New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-27
NO ROCKS IN PATH
Of FLYING GIANTS
McGraW Sees No Reason for
His Baseball Machine to
Break Down.
YANKEES PLAYING BETTER
Criticism of Latest Ruling by
President of National
League on a Balk
by Pitcher.

Just before starting West on Thursday
evening for another dash to the far end
of the National League circuit, John J.
McGraw, manager Of the Giants, said:
There is no reason i'm the world why
the team should not continue to work
along as smoothly as il has been going ut
the Polo Grounds. The men are all IN
fine condition, the pitchers are at their
best. and there is no sign OF the slump
which was affecting us al this time
year ago. There Is no telling, of course
when the breaks Of the game Will work
against us, and one cannot expect to keep
on playing along at close 10 an 800 per
cent pace. but confidence is Drumming
over. and the players are stepping w To
the plate with a feeling that no pitcher IN
the country can fool them. As to another
pennant I'll let the games from day 10
day speak for themselves
McGraw could have added. if he had
felt disposed. that the chances were all
in favor Of the Giants returning to the
Polo Grounds on August - with a pen
nant az good as won. \ slump may come
on this present Western trip. but, as ne
himself saws. there are no signs OF II al
present. The team will play three more
games in St Louis and then move OF To
Chicago next Wednesday for series
with the Cubs. That over, Pittsburgh
and Cincinnati will be visited IN turn. the
circuit being completed on August 10.
While the Giants are in the west the
Yankees will hold forth at the Polo
Grounds. where they opened a series with
the cleveland Maps on Friday. Joe Biz
rningham and his men will be here FOR
two more games this week and VIII be
followed on Wednesday by the Chicago
White SoX.
The team has been playing better ball
Tor the last two or three weeks and the
outlook is bright for some interesting
games in Coogans Hollow. The spectacle
Of n club trying to climb out OF the cellar
IL not one 10 attract the fans In any
great numbers hut baseball has It's
charm. and the dyed in the wool regulars
will not be denied their favorite sport
The Yankees did reasonably well on
tboir last Western trip, which came to an
end on Wednesday in Detroit They failed
by only one game 10 break even, winning
two out Of three from the White SoI'
three ont Of five from the Maps, one out
OF four from the st. Louis Browns ana
one out ~ three from the Detroit Tigers
The nartially reconstructed inheld is dis
tinctlv promising. while the pitchers are
going better than at any time this season
Thomas J. Lynch, president OF the Ma
tional League. has aroused some Criticism
because Of his ruling a few days ago on
what constitutes a balk in baseball. In
discussing the latest Interpretation close
student OF baseball said yesterday
president Lynch, In promulgating his
latest rule on the balk motion, mas ne
come sponsor for a bad precedent IN the
pIaying code of baseball The new rule
narrnits A PLAYER 10 advance base when
the ball has accidentally slipped from the
hand OF the pitcher This rule may OFTEN
penalize a pitcher unjustiy and might be
the cause Of clubs losing a world 8
series on the worst kind Of huke. IL Is
bad enough TO drop a worlds champion
ship on a legitimate bslk. but 10 lose
post-seasons series on iuke OF the most
pronounced type would be the limit
THE American League method OF re-
ouiring the base runners to go back when
the ball has slipped from the hand OF Inc
pitcher also is faulty. How are the ON
Gals TO determine whether this was ny
design or accident?
The new National League rule often
will penalize the pitcher unjustly. and the
present American League method OF nan
ding similar play often works hard
ship with the base runner and does him
a manifest injustice.
"A better rule than that in effect IN
either league and one that eventually
may be adopted would be compromise
between the two, permitting the base
runner TO advance at his peril when me
ball slips from the pitchers hand, leav-
ing the ball in play. II the pitcher
dropped the ball purposely he then would
do so at his own peril"