Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1912-09-26
BARRACKS BALL
FAN YIELDS
HAMMER

A communication from a soldier of
the First, infantry. who signs his
name in straightforward manner, but
requests that it be withheld from
publication, appears below. The wri-
ter takes exception to an account OF
the ball game between the Fifth cav
airy and First infantry. published in
the StarBulletin of Sept, %.
While it is not the policy of the
sport columns Of this paper to en-
courage arguments and chickering's.
the paper is always glad to give both
sides of every controversy, and, be,
sides, the writer of the letter shows
quite a turn of humor and has turned
out good stuff.
1t must be remembered however,
that every man sees a ball game from
a different angle. and that it is the
province of the baseball reporter to
write up game as he sees it. League
players, who see their names in the
papers every day, get calloused to
criticism and praise alike, and take
what's coming to them good-natured-
ly. On the other hand, soldier and
cept well-meant comment too resent
fully, which is not a good thing for
the sport
That there could have been no
slight against the Fifth cavalry team
in the story is proved by the fact
that the account of the game just as
published was written by well-post-
ed ball fan of that regiment, in whose
judgment the Sporting Editor has the
greatest confidence.
Let the communication speak for
itself:
No Interference.
"Apropos of the account of the game
between the First infantry and the
Fifth cavalry in the Star-Bulletm of
the 23rd, it would perhaps not be
amiss to call the attention of the
Star-Bulletin's sporting editor to one
or two features which he seems to
have overlooked. Exception was ia
ken by the Star-Rnlletin editor to the
decision rendered in the third inning
when Edwards tied the score by steal
ing home from third. The Star-Bulle-
tin states that the fourth ball had
been called on Bladen, who refused
to move to take his base, thus block
ing the catcher in his attempt to
touch Edwards out. This is an error
No ball had been called and Bladen
was so far within his rights that had
he moved he could and probably
would have been called out for inter-
fering with the catcher. After Ed
wards had scored the fourth ball was
called and Bladen took his base.
Special Ground Rules.
Passing the fact that money in the
First infantry says that Edwards can
steal home any time that Badly is
going through his wind-up maneu-
vers, | would also invite your atten-
ton to the passed ball on Byrnes. in
the sixth. 1t would be well for the
reporter of the Star-Bulletin to famil-
iarize himself with the Ground Rules,
which on the Fifth cavalry diamond
allow a player all the bases he can
get on ball passed over home and
second base. Also, the 1912 rules
state TINT a passed ball is in play as
soon as it has been fielded and NOT
when returned to the pitcher, as
stated in the Star-Bulletin. There
were only two. close decisions in the
game and they were adverse to the
First infantry, and as for the meek
ness of the cavalry under persecution,
one of the umpires quit on their &C
count. Perhaps if the reporter would
secure his information from the Off
cial rules instead of from the Mika
dos subjects on the side lines he
would be better fitted to report
game. Verbum Sap! Today the Sec
ond infantry from Shafter played the
First, going down to defeat to the
tune of II to 5. Edwards and Gallatin
displayed their usual form in base
stealing and Kibbey and Murray pitch
ed good games. The Second showed
up we'll but seemed to be all in from
their five-day hike around the island.
Bladen, the First's big Russian star,
played an exceptional game both be-
hind the bat and in the box.
Thanking you in advance for your
courtesy in affording me space in
your paper, | remain,
Very sincerely yours,