Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-20
TO CUT OFF SPIKES.
MaEnates Will Consider Plan to
Prevent SpikinR.

NEW YORK. November 2O.-When the
magnates OF the American and the Ma
tional leagues meet here next month one
OF the important matters to be dicuessed
prior to possible legislation is the wearing
of spiked shoes. which has gradually be-
come an evil that cannot be further
overlooked. During the last season many
players were spilled and rendered inca
pablo OF work for weeks just when their
services were needed most, and in some
cases the spiking was attributed 20 de-
liberate attempts to disable teams that
were factors in TIE pennant races.
Third Baseman Baker of the Philadel-
phia Athletics. it will be recalled, was
spiked in Detroit by r. Cobb. who was
promptly warned by President johnson
c. the American League. There was so
much i'll feeling over this incident that
when the Detroia arrived in Philadel-
phia fc.' their final series the police and
club officials exercised much care in pre-
venting enraged fans from mobbing Cobb.
1t so happened during those games that
Cobb also spiked Shortstop Barry Of the
Athletics, but it was clearly an accident
and Cotb was not censured. But the loss
of Barry, who was out Of the game for
the rest of the season. had much to do
with the failure OF the Athletics to win
the pennant.
In 1908 Elberfeld of the Highlanders
was spiked early in the campaign and
was on the hospital list for nearly three
months. which no doubt was one OF the
reasons why the team dropped into last
place. Many other cases can be cited to
prove that the wearing OF spikes has been
disastrous to both players and teams. yet
the players and managers have always
maintained that with no spikes 1t would
be impossible to play the game at the
present speedy gait. Suggestions that
would substitute cleats or rubber knobs
on the soles of the shoes have been fire.
quently made. but experts have always
declared such things impracticable.
But now comes an entirely new idea
from Secretary Barnard of the Cleveland
Americans, which. II is said. may receive
much consideration. Barnard says that
spiking can be entirely prevented by maxi
ing the base runners slide head first In
stead of feet first. He declares that a
rule can be passed making this compul-
sorry, and that ii can be stipulated that
when a baseman blocks a base runner 10y
standing directly In the base path the
runner shall be called safe. Barnard
points out the fact that basemen can cas-
lily tag base stealers who slide head first
by standing near the bag or on the edge
Of the base line. and that collisions are
impossible unless players purposely In
dulge in them.
Head-flrst sliding is not new in base
ball. Many base runners have tried 1t
successfully in the past. especially in the
colleges and schools, and Barnard argues
that the practice can easily be made uni
versal. In order to prevent feet-first slid
ing, Barnard says that every runner who
goes into a bag that way should be de-
clared out by the field umpire. whether
he reaches the bag In safety or not. In
order to prevent possible injuries. the
Cleveland man states that the runners, In
sliding head first could wear gloves ex-
tending to tho elbows and also pads on
the hips and thighs. which would make
the slide practically safe. Many OF the
club owners who have discussed this plan
appear to regard II as a solution Of the
trouble. and they are now consulting
their managers and players with the idea
OF finding out their views. There Is no
doubt that magnates and managers would
welcome any plan that might remove
the chances for injuries from spiking.
and that II Barnerd's subsection meets
with favor 1t may be tried for time at
least next season.