Norwich bulletin., 1911-01-04
LONG HITS SCARCE IN CUBA
Eaters Must Drive the Ball Against Half Gale of Wind, Says Dan Murphy-Cuban Pitchers are Weak Psrt of the Island Teams.

Ball playing in half a gale Of wind that Ks always against the batter and kills the hard-lit balls so that long drives are a scarcity, is one of the experiences of playing the national game in Cuba according to Danny Murphy. who has recently returned tfrom the trip that the Philadelphia ter how hard the sluggers bang the leather. there is always that killing wind that takes all the distance out of the hits and the long drives that de- light the fans on the diamonds of the States are almost wholly missing
 But what works against the batter is help to the fielders, and when the ball is driven high to the outfeld it comes floating down into the fielders S glove as soft as a feather. Fast line drives, too, are robbed of much of their force and turned into compara- lively easy chances.
 Another element that enters into the game and plays an important part is the lack of rain, leaving the surface of the diamond dry and tiard, so that the cover of the ball is quickly roughed up rand all the life of the spheroid gone. The Cubans turn oat good fielding teams, but are weak on pitchers at yet.
 What impressed Umpire Billy Evans, who spent some time on the island,
  from the police standpoint. In no city tn the United States, he says, is g. ball park so we'll policed as in Havana. On the big day Of the week. Sun day, when the crowd always numbers from i2,0oo to 0,000 persons at least 200 policemen are on hand to maintain order. Of the 200 or more present some 50 of them are mounted on the finest horses. The fans live in awe of the police. and rarely. if ever, are the guardians of the peace called upon to quen any dis turbances.
 After every contest even if the game has progressed as quietly as a funeral, the police always escort the visiting team to a place of safety, some dis tanCe from the park and well on the way to the heart of the city. Visiting players from the States receive every attention. and the American boys are as safe. if not safer, than in some of the cities In which they are accus- toned to playing during the regular season.
 In many ways the Cuban method of conducting the games differs materi- ally from those in the States. In the first place, the players benches. fn- stead of being on opposite sides of the field, are located within fifteen feet o{ each other. Over each bench is heavy from the suh. To the left of the main section Of the grandstand is erected small private stand or box to. accom- modate about eight or ten men. This box is always reserved for the leading police officials. Directly in front of the gTandstand and tiftrc base bIeachsrs are d series of benches that will hold about 125 or 1s0 men. Thess benches are for the police. and are always taxed to capacity. The benches are so built that they do not interfere fin any way with the view Of the spectators in the ~r~l r Ix xl.c @tr 1V7 AI1@ loft and right field are stationed some forty or fifty mounted police. I've real 'iy seen more potice1nsn at einsle game than I've seen during the entire season at home. Drawn up just back Of the grahds4and are two patrol wag- ons for immediate use in ase anything happen.
 Tn the cente1 of the sraFdstand i@ another private box, which is reserved for the leading officials of the Cuban