Evening star., 1938-12-15
Nat Boss 0kayS
Night Contests
Only on Tour
indians Get Chapman
In Bosox DeuI-BuII
Is Made Uniform
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

ASSOClateQ FIeSS Sports writer.
NEW YORK, Dec. 15.-Having
adopted uniform ball, finally ad-
mitted the inevitability of night
baseball and accomplished some
scattered trades, the big league
magnates wind up their midwin-
ter gabfest today in a joint ap-
pearance before Commissioner Ken
esaw Mountain Lands.
For the past two days the "OId
Jedge" has been in seclusion here,
practicing his famous frown in
preparation for today's session,
when he will ask the boys to get
down to cases and tell him If they
actually have accomplished any,
thing, no fooling.
Assuming that deals were the de-
sign of many of the attendants at
this weeks confab, the American
League saved itself from a virtual
shutout last night in midnight
maneuver which sent Ben Chap
man, Boston's hard-hitting out
fielder, to Cleveland for Pitcher
Dennis Galehouse and Rookie In
fielder Tommy Irwin.
No cash was involved.
Trade Hastily Concocted.
The exchange was a hasty con-
coction by which the Red Sox hope
to reinforce their pitching staff and
the Indians to solve the wobbly
outfield problem with a walloping
outflelder.
Chapman hit $40 last season, suf-
ficient to rank him among the
leaders, even in the hard-hitting
American League. But he will be
30 years old come Christmas Day
and has spent nine years in the
big show.
GalehouSe came up to Cleveland
five years ago as promising right
handler. He still is promising. Last
year he won and lost 8 in 36
starts, which leaves him safe for
the Red Sox if he has a payoff in
his system.
Beyond this transaction, the own
ers can't show Lands, the old dicta-
tor OF the dugouts, much they have
done toward shaving the embarrass-
ing superiority of the New York
Yankees. Although not admitting
as much, this must have been an aim
OF the other owners.
Griffith Rule Aids Hurlers.
Yet at this semi-annual account
ing, about all they have done is COM
promise on uniform ball. This will
be viewed as an effort to stem the
Yankees power, because the raised
seams were found last season to
give the National League pitchers
better control and to lend wider
sweep to their curves. However.
demonstrations have proved the ball
travels just as far as the old lively
sphere when hit solidly.
Owner Clark Griffith of Washing
ton apparently has showed through
an amendment to the rules that will
help some of the pitchers. 1t pro-
vldes that the hurler need have only
one foot on the rubber at the start
OF his wind-up. The other foot (the
left one In the case of right-hand
hurler) may be we'll back. This gives
the pitcher a longer sweep with his
free leg, as Griff, an old pitcher
himself, demonstrated.
Night baseball broke down the
nnal barrier when the American
League granted Cleveland and Phila-
oelphla permission to play seven
nocturnal games each next season.
Yanks Make Nirht Dates
The National League accepted the
nights two years ago, and it had to
come to the American. Though
they haven't said so officially. the
Yankees have indicated willingness
TO play one night game each in
Cleveland and Philadelphia this
season. Such game in the big
Municipal Stadium at Cleveland
might set a new attendance record
Tor single contest.
II the Rules Committee agrees to-
day, the present inf1eld fly rule will
be extended to cover outfield flies
In certain circumstances. Smart out
nelders have got in the habit of
dropping balls purposely when men
are on base and then pegging in
quickly for a double play. Each
league has had seven or eight such
plays q season. Under the new
rule, the umpire simply will yell
"out" on short flies, and the runners
automatically will hold their bases.
Cincinnati, home of the first pro-
fessional ball club, has bid for both
the minor and major league meet
ings next year, which will be cele-
brated as the centennial of the
game. Chances are that Cincinnati