The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-01-30
@ s:::::::::: v: :::' IMPROVEMENT
 TO GROUNDS Capitol Heights in Fine
 Shape. cINDER PATH BEING LAID Rockenfield is Springikg Several New Wrinkles.
 - Also plan. to save umpires Much Trouble on Long Drives Nesr
 the Foul Llnes
Also plans, to Save Umpires Much Trouble en Leng Drives Near
 the Foul Line

After even . hard rain ball players can walk from the players bench tp the plate when 1t Is their turn to Shoes at the Capitol Heights Grounds, This was assured when President Climbers and second baseman Rock sssS srsaS mea me9as Sa' s Rock ns hss sRss shape and he fs working Ifke@a Tre- gan. to make the local lot one of the the Climbers has given him fuIl sway and is she1ping him in every thing he can. When Rock asks for material it is promptly furnished him. When Is also sat his service. The result VIII he that the fans of Montgomery will see one of the best equipped ball that has ever been built in the South.
 After a rain. the infleld and out field is naturally. soft and to cer- tain extent muddy Of course the the mud off of their shoes. when they come into their bench after an inning. When one of them starts to the plaLe however, to take his turn at bat, the spikes. in his shoes clog up so with mud that the work that had just been done In cleaning the shoes. at the players bench is work thrown away To obviate thia. Rockenfeld yesterday morning made arrangements to nave sustantial cinder paths laid from the players benches to the plate. go lnat when man % hns to> ,nn taks n,ats ats lthoat Slth getting his spikes cloEged up with
 This will be a great advantage in several ways. When a pitcher Is mix l ing 'em up or putting lots of steam on the ball, a batter to do anything, must have firm footing in the bal Sench bsrs p0t to the he wsf plate ne in tis mud he 1 won't have time to clean his shoes. the result Is. that the opposing battery has a big advantage. If a batter tries liable to slip. and be unsteady general ly-with the cinder path arrangement he eau either swing at the ball or chop out bunt, with as steady root l by a July sun for days. Then again i he will not have to take the chance of slipping when he gets of. from the plate on his trip to first base: He will have the advantage of good, dry footing and can Aget away from the plate in the old Noah Henline speed.
 Another improvement that Rocky will be a life saver for those Fall goats, the much abused Hmpires. How many times in the past have local fans ground in the outfeld. that 1t was diff hcult to say. whether the ball was fair or foul
 If there happens to be one or two
 
 have driven in; the umpire has one pleasant time, for the next few min utes. If it happens to be the local end the umpire has the time of his life. Not only the home players do 8 song and dance turn, about his dreadful form. but voXieys of cat-calls and yeiIs and grand stand drop all about him. as thick as dry leaves In March wind, If is the visiting player that lands
 on the long swat tnat ,rx IS cailea .i t0h1 S1
 that team, the local fans being
 strangely mute.
 Last Spring. Jimmy Ryan inaugur-
 Capitol csJd Heights ground. but this Spring. Rocky will have him faded The idea of the second baseman is
 one that he says he remembers from have laid a narrow board from the first and third bases to the outfield
 These blanks will be sunk in the
 ground so that they. will not interfere
 with a fielders running after foul flies
 They will be so harrow as to hardlS , be noticeable. The tops of the blanks ty white possible to be found so that lanybody In the bleachers or stands as the judge of play can distinctly 1 see whether a ball hits the ground or If the gentlemen of the Nationa i Commission or the rule makers Wh' are always trying to make the gam , idea of Rockinfield's 1t may give then a tip. It would undoubtedly make thu , game shorter, because of the fact tha 1t would do away with a lot of unnec cessary wrangling and cut out the yer
 bal stunts, that so many ball playerI , carry about in their systems.
 , A new drainage system has beer 1 put in at the park and the chances ar' that there won't be many games call , ed on account of wet grounds in Mont gomery this season. The sod on the
 diamond and infield is coming Sn ia
 mousIy, but a little trouble has beer
 hal with the grass out in the lots
 The grading will take out lots of the
 dip between the plate and the back
 feld to left and right field.
 l When they get the word in April
 there win be some field at Capito Heights, and take it all round it looks
 good.