Evening journal., 1910-09-12
FEVER BASES ARE
STOLEN THESEDAYS
Changes in Rules Makes It.
Harder to PiIfer Than
Formerly
RUNNERS JUST
AS SPEEDY TODAY

The decline Of base running in
( baseball has been much bemoaned.
Base running has been described as
rapidly vanishing art and all that.
That ball players nowadays don't
steal as many bases as they used to
twenty years ago is a plain, bald fact,
but that doesn't necessarily mean that
base running has suffered to the de-
triment of the game. On the contrary,
baseball Is more scientific and in
teresting game now than when many
more bases were stolen. The big de-
velopment Of teamwOrk-which is one
reason why so many bases aren't
stolen-the hit-and-run play, for in
stance-has improved the game as
game, even II doing away with some
individual players on the bases.
Base runners are as fast as they
ever were; there are just as many of
them. and they run with Just as good
judgment. Aren't Cobb and Collins
and Bescher fully as good as were
Hamilton, Stovey and Fogerty? Or,
to put il another way, wouldn't they
steal as many bases II the same con-
ditions obtained?
Aside from the subordination Of the
individual TO the team, there are eX-
cellent reasons why fewer bases are
stolen in the present era of the ma
tional game. For one thing. there is
big difference in the way stolen
bases are scored Once upon a time
all a player had to do was to start
for the next base with the pitch and
he got credit for steal--if he got
there--no matter what happened to
the pitched ball. II the ball was hit
he got his steal just the same. The
present rules prohibit crediting q man
with a steal, If he gets to the next
base aided by batted ball, and that
: in itself makes a difference.
But a potent influence in reducing
the number of stolen bases and one
often overlooked in discussing tho
question is the advent of the catcher's
big NIT. Prior to 1890 there were
many more stolen bases than later.
The big mitt began 10 be used first in
1889, but was non generally adopted
until later Arthur Irwin was the
man who originated IL, and his first
experiment consisted I'm putting "a
. nAA6AA NAAaH VI ANuAAAtA uNAA AlN lAAilA
of an ordinary felders glove Out OF
, this grew the present big glove
through the medium of Tom DAILY,
then with Washington, and Pat Muir
ply, then with the Giants, and now a
4 policeman in Worcester.
And what difference did the big
mitt make on base stealing? JUS
this. II saves valuable time in the
catcher getting his throw away. WheI
catchers used the small-flngered glow
their hands had to give when TAX
G ing a pitch. The yield Of the hands I
swiftly pitched balls meant that ius
so much time was lost i'm launchin
I'd the throw, valuable time and bi
IN help TO the base runner. Also the1
were more passed balls then. Bt
with the huge! thick-padded glov
le there is practically no give. The bi
cushion held out in front serves as
pocket i'm which the ball stop
u dead and the catcher simply picks on
the ball with his other hand an
IS makes his throw. The fraction of tim
thus saved has been the main rea
son why base stealing has fallen of
In 1881 Ward stole III bases; Fo
u garity, 1902. and Kelly, 81, and ther
-, were five others who stole over 81
- / UurNnf all III A1MNA EAAlNH IMAM NV
II constitute a season. In 1889 Stove!
II stole 115 bases; O'Brien, 103; Hamil
y ton III; Long, 81; Welch. %, anl
thirteen others stole over so each
Records of the present show no sucl
- Wholesale quantities Of steals. Th
u record for 1908 shows that Cobb stol
80 and Conroy and Flick Al each. II
" 1907 Wagner stole SO; Chance, 81
~ Devlln, 54 and Magee. 5. they beinl
- the leaders. But I'm 1909 there seem
y TO have been an improvement in tn
American League at least. Cubb setl
ing 76; Collins, 81. and Bush. So.
The 1907 guide contains this brie
= rule for stolen bases: "A stolen bas
shall be credited to the base runme
,s whenever he advances base unaide
is by a base hit, put-out. q fielding o
battery error
In the last two seasons the rule ha
been changed to permit a runner get
r. ting credit for steal on battery CT
rOr provided he makes his start prio
no TO the battery error. Il may he tina
n Cobb and Collins have been alert t
IS take advantage of that change, bu
there has been no corresponding in
], crease in steals in the last two year
d by National eLague base runers.
IL II was once the custom to give creC
il for a steal when a runner was pI
out. The rule provided steal in sue
a case Still that play didn't happe
often. and affects the point at issu
OF hut little. Too much latitude on III
NJ part Of some scorers always has e.
- listed. particularly in crediting stel
y" on palpable mum by the man tai
er ing the throw. The chief reason
on however. for fewer stolen bases al
he these: The big glove, the wide ui
Of the hit-and-run play, and, part
in Connection with the lateer, not gi
- ing a steal when the runner is aide
by batted ball The rule in vogue
1890 allowed for a steal even whC
the ball was muffed by the felde
There was nothing in that rule pr
hibiting the scoring of a steal wht
aided by a batted ball. The latituS
allowed by that rule, more or lei
Il iaXity in scoring and the maftrp