Clipping:Talk of moving the pitcher back five feet; a late proposal to allow overrruning at second

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Date Friday, August 31, 1888
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...Manager Harry Wright of the Philadelphia Club is now strongly advocating putting the pitcher back five feet. In a conversation this week in Philadelphia Mr. Wright said something must be done for the batsman. “It would be out of the question to go back to the straight arm pitching, as the curve ball is the most scientific part of the game. It won’t do to make the pitchers keep both feet on the ground, as that is apt to strain a man. Putting the pitcher’s box five feet back, making it fifty-five feet instead of fifty, as it now is, I think, will bring about the desired result.

“In cricket the bowler is twenty-to yards from the batter and yet the ball comes to the player plenty fast enough. I had Pitcher Casey out on the grounds the other day and had him try the new distance, and I am satisfied that it is just what we want. A batsman has a chance to see the ball and will not get frightened when one of these strong young men get into the box and try to knock a batter’s head off.”

John Ward of the New Yorks and several other well-known players favor placing the pitcher back five feet.

At Willard’s Hotel this morning, Kelly, the umpire, Clarkson and Radbourn sat in one group. I thought I would feel them on the new point.

“What do you think of putting the pitcher back five feet more?” I asked Umpire Kelly.

“A good thing,” said he, right away. “I think it would make more batting, and when you get batting you are bound to see fielding and base running.”“

Radbourn was dead against the idea and said: “Why, where did you ever see ball games as interesting as the ones that Boston and Providence put up a few years ago? It’s a mistake to think that people want large scores; they want to see close games, and the only way to see them is to have small scores. Why, one run was generally enough to win one of those games, and nothing will wake up a crowd like seeing two or three men struck out with a man on third base. If the change is made it will help two or three clubs who are composed of heavy hitters. I think it would be better for the game if they would put the pitcher back to his old distance of forty-five feet.”

John Clarkson didn’t fully agree with Rad. John said: “Something must be done to favor the batsman, as the pitcher under the present rule of high and low balls had the best of it.”

“What effect will the extra distance have on the curves?”

“Considerable,” said Rad; “the curve won’t amount to anything. A ball commences to curve about forty-two feet away from the pitcher’s box and would be useless at the proposed distance.”

John Kelly and Clarkson thought a pitcher could learn to control the curve and make it just as effective as ever, but Rad was positive it could not be done. Make Kelly joined the party and was asked his opinion. “A good move,” said he. “Something must be done to head off these young fellows who get in the box and try to knock one’s head off.”

Manager Morrill thinks well of the new rule. He says it will give the batter more time to judge the ball.

“What effect will it have on base running?” he was asked.

“Well,” re plied,” the pitcher will be in a better position to see the runner at first, and will hold him closer to the base. A little more base running would be a good thing for the game. I find that all the players outside the pitchers are in for the new move. Harry Wright is also advocating another move in the right direction, and that is to allow a player to run second just the same as first. There are more hurt in sliding to second than in any other way. It also makes it hard for the umpire to decide whether or not a runner is out when he goes head first into the dirt. Many a good player has been laid up in that way.

“It would look more manly,” said Mr. Wright, “to see men keep on their feet.”

There is little doubt but that these new ideas will be adopted. St., quoting the Boston Globe

Source St. Louis Post-Dispatch
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Submitted by Richard Hershberger
Origin Initial Hershberger Clippings

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