New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-07-29

some idea of the merit of his perform
ance d full summary Of the Decathlon
so far as he was concerned is appended:
Hundred-metre dash. OIL 4-5; l.5Oo-m metre
run, 40 lilo: 120-yard hurdle. 015 S-5; run
ming broad jump. % feet SA inches rum
ming high jump, feet 31a inches; putting
the 15-pound shot, a feet 81 inches; pole
vault. 10 feet inches; 400-metre run
0;5l 3-5; discus throw, 125 feet inches;
javelin throw. 162 feet 8 inches. 1t may
be seen from this that Thorpe was pretty
close to standard figures In pracucaliy
every event and that there is some rea-
son for declaring that he won the indi-
vidual honors Of the meet.
SO long as the spit ball is recognized
by the governing body of baseball any ef-
fort TO nullify its use by outside sources
on the plea that It is a menace to the
health Of the players. as Charley
Doom. the manager Of the PhiiHes'
maintains. should bring about speedy
punishment. Judging from all accounts
Thomas J. Lynch, president of the Ma
uonal League, does rot lack for evidence
that the Phillies have been tampering
with the ball, and under the circumstances
il is hard TO understand why nothing has
been done.
There are those who defend Charley
Doom and his methods In using lini-
ment OF some sort on the ball and thus
TO render the delivery Of a spit ball pitcher
less effective by burning his tongue and
fingers. Among these is Harry Nelly,
baseball writer Of 81, Louis who is
quoted as saying:
There is fine sense of discrimination
loose in the national pastime, by means
Of which IT is permissible TO spit upon
the ball, but ungentcmanly 10 ADOPT
means for preventing same. Strons-
armed fingers cause CONSERVATION
among opposing batsmen by the saliva
shoots, but when the batsmans side
tries to prevent the splitter by Interior
means he Is in danger OF penalty.
We can't for the life of us see the
virtue of q ruling that allows the pitch
er to eat up q mouthful OF "Old BOOT
Leg" and spit II out on the ball. while
the other side isn't permitted TO put
cayenne pepper on the ball to prevent.
If the fllnger Jugs half the bark off a
| slippery elm tree on to the diamond IN
his fuce, vets his fingers with and rubs
it on the ball, we don't see why the
]
mustard and burn the pitchers face.
OF course, there may be some inside
morals connected with conduct Of this
kind that we haze not been s &Hie ca to
adopt outside means of smearing the
ball the other should have the same
privilege
Maybe the points involved in this con-
troversy are deep like the thoughts of
those who wrote the rule book in such
! language the authors never have been
able to discover what they were writing
about
Surely this is narrow view to take
Of a most unsportsmanlike position. 1t
would be no worse TO grease the bats or
base paths or TO mix soap with the dirt
around the pitchers box.
1.-THE Giants have only thirty-fye moro
games TO play on their home diamond be-
fore tho National League season comes
10 an end on October g. Their third and
last Western trip will begin on August IS
and end on August q. Thereafter all
their remaining games will be played in
the East. the majority of them on the
Polo Grounds, which will be a distinct
advantage II BY chance the Cubs or the
Pirates loom up dangerously in the final
dash for the pennant
John T. Brush finally consented TO a
compromise with the fans in starting
games at the Polo Grounds fifteen min
utes earlier. Inasmuch as he left 1t to a
vote, the result should be announced
The Giants have played thirteen games
with the Chicago Cubs this year, win
ming six and losing seven. The teams
have nine more to play. so that the time
has not come TO mourn.
Gabby Street was great catcher, and
only a year ago ranked with the best, but
one season works great changes and the
! Yankees have decided to do without his
services, Strange that he should so
quickly follow Jack knight, for whom he
was exchanged. 70 the minors.
| Nobody begrudges Sweden the grand
total Of points at the Olympic games,
considering all sports, for surely the
United States earned most Of the glory.
HERBERT.