The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-03-10
NEW RULE NOT QUITE
CLEAR TO BALL PLAYERS
Measure Adopted by Big Leaeuers Against Removing Gloss From
New Balls Seems to Puzzle Even RulemakerS-- Murray Says
Pitcher Can Rub Dust on It--Puliam Says Nixie--Inter-
collegiate Meet as Tryout for Olympic Team.
BY BERT DODGE.

~ AsEBALL players. especially the pitchers, are discussing with much In
n forest the new ruleof the big leagues which forbids the box artist to
f~ remove the gloss from new balls furnished him by IN umpire.
Umpire Klein. who "a sin town a few days ago said that the rulemakers
themselves seemed to be a bit hazy Of just how the umpnes We're supposed
to consrue the nw legislation. Billy Murray, a member of the committee,
according to KLEIN edared tina a pitcher would b. allowed to pick up a
handful of dirt and thus discolor the bail and make it easier to handle KLEIN,
however said tina. the directions he got from President Puniam did not seem
o carry out this view of it.
According o Ppniam. the pitcher, besides being prohibited from rubbing
the ball Of the grass, al vas permissible under the old rule is lot To- allowed
to soil the ball at all, except by rubbing 1t in his glove. AS to the contention
as it came to him vas thoroughly saturated with tobacco juice. KLEIN said
that Purnam had told him that umpfres would be expected to stop this prac-
Use. klems ahdh he purposed doing the trick by warning the catcher that a
repetition of a ohense would mean "A fine and then throwing in another ball
Klein Does Not Expect Much Trouble.
Umpire KLEIN says, however, that he does not expect much trouble The
manufacturers ire going to furnish balls without the gloss, which has always
been regarded as absolutely necessary o. he balls. This will enable the pitch
ers Q secure as firm a grip or a lew ball as OF a old one and will remove the
necessity f roughing up the surface in my way.
When neon remarked to Klein that a umphes berth these days
was a most comfortable nc compared to the uneasy positions occupied by
the Judges II dofngs IN baseball fields no many years age, he admitted that
sch was a fact.
Klein said that the absolute support given TIT umpres by the league Of
huals ant the nerenptory action taken against rowdysm had naturally had
the enecto II elevatng the unpres in the opinion IF the fans They might not
consider that the umpire was doing any better work., but the fact that his
position had been given a sort of an official dignity made he rabd enthusiasts
less likely to break out into heated CT criticism or take son boligerent action
against the official
Though KLEIN admitted that the UNI pres job was a quieter IN than here
tofore, he declared that the business a daily becoming me that required
more Judgment Situations, he said. were often cropping ut which the rules
did lot absolutely owe and then, again, the rules should not always be fol-
tain rue would be to do a manifest Injustice o a player or team and it was
at such times that umpires had to use judgment
Officials Back Up Umpire Now.
KLEIN stated that the league officials backed u umpire in taking stand
taken to a ruling and n appeal made o the higher officials, umpires he stated
were never ensured is long Is they did not make a decision absolutel incon-
sisent with thu rules or with a n # fair play. When 1t cam to a question
of Judgment league officials eve went back of the umpires decision. There
fore. when unpres are being selected, league presidents take great care in
naming their men, and, therefore. according to Klems arguments, the UNI
pfres as Il class, have improved.
AS to the rule regarding a sacrifice hit being allowed a batter who brings
N a runner from third N a fly to the outfeId, KLEIN said that this. of course,
did not d to tn umpres work He approved of the change however, and de-
clared that ]. va a rule which should have beena adopted long ago