Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-19
ASKS RULE CHANGE
ON DOUBTFUL PLAY
Nationals Prexy Tells Head
of League jumps Vary in
Rulings on Point.
By JOHN b. KELLER.

M oAfENT. A very small period
ss NH of time an instant" That's
vi what DR.. Noah Webster said
4 / in his very helpful book of
words. Moment. Some
thing umpires know nothing about
That's what President Clark Griffith
says in commenting on some decisions
made By American League game off,
Gals, Nor does the Washington club
prexy believe the jumps know anything
of the adverbial form of the term. So
he has asked President Ernest Barnard
of the league TO seek the removal of the
word "momentarily" from the base ball
playing code.
Taking advantage of the off day be-
fore his Nationals swung into a FIVE
game series with the Tigers, President
Griffith yesterday dispatched to the
head OF the circuit letter. in which he
set forth his reasons why "momentarily"
should be missing from the next edition
of the rules. Umpires have been so in
consistent in ruling on fair or foul hit
balls or third strikes held "momentarily'
to constitute an out. Griffith declared.
that the rule should be made so hard
and fast" that there could be no doubt
as to whether the ball is caught and
held.
The request was inspired, of course,
by the happening in the game here last
Sunday, when neither players nor UNI
pireS knew whether Fred Schultz. st.
Louis center fielder, had actually made
q catch Of Bob Reeves hoist until it
was too late to prevent Goose GoSlin, on
first base when the, ball was hit, mad
vertently running into a double play
that nipped a promising Washington
rally Schultz dropped the ball, but
Gaslin was not notified that 1t had been
held .momentarily" to constitute an out
until the three umpires of the game held
a conference several minutes after the
play erdel. Then denied the protection
he should have had. GoSlin and the
Washington club were unfairly penal
lied.
Several other times this season, this
matter Of "niomentarily" holding the
ball has come up in games in which the
Nationals have participated and the
unlpireS. according TO President Grit
nth. never have ruled the same way.
Some officials declare an out almost as
soon as the ball strikes fieider's hands,
while others refuse to declare one even
when the fielder gets the ball, falls ans
rolls over several times before letting It
slip from his grasp. says the local prey.
Any way you take. this '1momentarily"
business is all wrong Griffith BELIEVES.
and he wants 1t expunged from thu
code.
1t is used several times in the rules
but Griffith is directing his kick princi-
pally at sections 2 and of rule SIS.
which has to do with base-runners being
declared out. The distasteful word is to
be found In each Of these sections. If
President Griffith has his way the word
viii be out.
Another rule brought q protest from
the Washington president. although the
protest was not forwarded to the league
head This particular kick had to do
with section ! Of rule g. which says. !
When hatted hNlI passes outside the
grounds CT Into a stand the umpire shall
decide It fair or foul. according to where
II disappears from the Eupires view"
Griffith contends that any BAH batted
outside the playing field, whether over
the fence or into stand, should be q
home run il 1t is fair when it leaves the
playing fleld. provided 1t leaves at q
point not less than 800 feet from the
home plate.
II was a day for objections. President
Griffith stated most empilatically that
the Washington club objects to the
practice Of fans vaulting over field box
barriers and rushing onto the playing
ground 10 retrieve base balls near the
stand. All balls hit into the stands dur
ing game may go 10 whoever gets
them, but any one invading the playing
field to get a base ball win be liable to
arrest for theft. said Griffith. Several
have been arrested for grabbing base
balls on the field recently. although the
arrests were made so quietly that others
at the games knew nothing Of what was
going or. The Washington club win not
tolerate this invasion Of the field. and
President Griffith wants all fans to
know IL