The Washington times., 1929-06-06

Anyhow, the National League lS'
going into hiding for it's summer
meeting in Cincinnati tomorrow and
the tip is that one of the things
1t proposes to do Is to declare a
limit on home run hitting at the
Polo Grounds in New York, at
Baker Field In Philadelphia. at
Wrigley Field in Chicago and al
Sportsman Park in st. Louis.
Another proposal concerns the cut.
ting of salary rolls in New York,
Chicago and Pittsburgh, a move
ment that undoubtedly will receive
the answering support OF New
York, Chicago and Pittsburgh. They
are for the movement, being big
men in things like that.
Officially, baseball admits
neither Of these proposals as
being contemplated steps. The
league says 1t is holding its
meeting in Cincinnati because
it wishes to generate fan
enthusiasm In the town and
am sure this Is an excellent
idea. The people are bound to
become very enthused watching
a lot of club owners meet. /
AS for the home run proposal, l
am informed that those behind it
wish to place screens at the foul
lines at the parks in question or
else zone the stands in such, . way
that any ball hit into those stands
less than Is feet from, the foul line
will be ruled as good only for two
bases. This would apply only at
the Polo Grounds, Wrigley Field
and Sportsmans Park, since Baker
Field merely has blank wall In
right field ana would have to be
zoned.
1t won't apply at all, of course,
unless the four clubs affected are
for it. So far, know only that
Charley Stoneham and Jim Tierney
Of the Giants, are not for it. They
arc going to Cincinnati prepared
to resist the idea austerely and with
marked firmness. 1t is their no.
ton that the plan shouldn't be used
at the Polo Grounds because the
stands there sweep away from the
foul line. at almost an acute angle
and that a 75-foot rule wouldE be
unfair to everybody.
1t would But so is the present
rule which allows seven other clubs
only a comparative few shots
through the season at a right field
line that is just a short niblick from
the plate. The time Is coming
when they will have to alter that
condition, just as some years ago
they discovered, how fatuous they
were in allowing home runs into the
lower stand and merely what you
could get on drives that bounced off
the coping of the upper structure.
Today, you get a home run
at the Polo Grounds il You
pull one down the foul line and
a time at bat II you nit it
further toward centerfield: A /
screen that extended a stated
distance from the foul line
would answer most of the dif.
ficulty. r.,
However, baseball owners are mot
noted particularly for their desire
to support innovations; which per-
sonally may be OF nominal benefit,
or mona at all. They are for. the
salary-cutting proposal on principle
and the word is that the American
League is thinking of presenting
the same idea to the Yankees. Ath-
letics and Tigers. 1t is a splendid
theory; in fact. all it needs lis a
thoroughly reliable method of opera
tion.~
1t; is possible, indeed, that some
of the clubs In. question have been
badly misunderstood. / am almost
sure that they really don't want to
overpay the help and might even
welcome suggestions TO the con.
trary. But what w5uld you? They
know very we'll that, T they start
anything like that they won't be
asking for trouble. They win be
insisting upon getting u.