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The 1922 Baseball Season.

Changes Afoot in Play and Pay.

Baseball will be begun in England and Wales on Monday next, with a full programme of matches in the Baseball League. Since last season the Baseball Association, in its role governing body of the British game, have taken very strong action with the fixed determination of putting down foul play. They issued a statement condemning in very plain terms the infringement of the laws of the game in the final week of the season, which saw no fewer than three matches in which there was engaged what might be called “headhunting”, the deliberate practice of pitching towards the heads of opposing batsmen in such a way as to intimidate and gain unfair advantage. It happened in each of the three divisions, once in Sunderland, again in Notts, and twice in a match betwixt Gillingham and Newport County, all of which led to fisticuffs among all teams involved. There has been a lack of consistent response among the umpires of the games—in only one of the Gillingham-Newport County instances was a pitcher retired for his action, which in return earned the home plate official a sock to the nose.

The heads of batsmen are unprotected during at bats, and the tragedy of the death of Ray Chapman of the Cleveland Indians in America at the hands of pitcher Carl Mays two years ago is still fresh in the memories of baseballers the world over, thus prompting the League to address the incidents that occurred here in Britain. Umpires have been instructed forthwith to take immediate action in the case of attempts to deliberately injure batsmen in this way, and it is certain they will carry out the resolutions so passed. Umpires are to report the necessity of cautioning a pitcher, as well as their action in sending a man off the field as they see fit. When a pitcher is suspended for such action, his club may be called upon to pay into their benevolent fund the man’s wages during the term of his sentence. A club whose member causes an injury to an opponent may have to pay all the expenses arising out of such injury. This is a practical way of making management of a club responsible for the sporting behaviour of their team. It is a plan urged in some quarters long ago, but only brought into force now as the doings of last September have degraded the game in the eyes of the public.

Much has been made about the attempt of clubs and the League to force its players to submit to a reduction in wages, which failed in spectacular fashion as the public rallied behind the players to force the clubs to back down. Admission prices and attendance to matches have been steadily rising since the return to play after the war, and the public was well aware that if the players were not sharing in the increased bounty, all additional revenues will accrue to the pockets of the chairmen and their boards, and it was made clear through letters to newspapers that this was roundly seen as quite unfair. Wages will remain as they have in prior years, and in fact, with the requirement of dedicated spring practice, the extension of season pay by six weeks for First Division players has also been effected immediately.

On the pitch itself, so much has been said about the prospects of clubs since practice games began some weeks ago that, as usual, it would seem that every team will have a prosperous season. In this respect, it is most satisfactory to find that most of the leading clubs will be represented by almost all their old players, and that recruits will have to work their way into the sides on their merits in the reserve teams as vacancies occur. Walsall is particularly fortunate in not only having had to make very few changes, but that they are widely regarded as having the finest corps of young reserves waiting in the wings as well. They surprised all by falling short of the Cup series in 1921, but Swifts have once again returned to the role of heavy favourites for the Championship, and for the Cup. Current champions and Cup holder Manchester United seem weakened versus last year, as observed during spring games, and Crewe Alexandra fared no better in Portugal. Keep eyes on other clubs, then, to provide the challenge to Walsall: Luton Town, Oldham Athletic, Nottingham Forest, Blackburn Rovers, Chesterfield, and Bolton Wanderers among them. Blackburn is especially fortunate to have stripped starter Connie Broadhurst from Hull City in exchange for several adolescent reserves this past winter, while Luton won the bid to secure the services of non-League star pitcher Freddy Atkinson.

The fight for promotion in Second Division should be strongest amongst these clubs: Blackpool; West Bromwich Albion; Coventry City; Burnley; Clapton Orient; Exeter City. The Third Division is still far too new and its clubs unknown to accurately handicap their chances for a rise up, but the strongest clubs are adjudged to be Accrington Stanley; Wolverhampton Wanderers; Darlington; Nelson; Swansea Town; Watford; Aberdare; Gillingham; Brentford; and Birmingham.