New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-14
COMMENT ON SPORTS
NEEDS OF B4SEB4LL.
NesCS and Tie5cs on LiUe TONES
Of the DaU.

With the near approach of the baseball
season an earnest request of the fans
may be voiced by me to John T. Brush,
who presides over the destinies OF the Polo
Grounds. and Frank J. Farrell, who has
American League Park under his wing. 1t
IS nothing more nor less than the proper
posting Of the batteries on the score board
ar some other convenient place for the
benefit or those WHO sit too far away from
The umpire 10 hear his announcement Of
the pitcher and catcher. 1t is such small
thing that II is hard to understand why
those who make baseball so profitable have
not been considered long before this. Many
OF the fans" of course know the pitchers
and catchers by sight, but there are hun
dreds OF others who are not so fortunate,
and whose interest in the game would be
heightened If they knew all the players
who were taking part. Then, too, the
programmes are not always correct as to
the other players on the team and their
positions. AMI. further than that. substitu-
tons are made from time to time. leaving
many onlookers IN the dark as to who
makes some brilliant play or long drive.
It may be said in all fairness that an
effort was made last year at the Polo
Grounds TO carry out the suggestion here
outlined for the third time. The names OF
blackboard at each end of the grand
stand. but unfortunately the man or boy
who was Entrusted with the job of writing
the names had been graduated from the
first or second grade of some public school
before mastering the art of spelling, and
pftsnrir1es the fans" found themselves
confronted with Chinese puzzle Worse
still, once the names were posted the
duties OF that particular employe were over
for the cay. His munifcent salary had
been safely earned, the demand for the
batteries had been met, and no changes
were considered OF importance Altogether
1t was a well meant but abortive effort to
Ill long felt want.
When the joint rules committee Of the
two major leagues met in Pittsburg last
winter a rule was framed TO make it com
pulsory on the managers of the various
teams TO advise the umpire of any
changes in the lineup and for the
sutocrat Of the diamond to make the
proper announcement 10 the onlOokers.
The Importance OF having the batting
prder on the programme correct also was
emphasized. AS a matter Of fact, how
eyer, it is next TO impossible to bring about
This happy condition. y manager may be
reasonably sincere when he announces his
programmes may be printed, but num-
Der Of things can occur before the game
Is played to make il important that
change be made. Some player may report
I'll, some accident may happen in the
warming up practice, it may be consid-
ered advisable 10 substitute one man for
another # a left or right handed pitcher
is used by the opposing team These
changes, OF course, are announced by the
umpire when lie haWls out the names OF
thc pitcher and the catcher, but few UNI
rires are blessed with the voice of = Peter
Prunty, and the information rarely gets
beyond those in the grandstand directly
behind the plate
Al the American League grounds in
Washington 50 / am told, man with a
uegaphone repeats the announcements of
the umpire. This is well enough in its
way. bit board for the proper posting Of
the players would be far better. often
times the attention OF a spectator is directed
elsewhere at the time the announcement
Is made, while many, of course. come in
late 1t is hoped that Mr.. Brush and Mr..
Farrell will give the subject the thought
1t deserves and at small expense to them
selves make the games more interesting to
the fans" Some club owners have gone
SO Far as 10 provide electric score boards
81 big expense TO satisfy this demand, but
Nntil The Yankees and the Giants make a
little more money local followers of the
sport viii ba quite satisfied with the
cheaper and simpler plan.
The Amateur Baseball League. made UP
~ clubs representing the Crescent Ath-
,etic Club, Englewood Field Club Mont
rlair Athletic Club. South Orange Field
Club and Staten Island Cricket and Lawn
reunis Club, is progressive. A long stride
has been taken in the right direction by es-
tabiishing a supreme court commission
IF its own, TO pass on the eligibility of the
blazers and TO settle any controversy that
may arise Some clubs have been criti-
eised In the past for strengthening their
teams at the expense Of their standing as
snateur organizations No direct charges
ef emi-professionalism. perhaps, have
ever been made, but the mutterings OF i'm
pending thunder have more than once
Seaclled beyond the confines Of the clubs
Involved. Under the new plan IT Will not
be possible for one club or another to in
produce new star overnight, as was the
ease several times last season. as each
player must now be certified to by the eli
Eibility committee before he is allowed 10
represent club in the circuit. Under the
circumstances, one OF the best seasons il
&il6 LlSlo4g VI tllS ISo5 AS - IA P-SS4'SSN'
The death Of Jake C'WiZaTd'D Schaefer
last week has left a blank IN the ranks of
The billiard players that will be hard TO
HIl. His deeds. however, with the cue and
Ivory balls Will live long in the memory
of those who were privileged at one time
or another TO see him play. Schaefer
never had equal. in my opinion, as an
En-round player, not excepting the late
frank Ives who was, perhaps, even more
brilliant, but hardly such close student
Of the game. = Schaefer was gifted with
qualities which 80 to make 4 billiard mas
ter-keen sight, steady hand, iron nerve
and exquisite skill IN execution. lie il was
VINO was first 10 perfect the masse shot,
while no man, perhaps, ever did more 10
develop the nicetes Of the game.
Captain Palmer J.. Pierce, president of
the Intercollegiate Athletic Association OF
the United States, IN his general report OF
The annual meeting last December, which
IS now being distributed among the mem
bers, says, in part:
This association IS endeaForing to cdu-
cate and foster proper public student
aUinion on athletics. especially IHteTcoIesl-
ate athletics. The formation Of rules Of
play for certain games is merely incidental