The New York herald., 1921-05-10
BALLS NO LIVELIER
THAN IN THE PAST
Maker of Them Declares They
Have Not Been Changed
a Particle.
by WILLIAM b. HANNA.

BY WILLIAM B. HANNA.
The National League ball is not the
smallest bit livelier than last year, and,
except the color Of the stitching and
the lettering on the cover. is exactly
the same ball as used by the American
League. The two leagues are using
the same ball indentically. with the
trifling exceptions noted. and always
have done so. 1t Is exactly the same
as they used last year and the year
before that and the year before that.
1t has not been changed in the smallest
or most inconsequential detail, and the
baseball now in use has just the same
degree of liveliness and just the same
specifications in every way as 1t has
had for the last eight or ten years.
The ball has not been changed one
iota since the introduction of the cork
centre eight or ten years ago.
These statements are made by the
highest authorities. John Heydler, presI-
dent of the National League. is one
OF the authorities: Charles d. White.
who is In the business of making the
official balls and knows as much about
II as anybody living. is the other.
And" added Mr.. White In declaring
this years ball no whit livelier than
last years. you cannot make any too
strong the statement that the ball is
just the same"
Babe Ruth did not have any ''livelier
ball" advantage over National League
hitters last year, and 1t Is all moon
shine that National Leaguers are hit
ting livelier ball this year, or Amer,-
can Leaguers either. The explanation
of the home run epidemic this year
does not lie there. Yet 1t Is not diff
cult explanation to find.
Pitchers Not i'm Shape.
The fact that a number of pitchers
are not In shape yet Is one explanation +;
the other is based on psychology. Since
the elimination of the shine ball, emery
ball. finger nail ball and similar devices
batters are less worried about the
agate taking eccentric flights. and
they go at It with increased confidence.
They know, too, that the umpires the
moment they detect a ball scuffed by
concrete and therefore likely to sail"
will throw 1t out.
Another thing, batters are going after
long hits more. They see Babe Ruth
and George Kelley whang the homers
and they try for them too. Neverthe-
less the ball is not so lively that you
notice batters numbering" good pitch
ing. Barnes, Toney, Ruether, Smith,
Mays. Sam Jones, Rommel. Bagby,
Adams. Cooper Coveleskie, Faber-the
batters have had trouble enough with
their pitching. and there's been no
scarcity of games in which the batting
was entirely normal.
Hard hitting in the spring Is an old,
old story and brings annual clamor
about "livelier" ball.
| Players OF the Eastern halves of the
league circuits believe the Eastern teams
have been getting better pitching than
those of the West. To support this be-
lief they point to bigger scores In the
West. The Yank players don't believe
| the Detroit players have faced as good
/ pitching as they have. The next week
or so will tell more about the question
since ntersectional engagements are
now on for a spell. Col Huston of the
Yanks believes. incidentally. that his
! team will have very successful trip.
! The Cardinals who have been cuffcd Sc
| verely by their own neighbors. appear
at the Polo Grounds to-day in the first
intersectional clash there. and the Reds
ever thorn in the Brooklyn flesh. viii
do their darnedest TO keep on making
life miserable for the champion Dodgers
i Il
to tune up for the high flying Pirates
| The Yankees begin their Western films
with the slugging Tigers. who have
shown something under the tutelage oi
\ Ty Cobb and would feel terrible IL they
should beat the Yankees. The latter
need to get Shawkey in shape to go wei
on this trip.
Since Arthur Fletcher announced his
retirement from active baseball, an an
nouncement regretted by fans the coun-
try over, many nice things have beer
| said of him, and all OF them deserved
A fine chap, Fletch, one who played his
best always, and his best was as good
as the best. But one trait of Fletcher's
/ character has been overlooked.
He was the friend, the constant, help
ful friend, OF the young ball player and
the young reporter. He delighted to adj
wise and encourage the young player
and If. perchance there was rookie
| newspaper man travelling with the team
or one unacquainted with the players and
somewhat lonesome on the road, Fletch
was the first TO strike up an acquaint-
ance. to say a cordial and cheerful word
to give the stranger any announcement
and assistance he could regarding base
hall matters and to make him feel al
\ home.
The writer always will be grateful tc
Fletcher for those kindly. sociable traits
HIS was n never failing spirit of help
4 fulness, OF willingness and pleasure In
making the path easier for others
There are few finer traits. He was In
tensely loyal to club mates. too. Once
/ in Texas a local manager made a vio-
lent and unprovoked assault on McGraw
The first man TO land on the Jaw of the
aggressor was Arthur Fletcher.
Speaking OF mixed metaphor: "Tht
| siwashes were stung as usual. and are
beginning to look like the league papoose
They preened their plumes In the spring
only TO wear pin feathers in the regulal
season"
Babe Ruth's ability 10 make home
runs has paid more than one bal
players salary.
II ROD AND