Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-02-07

At present we hear much discussion
dealing with a more strict enforce
ment of the ba1k rule. Recently
Manager McGraw of the New York
| Giants said he would welcome a strict
| adherence to the balk rule on the
/ part of the umpires. He admitted
/ there were pitchers on his team who
might have to change some of their
methods, but that in the end it would
all work for better base ball.
| There is no question but that the
| balk rule is menace. unless properly
| enforced. If the umpires allow pitch
| ers to violate sections of the rule that
| tend to protect the base runner, harm
to that important feature of the
game results. If a strict enforcement
is made of the rules that govern
pitching and the proper manner of
/ throwing to the bases, then a better
brand of base ball is sure TO follow.
Left handlers as a rule are the
greatest violators of the balk rule.
although the best motion | ever saw
pitcher have, and which he got
away with most of the time. was that
perfected by Ed Walsh of the White
SoN. Walsh had several peculiarities
hard to observe when working back
of the plate, difficult for the base
runner to follow, yet rather plain to
the base umpire. working directly
behind him. | believe l called as
many balks on Walsh as any umpire
in the American League, yet | always
had a guilty feeling that Walsh was
slipping something over on me every
time he caught a runner off first.
Most eft handlers resort almost
entirely TO a balance motion. They
throw the left leg in the general di-
rection of first base, and, if the
runner has big lead or is going.
they come over with the ball. If the
runner has only slight lead, or is
driven back to the base by the PEE
culiar foot motion. the pitcher piyots
through and delivers the ball to the
batsman. A pitcher cannot throw to
first and deliver the ball to the bats
man with the same kind of motion.
The moment he throws that leg in the
general direction of first he must go
through with the throw. Delivering
the ball to the bat by changing the
course of said foot in the direction
Of the home plate and the delivering
of the ball to the batsman does not
wipe out the previous infraction of
the rule.
the lead which the runner is able to
get at the inception o. the pitch.
Coach George Huff of the University
of Illinois, who has sent more players
direct from the college field to the ma
jors than any other college coach. has
a logical and interesting idea, which
he always propounds to his players
at Illinois in an effort to teach them
the value of getting a good lead. Huff
points out that the number of runners
caught mapping at first, because of
their attempt TO get good lead, in
no way compares with the great num-
Der of runners thrown out in an at
tempt to steal second by scant mar
gin. HUFF points out. and correctly so,
that q foot more of a lead off first
usually spells the difference between
out andSsafe at second.
The many near balk moves used by
the pitchers have put fear into the
hearts of most base runners. The
public usually regards it as bone"
for a player to be caught mapping at
first, although there is no good rea-
son why such a belief should exist
That thought. and the knowledge that
tended to decrease base running in
recent years.
A strict enforcement of the balk
rule would be step forward. 1t
might for time, as McGraw says,
throw some pitchers off
their, stride, but sooner or later it
would work to great advantage.
Pitchers who resort to Illegal moves,
even if lucky enough to get away
with them. not only do themselves an
but do the game far
greater one.
Every year we hear gossip about
the suneriority of the pitcher which