meetings this week OF the ha
-ional commission, the baseball rules commit
zee and the National and American leagues VIII
hiring the legislative period to an end ana pave
the way for the opening Of the playing se&-soi, H.
There should be much Of interest Tor oase"0''
xr+,,,riss-s in the doings of the next few days
outside Of the disposition Of the blacklist case
The national commission made up of Garry
z5er-,77a-n Ran Johnson and Harry c. Pulliarn'
,-iu hold a session on Tuesday, while the Joln'
-,,lee committees Of the two big leagues VIII
meet for the purpose OF recommending certain
changes 10 he acted upon at the meetings OF 'he
National and American leagues on Meoheso'H
and Thursday. The playing schedules must aiSo
he adopted and altogether there IS much iiii
-,ortart business to be transacted AT the meet
ings of the two major leagues in December Il
number Of suggestions Were made 10 the IuIeS
committee although not Of drastic nature
Those have been under consideration all winter,
and one or two may he recommended for adop-
lion. although Clark Griffith, manager Of the
F5ighlanders and member of the rules COM
,ni-+ee. has been quoted as saying that he is IN
favor Of 2 sstand pat" policy and that he may
,,ot come East from Hot Springs TO attend the
meeting The most important changes sug-
gested last December were the lowering OF the
pitcher's box to a level with the diamond and
the reducing OF the number Of balls emitting
,a,ter 10 a base TO three. Mr. Pulliam is in
favor of the former but from what can De
learned there is little chance OF the latter being
considered seriously The National League
,,rasi5en--y,l,o. by the way. is a member Of the
rules committees also ia favor of clarifying
the r11le as 10 when an umpire shall call time in
3 game The present rule provides that time
shall not be called in certain cases until the pan
Is hack in the pitchers hands. There are times
,,1,ar the 4lT7rire should have the authority to
ran time instantly and Vet il should be so Inn
ited as not TO work hardship TO a team If a
NAV Is not completed. The proposed rule
against pitchers soiling a new ball could be
evaded and consequently is not likely to be
recommended.
The lowering of the pitchers box to level
with the diamond should be adopted, as il would
tend perhaps 10 more hitting, which the fans
want by depriving the pitchers OF decided ad-
vantage in throwing down hill, On some dla-
Ir,onds the pitchers box is raised fully twelve
inches. whereas the extreme limit allowed is
onlv six inches. There is no good reason why
the pitcher should not be a level with the
halter. The reducing of the number Of balls
emitting a batter TO a base TO three would not
make for good in my opinion, previously ex-
rlained in this column The responsibilities or
the pitcher are even now out OF proportion 10
the responsibilities of the~other players and a
rule Of this kind would make them greater and
put the premium individual effort. Interest
tr game increases as every player is called on
to do his part in the winning, and il grows
-nonotonous to see some standing around while
the pitcher and catcher are working like galley
slaves Nobody likes TO see game won on
bases on balls Some change is almost sure TO
be made looking To the playing of doubleheader
games Some If not all. Of the clubs have
abused the privilege in the past, and games
have been postponed without good reason, for
the sake Of the gate on Saturday or some other
DAY President Pslliam's idea is that no games
should be postponed unless the weather or a
wet field makes il absolutely necessary. This
would be fairer. The American League meeting
viii be held at the Hotel Breslin. while the Ma
tional League Solons viii gather at the Waldorf.
The vigorous crusade against the evils Of
summer baseball playing by college men insti-
1uted by the intercollegiate Athletic Assoca-
tion of the United States gives signs OF bearing
fruit A few days ago representatives of six
New England coeges-Anlherst, Dartmouth,
Wesleyan. Williams Tufts and the University
Of Kermont-aU Of which members Of the
association met at Springfield Mass. 10 discuss
the question in effort TO agree on some
definite policy. The meeting Of informal
nature with no power to act. but it was ar
ranged TO invite other colleges and universities
70 second conference. when some definite action
may be taken which win be far reaching in its
effect and co much toward raising the standard
Of college athletics. Cornell. with characteristic
Independence, has gone even further, and while
not q member Of the Intercollegiate Athletic
Association OF the United States has solved the
problem in her way by amending the rules
governing student organizations so that In fut-
ure any man who plays under name other
than his own, or who plays ia a contest at which
admission zee is charged except a mem
ber or representative OF a school or college
team is ineligible to represent the university.
This is a long step in the right direction and If