The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-08-28
BASEBALL RULES CHANGED FOR 1922
 IS LOSERS PLEA
Practical Thing Seems to Be to Let Pitching Rules
 Rest Awhile
By GEORGE CHADWICK Special Correspondent of The Age-Herald (Cpyright Iv2I, by The Nke4 Itpr,iis1

1pyrtEnt, lU@ls pN inc AH<~fheruiuJ
 New York, August 27.-Three O. four clubs have discussed in an in- formal way the question of changing the rules of baseball for 1922. They are clubs whose owners thought they had championship teams before the season began. The owners who have lost arc seeking an alibi for their own defense. They wish to have some thing on which to base statements to the home fans that they might have won if,
 An old etery in baseball, is that bumptious and bombastic little '1f."
 Certain owners are coming to the defense ot their pitchers by intlmat- Ing tha if the rules had been differ ent. they would have made much better showing in the races for the championship. Of course, the pri- mary idea is to excuse the owner. but by dragging the rules into the sub ject, the owner is excusing the player. and to more than one, it looks like a bit of short-sighted judgment.
 If the pitchers who have pitched poorly, and many Of whom have in dicated that they are finishing their careers. gre to be rendered a rev lease of life bx an effort to cuange the rules, how long will it be before the lattcrs clamor for the same res dress? Then the rules of baseball will become football, kicked about to suit the whim of the party with the gYeater strength.
 Rules 0. k. Today
 The rules are all right. AS the governing laws of the game read now they provide for clean, straightfor- ward and natural throwing of the ball by the pitcher, unaided by a soap shop, a drug factory Or sandpaper mill.
 The owner of club who has shut his eyes to the fact that his pitchers who once were very good, have been wearing out for two or three years, has only himself to blame that he trusted his chances in 1921 to a staff of twirlers dying from dry rot.
 The owners who seek to have changes made in the rrules may not be successful They will find strong opposition from certain clubs which believe in letting the rules alone for, while and they may find stronger opposition from the public which likes the game as it is, rather than under the sway of the disgusting wholly impossible spitball with all the faults which accompanied it's use. :. The coming clubs are going to- be very backward about entering into 8 demand to call for a meeting of ho clubs vii welcome change in the rules as they would welcome change in anything which might do them no harm if 1t did them no good in the general upheaval.
 A Popular Vote
 The public may be invited to tell whether it likes the game under the new rules. One owner suggested tha. it would be a good idea to take q popular vote by means of ballot boxes at the ground. but that would not be much of a test, because any one could stuff the ballot boxes.
 Something was said about nakins a symposium of the opinions of the baseball writers. and that did not meet with the approval of all those who discussed the matter. as it was intimated that the writers were pret- ty good at shaping baseball policies themselves. which was a neat corces- sion to them,
 It would appear to be the practical thing to do not to touch the rules relating to pitching until at least three years expire. 1t will take at least three years more to ascertain how far the material, which is in evidence now can be developed. If all the clubs are as successful as Pittsburg in getting material to be developed. there will be some rattling good pitching along about 1923 or 1924, unless all signs are rnislealine