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Show HAS THE BASEBALL GAME IMPROVED? The question of whether baseball 'has Improved In recent yeais is one ' which is often dibputed by some of (the veteran ball plncrs Johnny Kv- ers related an incident the other day 'In answer to tne question whether the game has made anj forward-stepj which is well worth telling, jr "I don't know of any better Illustration Illus-tration than the cr.Se of John M. Ward, who was one pf the greatest , players or the old dars, and who was (resident of thewBoston Nationals for a Tew monihs'ihia yar. if nie gamc 'had not advanced Mr. Va,rd should' I'ave Known as much as an one," sas Eers "One day when Hub Perdue was pitching for Eoston against the Cubs.. Kub had two strikes and no balls on SchccV.ard. Hub put tho next one over tho plato and Scheckard landed on It lor a hit and drove in tho runs that won the gime. 'After the came Mr. Ward went to i the dressing room and gave Perdue a tearing out. He then notified the Eoston pitchers that the next time a pitcher had two strikes and no balls on the batsman and then put the ball over the plate the twirler would be fined $25. 'The plajers told us about the new rule. We had three more games in that series with the Boston team. Ecr time one of us got two strikes I and no balls we knew that the pitch- i cr didn't dare get tho next ball near the plate So wo let that cna go past end took a lusty swing at tae pitched ball that followed Say, we Lad u regular picnic I gcss that is a little of what might, be called 'inside" ! baseball We had the Information l straight from the inside and played U for all It was worth." i I |