Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-08-04
BY J. ED GRILLO.

| 1t remains to be seen if the new ruling
in the American League, which puts a
| ball in play IL pitcher In the acs
Of delivery dorps the ball. will work Out
satisfactorily When this happens the
base runner advances at his own peril
and what is there to prevent pitcher.
upon seeing a base runner start, from
dropping the ball and then throwing out
his man before he reaches the next base?
The ruling does not give the umpire a
right to use any dissection as to wheth-
! or the ball was purposely dropped or not
All he can do is to declare the runner out
! If the pitcher gets the ball to the base
ahead of him and the base man completes
the play by touching the runner. Wise
! pitchers are very apt to resort to this
play in a pinch and there is nothing to
prevent them from getting away with 1t.
In the past 1t has been rare for the
pitchers to drop the ball while in the act
of delivery. but 1t is apt to be a common
occurrence from this out II some OF them
want to take advantage Of the rules.
Though 1t was expected four years ago
that Mathewson would crack, II looks
worlds series will again rest on the
shoulders Of the remarkable veteran
pitcher.
In the last series Matty pitched three
games against Boston. He should have
won them all, but won none; the best he
got was a tie. If the Giants win this
year, and there does not seem to be much
doubt about it, McGraw will once more
have to rely on Matty to do the bulk or
the work. and perhaps ne Will nave pet
ter luck than he has had heretofore. But,
of course, he will be up against harder
! proposition when he faces the Athletics
than he had in the Red Sox. who McGraw
| said at the time were a joke champion
ship team.
If Jack Coombs makes good his promise
to be ready to pitch by September l. 1t
may prove blessing for the Athletics
Should Coombs recover his form py tnat
time he would be in position to do
lot of work for his team. for it is at that
stage of the campaign that team which
is fighting for the flag is In need of a
fresh pitcher. Incidentally, it would
strengthen the Athletics chances in the
worlds series IL Coombs should return to
the fold and display form, but 1t would,
nevertheless, be a remarkable instance IL
after months of illness. CoOmbs should
regain his form in so short time.
AS was stated in these columns at the
time the rumor was current that FRANK
Chance would quit at the end or the
season, there is absolutely no truth IN
gutter. He has a great task on his
hands but he Is apt to prove the one
man who can bring about desired re-
suits. There has never been any ques-
ton as to Chances ability as leader
and manager and the time Will come
when he will prove this with the New
It is, OF course. no easy matter to
change tailender into winner, but
with anything like luck Chance VIII
turn the trick and perhaps in less time
than Ia expected. :,
The one thing that Chance will do
will be to pick his own players The
New York club has suffered for years
by reason of it's incompetent scouts.
Players Of ability have. been touted to
the skies with the result that their per-
Torrance proved greater disaPpoint-
ment than a failure would usually
Chance will look into the newcomers
himself He will not bpy anything
that he hasn't line on, and In this way
he may save lot Of time and money
and eventually get what he wants.
winning aggregation.
Boston scribes do not give the Maps
much credit for their winning all the
games OF the series there. The Red Sox
were not only minus Heinie wagner. the
mainstay of the infield, but the Sox used
a lot of rOokey pitchers, who proved