Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-15

why not declare home-run armis-
tice before more fans get disguised with
our national game?
May I make this suggestion? For q
period Of two weeks substitute for the
ball at present in use ball nianufac-
tured in strict conformance TO tne
sphere which was used in 1925 ano
prior years? And don't put In q new
ball every time somebody finds q Speck
on the cover!
'Those two weeks will tell the
tale, whether this home-run hurrt-
cane is chronic among hitters who
really put to shame the batters Of
the past, or whether their skill in
shooting the ball over the bar
riers is not IS per cent attributable
to the rubber in the pellet? Such
use of the old type of ball will also
help to answer the question as to
how much inferior the pitchers OF
today are to those Of decade ago.
"Concededly the ball now used In
the big leagues Is much livelier than
that used in the past. OF course, We
might find in past records some really
high scores, but behold the constant
double figures in the hit column so
prevalent today!
-'What do the headlines say? The
first one read cover an article
written by O competent observer) Is
as follows: Rabbit Ball Is Taken
for Ride Across Bridge And In
the story we find:, The rabbit ball
never looked more like q kangaroo
than yesterday. A tip-off on the
high spirits of the oval was the ;
home-run hitting -
"To keep base ball in its proper plane
of popularity and to provide test that
would meet with the current desire
and approval Of the fans, hereby pro-
pose the experiment, as heretofore out
lined.
"If in those two weeks the same
tremendous batting Is recorded, then
we will be certain that it is the weak
ness of the pitchers and not so much
the lively bali, that is making absurdity
out Of SO many games. The chances
are, however, that pop-fy home runs
have the thrill of watching. o player
really earn q home run by q mad dash
around the bases on q bail hit inside
of sthe park-which is real thrill, not
just a laugh-producer like the average
home run Of today"
A Voice from the BIeachefs.
JUDGING from letter which or
y rived in the same mail, there is
some indignation the other way. Mr
81 think the lively bali Ia o good
thing for the game. It is fair for Al
hands. and you will find the same lead
ing hitters and pitchers on top. no mat
ter what kind of base ball Is. used. &c
what would change accomplish? The
answer Is, Nothing ?
THE real trouble does not lie with
the ball. It lies in the size CT the
field. These fields are too small.
The club owners cut the outhetos
for the sake of securing greater seat
ing capacity and so ny balls that
ordinarily would be sure putouts go
aAs we know that the club owners
never will enlarge the outnelds py
tearing down seating capacity IN the
stands. I think that It IS Just as well To
let the base BAH stay as 1t b.. Let the
best team win. The best team will win
with any brand Of base bail.
$50 much for that, but there IS
another question along the same !.
lines that seems to be far more inn !.
portant. This Is the demand for. q
new foul ball rule. Who starts
these so-called improvements VINO
wants them2 Not the real pay.as-
he-enters fan. .s !,
1t. The game as 1t IS played nov I.
satisfactory to the fans, and there y
no wide demand for . new foul nali luz
or any OF the other changes Of, which 7
read SO much. Let well enough alone
Make the price Of the bleacher seat
at the Polo Grounds so cents. Then lei
us forget about the new rules and 70