Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-05-01
BEAN BALL, A NEW OUTDOOR SPORT,
rs PUT ON BY A HIGH-PRICED CAST,
BUT PHILLIES LOSE BY SINGLE POINT
Mr. Rudolph Is Better Marksman Than Mr.. Alex
ander and Scores in Latter Part of Game
After Missing Several Batters
By ROBERT w. MAXWELL
sports Editor OF the Evening LEDGER

YT,HEy nlayed bean ball out at the Phlllles
Il Park yesterday.
This childish pastme entertained large
Nocll of cash customers. and the high-priced
participants who put on the act periorneo
ms II they enjoyed II, too Beanball Is a
harmless game when played according 10
Hoyle but the modern version makes u JUST
as safe as wearing celluod coilar III
FIRE The game is played with nine players
on q ;e. and the object rs 10 pounce
ba asebalI off an opponents head without the
consent of the owner. a player STANDS up
to the plate swinging bat. and exactly
GO feet inches away stands another player
waving a baseball in his right or left hand'
as the case may be.
The man at the plate watches the pitcher
closely. and when the ball leaves MS naho
the batter drops TO the ground sometimes
he doesn't drop fast enough and the pitcher
wins -
No one knows exactly why the batter car
ries a bat unless 1t is to use az crutch as
ne limps down to first 1t is standing
rule that a batter must limp to hrst II ne IS
hit on the head. neck. arm or any place ex-
cent the leg Sometimes. as was the case
Yesterday, a batter Is hit in the hack ana
the pitcher must stand the jeers and rough
1ibes Of his comrades They have no mercy
, on a guy who makes a bum shot. The man.
ager then orders him to improve his aim
and report at the park early every morning
for target practice.
Take Pride in Their Work
Most eanbali pitchers take pride in their
work. and consider It a blot on their record
Sf the batter arises after bullseye has been
scored He must stay down for at least
twenty minutes or the hurer will think ne
has lost the hop of his fast one the other
players on the pitchers side. eight in num-
her. do not take an active part IN the game.
only to chase the ball after 1t bounces or
the batter's head. They also urge on the
hurler encouraging words and act as a
cheering section. They have regular posi-
tions and at a signal from their cheer
leader they chant:
sRay. ruy rag, dust 'cm of clean!
Fracture his shoulder punctUre MS bean
Bust his Coltdr button, send him right to
bed.
II You can't kiH him, nit him on the head. "
In order TO he a success at this game,
one must possess both accuracy and speed.
II n freight train runs into hay wagon,
II hasn't the same effect on the wagon as
the twentieth century limited. For that
reason the ball must travel at furious
rate and hit any spot situated above the
ears.
Rules for Batters
There also are rules for the batter but
they are not important. He must pos
sess speed but no accuracy. His eve must
be trained on fast moving objects like can
non balls and bullets. and If he is careful
in practice he will have a chance to try II
IN regular game. One of the most popu-
lar positions is to place one foot firmly near
the home plate and stick the other in the
water bucket or i'm the Grand stand. In
that way the batter can step away quickly,
for it is against the rules to hurl the bal
more than ten feet on either side of the
plate.
Another popular method of deceiving the
pitcher is to fall fiat on the ground, after
first picking out spot to fall. lie with one g
feet pointed in the direction of the pitcher s
box. but with the toes turned up. The posi-
tion of the toes is important, for occasional
ly 1t makes the pitcher believe he scored
q oullseye or frightened the batter to death
which is the same thing.
There is always a way to beat game
and some of the brainy players have doped
out system. The pitcher Is allowed Ia
takes his place in the box and hur few
fast ones to the catcher. who is behind the
plate to catch wild pitches. The batter
emerges from the dugout and closely