Base-ball: How to Become a Player by J.M. Ward (1888)
By Patrick Mondout
April 10, 2008
This month's BaseballChronology
bonus Book of the Month is Base-Ball:
How to Become a Player by John Montgomery Ward, published in 1888. You
are on web page 2 of 2. Click here to go back to the
first page.
Second base is the prettiest position to play of the entire in-field.
In the number of chances offered it is next to first base, and in the
character of the work to be done and the opportunities for brilliant play
and the exercise of judgment, it is unsurpassed. It is true the second
baseman has more territory to look after than any other in- fielder, but
on account of the long distance he plays from the batter he has more time
in which to cover it. The last moment allowed a fielder to get in the way
of a ball is worth the first two, because one will be consumed in getting
under headway. Then, too, the distance of his throw to first is generally
short, and this allows him to fumble a hit and still get the ball there in
time. So that while much of his work is of a difficult kind, he is more
than compensated by certain other advantages, and, so far as the
percentage of chances accepted is concerned, he generally leads every one
except the first baseman.
The position should have a man of at least average physical
proportions. There are in every game a number of throws to second from all
points of the field, and with a small man there many of them would be
"wild," on account of his lack of height and reach; moreover, a
larger man offers a better mark to throw at, and the liability to throw
wildly is decreased because of the increased confidence on the part of the
throwers. Then, too, a small man is not able to stand the continual
collisions with base-runners, and as a number of his plays are attempts to
retire runners from first, he grows timid after awhile and allows many
clever sliders to get away from him.
On the other hand, the position requires a very active player, and for
this reason, too large a man would not be desirable on account of the
large field he has to cover, he must possess the ability to run fast and
to start and stop quickly; he must be able to stoop and recover himself
while still running, and be able to throw a ball from any position. Not
all his throws are of the short order; sometimes he is expected to cut off
a runner at third or return the ball to the catcher for the same purpose,
and in these cases speed and accuracy are of the utmost importance.
Because of the number and variety of plays that fall to his lot, he
must be a man of some intelligence. With runners on the bases, the
situations of a game change like the pictures in a kaleidoscope, so that
there is not always time to consider what is the best play to make; there
are times when he must decide with a wit so quick that it amounts almost
to instinct, for the loss of a fraction of a second may be the loss of the
opportunity, and that one play mean ultimate defeat.
The exact spot to play, in order best to cover the position, will be
determined by the direction in which the batter is likely to hit, by his
fleetness, and by the situation of the game. If there are no runners on
the bases the consideration of the batter will alone determine; if he is a
right-field hitter the second baseman will play more toward the first
baseman, the entire in-field moving around correspondingly; and if he is a
left-field hitter he will play toward second and back of the base, in
either case playing back of the base line from fifteen to fifty feet,
depending upon whether the batter is a very fleet or slow runner. If there
are runners on the bases this fact will have to be taken into
consideration; for example, with a runner on second the baseman must play
near enough to "hold" the runner on the base and not give him so
much ground that he can steal third; or if there is a runner on first and
the baseman is himself going to cover the base in case of a steal, he must
be near enough to get there in time to receive the catcher's throw. On the
other hand, he must not play too close or he leaves too much open space
between himself and the first baseman; and, though playing far enough
away, he should not start for the base until he sees that the batter has
not hit. It is not necessary that he be at the base waiting for the throw,
but only that he make sure to meet it there. Pfeffer, of Chicago, plays
this point better than any one, I think, and in all respects in handling a
thrown ball, he is unexcelled.
To catch a runner attempting to steal from first, most second basemen
prefer to receive the ball a few feet to the side of the base nearest
first and in front of the line. The first is all right because it allows
the runner to be touched before getting too close to the base and avoids
close decisions; but I question the policy of the baseman being in front
of the line in every instance. From this position it is extremely
difficult to touch a runner who throws himself entirely out and back of
the line, reaching for the base only with his hand. With a runner who is
known to slide that way, I believe the baseman should stand back of the
line; it demoralizes the runner when he looks up and finds the baseman in
the path where he had expected to slide, and it forces him to go into the
base in a way different from what he had intended and from that to which
he is accustomed. The veteran Bob Ferguson always stood back of the line,
and more than once made shipwreck of my hopes when I might have evaded him
if he had given me a chance to slide. The time taken in turning around and
reaching for the runner is often just enough to lose the play, whereas,
standing back of the line, this time is saved, and, in addition, the
baseman has the play and the runner's movements in front of him.
With a runner on third and not more than one out, the batter may try to
hit a ground ball to the in-field, sacrificing himself but allowing the
runner from third to score. To prevent this the in-fielders will generally
play nearer the bat, so as to return the ball to the catcher in time to
cut off the runner, and how close they must play will depend, of course,
upon the fleetness of the runner. Even then the ball may be hit so slowly
or fielded in such a way as to make the play at the plate impossible, in
which case the fielder will try to retire the batter at first.
With runners on first and third the one on first will often try to
steal second, and if the catcher throws down to catch him, the one on
third goes for home. To meet this play on the part of the runners is by no
means easy, but it can nevertheless be done. If the one run will not
affect the general result of the game, it may be well to pay no attention
to the runner from third and try only to put out the one from first, thus
clearing the bases. But if it is necessary to prevent the run scoring, the
second baseman must be prepared to return the ball to the catcher in case
the runner starts for home. In order to gain as much time as possible, he
should take as position to receive the catcher's throw ten feet inside of
the base-line; keeping one eye on the ball and the other on the runner at
third, if he sees the runner start for home, he must meet the throw as
quickly as possible and return the ball to the catcher; if the runner does
not start, the baseman should step quickly backward so that by the time
the ball reaches him he will be near enough to the base-line to touch the
runner from first. The play is a difficult one and requires more than the
ordinary amount of skill and practice. There is another and, I think,
better way of making this play, which will be spoken of under "The
Short-stop," because that player is principally interested.
Before the enactment of the rule confining the coachers to a limited
space the coacher at third base sometimes played a sharp trick on the
second baseman. When the catcher threw the ball, the coacher started down
the base-line toward home, and the sec-mid baseman, seeing only
imperfectly, mistook him for the runner and returned the ball quickly to
the catcher. The result was that the runner from first trotted safely to
second, the runner at third remained there, and everybody laughed except
the second baseman.
In fielding ground-hits the second baseman, because of his being so far
removed from the bat, has a better chance to "judge" a hit. He
is able either to advance or recede a step or more to meet the ball on a
high bound; and on account of the short throw to first he may take more
liberties with such a hit; it is not absolutely necessary that he field
every ball cleanly, because he may fumble a hit and still make his play.
In general, however, he should meet a hit as quickly as possible, so that
if fumbled he may have the greatest amount of time to recover and throw.
He should also, if possible, get squarely in front of every hit, thus
making his feet, legs, and body assist in stopping the ball in case it
eludes his hands. When not possible to get directly in front of the ball
he must still try to stop it with both hands or with one, for he may then
recover it in time to make the play.
Having secured the ball, he should wait only long enough to steady
himself before throwing. He should not hold the ball a moment longer than
is necessary. In some cases he has not time to straighten up before
throwing, but must snap the ball underhand; and where he gets the hit near
enough to the base he should not throw at all, but pitch the ball to the
baseman; this makes the play much safer. When there is a runner on first
and the ball is hit to the second baseman, he tries for a double play, and
there are four ways in which it may be made. First, if he gets the ball
before the runner from first reaches him he may touch the runner and then
throw to first base before the batter gets there. Second, if the runner
from first stops so that he can't be touched, the baseman drives him back
toward first as far as possible and throws there in time to put out the
batter; the other runner, being then caught between the bases, is run
down, completing the double. Third, if the hit is near enough to the base
he may touch second and then throw to first to head off the batter. And,
fourth, he may first pass the ball to the short-stop, who has covered
second, and the latter throws to first in time to put out the batter. In
nine cases out of ten the last is the safest play; it makes sure of the
runner to second and is more likely to catch the batter, because the
short-stop is in better shape to throw to first than the baseman would be
if he attempted to make the play unassisted.
The second baseman should take not only all fly hits in his own
territory, but also all falling back of the first baseman, and back of the
short-stop toward center field. In all these cases he gets a better view
of the ball than either of the other players named, because, instead of
running backward, as they would be obliged to do, he runs to the side, and
the catch is thus easier for him. If the hit is one which can be reached
by an out-fielder, and the latter calls that he will take it, the second
baseman will, of course, give way, because the fielder has the ball in
front of him, in a better position even than the baseman.
With a runner on second he must be on the lookout for the catcher's
signal to the pitcher to throw to second, and on seeing this he must start
at once for the base to receive the pitcher's throw. He must also watch
for the catcher's sign to the second baseman notifying him of an intention
to throw, and while the ball is passing from the pitcher to the catcher,
get to the base to receive the throw.
He should "back up" throws to the first baseman whenever
possible, leaving his own base to be covered by the short-stop. He should
assist the right and center fielders in the return of long hits, running
well out into the field to receive the out-fielder's throw. When plays
arise other than those here mentioned his judgment must tell him what to
do, and, without neglecting his own position, he must not hesitate to take
any part to advance his team's interests.
In the early days of the game, when the pitching was slower and
"fair- foul" hits were allowed, the third base position was the
busiest and most difficult to play of the in-field. But the changes in the
rules, which did away with "fair-foul" hitting, and those which
introduced the present pace in pitching, have taken away much of the third
baseman's importance. Most of the in-field hitting now is toward
short-stop and second base, and the best of third basemen are not able to
average over three or four chances to a game. But, though the amount of
his work has been diminished, it still retains its difficult nature. The
length of the throw to first, and the short time given him in which to
make it, occasion many wild throws, and if he fumbles the ball at all, the
opportunity is lost. Fleet runners who hit left-handed, and others who
merely "bunt" the ball, can be caught only by the quickest and
cleanest work; so that, everything considered, it is not surprising to
find the third baseman generally at the foot of the in-field averages.
A third baseman, like a second baseman, should be a man of at least
average size, and Denny, who is by long odds the best in the profession,
is a large man. He will have a longer reach for both thrown and batted
balls, he will be a better mark to throw at, and, by reason of his
superior weight, he will have more confidence in the face of reckless
base-running. But not every player of proper size who can stop a ball and
throw it accurately to first is capable of becoming a good third baseman.
The New York team of 1887 demonstrated the odd fact that a man who seemed
entirely unable to play second base, could yet play third in good style,
while another who was but an average third baseman could take care of
second equal to any one. The explanation probably lies in the fact that
the positions require men of different temperaments. At second base a
player of nervous tendency grows anxious waiting for the ball to come, and
by the time it reaches him is unable to get it in his hands, while at
third base, where the action is much quicker, such a man is perfectly at
home, because he is not given time to become nervous. The same curious
fact is seen when an infielder is changed to an out- field position; he
finds it impossible, at first, to stop ground-hits, because they seem
never to be going to reach him, and he is completely "rattled"
by the long wait. For the same reason the most difficult hits which an
infielder has to handle are the slow, easy, bounding balls that under
ordinary circumstances a child could stop.
The proper place for a third baseman to play must be governed by the
nature of the case. For an ordinary right-hand batter, likely to hit in
any direction, and no one on the bases, he should play from fifteen to
twenty feet toward second and several feet back of the base line. For a
very fast runner he should move nearer the batter, and, if there is danger
of a "bunt," he may even have to play well inside the diamond,
though, as before said, all such hits should be attended to by the
pitcher. For a batter who hits along the foul-line, he will play nearer
his base, and for one who invariably hits toward right-field, he will move
around toward second base, going, in some instances, even as far as the
short-stop's regular position. For left-hand hitters he will generally
have to play nearer the bat, because these players always get to first
quicker than right-hand batters. They are five or six feet nearer first
base, and by the swing of the bat they get a much quicker start. If there
is a runner on third and not more than one out, he will have to play near
the base before the ball is pitched, the object being to give the runner
as little start as possible, so that he cannot score on a sacrifice hit.
When the ball is pitched the baseman runs off to his proper position,
unless, of course, he has received a signal from the catcher to expect a
throw.
The third baseman should go after not only all hits coming within his
position proper, but also all slow hits toward short-stop, for the latter
is sometimes unable to field such hits in time to make the putout, on
account of the longer distance he plays from the home base. The baseman
should, however, avoid useless interference with the short- stop, and he
should not put down one hand or otherwise balk that player on a hit
plainly within the latter's reach.
Having stopped a batted ball, he should throw it as quickly as possible
after having regained his balance, so that if the aim be slightly
inaccurate the first baseman may have time to leave the base and return.
If there is a runner on first, the baseman's throw will be to second; this
will, at least, cut off the runner from first, and possibly a double play
may be made, if the ball can be sent to first ahead of the striker. If
there are runners on both first and second at the time of the hit, he may
either throw to second for the double play as before, taking the chance of
catching two men, or he may make sure of one man by simply touching the
third base, forcing out the runner from second. Finally, there may be a
runner on third and not more than one out, in which case, if the runner on
third starts home, he will usually try to cut him off by a throw to the
catcher, though possibly he may still deem it best to throw to some other
base. In any case, what is the best play he must determine for himself,
and he will expedite his decision by having a thorough understanding of
the situation before the play arises.
The third baseman should receive a signal from the catcher when the
latter intends throwing to him to catch a runner "napping." The
runner always takes considerable ground in order to score on a slow hit to
the in-field, or on a short passed ball. By a signal, received before the
pitcher delivers the ball, the baseman knows that the catcher will throw,
and during the delivery he gets to the base to receive it. And here,
again, the best base runners are oftenest caught because they take the
most ground. If the batter hits at the ball the runner takes an extra
start, and a quick throw to the base will very often catch him before he
can get back. It should, therefore, be understood that, in every case when
the batter strikes at the ball and misses it, the catcher will throw to
third, whether or not he has previously given the signal. In touching a
runner the baseman must not run away from him; he must expect to get
spiked occasionally, for, if he is thinking more of his own safety than of
making the put-out, he will lose many plays by allowing runners to slide
under or around him.
Originally, it is said, the short-stop's chief function was as tender
to the pitcher, though this soon became an unimportant feature of his
work. The possibilities of the position as a factor in field play were
early developed; such fielders as George Wright and Dick Pearce soon
showed that it could be made one of the most important of the in-field.
But the same legislation which almost crowded the third baseman out of the
game, affected materially the short-stop's work, and it is only within the
past couple of years that he has regained his former prominent place.
During 1887 there was more hitting to short than to any other in-field
position; though the second baseman averaged more "total
chances," on account of a greater number of "put-outs," the
"assists" were in favor of the short-stop.
The conception of the position has also undergone some changes, and
when, therefore, I say that the position is now played more effectively
than ever, it is not to assert that the players of the present are better
than those of the past, but simply that these changes have been in the
line of improvement, that the short-stop now makes plays never thought of
in former years—in short, that the development of the position has kept
pace with the rest of the game.
In the early days short-stop was played on the base line from second to
third, or even several feet inside the diamond; now it is played from ten
to twenty and sometimes thirty feet back of the line. The result is a vast
increase in the amount of territory covered; hits are now fielded on
either side which once were easily safe; short flies to the outfield,
which formerly fell between the in and outfielders, are now, many of them,
caught; the shortstop backs up the second and third bases, helps
"hold" a runner on second, and, on a throw from pitcher or
catcher, the second base is covered by him almost as often as by the
baseman himself. Playing so much further from the batter, he will make
inure errors; he can seldom fumble a hit and still make the play; his
throw to first is longer, and must therefore be swifter and more accurate;
but for these disadvantages to himself he is repaid many fold by an
increased usefulness to his team. All these features together make the
position very different from what it was some years ago, and in point of
effectiveness it has undoubtedly been improved.
A short-stop should be a player of more than ordinary suppleness and
activity. He has a large amount of ground to cover; he has to field
sharply hit balls on either side, and must therefore be able to start and
stop quickly; he is often obliged to stoop, recover himself, and throw
while running, and so has no time to get his feet tangled. Moreover, his
presence is often required at widely separated portions of the field, with
very brief intervals allowed him for making the changes. He may have to
field a hit to first from near second base, and at once, in continuation
of the same play, back up third on the return of the ball from first base.
Or, from a close in-field position one moment, he may be called the next
to far left-field to assist in the return of a long hit. So that he needs
to be awake all the time and able to transfer himself without delay to
that part of the field in which his services are required. On account of
the length of his throw to first base, and because he is often expected to
assist in the return of a long hit to the out-field, he should be a good,
hard thrower. He should also be able to throw from any posture, because
there are occasions when he has no time to straighten up and pull himself
together before throwing.
In chances for skillful plays and the employment of judgment,
short-stop is second to no other position on the in-field. He is tied to
no base, but is at liberty to go anywhere he may be most needed, and he is
thus able to make himself very useful at times, in plays altogether out of
his position proper. But to make the best use of these advantages he must
be possessed of some intelligence and a wit quick enough to see the point
and act before the opportunity has passed. Brains are as much a necessity
in base-ball as in any other profession. The best ball players are the
most intelligent, though, of course, natural intelligence is here meant
and not necessarily that which is derived from books.
The proper place for the short-stop to play will be governed always by
the particular circumstances, as explained in the preceding chapters with
reference to other in-fielders. If there are no runners on the bases,
regard for the batter alone will determine, but if there are runners, this
fact, and the situation of the game, must be taken into consideration. A
glance at the diagram of the field given in Chapter I will show the usual
position of all the fielders, but from these points they may greatly vary.
If the batter generally hits along the left foul- line, the short-stop
will play nearer the third baseman, and if, on the other hand, the batter
hits toward right-field, the short-stop will move toward second, even
going so far as to be directly back of the pitcher, the entire in-field,
of course, moving around correspondingly.
If the batter is a heavy runner, the short-stop may play a deep field,
because he will still have sufficient time to get the ball to first; and
so, also, if there is a runner on first, he may play well back, because
his throw then, on a hit, is only to second base. If he is covering second
base either to catch a runner from first or to hold a runner on second who
has already reached there, he must play near enough to the base to be able
to receive the throw. Or, if the attempt is to be made to cut off at the
plate a runner trying to score on a sacrifice hit, he will play on the
base-line or a few feet inside the diamond.
All in-fielders, as well as out-fielders, should be willingly guided as
to the position to play by a signal from the pitcher. The latter, knowing
what kind of ball he is going to give the batsman to hit, is best able to
judge beforehand of the direction of the hit.
The short-stop should cover second base in all cases where there is a
runner on first and the batter is one likely to hit to right-field. This
allows the second baseman to guard the territory between second and first,
which he would not otherwise be able to do, and if the ball is hit to him,
he throws to the short-stop at second, forcing out the runner from first.
He should also guard second when there is a runner on that base and the
baseman is obliged to play well off for a hit toward right-field. Of
course, he does not play on the base, but near enough to be able to reach
it if the pitcher or catcher wishes to throw there.
Another instance in which he may take the base is when there are
runners on first and third and the runner on first starts for second. One
way of making this play was described in speaking of "The Second
Baseman," but it is believed that it may be much better done with the
assistance of the short-stop. With runners on first and third, the catcher
signals whether he will make a long or short throw toward second. When the
runner on first starts down, the second baseman runs inside the diamond to
a point in line with the base, and the short-stop goes to the base. If the
throw is long, the short-stop receives the ball and touches the runner, or
returns it quickly to the plate if the runner on third starts in. If the
throw is short, the second baseman receives the ball and returns it to the
catcher; or, if the runner on third does not start home, the baseman may
still have time to turn and toss the ball to the short-stop to catch the
runner from first. In deciding to give the signal for a short or long
throw, the catcher is guided by the circumstances of the case and the
situation of the game. If one run is going to materially affect the result
of the game, the throw will be short, so that the ball may be surely
returned to the catcher before the runner from third scores. If the run is
not vital, the throw may still be short if the runner at third is speedy;
but if he is slow and not likely to chance the run home, the throw will be
all the way to the shortstop to put out the runner from first. The success
of the play lies in the fact that the runner on third can never tell,
until too late, whether the throw is to be short or long. The play was
first made in this way by Gerhardt and myself in 1886, and during the past
two seasons it has been tried in the New York team many tunes with the
best results. Each player must, however, understand his part and all work
together. In a recent game against Philadelphia, on the Polo Grounds,
Crane, who had never taken part in the play before, gave Fogarty a ball
within reach and he hit it through the short-stop position, left unguarded
by my having gone to cover second base.
On all hits to left and left center-fields, the shortstop should take
second, allowing the baseman to back up the throw, and on all hits to
right and right center the baseman will take the base and the shortstop
attend to the backing up.
In fielding ground hits the short-stop should observe the general
principles for such plays. He should, if possible, get directly and
squarely in front of every hit, making his feet, legs, and body assist in
stopping the ball, in case it gets through his hands.
If the ball comes on a "short bound," he should not push the
hands forward to meet it, hut, having reached forward, "give"
with the ball by drawing back the hands in the direction the ball should
bound. In this way if the ball does not strike the hands fairly, its force
will at least be deadened so that it will fall to the ground within reach
of the player; whereas, if he pushes his hands forward and the ball does
not strike fairly, it will be driven too far away.
He should meet every hit as quickly as possible, so that if fumbled he
may still have time to recover the ball and make the play. In running in
to meet the ball, he must not forget the importance of steadiness, and to
this end should get himself in proper form just before the ball reaches
him. What is meant by "good form" may be seen by the above cut.
The feet, legs, hands, arms, and body are all made to assist in presenting
an impassable front to the ball.
If base-ball diamonds were perfectly true the bound of the ball might
be calculated with mathematical precision, but unfortunately they are not,
and these precautions become necessary.
There should be an understanding between the short-stop and third
baseman that the latter is to take all slow hits toward short, and as many
hard hits as he can fairly and safely field. The effect of the baseman's
covering ground in this way is to allow the short-stop to play a deeper
field and farther toward second base. Some players do not like the idea of
another fielder taking hits which seem more properly to belong to
themselves, but this is the correct way for a short-stop and third baseman
to work, and between two men, playing only for the team's success, there
will never be any dispute.
It is always best, when possible, to use both hands to stop or catch a
ball; but sometimes a hit is so far to either side, or so high, that it
can only be reached with one hand. Therefore, a short-stop should practice
one-hand play so that he may be able to use it when the emergency
requires. He should never attempt it at any other time.
Having secured a batted ball, he should throw it at once, waiting only
long enough to regain his balance and make sure of his aim. The practice
of holding the ball for a moment and looking at the runner, whether done
to demonstrate the fielder's perfect sang froid, or to make a swift
and pretty throw for the benefit of the grand stand, is altogether wrong.
Generally, the throw will be to first, though sometimes there will be an
opportunity to put out another runner, in which case it will be to some
other base. In throwing to second or third, if he is near the base, he
should pass the ball to the baseman by an easy, underhand toss. It is a
difficult play to catch a thrown ball when the thrower is quite near;
besides, in making double plays by way of second base, any time lost in
tossing the ball will be more than regained by the quicker handling, and
there is the additional inducement of safety.
In making double plays to second it is almost always better to pass the
ball to the baseman and allow him to throw to first, than for the short-
stop to attempt to make the play alone. In 1882, a couple of weeks before
the season closed, the Providence Club reached Chicago with the pennant
all but won; one game from Chicago would have made it sure. In about the
sixth inning of the last game, with the score four to two in our favor,
the first two Chicago batters reached their bases. Kelly then hit to
George Wright at short, who passed the ball to Farrell, retiring the
runner from first, but Jack threw a little high to Start and missed the
double. With runners on first and third, the next man, Anson, hit hard to
Wright, so that he had plenty of time again for a double. But, this time,
instead of passing the ball to Farrell, as before, George attempted to
make the play alone. He touched second, but, by the time he was ready to
throw Kelly came against him, and the result was a wild throw, and, to
complete the disaster, the ball rolled through a small opening under a
gate and both runners scored. We were beaten finally six to five, and lost
the championship. It should be added that the game would have been won
again in the eighth inning but for the unpardonable stupidity of one of
the Providence base-runners.
By far the most difficult catch on a ball field is that of a ball hit
high to the in-field, because of the great "twist" to the ball.
The slightest failure to get the ball fairly in the hands will result in a
miss, and yet this is always greeted by derisive howls from certain among
the spectators. There are various styles of catching these hits, but the
position of the hands shown in the accompanying cut is believed to be the
best.
The hands should be reached well up to meet the ball and then brought
down easily in the line of its course. If the hands and arms are held
stiff, the ball will rebound from them as though it had struck a stone.
The use of a glove on one hand may be found helpful in counteracting the
effect of the twist. The short-stop is expected to try for all such hits
falling in his own position, and also all falling back of the third
baseman and in short left-field.
With runners on bases, a double play may sometimes be made by allowing
such a hit to first strike the ground. In order that the ball may not
bound beyond reach, it should be caught or "picked up" on the
short bound, and to do this safely requires a great deal of skill. It is a
pretty play, and often of invaluable service, and it should therefore be
practiced carefully until it can be made with approximate safety. The
short-stop must not betray beforehand his intention, but pretend that he
is going to catch the ball on the fly.
With all signals given by the catcher to the different in-fielders the
short-stop must be perfectly familiar, in order that he may be prepared to
do his part. If there is to be a throw to second or third he should know
it, so that he can be ready to back up in case the throw is wide or breaks
through the baseman's hands. So, too, he must know when to expect a throw
if he himself be covering second.
In all cases where a runner is caught between bases, the short-stop
must take part. If the play is between first and second or between second
and third, he and the second baseman alternate in backing one another up
on one side of the runner, while the other baseman and the pitcher do the
same on the other side. If it is between third and home, he and the third
baseman attend to one side, while the catcher and pitcher look after the
other. In every case the base runner should be run down as quickly as
possible, and always toward the base farthest from the home plate, so that
if an error is made the runner will gain no advantage.
In backing up other fielders a short-stop may be of great service, and
he should do this in every possible case, no matter where the play may be.
But the positions which he is specially bound to back up are the second
and third bases, not only on all throws from the catcher, but from any
other fielder, where it is possible for him to get in line with the throw.
He must not get too close to the baseman but keep a sufficient distance
back of him to make sure of getting in front of the ball.
The simplest of the three out-field positions is the left-field, and
one evidence of this is seen by the fact that a left-fielder almost
invariably leads in the averages.
If fielding were the only consideration, the man who was the surest
catch, who could run the fastest and throw the longest, would be the best
man for the left-field position; but other points enter into the question.
A team, to win, must have hitters as well as fielders, and it is therefore
usual to fill up the outfield with good batters, even at the expense of a
slight weakness in fielding.
Considered simply as a fielder, the occupant of the left-field should
have a good "eye" to "judge" a ball hit in the air.
The moment the hit is made he must be able to tell its direction and
locate the place where it is going to fall. The best fielders acquire a
remarkable skill in this respect and are able to decide these things at a
glance. The fielder who is obliged to keep his eye on the ball all the
time it is in the air will not cover nearly so much ground as the one who
is able to put down his head and run until near the ball. Particularly is
this true of a fly hit over the fielder's head. The player who attempts to
run backwards or sideways for the ball, or who turns his back to the ball
but keeps his head twisted around so as to see it, will not begin to get
the hits that a man will who is able to locate the hit exactly and then
turn and run until he has reached the spot where the ball is going to
fall. If the eyesight is good any fielder can learn to do this, all it
requires being sufficient practice and plenty of confidence.
Another qualification for a fielder is the ability to start quickly and
run fast. The player who excels in these respects will, of course, get
more hits than one who starts and runs slowly.
Next, he must be a sure catch on a batted ball, no matter in what shape
he may be obliged to take it, whether running toward or with the ball, and
whether it be high, low, or on either side. Many fielders are sure of a
ball if they can get it in a particular position or at a certain height,
but this is not enough, for it is not always possible to do this. A player
who feels himself weak on any point should practice and practice upon that
particular thing until he has mastered it. If he can catch hits on his
right better than on his left side, let him practice catching only on the
left; if he is weak on hits over his head, he should have some one bat to
him thus, until he has overcome the weakness. Any failing of this nature
may be corrected by practice.
A fly ball should never be caught holding the hands and arms rigid. The
fielder should reach up to meet the ball and then bring the hands down
easily with it. There are some balls hit to the outfield, as well as to
the in-field, which the fielders cannot possibly reach with both hands but
may be able to get with one. In a game played to-day (May 7th), between
New York and Indianapolis, Hines, of the latter Club, made a marvelous
one-hand catch of a hit that would otherwise have been good for three
bases; and the effect of that one play off the first New York batter was
so bracing to the rest of the Indianapolis team that it probably accounted
for the strong and winning game they afterwards played. So that, while
discountenancing one-hand plays when two hands may be used, I still think
every fielder should practice one-hand catches, to be prepared for such a
play when it becomes necessary.
In fielding balls hit along the ground, the fielder should not wait
until the ball comes to him, but run in to meet it as quickly as possible.
Then, if fumbled, he may still have time to get it back to the infield
before base runners can take an extra base.
The instant an out-fielder gets a ball in his hands he should throw it
to some point in the in-field. The habit of holding a ball is extremely
dangerous. If the bases are clear and a single base-hit is made the ball
should be sent at once to second base. If there is a runner on first, it
should be thrown to third base, because if sent to second a bold runner
will sometimes keep right on to third. If there is a runner on second when
the hit is made and the left-fielder secures the ball quickly, he should
throw it to third, because most runners will over-run that base in order
to draw the throw to the home plate, and a quick throw to the base will
catch them before they can return.
The left-fielder is expected to back up the second and third bases on a
throw from first base or right-field. He should also back up third on a
throw from the catcher, and to this end must be on the look-out for the
catcher's signal. He must also back up the center-fielder when that player
runs in to meet a hit, for, though he may not be able to get in front of
the ball, he will still be able to recover it quicker than the
center-fielder in case it gets by the latter. He should also get near the
center-fielder when the latter is trying for a high fly, so that if the
ball is missed he may assist in sending it quickly to the in-field.
As soon as a fielder has decided that he can get to a hit and has made
up his mind to take it, he should call out loudly and distinctly,
"I'll take it." That gives every one else warning to keep out of
the way, and avoids the chance of collisions. On the other hand, if he is
running for a hit and hears some other fielder call out, he should reply,
quickly and clearly, "Go ahead." That gives the other fielder
confidence, and he need not hesitate or take his eye from the ball to
learn the location of other fielders. If this very simple rule is observed
there will never be any collisions, nor will any hits that should be
caught be allowed to drop between fielders.
On all long hits out of the fielder's reach he should go after the ball
with all possible speed and return it to the in-fielder, who has gone out
to help him back with the ball. If he misses a fly he should get after the
ball at once and send it to the proper point on the in-field, and not walk
after it simply because he has missed it.
Andy Leonard, of the old Bostons, was, in his day, one of the best of
left-fielders. He was particularly strong on balls hit over his head,
which he always took over his shoulder while running with the direction of
the hit. He was also a remarkably bard and accurate thrower.
Much of what has been said with reference to the left fielder is
applicable also to the occupant of the center field. As a fielder only, it
is necessary that he should possess the same powers of "judging"
a hit quickly, of starting the instant the hit is made, of running fast
until he has reached it, and of catching the ball in any position; but as
a fielder and batter as well, his fielding qualities are often overlooked,
to a certain extent, in favor of his power as a batter.
Many fielders prefer to catch a ball while they are running and so
regulate their speed as to be still on the move when they meet the ball.
Some of them do this because they can catch a ball better in that way, and
others because they think it looks prettier and pleases the grand stand;
they are continually making what appear to be difficult catches, and they
occasionally fall down and roll over to add to the effect. But while this
may deceive the average spectator, it never escapes the other players, and
they soon grow extremely weary of such gymnastics. And after awhile the
spectators, too, discover his tricks, and then the player will not get
credit even for the really good work he may do. Another thing to be said
against this grand-stand style of play is that these players sometimes
miscalculate the direction or force of a hit just enough to lose it,
whereas if they had run hard at first the ball would have been easily
caught. The safest plan is to get under the hit as quickly as possible and
then there will be time to correct any slight misjudgment.
In fielding balls hit along the ground, the outfielder should run in
quickly to meet the ball and return it instantly to the proper point on
the in-field. I have seen games lost by out-fielders stupidly holding a
ball or returning it lazily to the in-field. There is absolutely nothing
to be gained but everything to be lost by such plays.
In throwing to any point on the in-field, if the throw is at all a long
one, the fielder should line the ball in on the bound. An out-fielder
should never attempt a long throw on the fly, to first or third or home. A
throw on the first bound will reach there just as quickly, more
accurately, and with less chance of getting by the fielder to whom it is
thrown.
The center fielder must back up second base on all throws from the
catcher, and also on throws from any other position, whenever possible. On
throws from the direction of first base he will be assisted by the left
fielder and from the direction of third base by the right fielder. When a
runner is stealing second base and the catcher's throw is wild, the center
fielder must meet the ball quickly so as to prevent the runner from going
on to third. In a case of this kind a crafty runner will often make a
feint to run to third in order to force the fielder to throw the ball in
the hope that he may throw it wild. If there is a probability that the
runner actually intends to go to third, there is nothing left the fielder
but to throw and take the chance. But if the fielder has good reason to
suspect the honesty of the runner's intentions, a quick throw to second,
instead of to third, will often catch him before he can return.
The center fielder should also back up the left and right fielders on
all hits along the ground which either-of them runs in to meet. It gives
one fielder more confidence to go in quickly after a ball if he knows
there is another fielder behind him to stop it in case it passes himself.
Even on an in-field hit to the second baseman or short-stop the out-
fielder should move in at once, so as to be able to recover the ball
quickly if it gets through the in-field.
When a runner is caught between first and second or second and third
bases, the center fielder should get in line with the play, back of second
base. For, while only four players take an active part in such a play
others should back up to provide for the possibility of a wild throw.
The necessity of "calling" for a fly hit applies with
particular force to the center fielder. As soon as he has seen that he can
get to a hit and has decided to take it, he calls out loudly so that every
one must hear, "I'll take it," and all the other fielders near
him respond, "Go ahead." This will avoid all danger of
collisions to which he is specially exposed by having a fielder on either
side.
On all high flys to another out-fielder he should go near the fielder
who is attempting to make the catch, so that if the ball is missed and
bounds his way, he can recover it quickly and prevent runners from gaining
extra bases.
The right field, when properly played, is the most difficult of the
out- field positions. A ball hit in that direction by a right-handed
hitter always describes a curve and is therefore very hard to judge. A
good right fielder should also throw out many men at first base during a
season, and this means that he must possess all the qualifications of an
in-fielder. A few years ago it was not an unusual thing to see a batsman
thrown out at first on a hit into right field. One of the best fielders
for this was George Shaffer, who for several seasons played with the
Cleveland Club. Another good man was "Jake" Evans, of the Troy
Club, and when with the Providence Club, Dorgan seldom let a game go by
without catching one or more men in this way.
Of late this is not done so often, for the reason that the right
fielder plays a much deeper field now than he did a few years ago. Then,
when the "curve" was still a novelty, there were very few hard
hits made to right field by right-handed batters. Still, even now, there
are many batters for whom there is no reason to play a deep right field,
and such a batter should often be thrown out at first. Yet the only player
whom I have seen make the play this season was Brown, of Boston, who threw
out Titcomb twice in one game on the Polo Ground.
All that has been said about the other out-fielders as to judging a
hit, starting, running, and catching, may be said of the right fielder.
Equally with them he must locate a hit instantly, start quickly, run
speedily, and be able to catch the ball in whatever form he may reach it.
In judging a hit the fielder always takes into consideration the force and
direction of the wind—with the effect of which he has become familiar in
the preliminary practice—and the curve which the ball is likely to take
if hit by a right-hand batter.
In fielding ground-hits he meets the ball quickly, and, where possible
to catch the batter at first, he throws there on the fly. The reason for
throwing so in this instance is, that if he is near enough to catch the
man at all, he is near enough to throw accurately on the fly. But to third
base or home he should always throw on the bound.
He should back up first base on all throws from the catcher. He also
should assist the center fielder in backing up second base, and to this
end run back of the center fielder when the latter goes in to meet the
ball; so that if it passes one, the other will still be there to stop it.
He should also back up the center fielder on all ground-hits to the
latter, and on all fly hits to him he should go near so as to quickly
recover the ball if it be missed.
He should "call" for the ball the moment he has decided to
take it, and as between an out-fielder and an in-fielder the former will
take any hit he can reach. He is running in for the ball and has it before
him all the time, while the in-fielder, running out, is apt to get twisted
up and in bad shape to make the catch.
Out-fielders, like in-fielders, must change position to correspond with
the direction the batsman is likely to hit. For instance, there are some
men who are never known to hit to right field, and for such the entire
out-field moves toward the left field, the right fielder going almost to
center, the center fielder to left center, and the left fielder close to
the foul-line. When the fielder knows the batsman, he will change without
direction; but in any case he should respond quickly to any signal from
the pitcher, because the latter may be going to force the batter to hit in
a particular direction. The best fielders make the greatest difference in
the positions they play for different batsmen.
The right fielder must be on the look-out for the catcher's signal to
throw to first or second base, because, in order that he may get in line
with the throw, it is necessary that he shall start when the pitcher
begins to deliver. He cannot wait until the catcher throws or he will be
too late to get in line.
The most unsatisfactory feature in base-ball to the player himself, is
batting. In theory it is so simple, yet in practice so difficult, that one
is forever finding fault with himself and thinking, when too late, of what
he might have done if only he had not done as he did.
Of course, the element of chance or "luck," as it is called,
enters largely into the question. The hardest hit will sometimes go
directly into the waiting hands of a fielder, while a little
"punk" hit from the handle or extreme end of the bat may drop
lazily into some unguarded spot. But, in the course of a season, these
chances should about equalize one another, and, though fate may seem to be
against a man for a half dozen or more games, he will be found finally to
have benefited as much by "scratch" hits as he has lost in good,
hard drives.
The theory of batting is simplicity itself. All that is necessary is to
wait until the ball comes over the plate and then hit it on a line back
into the field. From the grand stand, nothing could be easier. To sit back
of the catcher and see the balls come sailing over the plate, one will
wonder why they are not hit out of creation, and when some player, who has
allowed a couple of balls to pass directly over the plate without making
the least attempt to hit at them, finally lets go at one that he could
scarcely reach with a wagon tongue, much less with a 36- inch bat, the
spectator is likely to question the fellow's sanity. It is amusing to sit
in a base-ball crowd and hear the remarks. There are more good batters and
umpires and all-round ball players in the grand stand within one's
hearing, than are to be found in both the contesting teams.
It would be more amusing still if some of these prodigies could be
lifted out of their seats and taken down into the field, and, with a bat
in hand, made to face some first-class pitcher until they had hit the ball
just once. They would be surprised to see how differently it looks. At a
distance of only fifty feet from a man who can throw a ball like a streak
of lightning, or with the same apparent motion, send it so slowly that one
will think it is never going to reach him, who can curve it in or out, up
or down, the question of hitting the ball at all becomes one of some
doubt, to say nothing of "base hits." And then, add to this the
danger of a swift, wild pitch carrying away an arm or burying itself in
the batsman's stomach, and the difficulty is greatly increased. Just think
of it for a moment. A player who can throw a ball, say one hundred and
sixteen and two-thirds yards, goes into the pitcher's box and from a
distance of only sixteen and two-thirds yards throws the ball to the
batter with all speed. If the throw is wild and the ball hits the batter
it strikes him with a force that would have been sufficient to carry the
ball one hundred yards further. It would be interesting to know just how
many mule power there is behind such a blow. There are a few moments after
a man has been hit during which he wishes he had never seen a base-ball,
and for the next couple of games, at least, he will think more of escaping
a recurrence of the accident than of hitting the ball. Hines, of
Indianapolis, has already been hit on the head this season by one of the
Chicago pitchers, and the result is a long, ragged-looking scar that he
will always carry. An inch lower, and the blow might have cost him his
life.
The first consideration in learning to bat is to acquire the proper
form. By this is not meant the position to be assumed while waiting for
the pitch, because each batter may, and generally does have his
distinctive style. But when in the act of hitting there is a certain form
to be observed, and this, in its salient points, is the same with all good
batters.
Standing within easy reach of the plate, the batter should hold his bat
ready to hit a breast-high ball. It is easier to hit a low ball when
expecting a high one than to hit a high ball when a low one was expected,
for the reason that it is easier to drop the bat quickly and swing
underhand than it is to elevate it and chop overhand. When the ball is
pitched be should not move until he has seen where the ball is going. Not
until in the act of swinging his bat should he step forward, and then his
step should be short, and, generally, directly toward the pitcher. When he
hits, the body should be held erect and flung slightly forward, so that
when the bat meets the ball the weight is principally on the forward foot.
If he steps too soon, his position is taken and he cannot change it to
suit any slight miscalculation he may have made in the speed or direction
of the ball.
Neither should he make too long a stride, for the same reasons given in
the preceding paragraph, and also because it puts him in bad form to hit
at a high ball.
He should generally step directly toward the pitcher, unless he has
special reasons for doing otherwise. For instance, if a right-hand hitter
wishes to hit to left-field, he had better step so as to face slightly in
that direction; and if he wishes to hit to right-field, he will stand
farther from the plate and step in with the left foot so as to face
somewhat in the direction he intends to hit.
The object in standing erect is to keep well the balance and be in a
position to cut under or over at a low or high ball. The body is thrown
slightly forward so that the weight and force of the body may be given to
the stroke. It is not necessary to hit hard, but solidly, and this is done
not so much by the swing of the arms as by the push and weight of the
shoulder behind it.
The accompanying cut of Ewing is an excellent representation of a
batter, in the act of hitting. He not only swings the bat with the arms,
but pushes it with the weight of the shoulders. The position is a picture
of strength.
In hitting at a high ball the bat should be swung overhand, in an
almost perpendicular plane, and so, also, for a low ball, the batter
should stand erect and cut underhand. If the bat is swung in a horizontal
plane the least miscalculation in the height of the ball will be fatal. If
it strikes above or below the center line of the bat, it will be driven
either up into the air or down to the ground. Whereas, if the bat is swung
perpendicularly, the same mistake will only cause it to strike a little
farther up or down on the bat, but still on the center line, and if it
misses the center line it will be thrown off toward first or third,
instead of up or down.
There are two classes of good batters whose styles of hitting are so
different that they may be said to be distinct. The one, comprising such
hitters as Connor, Brouthers, Tiernan, Wise, Fogarty, Whitney, Ryan,
Denny, and Fred Carroll, use the full length of the bat, and in addition
to the push of the shoulders make a decided swing at the ball. In the
other, in which are Anson, Kelly, Dunlap, and a few others, the motion is
more of a push than a swing. Anson, who, if not the best batter in the
country, is certainly the surest, seldom does anything but push the bat
against the ball, only occasionally making what might be called a swing.
Many of the latter class grasp the bat up short, and some of them keep the
hands a few inches apart. If I were advising a novice which style to learn
I should say the latter, because it is the surer, though such batters
seldom hit as hard as the others.
Every ball player who pretends to play the game with his brain as well
as with his body, should be able to hit in whatever direction he wishes.
It may not be always possible to hit in the exact direction desired, and,
of course, he cannot "place" the ball in any particular spot,
but he can and should be able to hit either to left field or right, as the
occasion demands. The advantage of this to the player himself and to his
team cannot be overestimated. For example, there is a runner on first who
signals to the batter that he will try to steal second on the second ball
pitched. When he starts to run the second baseman goes for his base and
the entire field between first and second is left open. Now, if the batter
gets a ball anywhere within reach and taps it down toward right field, the
chances are that it will be safe, and the runner from first will keep
right on to third. Oftentimes, too, the batter himself will reach second
on the throw from right field to third to catch the runner ahead of him.
Here, now, by a little head-work, are runners on third and second,
whereas, an attempt to smash the ball, trusting to luck as to where it
should go, might have resulted in a double play or at least one man out
and no advantage gained. Many a game is won by such scientific work, and
the club that can do the most of it, day after day, will come in the
winners in the finish.
When a batter is known as one who will attempt a play of this kind, it
is usual for the second baseman to play well over into right field,
allowing the second to be covered by the short-stop. When the batter
discovers such a scheme to catch him he should continue to face toward
right field, in order not to betray his intention, but when the ball is
pitched, he should turn and hit toward left field. If the short-stop has
gone to take the base, the space between second and third is left open
just as the other side was.
A great fault with many batters is that they try to hit the ball too
hard. This is especially true of the younger players, the
"colts," as they are called. A young player with a reputation as
a hitter in some minor league, goes into a big club and at once thinks he
must hit the ball over the fence. The result is that he doesn't hit it at
all, and unless he corrects his fault, he goes on "fanning the
atmosphere" until he is handed his release. And yet the same player,
if he would steady himself down and once get started hitting might do just
as well as he did in his former club.
And this brings up the reflection that there is a great virtue in
confidence. The player who goes timidly to the bat with his mind made up
that he can't hit, anyhow, might just as well keep his seat. But the one
who walks up, saying to himself, "Other men hit this ball, and I can,
too," will be inspired by his own confidence, and for that very
reason he will be more likely to hit. So it is that batting goes so much
by streaks. A nine that has not made a hit for several innings will
suddenly start in and bat out a victory. One player leads off with a good
hit and is followed by another and another, each benefited by the
confidence and enthusiasm the preceding batters have aroused.
It goes without saying that the player's eyesight must be perfect or he
can never hope to be a good batter. It requires the keenest kind of an eye
to keep track of the ball and tell when it is over the plate and at the
proper height.
So, too, the nerves must be kept in good condition or the player will
be unable to resist the temptation to hit at wide balls. A nervous batter
is easily "worked," because he is so anxious to hit that he
can't wait for a good ball.
But the most important attribute of all in the composition of a good
batter is courage. In this term I include the self-control and the
resolution by which a man will force himself to stand before the swiftest
and wildest pitching without flinching, the fearlessness that can
contemplate the probability of a blow from the ball without allowing the
judgment to be affected. Out of ten poor batters nine are so because they
are afraid of being hit. It is often asked, "Why are pitchers, as a
rule, such poor batters?" and to this the answer in my own mind has
always been that it is because they know so well the danger which the
batter incurs. There is perhaps no such thing as absolute fearlessness;
the batter who has once been hit hard—and all of them have—will never
quite forget the occurrence, and he will forever after have the respect
for the ball that a burned child has for the fire. But some men will not
allow this feeling to overcome them.
It is absolutely necessary, then, to first conquer one's self, to fight
down fear and forget everything except that the ball must be hit. To some,
this seems not a difficult matter, to many it comes only after the most
determined effort and schooling of the nerves, while to a few it seems to
be an utter impossibility. The instinct of self-preservation is such a
controlling power with them that unconsciously they draw away from the
ball, and, try as they will, they cannot stand up to the plate. The player
who cannot overcome this feeling will never be a good hitter, though when
he finds that he is a victim he should not give up without a struggle.
Some players have broken themselves of the habit of running away from the
plate by stepping back with the rear foot, instead of forward with the
forward foot, when in the act of hitting. Thompson, of Detroit, who is a
remarkably good hitter, steps backward instead of forward. Others, like
Hecker, of Louisville, step neither way, but hit as they stand, simply
throwing the body forward. Every expedient should be tried before the case
is given up as incurable. In my own case I was forced to change from right
to left-hand hitting. I had been hit so hard several times that I grew
afraid of the ball and contracted the habit of stepping away from the
plate. It was a nervous fear over which I had no control, and the habit
became so confirmed that I resolved to turn around left-handed. I thought
that in learning to hit the new way I could avoid the mistakes into which
I had before fallen. It took time and practice to learn, but the result, I
think, has been an improvement. While not able to hit so hard left-handed,
because the muscles are not yet so strong, I make more single hits, reach
first base oftener, and score more runs.
Of the four departments of play, batting, base-running, fielding, and
battery work, the most interesting is base-running. It is the most
skillful, it calls into play the keenest perception and the soundest
judgment, it demands agility and speed, and it requires more daring,
courage, and enthusiasm than all the others combined.
Its importance as a factor in winning games cannot be estimated. We
only know that a team of base-runners wins game after game in which it is
out-batted and out-fielded by its opponents. No system of scoring has been
or can be devised by which a full record of this kind of work can be kept.
The system now in vogue, crediting the number of bases stolen, is all
right so far as it goes, but it covers only a small part of the ground.
Stealing bases is a part of base-running, but it is a very small part, and
to say that the player who steals the most bases is therefore the best
base-runner, is an altogether unwarranted statement. A quick starter,
speedy runner, and clever slider might easily steal the most bases, and
yet in general usefulness fall far behind some other player.
Beginning with the more mechanical features, the first qualification
for a base-runner is the ability to start quickly. The distances on a ball
field have been laid out with such marvelous nicety that every fraction of
a second is valuable. Almost every play is close, and the loss of an
instant of time is often the loss of the opportunity.
But to start quickly means more than a quick action of the muscles; it
means also that the brain and body must act together. The base-runner who
must wait to be told what to do will always be too late. By the time the
coacher has seen the point and called to the runner and the latter has
gotten himself into action, the chance has long passed. The player must be
able to see the play himself and act upon it instantly, without waiting to
be told.
Different runners adopt different methods for getting a long start from
a base. Some take as much ground as possible before the pitch and then
start the moment they see the first motion to deliver. Others stand near
the base, and when they think it about time for the pitcher to pitch make
a start. If they happen to guess aright they get a running start, which
is, of course, a great advantage. And if they guess wrong, the pitcher is
so taken by surprise that it is always possible to return to the base
before he can throw. Of the two methods I prefer the latter. Remaining
near the base disarms suspicion, and the runner is not tired out, by
repeated feints to throw, on the part of the pitcher.
In either case the practice of standing with the feet wide apart is
altogether wrong and in violation of every principle of quick starting.
Unlike a sprinter, a base-runner must be in shape to start in either
direction, and this can be done best and quickest by standing upright with
the feet almost together. A second qualification is speed. While, as
before said, mere speed will not make a base-runner, in the full sense of
the term, yet, other things being equal, the faster runner will be the
better base-runner. Straight away running is something to which ball
players do not devote sufficient attention. While, to a certain extent, it
is a natural gift, yet every man can improve himself greatly by practice,
and if the spring training of players included more of this work, the
result would certainly be an improvement in the base-running.
Notwithstanding the importance of starting and running and sliding, there
is absolutely no attention given these matters, and, consequently, the
majority of players seem to be entirely ignorant of the proper
"form." It would be a good investment for some clubs to employ a
professional sprinter to teach their men how to stand, in order to start
quickly, and how to put one foot in front of the other in the approved
form.
An important aid also to successful base-running is the knack of
sliding well. A player skillful in this respect will often save himself
when he seems caught beyond escape. Every runner should know how to slide
if he expects to accomplish anything at all, and every man will slide who
has the proper interest in his work. Some players do not do so because
they have never learned and are afraid to try, while others seem to care
so little for the team's success that they are unwilling to take the
chances of injury to themselves. As for the former class, a half hour's
practice on sawdust or soft earth will show them how easily it is learned,
and as for the latter, they should be made to slide, even if it be found
necessary to persuade them through their pockets.
Sliding, as an art, is of recent growth, though it has long been the
practice of base-runners to drop to avoid being touched. In view of its
present importance it is amusing to read, in an article written on the
subject some years ago, an argument against the practice indulged in by a
few players of sliding to the base in order to avoid being touched by the
ball.
The old style of sliding was with the feet foremost, but there are now
various methods employed. Many runners now slide head foremost, throwing
themselves flat on the breast and stomach. Some keep to the base-line and
slide direct for the base, while others throw the body and legs out of the
line and reach for the base with a hand or foot. Among those who always
slide feet first and direct for the base, Hanlon is the most successful.
He doesn't go down until quite close to the base, and then does not at all
slacken his speed. Connor also slides feet foremost, but instead of
throwing himself at full length, he maintains a sitting posture, and each
of his slides is the signal for a laugh from the crowd. On account of his
size and the weight behind his spikes, he is always given the entire
base-line without dispute. Williamson is a very successful slider. He runs
at full speed until near the base and then throws his body away from the
baseman and his feet at the base. The successful runners who slide flat on
the stomach are Fogarty, Tiernan, Miller, Andrews, Brown and others. Of
those who go in head foremost but throw the body out of the line and away
from the baseman, are Ewing, Glasscock, Pfeffer, Dalrymple and some
others.
An expert base-runner will confine himself to no particular style, but,
being familiar with all, will use, in each instance, the one best suited.
Sometimes one style is best and sometimes another, depending upon where
the ball is thrown and the position of the baseman. I consider Kelly the
best all-round slider in the League, because he can, and does, use every
style with equal freedom.
The American Association has some of the finest runners in Nicoll,
Latham, Stovey, Purcell, and many others, but I have, unfortunately, not
seen enough of their work to speak accurately of their methods.
Though stealing bases is only a part of base-running, yet even this
requires considerable skill, and it is by no means always the fastest
runner who succeeds the oftenest. Much depends on the start, and much,
too, on the slide. I may be permitted to outline my own method: Having
reached first, I signal to the next batter when I am going to steal. Then,
standing near the base, well upright and with my feet together, I try to
get a running start on the pitcher; that is, when I think he is about to
pitch, though he has yet made no motion, I make my start. If he does pitch
I get all the ground that I would have had by playing off the base in the
first place, and I have, besides, the advantage of being on the move.
Every one who knows anything of sprinting will appreciate the advantages
of such a start. If the pitcher does not pitch I usually manage to return
to the base in safety. Having secured my start, I expect that the batter
will hit the ball, if it is a good one, into right-field, in which case I
will keep right on to third base; or, if it is a bad ball, the batter will
at east hit at it, in order, if possible, to blind the catcher and help me
out. In any event I put down my head and run direct for the base, and in
no case do I attempt to watch the ball. It is a foolish and often fatal
mistake for a runner to keep his head turned toward the catcher while
running in another direction. If the ball is hit I listen for the
coacher's direction, but if it is not, I keep my eye on the baseman, and
by watching his movements, the expression of his face, and the direction
he is looking, I can tell as certainly just where the throw is going as
though I saw the ball. If he stands in front of the line I run back of
him, and if he is back of the line I slide in front. In every case, and
whether I go in head or feet foremost, I throw my body away from the
baseman so as to give him the least possible surface to touch with the
ball.
There is an advantage in sliding head foremost, in that the runner, by
falling forward, gains the length of his body and the reach of his arm,
whereas in sliding feet foremost, he loses this. But if one always goes in
head foremost, the baseman, knowing what to expect and standing in no fear
of injury, will block the base-line. It seems necessary to occasionally
throw the spikes in first in order to retain one's right to the line and
command a proper respect from opposing basemen.
In order that the runner may not be continually cut and bruised by
gravel or rough ground he should protect his hips and knees by pads. Some
have the padding stitched to the inside of the pants, and for the knees
this is the better plan, though it interferes somewhat with the washing of
the uniform. But for the hips I prefer the separate pads, which may be
bought at any store for the sale of base-ball goods. The best make is
buttoned to a strap which hinds tightly the lower portion of the body, and
this latter feature is itself of great advantage; not only as a matter of
comfort and safety, but also for the sake of decency, every player should
wear one of these straps, the same as athletes do in other branches of
sport.
But, after all, the important factors in successful base-running are
yet to be spoken of, and the foregoing points are merely mechanical aids.
There is no other department of play in which intelligence plays so
important a part, and no matter how clever the player as a starter,
runner, or slider, these faculties will be of little value unless directed
by a quick perception and sound judgment. Indeed, they will often serve
only as traps to lead him into difficulty.
By its very nature a quick perception is an inborn faculty of the mind,
and while it may be developed by constant use, no amount of coaching can
create it. There are some players who are no more capable of becoming good
base-runners than of living under water, so unfitted are they by nature.
The power of grasping a situation and acting upon it at once is something
which cannot be taught.
In order, however, to know when a fair opportunity presents itself, the
runner must be familiar with the chances of play, and this comes only from
experience and close observation. A runner who is thoroughly alive to all
the possibilities of the game will see a chance and gain a point where
another of less ready perception would find no opening. The former has
learned to marshal at a glance all the attendant probabilities and
possibilities and to estimate, in the same instant, the chances of success
or failure.
It is not, however, always best to accept an opportunity when
presented, even where the chances of success are largely in the runner's
favor. The stages of the game must be taken into consideration, and what
may be a perfectly commendable play in one situation may be altogether
reckless and foolhardy in another. Therefore, the most important faculty
of all, the pendulum which regulates, and the rudder which guides, is
judgment. An illustration may make my meaning clear. In the ninth inning,
with a runner on first base and the score a tie, it may be a good play for
the runner to attempt to steal second, because from there a single hit may
send him home. But suppose that, instead of the score being a tie, the
side at bat is four or five runs behind, of what possible use will the
steal be now, even if successful? One run will do no good, and the only
chance of victory is in the following batters also getting around the
bases. But the hits or errors by which this must be accomplished will also
send the first runner home without a steal, so that in attempting to steal
he takes a chance which is of no advantage if successful, and perhaps a
fatal mistake if not.
Again, suppose there is a runner on third and none out and the batter
hits a short fly to the out-field, on the catch of which it is doubtful
whether the runner can score. If the next batter is a good hitter, he will
not make the attempt, trusting to the next hit for a better chance. But if
the next batter is weak and not likely to offer as good a chance he may
decide to try for the run on the small chance already presented. These are
only given as examples and they might be multiplied, because the same
problem will always present itself in a more or less imperative form every
time the runner has a play to make. The question he must always decide is,
"Is this the best play, everything considered?" It goes without
saying that he must answer this for himself. In conclusion, I will
describe some plays that may arise and venture some observations, running
through which the reader may discern the general principles of
base-running.
There is an element in base-ball which is neither skill nor chance, and
yet it is a most important factor of success. It is the unseen influence
that wins in the face of the greatest odds. It is the element, the
presence of which in a team is often called "luck," and its
absence a "lack of nerve." It is sometimes spoken of as
"young blood," because the younger players, as a general rule,
are more susceptible to its influence. Its real name is enthusiasm, and it
is the factor, in the influence of which, is to be found the true
explanation of the curious standing of some clubs. Between two teams of
equal or unequal strength the more enthusiastic will generally win. The
field work may be slow and steady, but at the bat and on the bases there
must be dash and vim.
If, for example, it be found that a catcher is a poor thrower, or a
pitcher slow in his movements, every fair runner reaching first should
immediately attempt to steal second, and even third. This style of play
will demoralize an opposing team quicker than anything else, and even if
unsuccessful at first, and the first few runners be caught, it should
still be kept up for a couple of innings, because it will, at least,
affect the nerves of some of the opposing players, and if a break does
come, the victory will be an easy one. Every batter should be ready to
take his place quickly at the bat, and hit at the first good ball; every
runner should be on the move; and with plenty of coaching, and everybody
full of enthusiasm, it is only necessary to get the run-getting started in
order to have it go right along. This is the game that is winning in
base-ball to-day, as every observant spectator knows.
Base-running begins the moment the ball is hit. There are some players
who don't know how to drop their bats and get away from the plate. Some
stand until they see whether the hit is safe, and they run to first with
the head twisted around to watch the ball. The instant the ball is hit, no
matter where it goes, the batter should drop the bat and start for the
base; leaving the ball to take care of itself, he should put down his head
and run, looking neither to the right nor the left. Every foot gained may
be of vital importance, for in most cases the runner is thrown out by the
distance of only a few feet.
Some runners make a mistake in jumping for the base with the last step.
It not only loses time but makes the decision so plain to the umpire that
the runner fails to receive his fair share of benefit from close plays.
A runner to first on a base hit or fly to the outfield should always
turn first base and lead well down toward second, so that if the ball is
fumbled or handled slowly or missed, he may be able to reach second. And
by hurrying the out-fielder he increases the probability of an error.
A runner should always run at the top of his speed, except in the
single case where he feels himself to be clearly within reach of his base
and then slackens up in order to draw the throw.
At no other time is there anything to be gained by slow running, and
often there is much to be lost. In the game spoken of elsewhere in this
book, between Providence and Chicago, which virtually decided the
championship for 1882, Hines was on first when Joe Start hit what looked
like a home-run over the center-field fence. The wind caught the ball and
held it back so that it struck the top of the netting and fell back into
the field. Hines, thinking the hit perfectly safe, was jogging around the
bases when the ball was returned to the in-field. Start had run fast and
overtaken Hines, and the result was that instead of a run scored, a man on
third and no one out, both runners were put out and we lost the game by
one run, and the championship by that one game. A player has no right to
"think this or that;" his sole duty is to run hard until the
play is over.
When a runner is on first and a hit is made he should run fast to
second, and if possible force the throw to third. Every such throw offers
an opportunity for error, and the more of these the runner can force the
more chances there will be in his favor. By getting quickly to second he
is in a position to go on to third if the ball is fumbled or slowly
handled, or returned to the wrong point on the in-field.
So, too, a runner on second, when a hit is made, should always force
the throw to the home plate, even if he does not intend to try for the
run. In order to do this he must run hard to third and turn the base as
though he really meant to go home. Any hesitation or looking around will
fail of the object. The throw home gives the player who hit the ball a
chance to reach second base.
In a game where there is plenty of hitting runners should obviously
take fewer chances than where the hitting is light.
It is usually advisable for a good runner, who leas reached first with
two men out, to attempt to steal second, because then one hit will likely
bring him home; whereas if he stays on first it will require two hits, or
two errors in succession, and these are not likely to come, with two men
already out.
The only times to steal third are, first, when there is only one out,
for then a hit, a sacrifice, or a long fly will score the run. If there is
no one out, the chances are that a runner on second will eventually score
anyhow, and if there are two out there is little advantage gained by
stealing third. It still requires a hit or an error to score the run, and
the same would probably score it from second as easily as from third.
Second, it may sometimes be advisable for a runner on second base to steal
third, even when there are two out, provided there is also a runner on
first. Because, if successful, the runner on first also gets to second,
and the result is two stolen bases front the one chance, and a hit will
now likely score two runs instead of one.
When there is a runner on second or third with no more than one out,
and the batter makes what is apparently a long, safe hit, the runner
should hold the base until he has seen, beyond a doubt, that the hit is
safe. If safe, he will still have ample time to reach home, while if, by
any chance, it be caught, he will nevertheless get third or home, as the
case may be. A couple of seasons back a New York runner was on third, with
no one out, when the batter made what looked like a home-run hit. The
runner on third, instead of waiting to make sure, started home; the ball
was caught and, though he managed to return to third, he did not score, as
he otherwise might easily have done. The next two batters went out, the
score was left a tie, and we finally lost an important game.
Succeeding base-runners should have private signals so that they may
communicate their intentions without apprising the opposing players. A
runner on first who intends to steal second should inform the batter, so
that the batter may hit the ball, or at least strike at it. A runner on
second should notify a runner on first of his intention to steal third, so
that the other may at the same time steal second. When there are runners
on first and third each should understand perfectly what the other
purposes doing so they can help one another with the play.
In such a situation the runner on first will generally attempt to steal
second, and if the catcher throws down to catch him there are several
things which the runner on third may do. First, as soon as he sees the
throw to second he may start for home, and if he has previously decided to
do this, he should take plenty of ground front third base. Second, he may
not start for home on the throw, but if the runner from first gets caught
between first and second, it will then be necessary for him to try to
score. For this purpose he carefully takes as much ground from third as
possible, while the other player is being chased backward and forward.
Finally, when the ball is tossed by the second baseman to the first
baseman, he makes a dash for home. The idea of waiting until the ball is
thrown to the first baseman is because the latter has his back to the
plate, and not only cannot see the play so well but must turn around to
throw. Third, if the circumstances are such that he thinks best not to try
to score on the throw, he should, at least, on seeing the throw to second,
make a strong feint to run in order to draw the second baseman in and
allow the runner from first to reach second.
There is a pretty play by which one run may be scored when there are
runners on first and second. It is, however, a desperate chance and should
only be resorted to in an extremity. The runner on first leads off the
base so far as to draw the throw from the catcher, and, seeing the throw,
the runner on second goes to third. Then, while the first runner is
playing between first and second, the runner now on third scores as
described in the preceding play, waiting until the ball is passed to the
first baseman. If the second baseman is a poor thrower it may be best to
make the dash for home when the ball is thrown to him.
A runner on second may receive a signal from the batsman that the
latter intends to try a "bunt," in which case the runner will
try to steal third. If the bunt is made the runner reaches third, but if
the bunt does not succeed, the attempt draws the third baseman in close
and leaves the base uncovered for the runner.
Without particularizing further, it will be seen that a base-runner
must not only have some wits but he must have them always with him.
Exactly the same combinations never conic up, new ones are continually
being presented, and in every case he must decide for himself what is
best. In view of all the circumstances, he makes a quick mental estimate
of th
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