Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-02-06
VERY FEW CHANGES
IN BASE BALL RULES
MagnateS Have Gone Slow in
Adopting limo
vati0ns.
BY Frank Hough.

Considering the number of years that
1t has been played and the thousands Of
suggestions that have been made with a
view to its Improvement. base ball has
| undergone fewer changes than any ma
tional sport OF which We have knowledge
And even the changes that have been
made from time to time have been sc
comparatively slight that if the players
| who made history in the early sixtie.
| We're to return they would have no DIM
Guilty In recognizing the game which
they did SO much to exploit and to popu-
larixe. AS a matter of fact, there has
been no change in the fundamental prin-
ciples of the game, and those who have
given the subject much thought cannot
see how it can be improved upon in tina.
direction. 1t must be played with ball
and bat and upon Diamonds with
which we have been familiar all our lives.
X
Now and then there has been a mild
the 'Iiveliness," or the ''deadness." OF
the ball, but the old sport cannot recall
of single instance where any one seri-
Ously espoused any movement looking to
a change in the distance between the
| bases. Possibly the distance between the
| bases was not finally fixed upon without
| much experimenting. but the base ball
fathers, who finally determined that nine
ty feet should be the distance, showed a
nicely Of judgment which even today Is
/
struck just the proper distance to insure
the greater possible evenness CT contest
between the fielders and batsmen. Add
or subtract three feet from the present
distance and a positive advantage would
! be given TO one or to the other For that
reason, IL for no other. it is not likely
| that any suggestion to change the dis
| lance between the bases will ever be con-
| Sidered.
This reluctance to make changes in 9
~ 1ra1 al n -.
prevail for years is to be commended
| Change does not necessarily mean i'm
| provement, no matter how firmly con-
| yinced the sponsors OF some particular
change may be to the contrary. OF
course, some changes eventually lead to
others--necessitate them, in fact. Take,
| for instance, the foul strike rule, original
!, ly devised to head of Roy Thomas. There
| is not the slightest doubt that that OBJ
noxious rule was retroactive, and con-
| trary to the general tread OF all changes
made in the playing rules during the pre-
| ceding twenty years. In obedience to the
public demand, as voiced through the
newspapers, nearly every committee on
rules sought to lessen the dominance OF
the pitcher and to increase the likelihood
OF batsman reaching first. This foul
strike abonaination had just the contrary
effect, and SO far as Thomas was con-
! cerned did not accomplish the object for
which it was intended. It has lessened
the hitting. thereby reducing the number
of runners who should naturally reach
hrst.
AS there is. positively no action-that
is. the real, blood-stirring action-unti a
runner. or runners, get on bases, the
game has lost. much of its spectacular
value to the talent, whose support keeps
It going. Undoubtedly, there will be
many to point out the falsity of these de-
auctions by calling attention to the fact
that the attendance at the games of the
American and National Leagues has prac-
tieaily doubled since the adoption OF the
rule which has given the old sport SO
much mental perturbation. That is I'M
doubtedly true, but not because of that
rule, but in spite Of it. The game has
secured such q hold in popular favor that
it will continue to flourish despite the
efforts of all the rule managers in the
country to- rob it Of many Of its most
attractive features.
That there is a disposition to recognize
the demand for more action in some quar-
tiers Is shown by the fact that Fred Lake
Of the National League rules committee
announces that he will make an effort to
have his committee make a favorable re-
port on q change which he proposes to
advocate regarding the rule governing
bases on balls. He argues, and with
great deal of reason, that II the number
of balls be decreased to three the public's
demand for action will be met, and that
In this way many of the objectionable
features OF the foul strike rule will be
eliminated. With his strategic resources
reduced DER cent, the pitcher would