The Newark star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1909, 1909-05-21
When Baseball Was an
Infant Industry
BY WILL IRWIN.

r r WAS a crude game, but merry. In theory, the pitcher was there only
to give the boys a chance to "soa k the ball. First bound va stu
- out The unfortunate catcher n andrng a heavy, lively ball without
mask glove OF protector, stood up nar the bat when men we're IN bases IT.
he had the skill and courage; the early guides recommended him to do so
when he can" Had not the pitcher been restricted to ar artificial throw,
scarce a catcher would have lived to tell the tale Many catchers took every
thing "on first bounce" and managed at that to prevent much base-steanng-
hsse-running also al in it's infanW . Smith" say the Spirit of the
Times, caught a remarkable game, having but five passed balls scored
against him" Here and there we gt a glimpse which shows how crude 1T
all as-what a matter of hta and mis- natural force. In the SOS Dicky Pearce
shone without a peer a a infelder; he used to stop grounders with his hand
and foot! 4r#fz
Yet a few first things" did appear. In 1S4S they changed the method of
putting a nan u IN bases to the present rule-"catch him out at first touch
lin out at second, hire n home When that happened, certain hardy
souls look to sliding bases-feet first. The accepted uniform being hremen's
Shirts and long trousers without padding they did it but ginserly. The bats-
men learned that a steady series o short hits paid better in the long rn than
a perpetual attempt at home Muffin is a piece of baseball slang
of that time, 10 lost to the language; its meaning stood half way between
lemon and dub" And muffin hiters' they termed those who knew moth
ing but to slug. The basemen learned that they could cover more territory
by playing a little off the sack. Harry Chadwick, called, a little fusomely.
Stnl-hey must have felt dimy-this was lot enough. Something should
be done to stop all that adding between pitchers and batters Handling 1t
De warned by the umpire, and, if he persisted, the umpire should call a strike
N him as though he had hit at the ball" Indeed it would have been
impracttcabe to enforce strict strike and BALI rules then, for the umpire
stood N the sidehnes between home and first, ana was therefore, N n posi-
rec had dwindcd to ne umpire. 1t was still "a position of great dignity"
He usually sat on a camp chair near the first base line with his feet dis
posed comfortably IN a box.
The association recognized another feature which had crent gradually into
the game, and which we of this gene grafton know not The batter had a
right 10 call for a high o. a low ball, and the pitcher was supposed to
deliver according to his request. There was as yet n 0 way Of enforcing this
rule; it wascustom and nothing more. This, as much as anything else, shows
what a hit and -miss affair early day la @bar was The younger and harder
delegates advocated he repeal of the "frstbound' rule. contendng that it
was a babys game. The fogies, mindful of their crippled hands, rallied Q pre-
serve the good old way. Finally the two wings compromised. A fafr-ht ball
run as they pleased OF a shrst bound catch while they must return to their
original bases Of a ny" catch-CdherA