Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-30
Inquisitive Fans.

Sporting Editor Star:
VIII you kindly publish in the sport
section of next SUNDAYS Star the ages
of Joe. Judge and Walter Johnson and
also the names and heights of the
tallest and of the shortest men be-
longing to the Washington Base Ball
Club? A R. NJ.
Judge is %, Johnson 2S Johnson
is tallest. feet 1 inch. Foster and
Morgan are tied for being the smallest
on the team.
Sporting Editor Star:
1. State when Plank, Mathewson,
Coombs and Bender started to pitch in
major leagues. 2. Who in your opinion
will lead the major leagues in batting
this year? w. NJ
/. Plank began in 1901 with the Ath-
letics. Mathewson began in 1900 with
the Giants. Coombs in 1906 with Ath-
letics. Bender in 1903 with Athletics
?. Can't answer; don't figure batting
averages in advance.
Sporting Editor Star:
Runner on first; catcher drops ball,
which rolls a few feet away, RECEIVERS
it. but sees he is too late to catch
throw. Is this an error on the
catcher? MAX SMITH.
1t is not an error, but passed ball,
and in case the runner had started a
steal before the ball was dropped the
runner is also given a stolen base
under the present rule in the books
Sporting Editor Star:
Batter hits fly to center fielder, who
drops it, but RECEIVERS it in time to
throw out man who batted when he
tried to make second Should out
fielder be given an error? WULFF
That would be our way of scoring it:
some record must be made of the man
reaching first base.
Sporting Editor Star:
l. Right fielder races toward fence
for fly ball and it hits in his gloved
hand and appears to be caught; then
he crashed into fence about two steps
beyond and ball is Jared out of his
hand. Should not this be judged as
fair catch, since he momentarily
held the ball? 2. Game is being PLAYED
in an inclosed ground; batter hits ball
that strikes tree outside of grounds
and bounds back into the playing
field. Is batter entitled to a home
run? L. NJ. C.
1. 1t is for the umpire to rule if the
ball was held long enough to make
it fair catch. but in play like this
1t is the accepted ruling that the ball
was not "momentarily" held; "momen-
tarlly seems to mean securely in the
minds of the judges of play 2. Batter
outside of fence.
Sporting Editor Star:
Runner going to first base, slides in
and goes over bag; first baseman tags
him off bag as he gets up to return
to base: umpire calls him safe, saving
he made no attempt to go to second
and slid across bag ahead of throw.
Was decision correst? QUALTER.
Certainly. except perhaps in the
American Association. where they still
observe the turn-to-the-rig rule.
Sporting Editor of The Star:
Batter hits foul fly between catcher
ana hrst baseman: first baseman catch
es It; man on third runs home after the
catch. Is this allowed? A. W.
Certainly: same as on any other fly
that is caught.
Sporting Editor of The Star:
Batter hits ball between first and
second. The first and second basemen
both attempt to field the ball, leaving
first base uncovered. The second base
man fields the ball and tries to beat
late. and the runner is safe. What
would the scorer do in such case?
A. F. H
That play is the commonest kind of
scratch" hit and is scored as base
hit. The pitcher should have covered
first.
Sporting Editor of The Star:
1. Batter hits safely, which would be
good for two or three bases, but he
fails to touch first base. Is he credited
with hit? How would you score it?
2. Does base runner on being called
back to first base after he has run to
third on a foul ball, have to touch sec
ond base as he returns? c. r. w.
l. No. give the put-out to the player
who tags the runner or holds the ball
on first base, and give assists to any
players who handle the ball on the
way to the put-out. 2. Not unless the
foul fly is caught.
Sporting Editor of The Star:
A runner on third; batter hits ball to
pitcher, who fields it perfectly. but tries
to bluff the runner on third, and the
batter beats the ball to first, while the
runner on third stays there. What
credit would the batter get? B. M. ].
1t is usual to score base hit in such
cases.
President Joe Lannin of the Boston
Red Sox announced that the Boston
clubs share Of the proceeds of the game
If .Jllly II would go to the fund To helm |