| Show BASEBALL ALMOST i y p IN PERFECT STATE l i Jim Says National Game Ganie Needs Woods But Little Bol Bal Bolstering 1 storing lip Up GREAT ADVANCEMENT ADV MADE MADEt t if f t 3 Ono or of thu tile s Is In IM of f Harp 1 lit lids of ol Old Timers Hatter t I 1 I nm Bin of ur tha Un U opinion that th t the tho th Ram KaMP c of ot baseball ban almost It nt a liller per perfect H I 1 vcr tilt dif difficult tiltil It very f l stage of tt excellency il fl to tu U HJ just now wIt t depart department i S ment nt of ct o tho tIu th Jamo amo needs neels bolstering and that convince mo that It Han hlll almost reached I perfection In tim the 01 ln da predominant o the thu tim the t butters batters were fi Holders l no Hi gloves CloeR and the thu th pitchers writes Jim narl j were wern not flut so BO O 4 I old tans fans You Thu ou often hear old players and f say s t that wo 0 have no such u h batters today They The aro are aron aron as ns we wo had twenty years cars ago their lives It Is n mistaken In n ver I r more mure trim IU till the batters do not tho seaMon seaMonIA IA with a it low large average hut but lit that Pies does K cs not nut necessarily mean that they the arc nrc not uoti ni good 1001 or ui O better batten The flit hatter hn of ot nil as i today must contend with scientific lie lIel held d dIng l Ing Tho TIia has hns hurt tha thi batter Im nie nathy fn In tho the tipi old lays Ia a It lIel lel would not ot go o after a It haul 1 hit ball bail with his hits hurt bar t Panes hands III nOd and ant If It I bo ho I did get gel It tho the chances WITH wert that tha t he would not hold It long longi i enough to throw I ha butter batter out at It Brat Now tile the batter Jatter has 1 c f him and makes the tle game gamu even eUn The Tho if pitcher hitcher has hils not such all an advantage as liS the 10 j nubile seems to suppose Of Ot course ho he knows th the good gool arid to do dot dol l t eolo cetro them Jut hut on the other hand tInt tho batter knows what hInd of u curves curvos they h lB and he lie waits walts until un III ho hu gets gots what he ho heI I wants WillitS In nine case ca e out of or ten the de tie deI tiet cislon In Ill this battle of wits Is a l draw drawS w S The fielders demerit make muke up the tho rent of or O the thu in interest 11 interest terest tere t Hi lii the tho game I I nm very vcr much pleased with tho the new rule ruIn which has huts been adopted allowing a batter hatler a it lilt hit when Ins he hi Ji scores neuron a u from third on a long lung thy lly thyI II t to III I ii thu thi Ih ott I That Chill Thu I rule should hay hl have been adopted ago OCo oh It gives thu tho t batter credit that thaI Is Justly juull due him t Yes Yep I 1 Ilk tile the foul roul rule rille hut but I 1 think It ItIs ItIs Itis Is In lit 11 need Iced of ot many marty mall Improvements For lor Instance I do not hot think it right Ight for foe a 11 astrike strike to bo he b called oil n ii I hatter butter because the tho Itch bull strikes his hi bat b t when lie ho Is I trying tV to get et away from rem It That should bo be called a n ball hal I 1 have hao a 1 suggestion which J would help hell the thin foul out rulo rule l und make It moro more equitable I think a alino aJl alint lint line should I l be lo drawn straight across the thu Jl i 8 foul territory at nt right angles with the tho theline Jj line lino from pitcher to catcher Then all nil r hullS hit foul between that but third and first huso should be ho called lath foul AI MI foul toul nit balls baIls hit tilt between that line lino end and tile thin i grand stand should bo lie culled cunell strikes t I think this would make It very easy for fur forI forr tho the umpires and would put pitt lut the tho entire game lImo on Oil n nil 1411 oven buls It Jt Is manifest manifestly I r i ly Jy I unfair to vail cull si II strike on a 0 butter batter when bo hu is 15 trying to get gut away the th bull ball OK OI T I often bear that argument the theli li batters of ot today not lint being up ul to thin thu th standard of ot twenty years yeats ago hut hilt tint that s Is hi all stuff The rhe urn are heller hotter now j thun thea they I hc over ever wore were Thieve There Is la no ito reason t why baseball should nut not Improve like all other othe snorts It doos doce Thu trouble with the batter bailor Is Iii simply that tho the opposition In 13 I Il l to 10 overcome There are arc two forces forceR Y ill III the thu offensive and defensive N At t present they th thie are uro about on a par end and ii tint intakeS mulo the tao gumo nearly perfect j c When they thoy tho get on a u pat par exactly then thell till the 3 will wll be bo perfect It would bo be a very ery matter mutter for formo or I mo etc tn Ui toll IoU you ou my opinion of at the relative r I ol ot the club in the tho American league this year ur With the tue exception of ot orn otone one Oil or two hll they tho are aro all 1111 strong Wash aRh N n ington still sUIi looks Jook a little weak but Jut you ou f never can cun toll tell I do not nut think Detroit will be ohIo able to win tho the pennant as liS easily cushy fl this year yeii us all they did last Jennings has hasa H a strong lot of or pi tellers and und his club Is la laI lull full ulI of ot ginger hut but that thuit Is not everything Tho Now New York club chub appears to bo ho h I stronger stranger this year ear than It has ha at any on time limn since the tho American league got a foothold In New Now York It Is IR a II good Rood sign when you ou see ace players go out outto outto outto to Hot Springs to get ready read for the thin spring season That means that thoy tho Intend to put ill up u fight light Griffiths club has hns been heeti materially mater II ull strengthened In the tho pitching box and In the held field Tint rh Athletics Athletic always play pIa about the tha settle same game They Thoy work along alone at al a regu regular regular regular lar and anti never neer make mako any Jumps either cither way vay My II club nt at Hoston loston is very or strong this lila year tind I 1 expect good result In Jn the addition of Thoney Thoner Pitcher Morgan and others thiera I am om pretty well fixed I am lun going to play plu tho the former Highlander at second base That Is II where ho tie be belongs belongs longs Now you watch him The Tho St Louis club IK is I always an taint They The should bo be Je much stronger with the aid Id of ot RUbe nube Waddell In the tho pitching box The Cleveland club chub Is always dangerous dan erous hut but ns liS a ruIn rulo does doc not lout last out the tue season Chicago will play about the sumo flume game this year ear us lust lustIn In tho th National league I J tall fall to see tee how howan any an of the clubs club are an going to 10 beat out Chicago McGraw w has Iia made his hili hi team much stronger nud ho lie Is the thin only un I one olle to toKO togo toso KO so sifter aCter the thu Cubs The nto lito also growing stronger strong but hut I 1 doubt if It they Ihy tire uro yet 1 ripe fur for a u pennant |
