Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-02-10
CHANGE BASEBALL
RULES TO HELP GAME
llvELlER hORSEHCE WOULD
PUT MORE "PEP" INTO GREAT
NATIONAL GAME-M'GRAW 40
vocATES CHANGE.
Copyrig,

New York, Feb l0-The good old
game OF baseball as she has been
played for number of years salts.
fes the public, as rule. Outside OF
the warsome stuff and the sQdabbles
between the players and the mighty
magnates. the fans are willing to let
well enough alone.
But some of the higher ups in the
baseball bizz have come out with the
opinion that changes should be made
In the rules which will enliven the
-astime. And they probably know
best.
Ways and means to put more gin
ger into game OF ball have been
the winter, and they include every
thing from the elimination of the good
old spitball to the charging of the
home platter.
Governor John r. Tener. who was
once a pitcher OF no mean ability,
admits now what he would not have
admitted when he was trying to fool
the batters-that the pitchers have
too great an advantage under the
rules that now prevail
The governor says that in his opin-
len this advantage can be offset by
widening The home plate one inch and
cutting down the number of balls,
which will entitle a player to lis
base, from four 10 irce Mr.. Tener
argues that the slightly larger plate
will give the pitchers greater conf
dence in their ability to get the ball
over the corners. and the reduction
in the number of balls will entice the
ambitious batter to swing oftencr al
the pill, As long as he knows the
| pttc Ter will be trying TO get the ap
pic over the pan, the batter will dc
less waiting at the platter and tbs
/ result will be more hitting.
II you'll think back to the days Of
4 the Federal League you will no doubt
remember that the powers OF organ
lied ball scofied at the idea OF the
Feds in putting livelier ball into
play They attributed the fact lha
many OF the Fed battcrs piled up bis
averages because Of the lively bal
that was used. They also said the
i pitchers we're far below the par 0
the major leagues All these argu
ments we're well and good. But nov
comes John McGraw with the express
sion that a lcvlier ball is the thin!
needed to pep up the pastimc in tn,
majors today.
Charley Herzog says that fou
strike zone, which he would cxten,
from the home plate to first and thir,
bases, respectively and in which
ball hit by the batsman would no
count as first or second strike
would solve the problem The bate
often hits foul limo drives just gu,
+ side OF first and third base, which
OF course, count against him a
strikes II he Is not already in hole
But without such strikes counted tn
batter would naturally be encourage
to swing harder and oftener. Hel
dos's suggestion looks plausible or
ough and ii certainly favors the bats
man. Herzog is an infedcr, not
pitcher
Percy Haughton OF the Brave.
would put the dampcr on the spitbal
and also shorten the distance to frs
base, thereby giving the batsman
greater chance against the pitche
and also the wings of the various II
ilelders, who often throw him out b
one step.
All of these suggestions could b
put into use. As the old saying zoe
they can DO tried out-and baseba
cen afford to try most anything one,
No doubt there will be som
lengthy discussions at the meeting {
the Joint rules committee. and II som
OF the hlgherups In the game hay
, their way, changes vii be made.
Give the public the fastest articl