New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1922-12-14
FEWER HOMERS IN
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Plans Are Under Way to Lengthen
the Distance

New York. Dec. l4.-If the Ameri
can League has its way Babe Ruth
record OF fifty-four home runs vii
stand for many year, and the bi,
Fellows chance of lettering his mari
In 1923 or any other season will b,
reduced to nil or whereabouts. At tn,
annual meeting Of the league at thu
Belmont last evening the rules com.
mittee was instructed to go into the
joint session with the National league
body this winter with the determine,
ton to abolish the so-called "phony'
home run. The committee was told
TO standardize the four base drive be.
fore the season OF 1923 opens. The
league wants the shortest distance al
which a home run may be hit to be
uniform in all parks. It intends to
arrive at this desired standard with a
coming system.
While the change would affect both
the Polo Grounds and the new sta
dunn of the Yankees to a great ex-
tent, 1t also would strike at the short
home run at Philadelphia, St. Louis
and other cities. The American
league went on record as feeling that
the public had tired Of the promis-
cuous hitting of circuit smashes and
that the frequency of home runs aided
and abetted by short fences and close
stands had cheapened this once bril-
liant feature of batting. The league
seems to have caught the public pulse
in that respect and there is little
doubt that next season will find a
series of zones behind the foul lines
at the homes of the Yankees and the
Giants.
1t is quite likely that at both the
Polo Grounds and Yankee Field there
will be line about forty feet beyond
the foul line in both right and left
field Balls slammed into the stands
between these two lines will go as
triples. Home runs will have to be
driven in beyond the forty foot mark
The fluke home runs in the bandbox
of the Phillies will be abolished. The
Joint Rules committee also may con-
slider two base hit zone. 1t looks
as If the last fifty-four home run
mark had been made.
To Open on April 49,.
The American league created some
surprise when it announced that it
bad decided to open its season on
April 1S. On Tuesday
the National league adopted April II
as its opening day. On the surface
It looks like conflict and the prom
se of two distinct opening dates for
the major leagues,--no calamities in
themselves However, the joint
schedule committee of the majors will
no doubt iron out that point. Bar
ney Dreyfuss said that he did not see
why the National could not open on
A pri Is too, SO the 18th no doubt it
will be.
The meeting was quiet and serene.
There we're no explosions no fights
10 bombshells. There was every in
lication of an amicable latitude to-
ward the National league on which,
t had been reported. Ban johnson
lad decided to declare war. If Ban
rad cooked up any war he forgot IT
n Chicago--and 1t wasn't missed one
lit here, This is no time for squab
bling in the majors.
me InuCH ldlhCu dpoub iUhN AO'
disabled ball players and their fami-
les which had been agitated for
decade, finally was organized. The
eague voted to set aside each year,
or five years, the sum of $4,000 from
he world series receipts. This fund
# $4,000 will be used for the benefit
If such players as are In want. the
,nce nroiected home for disabled and
.ged ball players may develop out OF
his fund.
There was considerable talk about
,op bottles and their effect on the
lomes of American league players.
The case of Witt of the Yankees, who
vas hit by bottle in st. Louis, was
zone over at some length. the
eague did not announce that it con-
urred in the decision that Witt had
lit himself with that bottle.
At any rate. the feeling was that
,all park no longer was a fit place for
{. Y,sware, and an attempt VIII pc
made to serve pop In paper con-
ainers-or not at all. The owners
nav provide a rubber pipe at each
eat and arrange shot machine SO
hat the insertion of dime VIII start
he flow of five mouthfuls of the de-
,ated LIQUID refreshment. 1t is
rave topic and must be handled In a.
erious way.
Another very serious matter which
anne in for a lot of attention from
he busy delegates, was the dirty UNI
orm abuse. Clark Griffith said that
ONE of the unies displayed by visit
ne athletes in the capital last season,
ooked as If they had been fished out
f the Mississippi AS result,
ule was passed pronto-a rule for
leanliness and purity, which stipn-
ates that each player shall own ana
,ossess to wit--two home uniforms !
ne of which shall be clean; one road
inform, which must be clean, also
ne extra road cap and one extra pair
4 road stockings and pants. These |
must be neat and presentable and
eady for inspection by the league IN
nspector of uniforms.
AS a result of an important change
, the rules governing the claiming OF
layers by the waiver route, CLUBS
rhich claim such men will not be anie
D withdraw The club asking for
,aiyers will have forty-eight hours in |
,hich to take back its REQUEST, but
nee a team has decided to accept !
uch a player. it must take him. AT
resent the rules allow five days lee
-ay In either case.
Harry Frazee, who has been ne
lected in the election of the board OF
,..oator. ax.o,. c;nca the hip lam once
,or cwas passed up. The new board
insists OF Phil Ball, st. louis; Clark
rifrith. Washington; Thomas Shibe,
and Il. 8. Barnard,
The rules committee Will