Show I II I Newton C C. Gillam an attorney from Kansas City Mo has suggested to Judge LandIs baseball commissioner that the batsmen be given the right to steal first base If he elects to o do o so o. o Gillam contends that such a right would tend to speed up the game Would add addan addan addan an additional element 01 oV uncertainty that Is now lacking and would tend to make the players keep their heads up The Idea Is not a new one Three or four years ago Gillam wrote me a letter explaining his suggestion and asking me to use it as the basis for one of ot my baseball base base- ball bail stories I did so and in detail offered of of- ferd reasons why such a change would not be advisable I agree with Gillam Giliam that the fans like Ilka and want more base running That fea tea ture tura of the game has suffered a great deal In the last three or four years due largely large I to the Increased hitting that has crept Into the sport However I cannot agree with Gillam that it would be advisable to Increase base running through the medium of permitting permitting permitting per per- the batter to steal first base I fear that such a change would tend to upset the basic principles of the game The Tha Infielders would surely be topsy topsy- realizing that at any time during the progress of some play on en the base lines the batter might dash madly for first base S S S SIt It would Indeed be difficult to enact any legislation that would satisfactorily cover plays that would give he batsman the right to steal first At present when the catcher has a passed ball on a third strike or the pitcher pitch I er make a wild pitch on a third strike that eludes the catcher the batsman technically makes an effort to steal first base That Is he tries to steal first base before the throw of the catcher reaches that bag Under Gillams Gillam's suggestion It would be necessary to work out ome some system under which the batsman would have the right to steal first base For Instance regardless of the count of balls or strikes If the catcher had a passed ball and the batsman believed that he could dash from the plate to first before the catcher could recover the ball bail balland balland and arid throw him out he would have the right to so advance at his peril Likewise If it the Infield Is engaged In a up run-up between first and second or second second second sec sec- ond and third or third and home and the batsman elects to take the infield off Its guard and try to reach first base he would have such a rg right t. t Also If while the batsman Is In his box ready to hit the ball an overthrow of some base Is made In an effort to retire a runner the batsman shall have the right to steal first t base as If able to do so These are a few of the situations that might be evolved to give the batsman certain rights as to when he shall be permitted permitted permitted per per- to steal fist first base Giving the batsman the right to steal stear first base would add two things to base base- ball bail It would naturally cause the players to to bo more wideawake up on their toes as they would u constantly s be forced to keep r. r rt their eye on the batter It would also add much to the uncertainty of the game The scores of the game would be much larger also there would be more base running S S S However it Is my opinion that the possible possible possible pos pos- sible harm that would result would far tar overbalance any good if it Giliam's suggestion tion was adopted It would make malte baseball baseball baseball base base- ball too much of a miss hit-and-miss affair rather than the well-balanced well game It Is The suggestion Is far too drastic |