The Washington times., 1930-04-30
ball IS KEPT
LONGER IN
USE NOW
BY BABE RUTH

Well, / see the boys have start
ed the same ole argument about
the lively ball. Some Of them
say 1t has a rabbit in it, and
there are others who argue that
the ball isn't as lively this year
asassit was last. I've had dozen
letters about it already.
The mere fact that there have
been d lot of close score games
this season real pitchers bat
tles-has caused many people to
think that the ball isn't as lively.
But I've noticed that there have
been plenty of high scoring
L games, too, to offset that. Per.
Sonally don't think the ball has
been deadened this year and !
1 don't think it was popped UP last
season.
Nor do / think that the live
" ball has. had o great deal
to do with the heavy hitting
Of the last few seasons. There
are three or four other things
that had more to do with 1t.
For instance, this season I no
Gice the umpires have been leaV-
ing balls in the game longer.
They're not so particular about
dirty spots on the leathC-, and
they're giving pitchers a chance
TO throw something besides nice
new white baseballs all the time.
Which is a break for the pitcher.
Give any pitcher an old ball to
throw, let him toss up a ball
that is a little bit soiled and a
bit roughened and he'll make
you forget all about that jack
rabbit.
Here's another thing maybe you
didn't know about. It used to ne
that balls were being hit down
through the infield a mile q
minute. This year on the Yankee
infield at least. those hits haven't
been going through that way.
Max Bishop, the little Philadel.
plaia second baSeman, mentioned
it one day down on the bench.
But come to find out that wasn't
any change In the ball. What had
happened was that the topsol OF
the irfield had been changed, a
lot of black loan had been adoeo
and the whole infield slowed up.
And rye got a hunch that has
been done in a lot Of parks.
There are a lot of ways Of taking
the rabbit out of baseball with
out changing the balls.
q There have been lot OF things
happen in these early weeks Of
the season that have got the
fans talking. The way that young
Fisher Is hitting the ball for the
Cardinals is one of them. There's
a, funny thing. Here was a kid
who looked like a step-child in
spring practice-looked as though
!. he, didn't have a thing. Yet When
! he gets into the regular season
he starts slugging like a vhlrl-
wind. 1t just goes to show how
hard Il is to dope ball players
ON their training season showing.
I IT'S . funny thing about that
National League race. Before
4 che season opened it looked like
the Cubs and Pirates would run
! sway. Then the Pirates traded
Grimes. HOrnsby hurt his heel
and is out of the game. Nc
Graw's pitchers began to find
themselves and now instead of a
runaway it looks like a dog
fight with any one of five or
six teams having o chance at
the pennant.
If Mac can continue to get good
/. pitching from those lefthanderS
Of his, the Giants are likely to
be right up there at the finish.
Their pennant prospects look 100
per cent better right now than
they did two weeks ago. Back
Of good pitching the boys are
playing like champs. Take it
from me good pitching makes
. difference all the way down the
! line.
And speaking of the National
League have you noticed the way
Harry Heilmann has been coming
through for the Reds as a pinch
hitter2 Harry's legs may be gone,
and he may have slowed up a
lot but he's still mighty valuable
man to have around.