Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-14

There are few plays harder for an UNI
pire to Judge than deciding whether OF
not a base runner left his base properly
on caught fly ball. writes Billy Evan:
in the Sporting News. It is rather diff
cult position to watch both base runner
and ball. To do this correctly one must
get the runner and ball in front of him
No matter how careful he IS, the anxiou:
runner usually gets a slight jump on the
play and puts the umpire's judgment tG
test. OF course. when player leaves his
base by two or three steps it is an easy
matter to rule on.
l received a letter from a semi-profes-
siOnal player the other day, in which he
sought little information relative te
caught fly balls and base runners. In 9
certain game in which he played he made
great catch of difficult fly. Before
finally completing the play he juggled the
ball five or six times before he could get
firm grip on it, There was a man or
second at the time. He waited until the
ball hit the tielders glove and then start.
ed at top speed for third. He noticed the
juggling act with the ball. and made uI
his mind to try to score, which he did.
After futile effort had been made tc
get the runner at the plate. the ball was
thrown to second. and double play
claimed. because the runner had left the
base before the ball was really caught
The Outfielder in his letter claimed he
was never absolutely certain that he was
really going to hold the ball. and claims
that the catch was not really made until
held the ball tight. Since the base runner
left long before the ball was really
caught. he thought a double play should
have been allowed.
The umpire in this case ruled properly
in allowing the runner to advance just
as soon as the ball struck the glove OF
the outfielder. If base runners were not
allowed to advance while fly ball was
being juggled it is easy to see what
would happen. Major league outfielders
would become so proficient in the art OF
juggling that it would be a cinch fol
them to get vaudeville time during the
winter as sleight-of-hand performers
Think of the complications. With base
runners on the paths. fly balls never
would be Clearly caught, and hence sci.
dom would runners be able to advance or
fly balls to the outfield. The men in the
outfield would take a long fly. and start
to juggle it, all the time advancing to-
ward the diamond. to shorten the throw
Reaching point so close in that it would
be fOOlhardy for runner to try to adj
vance, they would stop and finally COM
plete the catch. Outfielders would take
such advantage of the stunt if allowed
that the game would be largely a joke
Nowadays, when a fielder juggles a fly
ball it is known that the act was unin-
territorial, but such would not be the case
if base runners were not allowed to adj
vance. Every juggling stunt would be
Anything that is fair to both
sides is usually a good rule, and the rule
permitting the base runner to advance
when the ball strikes the players glove
is such a provision. A change in tina,
feature would make outfielding and base
running a joke.
THE throwing out of a base runner at
any base, particularly at home. is one OF
the prettiest plays in base ball to me.
regret to say that / do not see the pay
as much as l did in years gone by. To
what do you attribute this fact? Did the
old-time outfielders have better arms than
the present-day gardeners, or are the
players of today better base runners?"
So writes a fan who was probably
watching base ball games when I was
playing ON THE Little Potatoes Hard
to Peel" favorite name for kid ball
clubs.
I hardly know what to say in answer to
the old-time fan, as 1 saw but few of the
old-time stars in action when old enough
to appreciate their playing ability. l do
not believe that as a whole the outfielders
Of years ago We're any better throwers
than the men of today, neither do l be-