The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1916-05-11
The SPORT SPECTRUM
CRISP AND LUCID DIGEST OF THE LATEST
DIAMOND DUST GOSSIP BY OUR
VETERAN FAN
By Boobies"


running in Sporting Life This series is entitled The
opment of the Playing Rules and the author John H.
Gruber, former ball player of Pittsburgh the
article Mr. Gruber devotes half Base Hits
The author that the third clause of the original
scoring rules adopted in $780, read when ball hit
SO sharply to neder that he handle put
out the In of doubt class of hit score
base hit and exempt the fielder from the charge
And then to that the above developed much
wranglng and responsible tight and
open system of scoring Says Mr.. Gruber:
The tight nothing but errors, and will
insist on charging fielder with mspay if he fails hold
ball short of actually fired from cannon The open
smiles benigny and will hit pro-
vocatlon IN fact he has times shown surprising
stock of liberaly advocate the elimination
error column from the box
The question of whether the ball sharply or
with force of judgment and allows of argu
men Therefore, the tight loud in his protest against
giving the batter hit 1t will be found that loud he in
matters based Individual Judgment just he when
some intricate play covered by the rules the subject
cusson. In the there comeback" while the
other the printed rules which generally fails to carefully
study offers the precise explanation However, the
there difference of opinion certainly proof positive that
doubt exists and under the rules given the
benefit of the doubt.
The open' takes broad view affairs In case
the ball is hit orciby giving the fielder good shaking he
will lean toward the batter and by doing knows he will
meet the approval of everybody grounds except one
mantle pitcher The batter will be pleased will the field
also all the players both sides who thereby
aged to smash the ball. confident of receiving fair treatment
The spectators too will be pleased. They would any day
rather hit than and quickly become familiar with
the system of the open" scorer
NATTER OF JUDGMENT
Some persist in giving a fielder
when orcb hit ball passes through legs close to one
side of him. They that fielder should ball
ting it's directly toward him. Others just persist
en in giving hit any ball, mildly hit forcibly that
goes through fielder The open invariably regis.
hit, provided the fielder does get his hands
ball. Whether he did did not touch the ball be easily
determined by the speed retains loses after having
the fielder In there change the velocity
indication that the dash of the ball has been msuged
and given fielder because of msconceived
play 1t is the when fielder misudges fly by running
under it. In either impossible for the player stop
the ball. because in instance he does drop his hands low
enough and in the other he too far The play bad
and of if the player his judgment frequently
he places his job in jeopardy because is evident he is lack
ing in an essential quality of a successful fielder.
The third clause of the scoring rules governing
is practically the when adapted when the ball be
hit with such force to neder pitcher that he cannot
handle in time to put the batsman force base
In of doubt this class of hits base hit
should scored and the fielder exempted from the charge of
error"
There are some who think hit should be scored on any
ordinary in6ed tap which is elded improperly Thus in
fielder be all set and waiting scoop hard hit bounder
only the ball bounce of his hands, We think
sharply hit ball that bOunces and out of the m of wait
ing nfeder that off his feet knees implies
lack of fielding skill and should be scored
But when inielder is running in full stride any d.
in order field the ball. and defects perhaps stops
but doesn't make the throw time the batsman gets credit
for hit whether the ball was hit slowly with force
1t should be borne in mind that while the official rules
govern both professional and games they written
and revised for and the instance of
who make their living this profession These players of the
leagues the finished article and furnish daily
ment thousands and their nssence the scoring rules
devised rebound to their credit we'll
as to simplify for the official who give the
the newspapers Even then disputes sometimes
arise between scrbes different cities what shall shall
constitute hit But there comparatively little
fumbing Juggling of the ball by these paid players and
hit ball is eded ceany than slow
bun The hitting the outfed than the in6eld.