The Detroit times., 1912-08-20
80 FEET BETWEEN BASES
IS REAL CAUSE OF THE
SUCCESS OF BASEBALL
UMPIRE EAsoN.
-
Career of National Game De-
pends for It's Success Upon
That Lucky Distance
FAST WORK CAUSES HURTS
More Players Are Incapacitated
Now Because of Speedier
Playing
FAST WORK CAUSES HURTS

D1Q you ever .slOp W SohsluSl INC
one fundamental thing that made
baseball7" Umpire Eason asks
Ninety feet between the bases" he
answers You think 1t over. II the
originators of baseball had not STEP
ped OF 80 PAGES and called them 90
feet il Is doubtful IL the great national
game ever would have attained It's
present prominence. II Is possible
that the founders OF baseball might
have experimental and arrived at the
present situation just as they made
lprovision for chance In the pitching
distance when the occasion required,
but that Is doubtful.
"You stop and consider what 80 feet
between bases means. Make IL S5 and
DO many infeld hits will be beaten out
that there will be a parade around the
bases. Increase II TO 50 or 100 feet
an additional stride, and there will be
30 many men thrown out on hard
drives that the game will become un-
interesting.
"Once | got TO pondering upon the
90 feet proposition, and after long in
yestigation found this distance was
the original one set tor the bases, and
/ am convinced thoroughly that II was
an ideal idea, whether II was hit upon
by design or accident. The distance
never has been changed, and II never
will be, for the simple season that II
fills the requirements OF baseball as
well as II engineers had surveyed for
months, instead OF few men pacing
of 80 steps"
Eason's idea Is a novel angle 10
baseball. What would happen TO base
ball IL half the present infeld hits
were cut of, and what would occur
II half the present outs were hits?
Why are more baseball players In
jured and incapacitated for duty now
than 20 or even 10 years ago?
Accidentally, the answer might be
because there are more players. But
the point Is that a greater percentage
of PLAYERS are hurt than formerly.
The answers, from an analysis OF con-
ditions, would seem 10 be because OF
faster game and more scientific
play.
First and primarily there are more
close plays on the diamond. That ne
cessitates greater speed, players in
their desire TO win take more chances,
and pitchers employ more speed and
sharper curves, which they often are
unable TO control. All this tends to
more danger.
Because of the development OF
team play, and a systematic defense,
including the shifting OF infield and
outfeld to the supposed weakness or
some batter. there are more close
PLAYS at first base. Because OF try
ing TO kill off bunts there are more
close plays at the other bases. Be
cause of the pitchout and waste ball
the catcher has better chance to try
for base stealers. The result Is the
desperate slide, which always carries
an element OF danger both TO baseman
and base runner. AS a recompense
for the Increased danger, basemen
have learned how TO care for them
selves better and there are fewer spik-
ings than four or five years ago At
the same time fewer runners subject
the baseman to spikes aloft although
collisions are more nupefous.
In the case Of Dtchers, the spit
ball difficult to control, makes a hit
batsman a more serious affair. The
spitball, to be effective and get its
sharp break. must be fast, so broken
arms are not uncommon when the
batter is plugged. The old round
house curve seldom fools for long
a 20th century slugger, unless 1t is
iinterspersed as a change of pace from
a fast delivery. To get sharper curves
the speed must be greater
Another reason why more players
are out OF the game has for its basis
the increase in the speed OF the game
itself rather than the seriousness OF
the injury. In these days of large
rosters and substitutes for nearly
every available position regular
slightly injured and minus part of his
speed is inferior TO any except a poor
substitute.
The margin between the clubs is so
narrow and the incidents which may
prove the turning point In a game so
small that no part OF players nat
ural physical ability can be spared
Therefore players arerested after In.
curing injuries which In the oId day
would badly be considered There
are OF course, rare exceptions whert
player is considered nearly lndis
pensable to his club for his batting
or leadership and is permitted 70 re-
main In the game, even when his
. nhvaical ability ia In no ira1