Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-08
SPORTING COMMENT.
BY J. ED GRILLO.


Figuring catcher's ability on the per-
centage of stolen bases ne allows per
game is hardly a fair system, for it does
not give a correct line on his prowess
In the unofficial averages. for instance,
Paddy Livingston leads 81 the American
League backstops, yet hat does not
prove that he threw out n greater num-
Der of base runners. tst merely that
fewer bases were stolen in the games
that he caught.
A catcher's ability is :proven by the
number OF steals he prevfnfs. not by the
few he allows, for the catcher on a.
team which is in SEVENTH. place shoulders
greater handicap than the catcher Of
a winning team: for the reason that the
losing team will have more men on the
bases to contend with, and therefore
more steals will be attempted.
Livingston's team, in a majority of its
games last season, was usually so far
ahead that its opponents did not at
tempt steals.
What Is true of Livingston is true Of
Archer OF the Cubs, who leads the Ma
tional League catchers In the matter Of
having the least number o. bases stolen.
which was responsible for their showing
in this respect.
That Charley Street should lead both
leagues in the matter Of passed balls is
not surprising, for he caught q majority
of the games that Walter Johnson
difficult to handle his terrific speed with
out an occasional wobble.
The untimely death Of Stanley Ketchel
leaves the mtddleweight title in doubt.
Sam Langford claims 1t, but 1t Is de-
cidedly doubtful IL he could defend it
against good man If forced to come
down to 1853 pounds. 1t is not believed
Ah4k H. IN III
where near his best at that weight.
Eliminate Langford and Billy Papke
looks like the logical man to claim
Ketchels title. In fact, there does not
appear to be any one In the class aside
from Langford who can give Papke a
good fight: Whether or not it will ever
be proven whether Langford can make
the weight is doubtful. for 1t Is not likely
that Papke would tackle him, and be-
sides Langford is too anxious to make
good as heavyweight to bother with
the middles.
reader Of The Star wants to know if
there is any tangible reason to ascribe
worlds series.
There undoubtedly is. and old age
might be given as the cause.
Not that any members Of the Chicago
team are ready for the old mems home.
but as a team they have been in harness
too long. and 1t is the history of base
ball that teams dry Up and become de-
crepft conformity even when the individ
ual players are good and may play else
where with astonishingly fine results.
The Cubs seemed to be on the decline
In 1909. when they were beaten for the
pennant. There was q lack of the polish
and finish which the team had shown in
former campaigns. and for that reason
there were few who believed that they
would be winners in the last race. But
in the middle Of the past season the
team suddenly revived and played in its
old form, which was responsible for the
winning OF the pennant.
There was one important series with
the Giants during the summer, during
which the Cubs seemed as good as ever,
and it was this squirt which won them
the championship; but that squirt seems
to have been their undoing Once in
possession Of a lead which promised to
land them first their play let down ma
terially and it never picked up again.
AS team they batted their way to the
front In their own league. and as a
team they crumpled when they faced the
Athletics.
1t was a worn-out team which made
bid for honors in the worlds series,
and 1t will probably never again be in
position to make such a bid.
The effort to revive the. earned run
in the scores of ball games, feature
which was eliminated some years ago
because 1t was argued that 1t cut no
figure In the result Of the games. will
meet with general approval.
While it is true a team does not get
credit for the number Of runs it may
earn II it does not win its games, yet
the average follower of the sport likes
to keep tab on these runs because he
figures that to an extent these show
the part the element of luck has played
In a game,
Inasmuch as the revival Of the earned
runs do no harm and are OF interest to
mot % iii \
wise move for the rule-makers to add
them to the scores Of the game.
Another change which is being dis
cussed Is to reduce the called balls from
impression that something must be done
to curtail the pitchers before another
season begins. and several base ball
sharps. who do not favor a reduction in
the number OF balls emitting batsman
to his base, say the raised box should
be eliminated. thereby compelling the
pitcher to work on the same level with
the infielders.
By the adoption Of the three-ball rule
it is argued. the effectiveness Of the
pitchers would be decreased and more
batting would result.
It has always been a question whether
the general public favors more batting.
The fact remains that base ball has never
been as popular as II is at the present
time. when as we all realize. the pitching
is Of the highest caliber and the batting
comparatively weak. A pitchers battle
is more of an attraction these days than
smuggling match Furthermore 1t Is
doubtful II the reduction Of the balls
from four to three would prove great
handicap for the pitchers. 1t has been
proven in the past that the pitcher can
master every handicap that Is put on
him. When he was moved back fifteen
feet the rule-makers thought they had
conquered his prowess. but 1t was not
long until the pitcher was proving more
effective than ever before.
Though Bobby Wallace has been play