Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-07
special pispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star.
NEW YORK, October silk O'Lough-
lin, the American League umpire. Is
strong advocate of speed. He says
the games are becoming too slow. and
he blames the players. In discussing this
fault the noted diamond judge said yes
terday:
Put ginger into any public amusement
and you'll attract and delight patrons
who pay their money at the box office.
A lively act in vaudeville or a snappy
play will crowd a theater any time. A
scientific, swiftly moving boxer will COM
mand big money at a boxing club be-
cause people will pay more to see him
spar than clumsy slugger. Base ball
is the same. Speedy playing is essential
toward keeping up the interest. If the
games are allowed to drag the fans grow
tired and lose interest
I've always maintained that between
innings the players going to and from the
benches should be made to hurry. 1t
looks better than to see them SLOUGH to
their positions, stopping on the way to
borrow chew or to discuss an error
maybe. When the American League was
organized the games were played SO rap
idly that there was cry in some quar-
tiers that there was too much hurry and
hustle. Games were frequently played in
one hour and fifteen minutes, and l
really believe a majority of the fans were
satisfied. But in recent years the players
themselves have adopted slothful methods.
with the result that the games are again
too long.
"Mucn time is wasted by the batteries.
The spit ball pitchers consume most OF it
by moistening their fingers and preparing
to take aim. Then again some of them
can't make out the signs given by the
catchers In such cases the pitchers
stand still, looking at the backstop's fin
gers as they indicate the signs in the
hollow of the mitts. If they don't under
stand the pitchers shake their heads ana
in many cases go up near the plate to
hold confabs, when, a matter OF fact,
the field umpire and the infielders can
see the signs as plain as day. There
should be no such delay IL the pitchers
really wanted to hasten matters. More
time is lost when batsmen can't find their
own sticks You'll see them handling
every bat in the pile before their own is
picked out. That is all unnecessary, too
| believe that the managers can remedy
these defects if they want to and I'd like
to see the powers that be compel them to
Want Early Start.
do YOU know that there's a demand
all over the country for the starting Of
games earlier in the day? Really. 1 be-
Iieye the time Is near at hand when the
big league games will begin as early as
y o'clock. just like the matinees in the
alters. In the west 3 o'clock is the popu-
lar starting time now and there are more
people at the games than when they be-
gan an hour later. By calling play at 81
o'clock or an hour earlier persons in out
of-town cities would be able to see the
big teams play and then have time
enough to get home to supper Under
those circumstances darkness would
never interfere and If a game should run
into extra innings it could be played to a
finish.
There's just another improvement
think can be made. The fans want lively
coaching not rowdy kicking, but ginger
and excitement. Some ball players never
say a word and appear to be merely ma
chimes Others who talk and hustle al |
WAYS catch the favor Of the fans. Take
Jennings for instance. While he isn't
PLAYER he keeps his men on the jump 4
by his lively coaching. / know for a fact |
that fans in all the American League citi s
go out TO see the Detroits play because
they know that Jennings will whoop il Up.