Evening star., 1919-03-08

The desire for more batting is an
annual topic. The belief is expressed
that big score games soon will tend
to cheaper the game by creating the
impression that sandlot ball is being
played. Low score games mean fine
pitching and equally good fielding.
It always is possible to better con-
ditions, sometimes without making
radical changes, so that worth while
suggestions about batting and pitch
ing always merit consideration. Sew
eral weeks ago Manager Mitchell Of
the pennant winning Cubs offered
suggestion that deals with the elm
ination of the caught foul fly. He
believes since batsman has no op
portunity to reach first base on
dropped foul fly he should be exempt
ed from being retired on caught
foul fly. He believes the rule is too
lopsided. that the handicap entailed
should be removed from the batsman.
Mitchell is quoted as follows:
Il call it nonsense for putouts to be
made by means of foul flies. There
is no interest in watching a catcher
or infelder get a dinky pop fly. The
only amusement offered by such
play is when an easy chance is booted
by some player. Then, too, first and
-.
always are liable to severe injury in
efforts to make a play on foul balls
that necessitate going right up to the
concrete stands in order to make the
play. The New York Americans
few years ago lost the services of
Frank Baker for months because he
eoilided with the stand in his effort
to pull down puny pop fly, 1t is
play that isn't worth while for the
danger entailed and the handicay i'm
posed upon the batsman. 1t should
be legislated from base ball. in my
opinion. 1t would make the game
snappier and give the batter better
run for his white alley"
There are some who Will take the
opposite point of view. insisting the
ments of uncertainty under which the
batsman should be made to work
Others may insist nothing gives them
greater pleasure than to see some
player make a difficult catch of a foul
fly. After all. it is simply the view
point you take. Manager Mitchell is
a wise base ball leader. and his sug-
gestion undoubtedly viii receive con-
sideration.
., Recently I had letter. from c. S.
Sherman, sporting editor OF the Lincoln
tNeb.) Star. | am obliged to Mr. Sher-
man for very interesting letter on a
suggestion mighty interesting and which
Mr. Sherman modestly admits is not the
creation of his brain, but an idea ad-
vanced by Billy Fox, who for years was
star in the minors, goodly portion of
his playing being done in the American
Association and Western League. Here
is Fox's scheme as explained by Mr.
Sherman:
Leave the present rules in all other
details exactly as they are, but widen
the fair ball zone by dra wing an addi-
tional line from the home plate, all the
way to the fence on both sides of the
field. This angling line should gradually
widen as it lengthens out. At first base
it should be one foot distant from the
former straight line that now divides
fair and foul territory. At $50 feet from
the plate the angling line should be two
feet from the old-tine line, at 270 feet
it should be three feet and at 800 feet it
should be four feet.
IN most parks the distance from the
home plate TO the fence is in the neigh
borhood of $50 feet. Every ball that