The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1920-02-25
SPRING TRAINING
FOR THE UMPIRES
=

New York, Feb. 24.-The major
league nmpires are going to have
thorough rehearsal in the ruies
before the opening of the champion
chip season on April Ia. manager
Miller Higgins of the. Yankees Is ne
getiating with Umpire Bill DiHeen to
ufficiate at all the Yankees exhibition
games in Florida, and also on the
Yankees Robins tour North.
~ The new code covering freak pitch
ing and the Intentional pass are the
two rules about which the umpires
win have to be especially watchful,
says the Times. All the umpires in
the two leagues will be encouraged
to take jobs in the South in order
to fxmiliarize themselves with the en-
forcement of the latest changes In the
game.
M Baseball men do not hesitate TO pre-
dict that the umpires are going to
have a hard task in applying the new
rules prohibiting the spitball and
other forms of trick pitching. 1t is
going to take one umpire's undivided
attention TO watch the slabmen and
see that they do not resort to any of
the tricks prohibited in the new
rules.
}, 1t is believed that IL the umpires
so South and start right in at enrorr-
ing these new rules, they will have
little difficulty when the champion
season opens. There is a great dan
ger that the strick observance of these
rules Is going to cause more or less
delay during the ball games, and 1t
Will be the duty of the officials TO
see that there Is as little delay As
possible. Disputes over the shine
ball and other freak deliveries caused
mi al los nh rh
many protests from the spectators.
The rule against freak pitching
follows:
In event of the ball being intention
ally discolored by any player, either
by rubbing Ii with the soil, or by
applying rosin. pariffin, licorice. or
any other foreign substance to il, or
otherwise Intentionally damaging or
roughening the same with sand or
emery paper or other substance. the
umpire shall forthwith demand the
return of that ball. and substitute for
1t another legal ball, and the offend
ing player shall be disbarred from
further participation in the game. II.
however the umpire cannot detect the
fiolator OF this rule, and the ball liz
delivered to the bat by the pitcher.
then the latter shall be at once re-
moved from the same, ana as ad~
dtioaai penalty. shall be autoxnau-
cails suspended Cor a period OF ten
days
At no time during the progress of
the game shall the pitcher be allow
Ell TT 10 apply "A foreign substance
-. aay Kind Ia the ball; 90 expecto-
rate either or the ball or his glove.
tSf to rub tae bali on his glove, per-
son clothing, or t4l 10 deface the ball
in aay manner or TO deliver what LIS
called the shine" bali, spit bali.
fsrtss. ball, ar merry hall For a: viola
tioa of any provision of this rule the
pitcher shall be ordered from the
game, and be barred from parucipa-
tioti in any championship contest for
a period of ten days
II Is not going to be any less diff
cult for the umpires to enforce the
new rules, barring the intentional
pass, because it wiz he necessary to
watch both the pitcher and the
catcher. The new rule reads as fol-
lows:
1t shall be illegal for the catcher to
leave his natural position Immediately
and directly back of the plate for the
purpose of aiding the pitcher to in
iertionally give a base on balls to a
batsman.
IL the catcher shall move out of his
p"siaoh prior 10 the time OF the batt
leaving the pitchers hand, all run
ners on bases shall be entitled to ad-
va nee one base.
.
George Mogridge, one of the Yam
kees southpaws, called on Manager
Huygins yesterday and talked over his
contract for next season. Mogridge
did not sign but the difference be-
tween his demand and the clubs Of
fer is not great, and probably will be
adjusted satisfactorily. Higgins says
that he will be In touch with all his
players this week. and expects that
most OF them will 60 South under
contract