Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-15
ak Athletics Will Be Greatly Developed Among Colleges This Spring.
MANY FREAK PLAYS COME UP
DURING THE BASE BALL SEASON
Rule Makers Have Tried to Cover All Stu
atoms, But Umpires Have Puzzles
to Settle Almost Daily.

such play has probably never occurred,
but L am not so sure it may not happen
| for base ball is filled with uncertainties
To illustrate my point l refer to the in
juries suffered by Umpires Brennan and
Owens in game al Pittsburgh last year
| both being taken to the hospital in am
bulances.'
When ball is hit over the fence or into
the stands the batsman is legally emil
tied to a home run. The running of the
| bases is mere formality: all that is nee:
essary for the player to do Is trot around
as slowly or as quickly as he desires
touching each base. A batsman who hits
a ball over the fence Is as legally entitled
to four bases as is the batsman who re-
ceives base. on balls or is hit by a
pit ched ball entitled to one base. very
often batsman is hit by pitched ball
Very often the injury Is so severe thal
after taking few steps toward first base
he keels over and is often carried to the
bench. In case the player is unable to
continue, the manager selects substi-
tute. who takes possession of first base.
by right of the player hit by the pitched
ball.
Often players hit by a pitched ball are
assisted to first base, being subjected to a
massaging en- route. If a player who hit
a home run fell down in close vicinity to
first it would be an easy matter to escape
any disputes by helping him. as far as
first. and then have a runner substituted.
In case of broken neck, l would allow
the home run. l might suggest to the
manager that some player make the cir
cult to avoid possible technicalities that
might arise.
Query No. 2, by Mr.. Harvest: with
men on first and second the batter hits
a ball to second baseman, who let's the
ball get through him and moment later
colides with the runner coming from
first Second baseman falls unconscious
and base runner after reaching second
eollapses. Runner on second scores be-
fore center fielder Is able to retrieve the
ball. Umpire sent runner who had scored
back to third, claiming he had called
time the moment the collision occurred"
: Had the second baseman collided with
the runner before fielding the ball, there
would have been nothing to the play but
plain interference, and play would have
been at once suspended. The runner on
second would have been forced to stay
there, the base runner on first would
have been out for interference, and the
batter would have been entitled to first.
The fact that the fielder collided with
the runner after having made play on
the ball puts an entirely different con-
struction on the play.
The umpire had no right to call time
until all plays had been completed, and
he erred in sending the runner who had
scored back to third. Two years ago, in
game between Chicago and Boston at
Chicago, Boston led by two runs up to the
eighth. In this inning, with men on first
and second. Lord hit a long fly to right
center and Speaker and Henrickson. while
pursuing the ball, eollided. and both fell
to the ground unconscious. Boston de-
sired play suspended Immediately. Much
as l would have liked to have called time
l was without power
BY the time the ball was gotten back
into the infield two runs had scored, and
the batter was on third. PLAY having
been com Melted I then calIed time r. tho
umpire called time every time players
collided and We're injured, such a scheme
would soon become a favorite method of
breaking up plays. Two players, seeing a
long fly hit over their heads. good for
probably triple or home run that would
decide the game. would purposely coll
Tide. fall to the ground and render void
the hit.