The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1929-10-01
Walking
1T OVER
WITH JOE WILLIAMS
NEW YORK. Oct. l

NEW YORK, Oct. /.
DOSSIBLY it would be different
4 if the Yanks or the Giants were
to be in the series, but somehow the
box scores which are still cluttering
up the sports pages never seemed
50 senseless or meaningless to me
before. 1t is with something akin
to a shock that your eyes, wander
ing in a maze Of football dispatches,
collide abruptly with the startling
information that the Phillies have
lost another game and that Gehrig's
bat has beaten Washington. AS if
anybody cared, or it meant any
thing. Baseball is about the only
competition in existence which con-
tnues to function once the main is
sues are decided, and the champions
ere crowned
In the ring a knockout can decide a
fifteen round fight in the first round. SO
far as l know there is no record Of a
fghter fattened in the first round being
revived and sent out to fight fourteen more
rounds simply because the contracts called
for a test of that duration. This would
be deemed STUPID and faroicaL
II
Yet the baseball leagues operate on Just
such basis. The two major league races
have been over for more than eleven
DAYS. with the Athletics winning in the
American and the Cubs in the National.
and there Is stiH several days of the
achedule TO be PLAYED. Of course there
isn't anything that can be done about
he situation because there is no way
70 tell in advance whether the winners
a-s going to ciinch their positions in
August or October. But it does seem
silly to prolong a competition after it
ceases to be competition.
THIS year it is particularly silly
4 on account Of the late closing
date Of the leagues which brings the
finale in serious conflict with the
current football programs. These
anti-cllm3X games are totally de-
void Of interest and are unanimous
" ignored by the customers except
on Saturdays and Sundays when a
scattering few drift out to the ball
park through habit or the lack of
a more stimulating diversion.
An earlier oIo.c is promised for next sea
son WITH thr t'go major races ending ON
the last Surdav in September. This is Il
crrtailment in the right direction, but IT
hardly goes far croIgh. ard venture be-
fo~e very MANY wars the leagues WI be
closing their schedules by the middle of
September.
There IS no good reason why the world
series shouldn't be- wrapped uD and filed
away bv the drst Of October at the latest.
There has been a remarkable increase Of
interest in college football in the past
on years. o fact that everybody seems TO
nave recognized Lut the baseball fellows.
I Asst Saturday there were more
Il than 400 football tecms in ac-
non from coast 10 coast This Sat
rrday the number will be even
areater and the following Saturday
ne world series will be played in
1nfict with several football games
national interest. These con-
icts nay r35 be important, but
hey are unc ccessary.
L Il
A baseball ge-~ou starting April IS and
ruding Sept. IS a fun hve-month stretch.
uGht 10 be sufficient to decide about ey-
-v.h,nG q baseball season is supposed to
r7cidc. ircludiug the inevitable change
If managers of the St. Louis Cards. This
ould leave ample time in which to ballv-
90 the series ana. with break i'm the
Gather everything could be washed up
by the first of OF Ot0r.