The Calumet news., 1912-08-29
SPORTING
BALK NOT EASY
TO RECOG NIzE
Few Fans Can Distinguish Real
From Imagined

New York. Aug. 2j.--Despite the
frequency OF its appearance in the box
score. the balk is one or the unsolvea
mysteries 20 the average fan. 1t is
about as my stlfylng as the mumbleG
confab between referee and boxers
hist before the opening gong in all
well regulated bouts.
Spectators are not the only ones in
dreadful darkness as TO what consu-
tutes halk, and why. Umpires.
players and rule makers themselves
are more or less at sea regarding its
exact limitations ard demarcauons.
whatever they are.
II a pitcher has no motion or
wind up. he can hardly hope to sue
ceed in big league time The
movements of his delivery are sup
posed to keep the base runner guess
ing and at the same time must stiH
be within the limits imposed on balk.
ing.
Unless pitcher can violate the
spirit of the balk rules without trans
crossing the common Interpretation Of
their wording, he has a lot to learn.
Let any team figure out a pitcher >
motion" so that its players can
guess with any degree of certaintj
when ne Is going To pitch and whcn
he intends TO throw 20 a base, AMI the
men on that team will steal bases
with comparative impunity.
Sidestepping all the delicate po;Ets
and shades of points on which good
of prevalent mystery regarding the
balk which can be dispclled TO bcsiL
with, there are nine kinds OF balks.
Probably you thought a balk was SIM
ply "A blun 10 pitch or to throw to a
base without going through with il.
Nine Ways to Balk.
Sometimes blun tc throw 10 a
base is a balk and sometimes it is net
some times a blufI To- pitch is a ball.
and sometimes II Is not Sometime 8
to throw To base. is a bulk. end
sometimes BAH pitched sqdarely over
The plate without any purse in the
motion is both balll and ball rol
the patsman. a balk is not a balk
unless there is a base runner, but some
ballts are called balks II the bases are
empty Hero are the nine ways Of
making a balk
First-The pitcher starts to deliver
the bali 10 the batsman or TO throw 70
inst base when there ia a runner on
first base. and does not complete the
ritcl or throw mhesitatingly.
Second If the pitcher throws the
bah to any base occupied by Q runner
and does not step directly toward that
base making the throw.
Third If the pitcher delivers the ball
{" the batsman while either foot is
tack of his slab.
Fourth If he pitches the ball with
out facing the batsman.
Fifth II he pitche, the ball with
cut keeping one foot IN the slab.
SiNtn--lf the pitcher holds The bali
20 long that In the umpire's opinion,
hc is DOING it to delay the game.
Seventh II the pit 'her gets into po-
'tion To pitch without having the BAN
IN h's possession.
Eighth III the pitcher makes any of
me motions habituallv used in pitchins
to the batsman and does not 60 throug!l
with the delivery to the plate
Nlrth--lf the catcher steps outsid ,
The lines II his position preraratosS
to receiving pitched ban.
When balk IS decided for any Of
those causes cvery base r:inner ad-
vances one base without liability TO be
put out, because the declaring of tn,
balk automatically puts tho ball out of
play. II there are runnets on thli"
and first bases for instance. and a
balk is made toward first, both run
ners advance one hase. II is easy to
remember that every base runner Is
entities 90 one base on every balk.
hut The batsman does not go 20 first
Always After the Umps.
The umpire Is supposed to declare
a balk without being appealed to. bu,
he seldom has that chance, for 1000
S-- 49,