Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-07-18
BARROW EXPLAINS ORGY
OF LONG DISTANCE HITS
business Manager or Yankees
I,lhmcs IncircCtivcncss Of Pitch
crS on Empires.
LIVE BALL NOT RESPONSIBLE
ArbitcrS Throw Too Many Compare
lively Cnsoilcd Pellets Out of
Game and BattcrS Gain Advan-
tagc Of Hitting New Sphere.


The unpitcs throwing out go
many apparently good balls during
game is chiefly responsible for the
late orgies or homc-run hitting in
the majors" according TO Ed. Barrow, y,
business manager Of the Yankees. and
one OF tho national games most prac-
teal men.
See" said Barrow, twirling few
balls that umpircs had ruled out of
recent games at the Polo Grounds.
because they had been Slightly dam
aged hitting The concrete corniccs Of
the stadium or the steel pillars of
the modern structure The balls
they are manufacturing today are
livclier than those produced in 1910.
But it is not the intention OF the
manufacturers 70 make Iivcllcr
bali. IT is the natural state of eff
cheney in the manufacturing Of any
article that increases with Years and
different material used.
For example here is a brand new
bali 1p!cking one out OF the iot)
1T was used perhaps for the pitch-
Ing TO one batter during recent
game between the Yankees and
White Sox. The batter fouIcd the
bail ana ii sailed through the air.
httt!hE the wire screening that pro-
tects the fans directly IN back OF
nome plate. II left a few long rough
strcnks where 1t came in contact with
the steel wire. and the umpire throw
ii out"
How would that induce heavy hit
| ting he was asked
Well YOU see the umpircs in fore.
ing the rigid restriction imposed upon
pitchers 20 a hi; too far. Fearing
that a slight bruisc might assist =
hurler in throwing the shine or
oiher freak deliveries that have been
barred, they 90 a step too far. This
step too far is an injustice 10 IN.
pitchers ana aids the batter.
compare the old days Of Mathew
son. Three Fingered Brown. Chance.
Fred Clarke. Fielder, Jones and the
| !rSt OF Inc d-timerS. Why some
times YOU would see the same ball
in the game three innings before
some batter fouIcd it on, of the 0el5
~ was rare thing To see a brand
new white ball being tossed nm ms
You see today, TO every batsman that
steps 10 the plate. The old dark balls
so!!ed 10y being in play were a rr.a,
zeal harder To hit than tn" new white
ones of today. with it's distinct ont
lines brought ont by the dark back
ground of the bleachcrs. The nIay-
"rs OF few years ago had n harder
tim" IN getting base hits than the
players OF today.
'Of course the advent of the CON
crete stands have Increased the num-
Der OF balls that are thrown out dur
'hS game. With the old wooden
structure the bah was not so readily
affected after coming in contact with
IL"
This handicaps Il pitcher. doesn't
1t some one suggested
GREATLY rctortcd Brown. an tho
o!don days a pitcher was assisted bv
soilcd ball. He could get a firm
grip upon 1t. y firm grip means bet
ter control y firm grip To curve n
ball gives hurlcr Il chance to use
al! the smoke he has without throw
ing tie ball into the stands
why, just take pitchers grip on
TINS ball said Barrow, handing us
"a bali that had been ruled out. but
yet looked 10 he as new and white
re II ii Just came from the factory.
ITS slippery ana glossy rs a new
i;id glove Impossible to get a firm
grip without it sliding all around
your hand like an eel.
DO You know" remarked tho
Yankees business manager. there
are quite number OF pitchers who
tight surfac. rhn ,r,niros 800
posed TO soil tho boI, - ht. Co., 49,,
pitcher I'm, No., a,,,.
much. They bovc ;mnoso, noi.i
on tho pitcher. ,o1,,. t., ,,
10 eliminate rro,l, anii,n.; ~,
have assisted ,bo h,t,or o., ,,
iIrndicnnped Tho ni,cror
let han no i.c,. In alas. ,;,,
Longer. Ton now I'm.
r!ul- is nothing ,nI,, nor., i,,..
an ,,mpiro IN ,oss +, IAN 80,