Evening star., 1923-01-10

hardy" to quote few adiectlvcs.
ticablc. nncalled-for and contrary to
The sponsor Of this latest attempt
80 elevate the national pastim" is
none other Tran our old friend Thorn
IS s. Rice, globe trotter and lllera-
teur. " no finds time between eNpedi-
lions to the four corners Of The world.
aiken for the broadening influences
~ travel and to escape como tons
brought about by well known
amendment 10 the constitution: 10
.nditc pieces for a Brooklyn publica-
ton calculated to edify the denlZens
OF FlatbuSh.
we know Tommy we'll. and the Old
Girle capital fans readily Will recall
i,ir1, too. for he at one time owed al
iegianre to an esteemed rotempo-
-ary and daily furnished fodder TOR
local fans through it's columns.
We rave high regard for our Eel low
Rcribhler's astut"ness and motives.
despite the fact that Griff apparently
has none whatever. and it is in an
ewer to his appeal to help TINS
AIonE for the benefit Of the writers
as We'll as the fans" by insisting
That the numbers be 50 large that
he who sits may read q en- for nm
who runs that the subject is being
thus presented today. ~
-he members of u base bali team wear
numbers, as numbers now are worn
by members of foot ball squads?
After asserting that careful re-
search in all laws. agreements, consul
tationS and amendments fails 10 re-
zeal where such a plan would be /! :
legal. immoral or irreliGious: that IL
would not affect the standing OF
oIavar in politics. nor prevent him
from striking out in pinch or wal
iCpirg a timely hit, Rice asserts:
.'There is absolutely no objection TO
numbering ball players except the uh-
written law among the cIuh owners
a n Nj
II clergy for any member or .hrir
organization who accepts within forty
Sears any suggestion whatever Una
costs little or nothing ana that "oulu
lastly increase the enjoyment or the
cans upon whom the SAID owners
ehriyc. IT required fifty years OF ael-
cation to persuade the cluD owners
70 install sCOreboards in the majors
and big minors. Just as long was
required to persuade the publishers
r the base ball records to tell Wheth-
$ even the major league pitchers
'. ere right or left handed. ana hye
j. rre before the batting statistics tola
v,aether the batter swatted from the
rjgat or the left.
How Numbers Would Help.
"a major league baseball team
may carry twenty-five men IN MO
season and as high as forty oetore
tho squads are reduced after the mrs.
month OF the season. Also. III Tue
clubs call in for a preliminary look
ing over. more or less. recruits.
"As the expensive pastime ls now
,.,nducted the admission-paYlng ian
told the names of the players VINO
t.tually take part in the game. IL
- scoreboard be operated properly.
II atch is not always the case ana II
:ft scoreboard be up-to-date: Whlch
y often is not. No effort Whatever
- made TO identify for the ticket
t,t;vers and for the representatives of
-Na press, who are paid by their
-aoers to give free advertising to
taa club, men who do not actually
90, into the game.
"a very common experience 1S that
zen in the pressbox, who follow the
zane every day and may be possessed
OF fair average eyesght, are not
quite certain about a home outtel der
or occasionally an in1elder who has
been unexpectedly injected into the
proceedings. As regards the visiting
,aam. some astonishing and ludicrous
'nlstakes have been made by TINS
ritter and others. as we sadly admit.
RI the renorterS who are on the job
cry dav can be thrown out Of their
rs"'de how often ia the casual fan.
who constitutes such a large and
profitable promotion OF the patron
age. completely fooled?
Fnns Defrnuded at Practice.
'.The drawing power of base ball
team at home and abroad depends
90 large extent upon the record OF
the team for winning and upon the
regulations of the individuals. Only
nine men out of a squad of from
twenty-five to forty are in the game
at one time. and it is rare for more
than thirteen from each side to get
snto the game Frequently the orig
fral nine on each side go through
the entire contest. Those can be
identified by the scoreboard and
1S,- 30
thirty -one players in the home squad.
according to the stage of the season,
are unknown by sight except to
very small percentage of the most
Keen eyed fans. and. Of course. the
percentage of players recognized in
the visiting squad is very much less.
Now. the fan takes an interest in
whole lot more at ball game than
in the nine nren who are actually
playing on each side. Thousands of
ardent devotees arrive early to see
the preliminary practice. At that
stage the substitutes are doing more
or less work in their positions, but
OF always systematically. vet
e.ran may be trying himself in new
position. or a new player or sub may
oe trying himself in the veterans
position. The young pitchers are
pitching in batting practice. and the
"oung catchers are doing the receiv5
pitchers and others shagging flies.
quite often in the first, or what
might be called the unofficial. practice
the two teams are mixed up. A
visiting player who needs exercise
may shag flies for the home team,
or he may fuss around the infield.
Meanwhile. other. players are
merely warming up by throwing or
bunting near the grandstand. Five
or six pitchers are loosening the
soupbones and infielders may be
catching one or two of them. With
out numbers on the players the fan
does not know who is who, and so
misses half the fun in the practice
period. He is defrauded of a legiti-
mate feturn for his money.
Fans Should Be Told.
.1aow often has fan sat in a base
hall stand and been asked by his
Yeighbor or has asked his neigh
Dor in the spirit of camaraderie
Is that man pitching to batter? Who
"a the right-hander working out at
6rst base? Who is that knock
Lneed geek shagging flies in CEN
ter? Who is that warming up for
us? who is catching him? Who
that so and so, the new second base
man? who is catching for the bat
Ter lin infield practice? Who Is the
fsllow working with. the regular
xllan at short Cor any other posi-
IS, the funny chap who is cutting the
fancy didoes in fielding? Who is
9hat coaching? Who is the fellow
Thai Is trying to do a Walter Bro
Gle by holding his hands behind him
and catching aies? VINO e tnae
at second base Cor any other posi-
tion? and 50 on.
"Every base ball gathering is abuzz