A BASEBALL LAW.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17351, 16 May 1924, Page 7

A BASEBALL LAW.

FIR3T OF ALL—A SPORT. The following paragraph is from Spalifings Official Baseball Guide:— Out of the developments of the lasttwo years there is an object lesson to ail of us who are fond of our national game, whether owners, players writers or spectators. We must not lose sight of the fact that any game of outdoor participation or a title of some sort is, first of all. sport. Jf a gam© becomes strictly a business it is no longer a sport. It is no longer a competit.ipn of individual effort or a combination of individual effort. It, is a show, and a show is not aaid cannot be sport. The underlying principle of sport is that it represents the best, effort and the desire of the individual to excel. If baseball players, or golf players, or tennis players, or the players of any other game compete only to give demonstration of their skill- there is no sport attached to it. There may be a pleasure in it but it is not competition for the purpose of achieving victory. The very essence of baseball championship race is to win the pennant which represents team superiority for that season. All the home runs 4 * Babe ’ Ruth could bat in twenty years would not attract fifty persons across the street if he simply batted home runs to show that he could bat home runs. The home runs are great, but the greatness lies in the fact that

they are accomplishing something for the team with which Ruth happens to be connec‘«(l. The fact is quite as true of any other position on the diamond. Tile pitcher who would merelv toss the ball to

show that ho could throw an unusual curve would be onlv a theatrical entertainer if he saved his arm for purposes of display anH dirl not e ; ve it freelv f or the good of the nine —-'*l3 be was connected.