Evening journal., 1921-05-24
OLD timer IS
KEEN FOR GIRLS
Suggests Better Diamonds
For Baseball Players
Among Fair Sex
SOME FIELDS
ARE IRREGULAR

As baseball among women OF the
land. and especially in and around
Wilmington, Is here as a fixture, an
everyday pastime for the girls as
we'll as the boys, We're here to state
that more suitable playing fields
should he provided for them. And
we're not alone in that statement.
Girls playing baseball Is still a
sort OF novelty and for that reason
and several others, their games are
attracting quite a bit OF attention
Large crowds witness the debutantes
in their desperate diamond struggles
and among the spectators are any
number OF the fair players as good
as some OF the boys. But they would
like to see the girls, with so many
Just breaking into the game, have a
chance to improve and learn the
game right while they are at II.
They contend that some Of the nelds
are not laid out regularly.
over on the field back OF the deer
and mountain goat park Of the Bran
dywine Zoo. there is a diamond" on
which the girls play. It is called a
diamond for that is the way they
generally refer to a baseball field
but as far as shape is concerned II
is anything but one. None OF the
distances between the bases are the
same, From first to second is about
FIVE feet as far as from second "a
third, and the keystone sack Is 10.
Gated about where the shortstoT
should play. This does not allow for
the best OF playing. nor do the girls
have the opportunity OF playing theii
positions correctly.
An old-timer in baseball who has
seen the girls perform several timei
on the field has come through with
a suggestion that the Park BoarS
provide better diamonds mot th'
kind that go on iefthands) for play
ers OF the gentler sex. He has als'
accompanied Il with a sketch o
how the fields should be laid out
The sketch gives the distances be
tween the bases as 45 feet. jus
half Of the regulation sized diamond
and would have the entire field lai'
out accordingly. For instance tn
pitchers box would be but 80 fee
inches from the home plate in
stead Of so feet 6 inches.
This field would be less than tn
size generally suggested for boys
but the Old Timer thinks II is neces
sary until the girls learn TO throV
with greater accuracy.
Another reason why the girl
should have a smaller field is tina
they use indoor baseballs in thei
games and they cannot be hit as IA
as the regulation cork centre vic
Tins OF Babe Ruth.
One other thing about whici
mention has been made before
Backstops on quite a few OF IN
park diamonds are in need OF re
pair. Some OF them might just a
we'll not be there for the holes &
the wire screening sure won't sto
a baseball.
Boys teams in the old game can
afford to be buying a supply OF tn
apples" every game-they play tw
or three times a week-and some
Thing should be done to protect theI
from the added expense OF lost ball
This would also be a help to som
Of the big teams One OF the team
that looks for its support from In
dividual contributions. lost sbot
half dozen out at Rockford Par
when they went through the scree
and were not recovered. A hill b'
hind the backstop aided and abette
by some miscrievous boys carrie
hem away
Heavily screened bacKstops. wit
an overhanging portion to snare fo'
.ins. should be provided for by n
ark Board for all OF the fields.
What say? Let's see that the 81
aseballers have proper fields q
which to play and the boys ha'
nackstops that save balls.