Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-06-30


Stadium yesterday was of no help
to the Nationals, it is likely to
bring about a change in two sec
tons of the base ball rules when
the committee on the code gets
together next Winter. Section 3
of rule 81 and section of rule Sc
are apt to have the included phrase
''momentarily held" changed to
firmly held" That word mo
mentarily' has caused too much
trouble in base ball.
According to Section of Rule 81 the
batsman is out. IF he make a foul hit
o5her than a foul tip and the
ball be momentarily held by a fielder
before touching the ground" And Sec
ton of Rule IS declares the base
runner is out IF, having made a fair
hit while batsman such a fair hit ball
be momentarily held by a fielder before
touching the ground"
Umpire Campbell yesterday ruled
O'Rourke momentarily held Cronin's
foul before the ST. Louis third baSeman
was run into by Shortstop Kress and
had the ball knocked from his hands
by the collision. Thousands of fans,
though, took exception to Campbell's
decision and milled about the stadium
half an hour after the game ended
crying for Campbell, blood, or what
have you.
While the angry mob did lot of
hooting and booing on the outside,
President Clark Grifflth Of the Washing
ton club conferred with the umpires in
their dressing room and is was generally
agreed the wording Of the rule should
be changed to prevent such a demon
stration as occurred yesterday in the
future. The firmly held" phrase was
Grifhth's suggestion and Tommy Con-
molly, dean of American League UNI
pires, felt that its adopion would solve
the problem.
Connolly is a mernl sr of the rules
committee and his recommendations to
that body carry more Weight than those
OF other members. So 1t seems rather
certain that "momentarily held" will be
changed to firmly held" before another
season rolls around.
NONE viii welcome the change more
IN than the umpires. AS one of them
remarked What a break it would
be fore US The "momentarily held" de-
clslon always gets an umpire in hot
water. It's q tough one to make and il
really should not be put up to an UNI
pire. II We can get a hard-and-fast
rule that the fielder must hold the ball
until he is ready to throw wen be much
better on. And so will the players and
the fans, too"
GENERAL years ago the Nationals
~ were hurt by a similar decision and
they were playing st. Louis then,
too. with one out and Goose Goslin
on first base a batter, whose name
cannot now recall, drove the ball toward
center field. AS usual Goslin went half
way down the path toward second and
waited to see what would happen.
Schultz, Brown center fielder turned
and tore after the ball. He put up his
hands for an oyer-Shoulder catch, but
whether he actually held the ball could
not be told by Goslin or by those in the
stands for that matter for the next
moment the ball was seen rolling to-
ward the fence
GoSlin, of course, went on to second
when he saw the ball fall to the ground.
Schultz, who retrieved the sphere quick
ly, whipped 1t to the second baSeman
who tagged Goslin and claimed double
play But Bill MCGOWAN, who was on
the play at the middle base, ruled Cos
lin safe No decision as to a catch, If
any, had been made by Dave Barry,
ufnpirtng behind the bat. It's up to
the plate umpire to rule on catches of
fair and foul hoists. The st. Louis
players appealed to Umpire Connolly at
hrst base and Connolly went up to
Barry to ask about the catch. "The
batter Is out" Barry asserted, so the
double play went and the side was out
Now several minutes elapsed after
Schultz got his hands on the ball be-
fore Barry called the batter out. So
GosIin, the base runner, had not been
given the protection to which he was
entitled. For that reason protest Of
the game would have been sustained
and replay ordered Bucky Harris, then
washington pilot, later learned, but as
he did not protest the game at the
time, IL was gone so far as the Nationals
were concerned.
No protest Of yesterdays game could
Be- made, however, as Campbell made
his decision instantly, and there can
b 10 protest recognized when 1t con-
Germs a decision. involving an umpire's
judgment.
THEY had 70 spirit Umpire Camp
i SesJ from the ball park so threat
snsnz Bss the attitude Of the
tf1Y9az outside the clubhouse door. An
automobile yas driven under the grand
stand Campbell climbed aboard and
the machine sped away under the stand
N leave the grounds by the Fifth street
gate. Umpire Geisel accompanied
Canpbeil. but Connolly left by the
lot Of tnis." said the veteran. Why
take II seriously. The boys viii cool
OF so0n."
IRON . Washington standpoint, there
yas nothing 70 the game after the
fiFst inning. In their initial turn
at bat the Nationals hoped on left
handed Walter Stewart as though they
would make short shrift of him. With
two out and Manush on first Cronin
walked and both scored as Harris dou-
bled. Judges single Tailed Harris, then
the Nationals we're through. Tney
went down with the bases filled in TINS
first inning, but during the remainder
Of the game they got only hve hlts
10 make their total nine and two passes.
This meant a 6-to-3 licking that ended
a winning streak of eight games. 1t
also dropped the Nationals to second
place tie with the victorious Yankees.
The Browns got four of their runs
of AID Liska, pitching for the first time
In a week. The lay-off, necessitated by
q dental operation, did Liska no gooo
nor did Cronin's muh OF throw from
the pitcher when there was slde-re-
session. A double, triple and single were
made on Liska in the second for two
taIlies. He should not have been
scored on in the third, but Cronins
error left two on with one out and q
pass and single followed to give the
Browns two more markers. The frst
batter I'D in the fourth nicked Liska
for a two-bagger, so Brown was sent In
to finish. The man Liska left on
counted and In the seventh the Browns
got a marker OF the relief hurler.
Five hits we're made of Liska and az
many Oh Brown, but Brown looked
quite good while after the nrst inning
Tasbxa had r1nti1inR