Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-27
DR.. T|NDALL ON BALL
HE WOULD HAVE MORE SC0R.
ING DONE.
Trying to Think Out Some Scheme
to Lessen Prestige Of Pitcher
and Increase Runs.

DR.. William Tindall, whose chief duty
is to keep the newspaper men at the Dis
trict building from getting hold of mot
for publication matter. says that base
ball is a decadent thing.
1t isn't like it used to be. Why, when
he was a boy. they used to make a hun
dred runs in a single game and now
Let the doctor tell IL.
"Of course. I'm a has been base ball
fan. But can't a has been come back ?
Well. / guess yes
During the last generation l used to
occupy the amen corner at the ball yard
every afternoon. / was the man who
used to let out that awful yelp when
ever occasion demanded vociferous en-
thusiasm.
II was the originator Of the phrase, Eat
him up whiskers, he don't shave The
best base runners in those DAYS wore
long flowing whiskers and belonged TO the
church.
Student Of Game Then.
Il used to study the game then. The
old ia shioned pitched ball was a straight
one, and when the curved ball was sprung
on the batting public l drew a diagram,
illustrating just why the sphere PLAYED
tricks. The diagram was reproduced in
The Star about twenty years ago. and
was later copied in a sporting magazine.
About that time the standard of play
ing dropped SO low. My enthusiasm
waned to such an extent that 7 left the
bleachers, and did not return until a few
days ago
But got the fever bad that day. and
also the spirit OF reform. It was not
long before my soul revolted at the
idea of the pitcher dominating the
game. l hated to see the measly
swipes at the ball which our boys-and
/ the other boys, too. for that matter
were Giving, wanted to see them
they call it--all over the ball yard.
I'm the old days they would knock
balls all over the county, and the more
| runs the more fun. So set to work to
figure out a way to diminish the pres
tige of the pitcher. n some one doesn't
do II the fielders will all die Of base
ball atrophy.
New Rules for Game.
when I rewrite the base ball rules
I'm going to have every ball 20 over
the plate or let the batter 70 to first.
This will surely increase the batting.
1t will add some interest to the game.
X
and IL will take away that modern elc-
ment of the game wherein the pitcher
tries to knock a batters head off with
a pitched ball. A pitcher would not
want to scare batter into a panic 1T
the risk of sending him to first base.
Now. of course. there would he a
tremendous lot of batting under my
rules, but we could add a right short
| stop somewhere between first and
second.
AT best the pitcher is an unneces-
lsary evil. and the way he preponder
ates at a game il sickeninR to old time
fans The scientific character Of the
game does not call for pitching skill.
as we could have a machine ont In the
diamond to shoot balls over the plate
| TT lis the batting and fieldinr and
base running that CONSTITUTES the theo-
retical elements. I know that Kind Of
talk doesn't sound like base hail fa n
| talk. but the bleacher slang talk came
| into use along with such endearments
a. oh. you kid" and the like:
| AT present the game conaists or a
| n;tcher-and that's all. Wait until 7
ret my rules written. Then you'll see
| a real game"