The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-01-24
OPPOSE change
IN DISTANCE OF.
MOUND TOPLATt
Would Have Effect Of M
Pitchers More Ineffective Tb,-
Ever, Claim
BY JOHN B. FOSTER

'NopS tish'' 49, ny The ArgB
New York. Jan. 24.-The surs
ton recently made that tho n
ing distance be decreased nv
step to put d curb on the h.
batting that marked the 1891 h.
ball season is meeting small f
either among fans or the nte5.
themselves.
Any change would make d.
pitchers more ineffective than a.
as it always takes moundsmss
least two seasons to become ao,-I
toned to a new pitching dists5
When the distance was Increase
1891 it put some pitchers out of
game and the very best Of E
did not get settled down 10 En-
work before the end of 1892 n
had not settled then
The constant harping on wsw
assist the pitchers is unnecesc,E
The pitcher can best help binat
by getting down to business m
is borne out by the results Of III
and 1921. The leading five phs
ers of the American league in IA
by the earned run percentage VI
Shawkey. 2.46; Coveleskie. al
Shocker. 2.7I; Rommel, 2Si \
Bagby. 2.89 That is a grand az.
age of 2.67. which is not wo13.
full by long shot. In 1921 the fir
five in the same league Er
Faber. 24S; Morton, 2.75; Piere
$50; MOgridge, 800, and MAYS.
That is less wonderful with
grand average OF 2.S3 and vet itg
are only siXteen-hundredths diHsi
enCe between those of 1920 Al
1921 despite all the talk about
ball being so lively last seag
Figures show that the pitch.
were not doing so poorly in 1921 (
has been nOised around, comDg
of course with the previous wear
Shawkey led in 1920 with ID
and in 1921 was 40S The lfys
ball doesn't seem 10 have had
much to do with ShaWkey's avn
falling off as a very bad arm wh
he growled about during the ca.
part of 1921 II he had to D-I
from d new distance in 1922
would never get going. Fans w0
be looking for his average in IA
with a telescope COyeleskie VI
back in 1921 for he was PAS
1920 and $50 the year before d.
he did fall off in his work beCa-
he began to lose games in 1921 d
he had gTipped tight for the Clet
land team the previous year Bal
with his excellent record 10 1920
2.S9, fifth in the league, sagg
back to 4.69. He was a failure
Cleveland all OF the season beca
he could get nothing on the b.
On the other hand there is Fad
leader OF the league in 1921 Vi
PAS against 2.92 for the prsy
season The bali did not bot
him any. If il did it surely 81
for the better. In 1920 Morton 1
Cleveland had an average Of &
Look at him in 1921 with an az
age of 2.75 and second lin I
league. MOgridge could only tar|
the ball for the figures 432 in u.
and in 1921 he was a fiat 800 4
there high have been times VII
Higgins wished that he had I
permitted him to go to Washil
ton because Higgins was much
need of good left hand pitd
more than once. But perhaps
was not Higgins who wished
on Washington In 1920 Mays z.
3.06 and in 1921 he was fifth
the league and higher in rank
than he was in 1920 with eos d.
the comparison Of Mays is as
as any that can he made beoa.i
he was a consistent winner q.
pitcher both years.
The season oil 1921 proved 70
the pitchers who tried were So
fully good as they were the year /
fore and as they usually are 81
uGuless they are borne down /
of their lives with the deFllmen.
bad luck. Usually the yic-ohi
and defeats show their good q
tune and their bad more than al
thing else. The earned run ayef-.
is a proof OF skill displayed
working against batters-
Men who were away up ID !
American league in 1920 are Z
down in 1921 and others who vi
not so good in 1929 were ID j
sunlight OF success i'm 1921 vi
than anything that gives eIla5-
of the fact that il was indl'.l-I
deterioration about so much l-
mering of the bal and as many 4
cuses for defeats. The same l-
applies to the National ls4s
pitchers when their work is \
viewed. The high class pi,o-.
who were trying ali of the seas
were effective.
Many pitchers of both organ
tons have been in service ~
time and they are wearing Ou~ y
all OF the younger pitchers nave [.
quired that standard when ~.
will have in the future ana W.
this transition Is going Oh H. -
good TO inferior. and from me-,,o-
to good. the pitching viii -@'A
effectiveness.
nrnrrH nn mo