The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1911-01-24
By WILLIAM PEET.

A hai cfub the NdtloldlS coulu AWAY .
beat was the Cleveland Maps. Will this
bold true during the coming season?
When Tom Hughes was here two years
ago all he had to do when Cleveland was
scheduled was to throw his glove into
the box. and it was all over as far as
the Naplanders were concerned
Last year Doc Reisling and Bob Groom
had the best luck against Cleveland.
while Walter johnson also did pretty
we'll
One twirler Cleveland usually ham,
Inered hard was Dolly Gray. the Ma
tionals' only southpaw during part of the
season.
This year according to the scribes in
Cleveland. the Maps will be topheavy
with left-handed hittcrs Heretofore
soLthpaw pitchers have had mighty few
chances to show anything in the land of
the Maps
Now the question arises Will Dolly Gray
and Bill Otey. if the latter makes good,
be able TO stop the Maps?
Drop around and see US about the first
of October and We will tell you.
Baseball fights are talked of on any
any every angle of the game, but about
the most ridiculous that ever happened
is one which, it is said, will be started
bv the Joint rules committee of the
major leagues, writes Lester L. Smith,
in the Chicago Post.
For some time there has been agitation
against the turtle backed diamond. or
baseball field with a raised pitchers
slab. The result is runs a recent
story. that the rule makers of the big
laui
this form of diamond at their next meet
ing. but such a move is likely to start
a row among men in the game.
1t is just a bit foolish, in the first
place, to talk of lesislatins against the
raised pitchers box when II is consld-
cred thai there is not and never mas
been a rule which permits such thlng.
IN fact the rules relating to the playing
field state distinctly that the field shall
he as level as it is possible to make il.
The rules makers won't have to do any
legislating All that has to be done is
to bring the present rules into operation.
4 baseball field with a raised pitchers
box, no matter how fine and beautiful
field II may he. can hardly fully merit the
term baseball field because the real
game cannot be paved on such field.
It gives An advantage to the pitcher and
is handicap to the batsman. Which
isn't fair no matter what arguments
may be brought into play.
The pitchers box has gone up by grad
ual degrees. Club owners one by one took
liberties with the rule. saying the field
must he on the level if the game is 20
he on the level. The pitchers slab went
up inch ny inch, until presently the
twirler stood half foot higher than the
batter. and before long was a foot
higher.
The first thing man who Is In favor
Of the elevated slab will say in defense
of it is: Its as fair for one team as an
other" Maybe. But, still. it's not that
game That's the point. And while ii
may not be as fair for one team as an
other. it's not fair for the batter, who is
plainly at a disadvantage.
A Jacksonville paper comes out with
the following: There is no use talking,
the Sally League clubs have been paying
too much money for players. Instead Of
getting youngsters from the lots. the
kind of players who can be developed and
later sold at a handsome profit, the vari-
Gus managers have always appeared TO
lean toward the older ball players, the
fellows who have been to higher leagues
but are now on the backward path These
fellows had been used to getting good
salaries for seasons past and, quite nat
uraIly, they would not perform in this
league for a cheaper salary.
1t is the younger players that the
South Atlantic League managers should
go after, not those who have already
been to the top and are now sliding down
the ladder. Get the kids OFF the lots; de-
velop them. and then send them to higher
company at a handsome selling price.
The gate receipts in this league do not
permit the club owners to make any too
much money. but if two or three players
could he sold at the close of every season
the clubs would have the balance on the
right side of the ledger and it would be
the right kind of balance, too.
Bill Armour was glad when he heard
the Maps had traded Mig Clarke for Art
Griggs. He was tired telling President
Somers that Grover Land would fill the |
bill as first Nap catcher.
Somers thought not twice. but two |
dozen times. before he decided to part |
with Clarke. Every time he got to think |
ing he asked Armour il he was sure Land I
would deliver. Armour was tired saying |
yes
Here is just what Armour said: Land |
was the best catcher ever in the Ameri- |
can Association. He played better ball In |