Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-01-11

I
little, IL any. possibility Of readjust-
ment Of the professional baseball dia-
mond as recently suggested by Prest-
dent Percy d. Haughton, Of the Boston
National League club the proposen
changes as outlined by the Harvard
! football coach, offer a wide field Tor
speculation as to what would be the
result If such alterations were made.
At the present time the diamond prop
| er Is in reality square measuring
ninety feet to q side.
The bases are considered to be nine
| ty feet apart and the distance from
| .he home plate to the second base Is
127 feet SO inches. The pitchers sian
is not exactly halfway between the
two points but is located so feet .
inches from the plate and Sc feet 3S
inches from second base. Haughton
suggests that In order to equalize the
offensive and defensive strength of the
pitcher and batter it might be found
advisable. upon investigation, to move
first and third bases Ave feet nearer
the home plate and decrease the width
of the plate.
If this were done il would change the
cHlHS aSpSCt Va Tue bdse-pohi hAoAhSsAA
which would become. roughly, kite
shaped. AS ii is especially stipulated
that second base is not to De moved
the result would be that the distance
from home plate to either first or
third base would be eighty five feet
and the distance from first to second
and from second ito third base approx
imately ninety-five feet. These hgures
are based upon the angles Of the base
lines and do not take into consider
alton the bare bag proper which is
fifteen inches square and considerably
shortens the distance to be covered by
the base runner who is. OF course. safe
as soon as he touches the bag.
Ii would shorten the distance that
the batter would have to run in order
- be safe after hit and for the rum
ner attempting to score from third.
The regular playing positions OF the
iniieiders. in all probability would be
shifted as there would be an additional
ten feet OF fair field to be covered BY
the four players. The first and third
basemen would be enabled to play
closer 70 the plate for bunt but at
the same time the batter would have
five feet less TO run in order TO reach
first safeiy., The pitcher weuid DE aole
10 watcn runners on flrs' and third
more cS3sely az, il,sse bases woulu De
u trlt!e in fr1nt Of Inn instead VI a.
right angles as thy are at present
There nas been no change in the
share or measurements OF the baseball
diamond since 1915 whsn tn ru,es
we're made 10 read that the distancs
-. -, I, Q - .l .,.ac a ~
i,omc plate and second base must DE
forty two PAGES. Theie has been con-
siderable discussion. as to just what
PAGES meant but the generally ac-
cepted inference is that Il pace" Is
equivalent 10 yard. In order 10 clear
away ali doubt the rules were changed
in 1855 to read that the diamond must
be square ever s;Ge OF which meas
ured ninety feet.
Decreasing the width Of the home
plate would naturally give the pitcher
less leeway for thu manipulation of his
curves and shoots. At the present time
the plate is seventeen inches wide and
II two or three inches were clipped
from the white rubber the hurler
would have to come nearer growing
the bad in order to register q cailed
strike and the batter would have fess
area TO protect while waiting for the
bail that suited his idea cf what ne
could hit safely.
Changes in the size and form Of the
home plate have been more frequent
than alterations TO the paying dia-
n.ond. For some years previous 10 1900
the plate was twelve incl square 50
placed that one angle pointed directly
Ito the pitcher. and the greatest
width was seventeen incnes from the
POINTS that woul1 be REPRESENTED by
FIRST and third bases on the largef
diamond. In 1905 the square plate
wa. discarded for five sided plate
| measuring seventeen inches across the
! base; eight and one half inches on the
| sides and twelve inches on the two
angles thct firm the point which stiii
faces the pitcher as he delivers the
1 .