Evening star., 1932-08-07
Spelling a Record.

A base ball game in Detroit Friday
furnished a question of sportsmanshir
that may evoke much discussion among
fans. The Detroit pitcher had been for
eight and two-thirds innings moving
down the Washington batsmen with a
regularity that disheartened the repre-
sentatives of the Capital. Not a man
had reached first base, by hit or by
base on balls or by error. He was
within one "out" of accomplishing the
supreme feat of the sport, that of pitch
ing no-hit, no-run, no-man on base
game. So rarely has this been done
that, although the score then was
thirteen to nothing. the appearance of
the final Washington batsman was
awaited by both spectators and players
with breathless interest. Then came a
pinch hitter, one who himself holds an
enviable reputation as deliverer OF
the goods when sent from the bench
as a substitute. He hit the first ball
pitched for clean single, breaking the
sequence Of successive put-outs and
spelling the no-hit record. The next
man went out and the game was over.
The pitcher was foiled of his ambition.
Immediately arose a clamor OF protest
against the action of the Washington
manager In sending up a pinch hitter
when the game was hopelessly lost and
a single hit could not conceivably
change the result. Was 1t sporting?
In base ball there is no sounder rule
than that the game is not over until
the last man is out in the last inning
Nobody knows what may happen. 1t
is the uncertainty of the game that
makes it supremely interesting. The
record of the sport contains many
cases of games pulled out of the fire
by ninth thinning rallies. Indeed, that
happened once upon time in a game
between these same two teams, Wash
ington and Detroit-not composed OF
the same players, Of course, with not
a man on either of them now playing
in their respective uniforms. The
Washington team was far in front
when the Detroit batsmen in the ninth
began a barrage of hits that netted
eleven runs before the third out was
effected. Detroit, seemingly beaten
beyond all conceivable chance, won
the game.
In obedience to the rule Of per-
sistence, it was the Washington man.
ayers duty to try to start batting
rally in the ninth, even with the score
so distressingly one-sided as thirteen to
nothing, That single hit registered by
the pinch hitter might have been fol-
lowed by another and then by others
as the Detroit pitcher, chagrined by
his failure to score the perfect game
lost his cunning. Keeping everlast-
ingly at it is always compulsory, unless
the game is to degenerate into hippo
drome. 1t is that spirit of never say
die" that makes the sport interesting
Playing for records is regarded as one
of the least commendable features oi
the game and there is nothing un-
sportsmanlike in trying to keep players
from making records. A lively scanda
was caused a number of years age
when two eminent batsmen were COM
peting for first honors for the season
and suspicion arose that in series OF
games Just before the season ended
pitchers were suspected Of handing
up" straight ones to favorite battel
and scorers were accused OF faVornt
him in crediting as hits blows that
being handled imperfectly, should hav'
| been recorded as errors.
! Had that substitute batsman In yes
terday's game struck out, or hit al
easy roller to an infelder, or a laz
fy to an outhelder, he might hav
been himself accused of collaborating
with the pitcher to give him his greatl
desired record. But he was up ther
to hit the ball safely, If he could, an
he did his duty, as ball player alWay
should.