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Show 1 1 BALLPLAYERS STUDY EVERYTHING BUT THE RULES Detroit April 20 Major league bail players study every angle of the game but one the rules It Is strange that In the greatest game in the world Hie one neglect pel thing is that which is first learned in almost every other sport. And yet we do not recollect of having hav-ing ever heard of a club In the major ma-jor leagues that compelled its players to have a knowledge of the basebull playing rules It is highly improbable that on-plaver on-plaver in the high circle of baseball is thoroughly acquainted with the rules Many upsets have been caused by ignorance of playing rulo9 Not a si ason goes by but that some Impor taht turn in the team's race Is featured featur-ed by Ignorance of a certain rule of the game on the part of one or more players Turn to :he history of the season of 1908 and you will find that the New York Ciants lost the National league pennant because a number of mem bers. and one. Fred Merkle. in panic Dlar, were not acquainted with a certain cer-tain important and not uncommon rule of the game The fact that a member of the Chicago Cuba knew the rule of which the Giants were Ignorant Ig-norant gave Chance's men the National Na-tional league flag. Brought Fame to Evers. Johnny Evers gained everlasting fame because he won a pennant slm ply because he knew the ruloB thor oughly and took advantage of that knowledge. Fr d Merkle became a persecuted victim of ignorance of playing rules It would seem that the fact that o major league pennant was decided by knowledge of the rules should serve a 6 sufficient reason why every major league player should devote part of his time to becoming fully acquainted with them P.ut the Merkle Incident, although remembered and often re ferred to at this day. failed to serve a8 a lesson There is as much ignoi ance as ever. In the last game the Tigers played at Montgomery, Ala , on their exhlbl ' Hon tnp. there was a remarkable mil play. It happened that the chlel u Lot j was Oscar Slanage. a player who Is i onceded to be the brainiest backstop In the American league Although B tan age committed the binnder there waa no one called the catchers atton- tion to the mistake, nor did any one try to prevent it. The play happened in Montgomery's half ot the first inning. One man lb out and a runner on first Two stiik s 1 had been called on the batter, when the pitcher. Troy, served a low cugve hall. The ball struck the ground in back of the plate and bounded through Stanage'S legs The batter, however, swung and missed and SUinage ran :ilier the ball. Was Out Automatically. Now section six of rule 51 re.nl "A batsman Is out if while firt base be occupied by a base runner the third strike be called on him by th Umpire, unless two men are already out " But Stanage, recovering the ball, ma ile a hurried throw toward first The ball passed four feel outside the bag Gainer tried to block it but failed fail-ed One runner reached third and the other got to second Both scored a PeW moments later It happened that the same play came up at Mobile three days before The Mobile catcher missed a third strike with first base occupied and none out The batter started for first and the runner on first started for second The catcher recovered the ball and wns about to throw when a voice from the outfield shrieked Hold the ball hold the ball!' He held it. In two games with the same situa tion arising twice but one man knew of the rule When the same play came up a few days later Montgomery did not know it and Detroit did not remember It. although the Tigers probably did not realise why the catcher in Mobile was cautioned nol to make the throw WHITE SOX RELEASE SMITH , Chicago, April 89. Pitcher "Bob" i Smith was released last niht by the I Chicago Americans to the Minneapolis American Association team He was purchased by Chicago from Boise Ida. Try Budwelser, Anheueer Bush special brew Five cents a glass on draught at the Diamond Bar, 240 25th Street. |