The Washington times., 1931-03-11
EVERY HITTER
LLSUFFER,
SAYSRUTH
BY BABE RUTH

11.-That new rule about the
sacrifice fly has been received by
the ball players just as the
writer's predicted last winter al
the time the change was made
They are all squawking against
it. The fellow who hits around
800 or .375 believes it ends his
dream Of some day being a .40C
hitter. The 300 sticker sees him
self falling back and losing his
chief argument for a better
salary.
The rule came up for discus
sion in our clubhouse the first
day the squad was all together
and there wasn't a kind word for
it. Usually somebody can be
found to take one side of a ques'
ton but this was a time when
everybody had the same view
Even the pitchers had no argu'
ment in favor Of it. It does not
keep down the scoring or change
the earned runs so they have nc
reason to argue in favor Of it.
Planned Sacrifice Flies
I think it was a mistake to deny
hitter a sacrifice fly if he hits
ball long enough to score a
runner from third I agree with
the rule makers in cutting out
the scarifice fly when runner
merely goes from first to second
or from second to third. But
there arc certain players who can
hit high and far. and sacrifice
flies from their bats were not
accidents. The ball was hit ir
a certain way, the aim being tc
get under it. The player would
often swing different than usua!
with a runner on third.
Eddie Collins, the only player
who sat in at the rule meeting,
argued in favor of keeping a
sacrifice fly in the game when
a runner scores from third, but
they voted him down. / agree
with the other players that this
was q mistake.
I figure the change will knock
at least 20 or Is points off the
batting averages Of the long hit
ters. BY long hitterS mean
'Gehrig, Simmons, Foxx, Goslin
Alexander, Morgan, and sluggers
of that type in our league. Take
fellows such as Babe Herman,
Chuck Klein, Wally Berger, Lefty
O'Doul, Hack Wilson, Harry He'll
mann, and few more in the Ma
tional. For years they were not
charged with a time at bat if a
long fly let a runner advance
from any base. Now the time at
bat will be charged.
Long Hitters Suffer Most
That adds a lot more times at
bat for the number Of hits which
any of them will have. This
means a lower batting average,
Every player in the major leagues
will suffer some, but, Of course,
the long hitters will suffer most.
I doubt that we will see an
other 400 hitter for years. Bill
Terry made the grade last year,
but he would have been some dis
tance under the mark if the rule
now in force had been used then.
Think of all the times at bat that
we're not charged when his drives
moved a runner along. Next year
Bill could get the same number
Of hits on the same number of
appearances at the plate, and ad'
vance as many runners with long
drives, but finish well below the
400 mark.
'T can hear the players moan
now" Herb PennOck said the
other day in our clubhouse,
every time they advance a run
ner next summer with q long
fly. They will be Squawking
because Of that extra time at
bat"
Herb is right. The moaning
will be general because there is
nothing a player likes more than
his base hits and his batting aver.
age. Take either away from him
and you'll hear about it.
If the pitchers are helced by
the new ball the batting averages
will shrink anyway. This new
rule on the sacrifice is a sure
thing to lower all averages some
more. So don't be surprised next
summer if your favorite player is
hitting a lot below the mark
from which he has been hanging
around for years. All are bound
to suffer in this batting derres
sion.
Copyright, 1881, by the Christy
Walsh Syndicate)