Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-30
ALLEN MAY Be A
STAR IN THE ROUGH
Scout Kahoe Thinks Well of
the Youngster From
Sharon, Pa.
DIAMONDS DIMENSIONS
RESULT OF CALCULATION
Gen. Doubleday Responsible
for the Ninety-Feet Dis
lance Between Bases.
By J.. ED GRILLo.

Great bau players sometimes come from
the most remote spots. Big minor
leagues do not always furnish the stars
for the majors, and there have been In
Vulnerable instances where major league
stars have come from places formerly
unheard Of.
Weiser. Idaho. was not on the map In
base ball sense until Walter johnson
broke into the game. and many other
little hamlets have been made famous by
sending a great player into the big cities.
According to Scout Mike Kahoe. Ray
Allen. the outflelder he secured from the
Sharon, Pa, club, is going to attract at
tention to that town before the next sea-
son is very much under way. Allen. who
is a mere boy. is, according to Kahee
the best looking youngster he has seen
in his many years experience.
''You cant tell, of course, whether he
will make good from the outset" said
Kahoe, because the step from little
league to a big one is a great one. but
II ever there was a kid with ability it is
Allen. I was mighty lucky to get him,
for there were no less than five other
just in the nick Of time. He is fast as
q bullet and looks for all the world like
a natural hitter. If he will play for Crit
fifth like he did last year there Is not a
possible chance to keep him out Of the
him"
National League Umpire Eason recent
~ advanced proposition that the dis
mental idea that made base ball the
game It is.
But it was not by accident that the
ninety-foot distance between bases was was
shows that the dimensions Of the dia-
nond were not guessed or supposed at,
but were the result Of exact calculations
by Gen. Doubleday, an army of1cer. and
and his calculations were the result Of
scientific comparison OF the speed Of a
batted ball. speed Of a thrown ball and
speed Of feet.
However, that is beside the question.
The point we desire to emphasize now,
as heretofore. is that the one and only
thing that has made base ball the most
wonderful game to play and the most
absorbing game. to witness -ts its. eior1-
Gus uncertainty. which produces such
INFINITE variety that no. two. games are
alike. No game is ever lost or won
until the last man is out, and no result
can ever be predicted with absolute or
scientific certainty.
This glorious uncertainty is produced
solely by the prescribed round bat, which
has been in vogue ever since the game
first assumed definite form as a distinct
sport. In no other game or sport IN
which a ball figures is bat used. and
that Is why ali ball games except base
ball are scientific, often to the point Of
tameness: and that is also why base ball
differs from all other bah games. both
from the standpoint Of player and spec
tator. The contact Of the round bat with
the round ball IL the one thing that
makes possible the infinite variety, the
imitless chances and the element of
''luck'' that makes a game of base ball
the most uncertain thing in the world
as to result, and therefore the delight
Of the public, the despair Of the critic
and the abomnation of the prophet.