The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-15
SCIENTIFIC BASEBALL.
superiority OF Present Game 90 That Of
Ruder Ages.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: Not
withstanding the editorial article TOO
Much Pitching In to-day's SUN, also the
several letters from your readers. 1t was
inevitable that our all absorbing national
pastime should become the highly scen-
tifc game OF to-day. Nothing would be
so embarrassing and monotonous to the
fans" of this era than the old fashioned
ball game of easy pitching and big scores.
Clever minds have evolved baseball into
a game OF unusual skill. Instead OF be-
ing appreciated by the few. IL is now the
pastime OF millions. especially intelligent
men and women The evolution has
changed the standing OF the players. The
old time Fan" need only contrast the
clean living, carefully nurtured athlete or
to-day with the bolsterous player OF the
past.
II your critics will study carefully the
official tabuated records of the players
published in THE SIN every Sunday they
will find that the teams OF this age are
hitting the ball more frequently than they
imagine but while the ball finds its way
to both nfield and outfeld anywhere from
three to ten times every inning IL Is very
much harder to-day to make runs. That
IL where the game has changed for the
better. There could be no fun or sport
following game that had for Its chief
interest a batting fusillade that did moth
ing more than keep the fielders running
hither and yon like "Lapland witches"
In baseball to-day "A mans weakness
counts as much against his team as his
strength counts the other way. Your cor
respondent "Capitoline' deplores the pos
siblity OF a batter being injured by the
catapultic delivery OF such pitchers as
Walter johnson and Joe Wood. To the
average fan" such n statement must be
laughable. II Is a fact that every pitcher
who relies on speed has an excellent rec
ord for not hitting batters. Any batsman
who faces a speed merchant" OF the first
grade will tell you that II is not being hit
by the pitcher that worries him. but the
fact that he cannot see the ball so as 10
gauge n perfect impact with his bat IL is
the inexperienced bush leaSier who Is LA
BILE to hit n batter not pitchers like John
son. Wood, Vanguard. Walsh. Alexander
Rucker or any other first grade man.
While the pitcher Is the keystone of the
game. so TO speak, the eight other men
are OF equal Importance. How many
times have we seen a pitcher with every
/ phase OF his control working perfectly
only to have his game lost by the men
| behind him not playing up TO their stand
| ard One OF the finest exhibitions OF this
point was the anal game last year be
| tween the Athletics and the Giants for
the worlds championship. Christopher
| Mathewson never pitched finer game
than he did that day. At three different
points of that famous game II one OF
Mathewson's team mates had been able ia
| bat the ball outside the infeld for n sin
gle that hit would have won the game.
| Baseball as played to-day is more su.
perior brainy skilful and scientific thar
ever before in it's history. To go back
| TO ANYTHING that would SAVIOR OF the old
game OF FOUNDERS" from which 1t sprung
would be a public misfortune.
| NEW YORK. July 10, JOHN r. FAN,