Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-07-23
Is Baseball
Less Lively
These Days?
Ball Dead, BWAA Says;
SpaIdings Deny II
By DAMON RUNYON

ment has come up again
among my fellow members of
the Baseball Writers Associa-
ton of America and has reached
a point where the Spalding boys
feel called on for an answer.
This argument has TO do with
the rubber content of the SYM
Dol of our former national obses-
sion, TO wit: the ball. My breth-
rem contend that the ball is not
as lively as il used TO be, and in
fact speak of ii as dead" This
term is not employed in the
sense that the ball is defUnct
but that il no longer possesses
the resiliency and bounce of
other days.
The Spalding fellows, who
manufacture the ball that is
used in both the American and
National Leagues, are out with a
statement, fully illustrated, de-
nying the alleged deafness. They
state that the ball is the same
as il was a couple of years ago
and that the war has affected
the construction of the old pill
very little, if any.
We had this same beef up
when l was young squirt
peering at the pastime from be-
hind the press box screen years
ago, only ii was in slightly Diff
ferent form. The hitting become
so profuse that it was charged
that the baseball makers had
doctored up the apple.
THE popular suspicion was that
Il the ball producers had m.
jected more rubber into the ball
TO the end that players who
ordinarily could not hit the size
of their caps. or 5l2. suddenly
became veritabie Goliaths with
the hickories. The producers
said this assertion was practi-
cally libel. They gave out with
statements something like one
that has just come TO hand TO
prove their case against the
BWAA.
In view of all the clamor then
about the lively ball II seems
curious that the squawk shoaid
now be in reverse, with the dead
ball the subject of the boiler.
/ am not in position 10 pass
upon the nature of the current
ball, but / am pretty sure the
horsehide was gassed up when
George Herman Babe Ruth pop
-ularized the home rln- with the
masses years back. The custom
ers were breaking down the
gates to see Ruth and the base
ball magnAtes decided that If
one Ruth was pretty good. lot
of Ruths would be perfect.
THE only answer was 10 put
Il legs on the ball so 1t would
travel farther when nudged by
a bat That necesSitated the in
sertion OF more rubber. though
for a time the magnateS and the
baseball makers wanted US 10
believe that ii was all due 10
the advent of new generation
of baseball players all endowed
with superior batting skill.
A few privileges permitted the
pitchers also were cancelled, III
Guiding what was called, vul-
carly enough, the spit ball,
which was a delivery that called
-fef-the- aPplication--ot SallXarY
moisture TO the ball ere letting
er fly the result being pecu-
liar break, or curve, that was
difficult TO hit.
Every advantage was given
the batter IN the interests OF
the gate. and the science of the
game Of baseball began steadily
deteriorating.
1T LOST its speed and its
Il strategy. All man had TO
do when he get on the base lines
was to wait until some one
SluREeu UOiflt luli' NiliNi "
mains pretty much the general
aspect of the game today.
After Ruth, the profusion OF
home runs became something
of a bore because no man could
hit home run with the flourish
of Babe. Maybe the magnateS
are trying 10 return the game
TO first principles by denatuv-
izing the ball to some extent.
l believe the Spalding lads
when they say there is no differ
ence in the ball Of today and
two years ago, but / also give
the BWAA credit for being able
10 recognize signs OF rigor
mortis in the old capsule.
Copyright. ls+25Fsy= King Features
Distributed by International News Service
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