The Washington times., 1930-08-12
WATCH-W WAIT
NIGHT BALI.
TREND

Among the points Of discussion
brought up at the meeting of the
major leagues at Chicago was
night baseball. While the old
story about the draft was given to
the public it is known that sew.
eral of the magnateS wanted to
take up the subject Of the game
under the kleigs.
The minor league towns where
the game has been played have
gained considerably in attend
ance, it was made known by sew
eral of the club owners who have
kept in close tabs with progress
made by the teams playing under
the moon.
Players agree that moonlight
baseball is still a novelty. The
grounds can be lighted. it is true.
but the game is not the same as
the sun-kissed sport. In fact, it
is almost impossible to see curve
ball. It is a guess about low.
thrown balls. Up in the air the
ball can be easily spotted if new
balls ale kept in circulation.
In view of all the reports re-
ceived the magnates, off the
record, decided to go SLOW on
shifting to the night game.
Whether there will be a test is
not known. Most of the powerful
club owners don't want to shift,
for they feel that they have made
millions in the game as it stands,
and it is feared that the quality
of players will dete1iorate. Ground
erS have to be played differently.
Fly balls sometimes fool the field
ers. Catchers have a real job
there and trick pitching never
would go.
The Baltimore team, of the In
ternational League, played its first
game of ball under the rays at
Buffalo. and the reaction of the
players to the game was not IA
Vorable. The nnagnates thought
differently, but agreed that as an
experiment it would attract several
L1IOQSduN IuOTS IdIh.
Joe Hauser, who used to play
first for Connie Mack and Wao
may come back next season as
first baseman of the Browns be-
cause he leads the international
League in home runs, said that it
was impossible for him to see
curve balls.
"YOu can't see the ball as we'll
in the field as in the daytime"
said Joe.
Jimmy Dalrymple agreed with
Hauser on the curve balls and said
also that he could not judge
grounders.
Old Heinie Sand. who once told
the truth about O'Connell and is
now with Baltimore, said that the
grounders cannot be judged.
OF course, Heinie used to have
trouble under the sunlight or on
dark days. but he said just the
same that when he got set to
make a stop under the moon the
ball went to the right or left of
| him.
Frank MCGOWAN speaking about
fielding the ball is a person whose
opinion will carry weight, for in
the majors he was regarded as
brilliant fielder.
II came running in for several
fly balls both in the game and
in practice and found they
dropped 10 feet in front of me-"
says MCGOWAN.
The man who caught the game
was Hugh McMullen. He said he
had no trouble handling some
pitchers, but Wertz, an underhand
finger, was hard to follow. :.
Luther Roy worked part Of the
game on the mound and found
most of his difficulty was in find
ing the catcher. He could not see
signals, either.
Of course, the Orioles may have
been somewhat disappointed, too,
for they were in the thick of the
flag race and lost the game. Down
IN the Piedmont League some
clubs that would not play night
baseball lost their franchise,