The Washington times., 1916-07-01
BAN JOHNSON NOW
MUST ACT AGAINST
USE OF BEAN BALL"
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

st Can Mays, and Sam Agnew. for
punchiug Clark Griffith on the nose.
will probably draw stiT fines from
President Ban. b. johnson. !
When President Lannin. OF the Boz.
Ton club threatened ,,,, ed, to prosecute
weapon against George MeBride In the
police court today. Manager Griffith re.
fused TO make any complaints against
inston manager at the bali park yester-
day, and the entire csse was ended.
Assistant District Attorney Ralph
given oonfsrrsd With the gos e isa,
Nth. President oseph J. I.annin was ao-
van Of Massachusetts. Secretary Eddie
Riley Of the Boston ton club; ana d Sem n'c AZ
LAnnin said that ~ any assault charge
against Agnew was pressed, he would
prefer countercharges assinst Mcbride
the District attorney and said that he
Charges. The Old Fox doesn't believe
I ntaking such complaints to court.
The whole matter tt,. was t then dropped.
Ban Johnson today wired Manager
Griffith and George Mcbride that they
have been indefinitely suspended. and
OF what happened at the all park yes
tsrdAy. johnson will levy no fines until
he has reports from all the principal
actors.
Ban johnson. however. cannot much
longer dodge the issue. Yesterdays
disSraceful proceedings would never
have taken place but for the Arm belief
in tbs minds OF American League play
ers that the Boston pitchers are using
4, the bean ball.
!. Ban johnson should today issue an
order abolishing this style Of pitching.
II he will plaster heavy fines on all
pitchers who. in the opinion Of the UNI
pires. are deliberately busting. of"
opposing batsmen. no will be doing a
god thing for his league and for major
league baseball.
Here Is the record Of the Boston pitch
ers. which 10 the real cause of yester-
x iisls S' * Cobb believing 2, $, Mays wa.
the pitcher and precipitated a near
This year Leslie Nunamaker throw
his bat at Dutch Leonard. when he be-
lisyed the =, soSthpaw was seeking TO
Henri Rondeau was "beaned" a month
ago In Boston and rendered so dizzy
as to be out Of the game for several
Joe Judge. q day later. was "beaned"
promised TO get him." judge started
for Ruth. but the umpires and players
'cSi ck eaandii, the Indians nrst base
man, was "beaned' by George Foster
within a month and narrowly escaped
serious injury.
thinks, Bill Carrigan says. or Ban John
son believes, American League players
ali over the circuit are firmly convinced
that the Red sox pitchers deliberately
II any Boston pitcher accidentally
hits a batsman now. he Is credited will,
trying to do so. There are several
players In this league, some OF them
on the Washington club. who have de-
termined to take matters into their
Struck on the head by q fast ball,
players may wind up leading q pro-
cession to q nearby cemetery and they
know 1t SO far as known: no Washing
ton pitcher will use this delivery. which
is intended to drive batsmen away from
the plate and prevent their getting Q
toe hold" Numerous discussions have
been held on the subject. some hot
head; Insisting u that s,a fast ball pitcher.
at the bean ball" Neither VIII do 80
Though a bad thing for baseball. yes
terday's riot will have achieved some
good II II brings about some official
action on the part Of the president OF
the league. Protest after protest has
been sent to Ban johnson. but silence
Is the only result to date.
George, Mcbride who - not ranked
among the hot heads OF baseball. had
a little tiff with Mays on Thursday
The Red sox pitcher then promised to
"get him." as soon as the opportunity
arrived. It came yesterday. Mac says
that the first ball pitched to him wal
aimed at his head. The second one was
In the same groove. and only by throw
ing up his arm was Mcbride able to
keep from being fellcd to the ground
Hesitating a few seconds. he hurled
his bat at the pitcher.
quite within his rights. Umpire Owens
barred Mcbride from further playing
Immediately Manager Griffith hurried
from tho dugout to protest, saying tina,
Mcbride was merely protecting himself
from serious injury. He demanded that
Mays be barred along with Mcbride.
Players from both teams surged upor
the field, and Umpire Owens. who KEPT