Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1918-09-20
NEW METHODS Of BASEBALL PLAY
 NOT IN FAVOR
English Fans Propose Crick- ct Features Which Don't
 Take "Over Here"
By Associated Press.

l by ASSOCldICu IICSS.
 | New York, Sept. 19.-Altho there i is already considerable talk about the 1 reconstruction of baseball after the
 war it is doubtful if either English critics or fans will be permitted to in l ject methods or theories now beinS
 advanced There is no doubt that the game is rapidly gaining popularity among the younger generation of En- glishmen, both at home and back of i the trenches, but the average critic l still clings to cricket and would com bine certain features of that game with baseball.
 In lengthy article on the Ameri- can sport recently published in one of the most prominent magazines the
 writer laments that the ?fbul' of baseball should be absolutely wasted so far as run production is concerned. He would have this particular feat ure of the play advanced to the same point of importance that the "snick" occupies in cricket The author pre- sents his case as follows: "The snick or corner stroke is un- doubtedly the most spectacular hit in baseball; indeed, it is practically the only spectacular stroke, except the hit out of the ground, which oc- CUTS once in blue moon.
 'It seems very great pity that this "corner stroke" is merely thrown away in baseball. In making the stroke the 'batsman hits as usull with a horizontal bat, and getting just un-
 der the ball sends it at a very great pace to tremendous height behind him, and sometimes to a considerable distance'
 Big league magnates with hundreds of thousands of dollars tied up in baseball parks and grandstands are not likely to receive this implied sug gestion with any particular cries of joy. The English critic failed to see the fearful possibilities of his plan In order to make the "foup a run provide playing field back of home plate. This would mean the moving of the grandstand far back of its pres ent position, which would hardly meet with the approval of the fan. Addi- tional fielders would also be required The new fair territory could hardly be patrolled by less than three rear fielders who would, of course, have to take turn at bat, so that in place of nine men on a side the teams would be composed of twelve players. Rad ical changes have been made in the baseball code from time to time, but it is not likely that the magnates will be able to see their way clear to make this concession even to improve it's status abroad.
 Baseball as played behind the lines by American soldiers is not always up to the standards of the game at home, but it is baseball nevertheless. The paraphernalia is not always up- to-date and the diamond may be lack ing in the perfect finish found on the better fields of the big cities, but these are mere details when the sol- diers make up their minds to play baseball. This can be seen from a description of contest staged not so long ago in France.
 "The ball was a fearfull and won derful thing, absolutely guiltless of any infringement of the American patents. A round stone, picked up on the beach, formed it's core. Around this unyielding missile were wrapped some rags and over this, tire tape. Surrounding all was a piece of can- vas, roughly stitched. It was the hardest and the ''deadest" ball ever used in competition. A giant couldn't have hit it over 100 feet with tele- graph pole, and it took good lick to drive it even as far as the pitcher. Still it was a ball,
 "The heroes who volunteered to act as catchers in this strange contest refused to face the camouflage bould- CT without some protection as they made themselves glove. A couple of old flannel shirts served as the foundation for this protector. An old shoe provided leather for the face of the glove and this was sewn on by the same genius who put the canvas coy- CT on the ball. The contrivance had no fingers but was held in place on the hand with twine.
 -"The infielders and outfielders used their bare hands and the first base man, who had to handle. swift throws without protection, had badly bruis- ed hands at the close of the game.
 For bats these ingenius soldiers cut down some saplings and hewed them into the desired lengths shaping the handles with jack knives. Every. time the ball was hit with one of these green sticks, the wood flew in showers all over the infield, and the sap deluged the fielders. There was one ex-leaguer in this queer game, a player who used to be so fastidious about his bats that he had to have them made to order His admirers in the bleachers would have had some trouble in recognizing him as the young man who picked up the first sappllng that came handy and threw out his chest when he succeeded in hitting the ball all the way to the shortstop."