Show UMPIRE HOLLAND SEEKS INFORMATION Batter Hits Bits Ball JaIl Over the Fence Pence Into River Eiver but Fails Pails to Touch First Base Bac BacIs Is It a Home Run Runs Is a ball knocked over oer the fence a asure asure asure sure home run or it That knot knotty knotty knotty ty problem was heaped upon the th shoulders shoulders ders of Umpire Jim Holland in the Virginia league last season and Jim know yet what the correct answer is Hes going to write to Ban Johnson and Harry Pul Pulliam liam for a diagram I 1 was as working In a game at harle roi said Holland who will be in the theO theO O 0 and P league this year You know the right field fence is the legal distance and more from the home plate and Just beyond the fence there is a river On O this particular occasion slon Union Uniontown Uniontown town had two men on bases and needed two runs runs to tic tie and three to win when a big fellow by the name of Jenkins came to bat He swung on a couple and missed them but on the third at attempt attempt attempt tempt met a straight ball baU squarely and out it sailed over right field fence and into the river rier Now Jenkins was w s a joke on the bases He lie ran like an n ice fee wagon only more snore so Any time he got as far as second base ba e the fans marveled and the only times he reached third were when he hit one out of or the lot Well particular hit cleared the fence high and andI I 1 suppose the ball landed in the river and floated away Well ceIl Jenkins started for first with a fair degree of speed saw where the ball baU was was going and slowed up He had b d difficulty difficulty difficulty culty in making the turn and missed the bag by about two feet I 1 saw sew him cut it and so did the opposing players They called my attention to the omis omission omission sion slon I followed Jenkins all the way around and saw him score According to the rules of baseball if the ball baC ba was returned to first base bue before he could run back there in reverse order he was out But the ball baU was floating down that river outside right field fence and so 10 far as I know It Is still floating If there any ball around I dont see how I could call the man out outI If I I had Jenkins might now nov be the Merkle of ot the Vir Virginia Virginia Virginia ginia I 1 put it bp tip to the league president president president dent but he know Guess I 1 will consult Ban Johnson and Harry Pul Pulliam Pulliam liam They may have hac trouble deciding it It as there are no rivers in the major leagues But say It would be awful hard hardluck hardluck hardluck luck it to drive drle a It ball over oer the fence and not get credit cr even een for tor a single |