The New York herald., 1921-01-17
Wisdom of Magnates Doesn't
Seem to Last Long When
1t Does Pop Out.
by WILLIAM II. HANNA.

A year ago a wise and equitable rule
was put into the playing code by the
rules committee of the major leagues,
which maybe because IL was wise
and equitable rule, did not last long.
The wisdom of baseball magnates, judg-
ing by the lack of it frequently shown,
does not always last long when 1t does
pop out They are inconsistent in their
sagacity as 10 the games needs. They
have changed the governmental struc-
ture of baseball and thereby they have
done a sagacious and farseeing thing;
they shout in terms of hundreds of
thousands in efforts to strengthen teams
by the aid of the bankroll. as distin
gushed to the far more healthful policy
of building and developing their teams,
and thereby pursue n course not TO the
best interests of the game. 1t would be
a good thing IL all deals for players be-
tween major league teams were forbid
den for two years, so that the rich ones
would have to do more digging up and
developing of talent instead of buying
that already developed. business which
has been greatly overdone.
But about this changed rule referred
10 is the one making ball batted out
of the playing field fair or foul accord
ing to where II disappears from the um-
spicuous absence Of logic! II ever rule
should have been left as it was II was
the one that a ball was fair or foul ac-
cording to where Il left the playing field.
Nothing could be more unjust TO bat
ter than TO call drive a foul simply
because II happened to curve foul after
passing the boundary OF the field.
What happens to n batted ball after It
clears the fences is not the concern Of
the batter, the umpire or the spectator.
Ball games are played within the fences,
not beyond them Nobody yet has ex-
planned satisfactorily why the rule was
changed back to what 1t was. Maybe
umplres didn't like It the new way, but
that makes no difference so long as 1t
was fair. The rule makers made a fair
and intelligent change and didn't know
enough to hang on to It.
All there was Us the report that the
Army tried to induce Urban and Fitz-
gerald. the star Boston College football
players. TO enter West Point according 10
an officer Of that institution, was casual
conversation just before the y. C.-Holy
Cross game in Boston last fall. Major
DAILY, the Army coach, was there, and as
the B c. players entered the grounds he
spied their crack end. Urban.
Hello. Urban J" he called out jokingly,
when are you coming to West Polnt?"
Then In the same vein: Bring Fltz-
gerald with youl"
Mention has been made OF the fact
that two Navy players, King and Koch
Ter, came TO Annapolis from colleges.
There isn't any big institution that
hasn't students who attended another
college first transfers as they are called
but there is no analogy between cases
OF that sort and students who have com
pleted their course az one institution
going to another and continuing football.
So far as the Army Is concerned. II gem
orally has been able TO conduct its affairs
for the best interests Of the Institution.
and football is but incidental to military
training Nobody has been seriously
hurt by the West Point athletic policy.
When John McGraw was manager OF
the Orioles some twenty years ago his
friend, Buck Ewing. nonpareil OF fatch-
ers, recommended 70 him three r1yers