The Washington times., 1921-06-06


couraging. yet II is probable that no
two of the defeats will happen exactly
alike in q lifetime A succession of
victories may be exhilarating. yet the
home run that wins one day may be
supplanted by the shrinking bunt hit
the next The certainty of seeing
something new and the uncertainty
about result are the two human in
terest stimulators of the national
pastime.
NEW METHODS NOW.
Which Is merely preliminary to cay
ing that in 1920 and this year .here
has been a change in method which
may have been observed. but has
drawn little attention. being taken for
granted, perhaps, as a condition which
naturally follows the shifts of the
sport
Five years ago. end all during that
period on either side of the late OF
record, IL was the custom, for the out
felders to play rather snugly back of
i the innelders, except when there were
pronounced siuggers at the bat The
reason for IL was good.
The ball was NOT being lifted very
frequently toward the fences and there
was more chance to get the close line
drivers and better opportunity to back
up the infelders when ground hits
tumbled gracefully out of their reach.
II the outhelders backed very far
away from the standard positions of
that time they were beckoned in to-
ward the base paths by their observ-
Ing managers, who were more fearful
of the line shots than they were of the
long. powerful loops batted fenccward-
BACK TO THE FENCES.
Now all that has become pretty
10 - xf a
are camping on the fences all of the
time. They never can tell when the
BALL met fun on the center, is going
to ride far over the fiel1 almost to the
barrier that separates II from outside
territory.
Not infrequentiy II goes over the
barrier and that leaves a baked out
fielder standing at the foot of fence,
chewing literally and mentally, and
wondering IL they ever are going to
stop batting them out OF his particular
| side of the lot.
Even an experienced left fielder like
George Burns. who is as perfect going
back for the ball as any player In either
league, fnds that he must calculate
his distance from a short fence all of
| the time because he never knows
| when he may have to run almost into
| IL for a fly hit, or play the ball on the
ground as IL caroms away from IL.
I There was time when left field at
the Polo Grounds, even IL IL is sh ort
straight down the foul line, was not
bombarded as II has been for the last
two years. 1t once was an event to
say that a line drive hit the left field
| fence on first bound. and now the
ball hits the fence on the ny re-
peatedly without any bound to 40
| celerate its speed.
It's the same way with the other
outfields. Wherever there Ia a short
right field the ball In being played
against IL much more than IL was Ave
or SIX years ago. and where there is
deep right field the right fielder
backs out as far almost as the center
fielder plays back
Talking about center felders. take
| the Polo Grounds as an example. Once
the center fielder wasn't within ffty
feet of the bleachers for two-thirds of
the game. Ping Bodie says be, plays
the fence all of the time at the Polo
Grounds- I've caught 'em OF the
flower bed three times a week." said
ing, "and that Amt no fish story
DANGEROUS MIXTURE.
II both leagues had lot of those
short. choke hitters, the Billy .Hamil-
ton kind and the Willie Keeler kind
and the Mexican kind, who lammed
the ball through the infield much OF
the time or dropped II just over the
heads of the infieiders, and could mix
the chop hitters with the proportion
ate amount of sluggers. the outfieiders
of today would be standing on their
heads.
| II 10 true that some grand catches
are being made these days by out
| aeldcrs who go back for long hits.
and the outnelder who dares to go
back and play the fence Is a most
excellent kind OF an outielder to
have. IL Is also true that the last
1.-TWO years has developed the biggest