The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-04-09
BY Former National Umpire.
Nov Playing The
hird Degree.
tBY 6ieorgle Balnnm.l J.

:
the old ball-player Is What 5 the
difference between baseball as play.
ed now and twenty -aye years agos's
Whenever I am asked this question
i invariably reply:
Practically none at an; This 1T
fret glance may appear laughabfe
and, paradoxical Not 50. BaseIballl
to-day is practically the same as It.
was not only twenty-five years ago.
but fifty years ago. 1t could not ne
anything else: for baseball Is the
evolution Of the old English game OF
Rounders, and from It's earliest for
nation the playing Of Il was hSed
and set by prescribed rules. II
One has only to read and cons
pare the modern rules Of baseball
to those enforced when the game
was first evolved to see how little
material difference there Is in them.
Hence, the evolution and progress of
baseball can only be rhased upon the
progress and skin of the players
and the changing of various rules in
the points of attack and defenses
the discipline of players; the morale
of the game: the betternent OF con-
ditions for the spectators, and the
character of the men who control It.
There were nine players in those
days placed on the field and disig-
mated as now. The distance between
the bases was 80 feet then as now.
The ball, as far back as can re-
member, was IA inches in cir
conference. and weighed 5 1-2
ounces, as now. The bat prescribed
by rule. was also the same and the
only difference is that in those early
days baseball was played as a sport.
while now 1t is profession. In
those days the players were clerk,
bank cashiers, physicians, dentists.
mechanics, or any body that could
play good ball was mede member
of baseball club. They received
no pay, no emoluments of any de-
scription, save the honor ana glory
of belonging to one particular base
ball club, and the qualification OF
feeling that 1t was the best bail club
in that vicinity. 49,
Now they receive salary, and ii
is only natural that when men are
paid for skill and devote theid lives
to the playing of baseball, that they
Should he, better players, ana the
game should be better played nov
than then.
THAT there has been great Inn.
provement and progress IN the game
Of baseball from what / saw as 4
kid in the Elysian fields at Hoboken
and the capotoline grounds OF
Brooklyn, until now, is but natural.
Its evolution from a gentleman's
SPORT If can call it 50, to a pro-
fession. demanded these improve
ments. Baseball, in common with
other sports, professions and trades,
cannot and must not stand still. It's
success and popularity depend as
much and more upon these success
slve Improvements, and upon brain,
than upor Drawn and muscle.
ut would he the height OF folly
to compare the baseball of the early
SOS with the baseball of today.
But In all baseball Justice, I must
saw that when l saw the Atlantics
play the Eurekas of Newark in 1866.
was just as enthusiastic, Just as
ardent rooter for my home team as
was for New York against the Cubs
last season.
The fans and rooters IN those
days were no different from the ones
Of the present day, either. In those
days Of the Atlantics from Brooklyn.
the Mutuals of New York, the Try-
ingtons, the Athletics Of Philadel-
phia, and later the Haymakers Of
Troy, and the Nationals Of Wash
iEgton, were household words. and
Dickey Pierce, Ferguson, Creighton,
Joe Start, Lip Pike, al Reach, ANDY
Leonard. Bill sweazy, McMahon.
Berthrong. and later in the early
EOS George and Harry Wright, Tim
Murnane. A, G. spauldfng, Arson.
Davey Force, and many others, were
as great heroes to the baseball low
ing public as McGraw, Chance
Brown, Evers, Donlin and Mathew.
son are today.
The brogres in baseball has been
slow very slow. 1t has taken many
years Of careful thought to bring il
to the stage of perfection that It Is
In today. It has many ardent fol-
lowers. hut i question very much r.
there are many who can tell youI
who introduced fha Rnickerhoct,ap