The Washington herald., 1908-07-12
Baseball Popular in Japan
and Australia.
LITTLE HEADwAY IN ENGLAND
Britishers Slow TO Appreciate Mer-
its of Sport-EnRIish Writer
Praises Our National Pastime.
Gives Interesting Description OF
How Game Is Played.

Americas national game Is played. Here
is what he writes:
II was on the second day Of Surveys
first county match this year. that IN
which they met Northampton, that I sat
at the Oval and watched the rain pour
down incessantly until 2 O'Clock in the
afternoon Play was then out Of the
question. Sitting beside me during the
dreary wait was a pressman who has
toured Australia with our last NJ. c. c.
team.
We got talking about the cricketers he
had met down under" and incidentally
he remarked that the leaders there had
developed a strong taste for baseball.
Baseball has been making a greater
progress all over the world than any
other outdoor game. Thus. bit a week
ago received letter from an unknown
reader Of my notes, at Yokohama. lie
tells me that the Japanese do not take
kindly 10 cricket, that some OF the col
leEes and schools in Tokyo have taken
up both codes Of football. but that base
ball Is fast becoming the national game.
Description of Game.
Such being the case, it is rather re
markable that England has not more
readily fallen into line. For the benefit
OF those OF the readers Of the Saturday
Journal who would know something more
concerning a game which has everything
to recommend it, I shall briefly explain
how it is played.
A game is played by sides. nine players
being on each side. The numbers show
the positions OF the different fielders.
Thus No. ! is the pitcher, the equiva-
lent. you may say, OF the bowler in
cricket: No ? is the catcher with duties
akin to those OF wicket-keeper; No.
3 IS first baseman: No. is second base
man. No. is shortstop; No. Is third
baseman; No. Is left fielder; No is
center fielder, and No. is right fielder.
ball hit into foul ground is out OF
play, and the batsman cannot score
therefrom. but he can be caught out in
that territory. The game. as a rule, con-
sists of nine innings 20 each side; but
II on account OF darkness. violent storm.
OF other Unforeseen contingency the fun
number OF innings cannot be played, the
game Is decided by the equal number
OF completed innings Of FIVE or upward.
Thus il will be readily understood that
drawn games are practically unknown.
When three men are out the inning ter
inmates. and the other side has 60 al
the batting They In their turn are out
when three batsmen have been disposed
OF. The others then have their second
innings. and so on. The side which has
obtained the greatest number OF runs AZ
the end Of the nine innings wins the
game.
The batsnan stands In the bstsman'
box according to whether he is right
handed or left-handed. When batting he
faces the pitcher. He does not use the
style OF bat familiar 20 us In cricket His
bat takes the form OF a rounded club, not
exceeding feet 6 inches in length nor
more than "a inches in diameter at its
thickest part.
Pitchers Work Outlined.
The aim OF the pitcher. who IS sta
toned 81 .eet inches from the batsman.
Is to throw the ball across any part or
the home plate or base, situated in front
Of the catcher. The size OF the home
plate or base Is foot across. The ball
is practically as large, as heavy, and as
hard as a cricket ball The delivery 20
be fair one must cross the home plate
or base at a height not above the shOUl-
der OF the batsman nor lower than his
knee.
II he sends three such deliveries. which
the batsmRn does not nit C''strike'O. the
batsman Is out II the batsman hits at
the bail, even though II be not a fair
one il counts a strike. Moreover. II lie
hits the ball into foul territory. although
he is not allowed 10 score. a strike is re-
corded against him until the third strike.
He may foul" rs many balls as he likes
when two strikes" have been declared
against him.
Should the pitcher send up four balls
not answering TO the requirements Of a
strike" before he has got three strikes
against the batsman. the latter goes to
first base without more ado. Under such
conditions there can be no bowling or
the wicket no wearing the bowling
down" The batsman must hit or get out
The pitcher must bowl on the wicket, ."
or else pay the penalty Of letting the bats
men get 20 their bases easily.
When a batsman hits the ball within
the field Of play. he must run TO first
base whether there is a chance Of getting
there or not. II he gets TO first base be-
fore the ball is fielded 20 the first base
man, he Is safe. II he can get 10 second
or third base or make the full circuit OF
the bases. so much the better. When he
has got round all the bases he has scored
a run.
Differs from RounderH.
The bail Is never thrown at the runner.
as Is the case IN FOUNDERS. 1t is returned
to one Of the basemen or other fielder,
who must touch the runner with It TO
l., ~.
the runner with the ball az first base. II
is sufficient that the basemsn. having the
ball In his possession. touches the base
before the runner does. Nor is il neces-
sary 10 touch the runner when he is
fo;r,I Of his base. The meaning OF that
is best illusc: lated by an example. Sup
pose a man is on first base, and the bats
man makes n fair hit, the man on first
base must racate it. Suppose, then, the
ball came TO the fielder at second base
he IS not obliged TO touch the man who
is running 10 IL from first base. II sufices
that he touch his base. having the ball in
his possession, before the runner does.
20 put the latter out.
The players go 10 the bat in regular
order. Thus, the first man on the batting
list bats first at the opening of the FIRST
innings. Afterward the first batsman in
an inning is the one on the list who is
next to the third batsman out in the pre-
vious inning. So Il happens in baseball
that every player gets his fair share OF
batting. In cricket II you get out first
bali. there may be no more chance for
you that day. In baseball you bat very
many times, as a rule, and are given
ample opportunity Of redeeming a bad
start. Everybody on the field gets plenty
to do. Baseball is the game which is all
life.
Kid Nichols Returns.
Milwaukee. Wis. July u.-Kid Nichols.
the former National Tear,,e r,g4cbar 10.