Clipping:RBIs 2

From Protoball
Jump to navigation Jump to search
19C Clippings
Scroll.png


Add a Clipping
Date Sunday, October 3, 1880
Text

The Tribune has preserved a careful record throughout the season of the runs batted home by each player of the Chicago team, and presents it below as an interesting feature. In this record account has been taken of all the runs resulting from each player's hit, though not from his time at bat, as it would be manifestly unfair to credit the man at bat with results accomplished before he has completed his time at bat, such as runs resulting from passed balls, wild pitches, wild throws to bases, and other errors of the kind. But the batsman is credited with all runs resulting after he has made a fair hit, no matter what errors may then be made. For example, with three men on bases,if a fly ball hit to the outfield is muffed and four runs come in, the player who hit the ball is credited with having batted in four runs. Any other method would not be correct, as the batsman who hits a ball so as to create an error in the field by which his side profits in the way of runs is entitled to credit for producing that result. The score, moreover, shows in some measure who are the men who bat best with men on bases—a very important thing to ascertain in its bearing upon the question of batting strength. Chicago Tribune October 3, 1880

[from a letter to the editor signed “Fair Play”] “I fail to see in what respect the aforesaid table would enhance the record of any player or entitle him to credit, when it depends entirely on the ability of those preceding him to get on the bases; and if those who immediately precede him are the best batters, then it is more a question of position than of skill. The natural inference would be, and the table verifies it, that those who bat best with men on the bases are those who immediately follow the best batters, provided they are good batters.”

The point made by “Fair Play” as to the merit of the preceding hits which made it possible subsequently to bat in runs was so obvious that it was not thought necessary to allude to it in the remarks accompanying the table showing the number of runs batted home by each player of the Chicago team. … It is not claimed that the figures published do more than in a general way to indicate the characteristics and peculiarities of the different batsmen in the matter of making safe hits when they will do the most good; and we are convinced from careful observation that... the figures do furnish at least a hint in this direction. Chicago Tribune October 4, 1880

Source Chicago Tribune
Comment Edit with form to add a comment
Query Edit with form to add a query
Submitted by Richard Hershberger
Origin Initial Hershberger Clippings

Comments

<comments voting="Plus" />