The Washington herald., 1911-08-14
nv WILLIAM PEET.


in all probability oppose Dixie Walker
and an interesting battle is sure to re-
suit
Dixie has been out of the game the
mast two weeks with a split thumb, and
has only just returned from BRIEF va
cation spent at his home near Blrmlng-
ham. Ala. The big fellow says he is
ready to work and anxious to take MS
turn in the box. A.
II will be remembered that prior to
Walkers accident the twirler was going
at top speed and showing the form when
characterized his debut in major league
company here three years ago.
Warhop, who is only about as Dig as
q minute has always been hard man
for the Nationals to beat. When the
Midget gets his underhand subway pail
working right he is tough proposlIion
for any club in Ban Johnsons circuit.
Warhop's last appearance IN the Capitat
was last month, when the 1a,lheeS
played one game. Inc Coii'esC "a' =, tha
en- up by a terrific thunder shower IN the
6fth inning after the Nationals hau
overcome a two-run lead. BOD Erooih
opposed the Yankee Midget that oaE'
John Henry and Dolly Gray, of the
Nationals, spent the early hours yes
terdat morning on fishing tnp up the
potomac. Dolly came home with
string of bass. while John Henry caush'
couple of catfish and colu'
Manager McAleer denies emphatlcally
that he is after Jack Flynn, OF the Plus
burg Pirates Flynn has been trled at
first base and found wanting McAleer
and the majority of Washington Iahs
are perfectly satisfied with the klnd oi
Zame Germany Schaefer is putting up
Otis Johnson. the much heralded in
fielder of the Yankees last season. is at
present warming the bench. New YORK
papers last winter predicted that John-
son would set the American league on
fire when he once got started, but John-
son is evidently a late starter as ne mas
done little thus far to warrant these
predictions.
Bill Farnsworth, of the New York
Journal, is the only newspaper man with
the Highlanders. Farnsworth is also
football expert.
There are just four players in the
American League who were with the
organization when it was founded by
Ban johnson. These are Charlie Hemp
hill. of the HighIanders; Catcher Billy
Sullivan. of the White SoX, and Infield-
ers Conroy and EIberfeld. of the Ma
tionals. Sullivan. Hemphill and Elber-
field have this season delivered as nne
an article of baseball as they showed
ten years ago.
Norman Joss, nine-year-old son OF the
lac Addie Joss, American league pitch
pr. plays with a boys baseball team at
Toledo, his home. His ambition is 10
become a great pitcher, like his father.
Hank O'Day, the dean of the Irregular
staff of National league umpires, has
positive ideas on all questions. So when
he was recently asked his opinion of the
proposed rule to have three umpires
work in every game. Hank promptly had
his say to the effect that one umpire |
was enough to handle any ball game |
What do 1 think of a three-umpire
rule?" said Hank. What do l think
of a freak rule like that? 1 think it's |
pure rot. The idea of having three UNI
pireS in a game! Why, it's foolish"
-Four were used in the worlds series,
il was suggested.
Il know that said Hank, but let
me tell you that there never was a time |
when more than one umpire was neces-
sary in any game of baseball. If one
umpire can't umpire one game-why,
ers are responsible for the idea of hav-
ing two men umpire every game and
now they are trying to stretch it to
three"
One of the prettiest plays in baseball
is the stealing of home, and yet the
rules are SO interpreted in the American
league that this play can be blockd by
an opposing catcher any time it comes
up, says an exchange. If, for instance,
the catcher, seeing the runner coming,
steps forward and interferes with the
batter. the umpire is forced to send the
man stealing back to third and sen the
batter to first on the catchers interfer-
enCe. In any close game where one run
would perhaps decide 1t any thinking
catcher would, of course, deliberately in
terfere with the batter when an effort
is being made to steal home and thus
perhaTs save the game. In the National
league the r-le is not followed in this
reference, and the batter is not sent to
first.
A. NJ. Gillian, the Philadelphia Record
baseball expert, says:
Observation-Disclosures makes short throw
to first baseman, ball coming to latter
on a bound. First baseman fumbles and
runner is safe. Who gets the error?
Answer-Generally speaking inflelders
who fail to get the ball to the first base
man on a fly commit an error and
should be charged with one, just as they
should be charged with a misplay for
an overthrow of first or for a throw too
Tar to one side for the baseman to get
IN time to retire the base runner The
nfelders have a circle-eight or nine feet
IN diameter to throw at, according to the
height and length of reach of the first ,
oaseman, and this mark they are sup
posed to hit or get an error for the fail
lre. But there are plays when the first
oaseman should be charged with an err
-or for failure to get a ball that comes
10 him on bound. He is supposed to I
De able to pick up ground balls to qualify !
'or the position, and while generally his ,
success in capturing poorly thrown balls =,
'aves the infielders errors II frequently
happens that his failure to do SO will
'esult in a misplay for himself As an
Instance, suppose any one of the other
hree infielders were to capture a diff
,ult ball after sharp run and in his
"a 4