The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-12-05
L ALKING
IT OVER
BY JOE WILLIAMS

NEW YORK, Dec. 5.
CABBY STREET who once
" caught a ball thrown from
the top OF the Washington Monu-
rnent with benefit of headlines,
thinks that the present box score
arrangement in baseball should be
amplified TO include a department
in which errors Of omission are
included along with errors Of com
mission.
An error of omission is what is known
informally in the duEouts as bonehead
or nonthinking play. The capable and
refined John J. McGraw Of the Giants
commonly refers to such happenings as
well. perhaps IT is best not to mention
in detail precisely what McGraw calls
them.
In any event there is sharp dill
ference in technical Characterization
between a play which involves the
loss of game through a ball that
should have been caught and oaSe
runner who attempts to steal base
at a time when said base is ALREADY
duly tenanted by comrade.
7. Is this differentiation between the
mechanical and the mental which street
insists should be clarified IN the SIaVlS-
teal records Of the pastime. Street re-
Gently has Deen made manager OF inc ~
louis Cardinals and in this capacity ne
,s ENJOYING for the first time In mum
her of wears the privilege Of gaboing LOT
publication on subjects important ana
otherwise.
lust how the gentleman's suggestion
nil he accepted by the press box and the
d,v laborers of the diamond Is matter
- ejaculation. OF the former gentry
there no doubt are a great number VINO
- s.o1 that the addition of a column
/, which all boneheaded plays must ne
reeorded would entail clerical oohe4-
.io, NJ stupendous dimensions. AS ior
the athletes themselves, am
,nere would be lively and violent resent
ment. since Streets idea seems 10 imply
the noss.bIe existence of faulty judgment
scrambled brains and natural tendency
to laundering.
CTREET has been identlfled with
y the business for long time ana
nv now he certainly must know that
no ball player ever committed what
appeared to be the wrong play With
out being able to present a perfect
defense. no matter how imperfect IL
NAV have seemed to other OBJ
servers.
n d
Oh
Kame Is not wholly lacking in coDspicu-
Gus examples of mental density. You stih
hear how Merkle failed to touch second
In that game with the Cubs which cost
the Giants a championship. and something
akin to a legend of shame has been
woven around the needless dash of one
John Anderson who tried to steal third
with the bases full.
II n
As matters stand now the most inter-
esting part OF the box score is the base
hit column Whether it would be more
interesting to note that Arthur (Ginger
Alel Shires made three homers or three
boners is a matter that time would have
TO work out.
NATURALLY it would be neces-
IN sary at the end of each season
to devise fitting recognition for
cerebral excellence. Possibly this
would take the form of a diploma
and the recipient would be entitled
to be known as baseballs best brain.
II is of course an elemental fact that
there is a wide difference between what
Is loosely called native intelligence and
book learning. George Herman Ruth. for
a bachelor or arts is unmarried man
who goes in heavy for gaUdy posters. And
vet, Ruth is one of basebaIls best minds.
/ think II was Thomas Connolly. the
umpire, who paid him the tribute Of say
ing that he had never seen him make
the wrong play In a ball game since he
Joined the big leagues.
On the other hand your attention is
called to the fact that Moe Berg. the
White Sox catcher. is the best educated
baseball player in either big league.
Among other things. Berg can speak
seven languages including of course the
Scandinavian. Yet the difference be-
tween Berg's salary and Ruth's is very
marked.
Purdue HardW