The evening world., 1910-12-23
Old Timer Say That This
Proposition Would Be Sure
TO Cause More Hitting.
BY BOHEMIAN BULGER.

before the Baseball Rules Com
mittee at their meeting in Feb
ruary TO advance the pitcher ten feet
nearer the batter Ia causing more dis
cusion among the modern stars and the
old-time players than any question that
has been Injected into the national
game for years.
The old-timers. 10 a man. agree that
the batting would be improved n the
pitcher was put nearer the plate. but
some OF the younger set are inclined to
disagree with them. Fifteen years 9
the pitchers box was nifty feet from
the plate. and to Increase batting the
rules committee move It back to sixty
feet, or thereabouts. Instead OF increas-
Ing hitting. the baseball world found
that hitting had been decreased. Not
w~ithstanding that fact the distance has
not been changed for moro Than a
decade. seevral oldLime bah players.
among whom are Pop Arson. Arlie
Latham. Johnny Ward. George Gore
and Jack Doyle, arc behind the plan to
move the pitcher up closer. and they in
sist that hitting will DO improved.
There was an extemporaneous meet
ing held yesterday at McGraw's place,
ana among those who took part In a dis
cussion OF the matter were McGraw,
Latham. Larry Doyle, Chief Meyers
and Harry Sparrow.
Better Hittsrs In the Old Days.
The records show that we a better
hitters In the old days than they have
now." said Latham. and ! attribute II
entirely to the fact that the pitchers OF
to-day have to throw the ball a dis
lance of sixty feet instead OF nifty. The
old hitters who didn't consider II ex-
t~raordinary TO hit $50 In the days gone
by would not he able to hit any better
to-day h the present stars. They
would not have 20 hit so much speed.
but would be faced by curved balls.
There Is no question in my mind but
that the pitching is better to-day than
u was nfteen years ago Tn pitchers
nave more chance to develop curves
me peculiar breaks and shoots tina,
tooi batters at a distance OF sixty fee,
would be OF little effect ct fifty feet.
In the old days" wont on Latham
such batters rs Oar Brouthers, Por
Anson and George Gore hit at speed
ana nothing else. Among the few pitch.
ers who could make a ball break fasr
at the plate In those DAYS was Amo,
Rusie, and he was a bear. In additior
to his speed he had that quick break
ing curve. n that 10 what made hin
a great pitcher. John Clsrhson wa
J another"
|, We'll. do you think that the pa,
players OF that day were as rood a
those OF to-day" asked Chief Meyers.
| certainly they were" repIe.
Latham. but they had to face a ar
/. terent kind OF pitching. don't thin
mere was ever a pitcher who knew
as much about the art as Mathewson
ana In answer to you fellows who laugl
NJ us about what We did twenty year
K q want to ask you; Do YOU thinl
n that In twenty-five year. from no,
n You will have any pitcher who has /
on Mathewson?"
That question was somewhat q,
: stumper for the young bah PLAYERS. I'M
they admitted that they did not believ
the game would produce "A better ma,
han Matty.
Then said latham. with an air O
triumph In hrs voice, why do va
laugh when ! tell You that the gam
has never produced a better hitter thu
Arson. / tell you " Arson was In IA
o game to-day he would hit Just as we
n as any OF the modern ball PLAYERS. c
,r course he would have 90 get on 10 tn
new style OF curve balls. hut with IA
IN eye and strength he would have IN,
a. much chance OF solving the pitchin
question as anybody else"
sr Speed Easier TO Hit Than Curves,
II Il don't think there Is any doubt
c, said George Gore, "bu tina the hitter
le would be improved II the pitcher W,
II moved nearer TO the batter. 1t IL mu,
easier to learn TO hit speed han curry.
ne II the batter wac within nifty feet
ib the pitcher he could run up and
h. most OF the curves before they broke
I. the only thing that would trout
~ the old-time batters," added Latin
d, would be the slow ball. In our a,
m the pitchers did not put much faith In
nd slow ball. They were afraid to use
n | hin the slow bah one OF the me
effective means Of deCeiving "A bait,
and that is one OF the things that NAL
Matty n Miner Brown great pdtohe
They are not afraid TO throw a 81,
BAH and they get away with Il. Chan
Of pace Is better 10 get II batter's gc
er than curyes
r. speaking OF pitchers" went
he Latham. II think the trouble with
d pitching to-day Is that the teams ha
too many pitchers. They carry eli
1T or nine twirlers and you win md Il
er Ia nine cases out OF ten about III
ms OF these pitchers do the work. I
u ! others are only used In case OF EN-
sspex. 70 Get the Se9d out OF . pitcl