The Washington herald., 1913-08-08

johnson TWirls Today
AGAINST CIeveIanders
Nationals Are Six Games Behind Maps in Fight tor
Second Place Other Sport News
and Gossip.

Joe BtrmlngnamS cleveland ciuo
breexed into town shortly before mid
night from Philadelphia, where 1t en-
countered its FIRST snag on the Eastern
trip, three games out OF four going to
the White Elephants.
The Maps open a four-game series here
today, and for q starter will have to
beat Walter johnson, as Grin announced
that he would oppose with the speed
king.
Six games separate the Nationals and
the Forest City tribe and this chasm
will be deepened unless the Climbers
take a brace and play better ball than
was in evidence against the White Sox
or the Tigers.
Walter johnson only worked four
innings against Chicago on Wednesday
and was not forced to extend himself, SO
Grin figures that the big chap can so
AGAINST Cleveland today. and do himself
justice.
Needless to say IL Walter wins he will
have established q clear title to eleven
straight victories. equaling the previous
mark set by Joe Boehling.
II is not known just who will go
against johnson, but Kahler or Cullop
seem to be the likely selections.
Thus far the Nationals have made q
softly showing dSdiust t"o VI sHS
ern clubs and that the Griffmen are in
third place Is due TO the fact that
Chicago was badly bumped in Boston
and New York.
GrifY confidently expected to pass the
Maps during the present stay at home
but this Is out of the question now and
it looks as II the Job was going to be
more difficult than the old Fox thinks,
IL he succeeds them at all this season.
Some day the men who govern the
major leagues will realize that rules
should be made for all games and not
those of any one organization. All base
ball games are played under the stanc-
ard rules as adopted by the National
League and the American League.
Occasionally a play comes up which
Is not covered in the code. and then con-
fusion results The umpire has to use lis
judgment. and there is an appeal to one
or both of the major league presidents.
Sometimes conflicting opinions are give A..
on the same play. This kind of confu-
sion should not be permitted In game
which is recognized as the national pas
time Of a country.
There should be uniform Interpretation
of the playing rules. This can only D.
brought about by a committee whose
Judgment shall be final AS il is at pres
ent. the president OF the American
League interprets a play one way anu
| the president Of the National League in.
terprets II entirely different In conse-
quence the fans are continually puzzled.
The latest difference of opinion between.
Messrs. johnson and Lynch has arisen
through the play which occasionally
comes up when a pitcher drops the ball
while in the act Of throwing to a base
n cafch president
Gently issued a ruling that in all such
cases. no matter whether the pitcher
dropped the ball Intentionally or not, q
bal.1 should be called. President John
son, however. says that on such a play
no balk should be called. On the con-
trary. he rules that the ball shall remain
in play, and it shall be up to the pitcher
to redeem the slip or the base runner
to earn his way to the next base.
In discussing the two rulings. Jack
Sheridan. the dean of umpires, says:
1T might be argued with effect tina,
| an umpire can tell when a pitcher has
| wilfully dropped the ball. The best way
is to leave the ball in play. The urn-
pire knows then what to do and there is
| no question about the play. The pitcher
must recover the ball and work for a
rlay on the base runner. The-new Ma
ticnal League rule is not fair to the
| Pitcher, and the old American rule
| wasn't fair to the base runner. Under
the new rule both will be given a chance
II the base runner has taken a big lead
and deserves a stolen base he will &c,
what is coming to him. II the pitcher
RECEIVERS the ball and gets the bas,
| runner. all good and WELL
| silk OLoughlin says:
| BY this new rule the ball will be ir
play and the pitcher will drop the ball a
his own peril and the base runner WI
advance at his own peril A wise pitcher
under the old method might hav,
dropped the ball after seeing a base Tur.
4 ner taking a long lead. II the UMPIRE
ruled he had done so purposely. he woulc
| incite disorder among players and fans
/ All the umpire>has to do now is to watch
:he ball and decide whether the playel
is safe or out, as the ball will be in pla!
| under such conditions"