The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1913-08-08
MANY REASONS
FOR LONG GAMES
Pitchers Slower Than Ever; STRAIT
egy Consumes Time

Many Of those who always are lined
up "agin the government" are declar-
inc in print that the new rule inaugu-
rated by President Johnson of the
American league eliminating chasing
after foul balls. so as to shorten base
ball games, is failure. They point
to the indisputable fact that the
games in the American league this
season have been longer than before
On the average. Hence the new rule
is an absolute and unqualified failure,
they insist. These critics overlook the
point that the games this season are
longer not because of the new rule,
but in spite of ii. There is no ques-
ton in the minds of any unprejudiced
person that the ignoring of lot OF
foul balls leaving them for the un-
employed 10 chase, has cut out con-
siderable unnecessary delay in ball
games. Any one who doubts it need
only to observe how many times a
catcher or an outfielder is saved a
journey t. the grandstand back 10 his
position by the instructions to umpires
10 supply a new ball To the pitcher az
soon as q, foul is hit where II will re
puire time To recover the ball.
\ few days of close observation
would convince any one that the new
method does save time. but there Is
the other fact that the games are get
ting longer on the average. Games
which used To be finished well inside
Of two hours now extend over two
hours. 1t is not at all unusual to see
combat I'm which four or five runs
are scores in the aggregate by both
teams, last over two hours, although
The hitting is light and few men get
on bases. There must be "A reason
for this but it is not because the chas-
INK OF foul balls has been eliminated
Without The provision to pass up
long fouls and let substitutes retrieve
them, the American league game
which ended inside of two hours
would be exceptional and almost note
worthy this season, while many Of the
games IN which big scores are regis
tered would last over 2la hours. The
una. Pitchers never used up so much
Tine as they are using this season.
Ihe interval between pitched balls Is
getting longer each year. Part of this
Is que To the Introduction of SO many
rev pitchers Who use the spitball or
pretend To use IL. There are more
who pretend than there are who use
il regularly. Catchers give the signs
aehbelately To avoid hurrying their
pitchers and also to mislead oppon
ha8 Then. after he has the catch
81 sisn calling for the next ball, the
pI'cher usually has to go through the
mollohs Of moistening the ball.nA CON
Siuefabie number of slabmen do this
WIN regdarity, even If they do not
pltch tW2 sptballs during game.
Ihey viii deliver Just enough of the
MOIST breakers To convince the bats
"''h ihey can do it when they want To,
80 as To compel the men with the
N''Nt 'ilt SIiilbdil liltb 'bilNiu
da'lon every zine they make guess
al what Is coming.
Mahy pitchers use more time than
would be necessary actually To pitch
'"' spltball To make sure the bats
men viii not think "A quick applica-
,'oh OF moisture is merely bluff
sumo pitchers actually give themselves
away by making their bluff at moist
'''ns the ball more pronounced than
""eh they intend To deliver the spit
"'iL Judging by Mathewson's recent
'''il 10 have finished a game by
,''chlhg only 40 balls. il would be "A
W" estimate To figure that each pitch
III game will deliver at least 100
'o'S on the average. IL one of the
'"o hullers is constantly bluffing the
P'''er that means a waste of 500 see
nus between the signal and the de-
''e'S OF the ball. And 500 seconds
nearly 10 minutes. IL both pitchers
game are alleged spitbal artists,
,'e aggregate delay will be between
ana 20 minutes In a game. This loss
VI 'ime is all inaction.
=. cue growing cause of inaction IL
..' increasing practice of using sub
N'eS DOTH at bat and on the bases.