Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-02-04
WAR NOT EXPECTED
TO CRIPPLE SPORTS
Actual Strife With Germany In
capable of Sitting Interest
in Athletics.
GAMES SURVIVED IN 1898
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

stances than exist the plung'ng
OF the United States into war
with any nation would mean pre-
carious times for sports in this
country. it is not believed that
the opening of hostilities with
Germany, now threatened, would
affect any branch of athletics to
the extent of Gripping It.
Hemmed in as it is by the fleets
OF the allies, there appears to be
no prospect of an invasion OF the
United States if armed strife de-
velops, and it would seem that
only an attempt to actually land
troops on American coasts could
result in upsetting the general or
der OF things in this country to
the extent of entirely sitting in
terest in athletic competition.
1t can be recalled that base
ball and other forms OF popular
sports survived the parlous
times incidental to the Spanish
American war, and it is not be-
lieved that any eventuallties re-
sulting from the severance OF
diplomatic relations with Ger
manv will interfere with any
sporting line of endeavor to the
point OF causing cessation OF
activities, although attendance
figures might fall off appreciably,
as they did in 'oS
President Tener of the National
League is all wrong in advocating
mere batting in base Da'l. acc" ding TO
Clark Griffith y no conte- DIS that fe ser
bases on balls, not more hits. IS what
is resded tn marc tne games nveiier
and more attractive to the fans.
Tener is way Oh IN urging that ihe
home plate be made wider, or that
batsmen he permitted 20 take il s. on
three balls. with the idea of increasing
hitting" says Griff. Heavier. hitting
is not needed. and is not wanted Ihe
principal fault to be found Win base
ball as it is played today is the large
number of passes issued. They SLOW
up the games and are disgusting alke
to players. owners and fans. put no
feast lie ay of remedving tn condl-
ton suggests itself. Lack of control
is one of the greatest obstac es
pitcher has to overcome. ana the rec
o-ds will STOW that many a pro alsing
curves and speed. has failed to last IN
the big show solely because of mis- ira
biIity to acquire the knack of putting
tie ball where he wants it.
THE natural irferiority of pitcher
when he comes into the big league IS
what makes the average mum Ter OF
bases on balls so large. Many improve
and acquire control. but each yea a
new batch of debutantes make their
10 in high soci .ty y
wild ways with them, and 1t taxes just
so long for them to be tanned or TO
demonstrate they are incorrigioie ana
be sent back to the minors. VITA
sauaas of ysu ,-srers "reak' 4
season the supply of erratic twirlers
never becomes depleted. There is no
doubt in my mind but that the game
would be better off with fewer bases
on balls in evidence, but how to bring
this about is a question
washington's ball tossers this year
may not be required to make any OF the
burry-up jumps from this city to CleVe-
land for Sunday games, as il did last
season. At the American League meet
ing in Chicago last December President
Johnson announced he would scheduie
sunday games for Cleveland and De-
froit' on Jumps back from the east
whenever it was possible. meaning tnat
neither team would spend an idle sun
day in Washington. Philadelphia or
New York. Presidents Dunn or CleVe-
Of Dof nnnnSPd X
ing the games mandatory. arguing mat
" would be preferable to leave sCch
dates optional with their cubs. john
son, seeing the wisdom of their areu-
N ants reconsidered his plan. There
fore If either club makes the quick
jump back from the east to play sun
day games next season II VIII be be
cause that team has good Drawn.
card a an attraction and Is assured Oh
q big crowd.
Bill Byron. National League umpire.
thinks the efforts of the ball players
fraternity to join the ranks OF or
ganiZed labor are ill-advised- Byron IS
well posted on the subject for in addl-
tion to moving the players side of the
question he is stanch union man. He
is a stsamfitter. at which trade he
works al winter. has full union card
and no one is more loyal to the princi-
pies of organized labor.
THE main trouble with admitting the
ball players fraternity 10 the Feuera-
ton of Labor" Byron says lis that
base ball playing isn't labor at ALL
Thee is absolutely nothing in common
he: weeu dashing over the green sward
for couple of hours every afternoon
and putting in eight hours wrestling
pipes or running a lathe
The services OF a ball player to his
club cannot be measured in terms of
anything that union labor recognizes.
When the leaders of the federation
came to discuss the minimum wage
question with the magnates. they
would be completely at sea. for they
would be up against new sort OF game
entirely You couldn't fix an hourly
wage nor a daily wage, and the unions
probably wouldn't want to put up a
fight to give the athletes bigger
yearly remuneration than is earned by
the highest paid of the skilled trades
IT wouldn't seem consistent with our
policies to do so.
Ball players as a rule are very well
Off There are undoubtedly some in
dividual cases in which they get the
worst of il, but an ideal condition can
not be expected in any line of work;
il can't be brought about by force or
by any other method that has been dis
covered.
The first squad of players to start TO
q training camp will be off in ten days
The Portland. Ore, team will get int
condit on at Honolulu and the player
will leave for Vancouver. British Co
lumbia February IL. They are due t
sail from Vancouver for Honolulu Feb
rusrv ~. This team will spend abOu
ten DAYS on the Pacific ocean traveli1: