,base-,ball3 ,how to ,become a ,player  
,with the ,origin1 ,history and         
,explanation of the ,game  ,by ,john    
,montgomery ,ward of the ,new ,york     
,base-,ball ,club  ,,preface4  ,the     
author ventures to present this book to 
the public1 because he believes there   
are many points in the game of base-ball
 which can be told only by a player4 ,he
 has given some space to a consideration
 of the origin and early history of the 
game1 because they are subjects         
deserving of more attention than is     
generally accorded them4  ,his principal
 aim1 however1 has been to produce a    
hand-book of the game1 a picture of the 
play as seen by a player4 ,in many of   
its branches1 base-ball is still in its 
infancy2 even in the actual play there  
are yet many unsettled points1 and the  
opinions of experts differ upon         
important questions4 ,the author has    
been as accurate as the nature of the   
subject would permit1 and1 though       
claiming no especial consideration for  

his own opinions1 he thinks they will   
coincide in substance with those of the 
more experienced and intelligent        
players4  ,to ,messrs4 ,a4 ,h4 ,wright1 
,henry ,chadwick1 ,harry ,wright1 and   
,james ,whyte ,davis1 for materials of  
reference1 and to ,goodwin  ,co41 the   
,scientific ,american1 and ,a4 ,j4      
,reach1 for engravings and cuts1        
acknowledgments are gratefully made4    
,,john ,m4 ,,ward4  ,,contents4         
,,introduction4 ,,an ,,inquiry ,,into   
,,the ,,origin ,,of ,,base-,,ball1      
,,with ,a ,,brief ,,sketch ,,of ,,its   
,,history   ,,chapter ,i4 ,,theory ,,of 
,,the ,,game--,a ,,chapter ,,for ,,the  
,,ladies4  ,,chapter ,,ii4 ,,training   
,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the ,,pitcher        
,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the ,,catcher         
,,chapter ,v4 ,,the ,,first ,,baseman   
,,chapter ,,vi4 ,,the ,,second ,,baseman
  ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,,the ,,third        
,,baseman  ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the      
,,short-,,stop  ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,the   
,,left-,,fielder  ,,chapter ,x4 ,,the   

,,centre-,,fielder  ,,chapter ,,xi4     
,,the ,,right-,,fielder  ,,chapter      
,,xii4 ,,the ,,batter  ,,chapter ,,xiii4
 ,,the ,,base-,,runner  ,,chapter ,,xiv4
 ,,curve ,,pitching   ,,introduction4   
,,an ,,inquiry ,,into ,,the ,,origin    
,,of ,,base-,,ball1 ,,with ,a ,,brief   
,,sketch ,,of ,,its ,,history4   ,it may
 or it may not be a serious reflection  
upon the accuracy of history that the   
circumstances of the invention of the   
first ball are enveloped in some doubt4 
,herodotus attributes it to the         
,lydians1 but several other writers     
unite in conceding to a certain         
beautiful lady of ,corcyra1 ,anagalla by
 name1 the credit of first having made a
 ball for the purpose of pastime4       
,several passages in ,homer rather      
sustain this latter view1 and1          
therefore1 with the weight of evidence1 
and to the glory of woman1 we1 too1     
shall adopt this theory4 ,anagalla did  
not apply for letters patent1 but1      
whether from goodness of heart or       

inability to keep a secret1 she lost no 
time in making known her invention and  
explaining its uses4 ,homer1 then1      
relates how3  ,o'er the green mead the  
sporting virgins play1 ,their shining   
veils unbound2 along the skies1 ,tost   
and retost1 the ball incessant flies4   
,and this is the first ball game on     
record1 though it is perhaps unnecessary
 to say that it was not yet base-ball4  
,no other single accident has ever been 
so productive of games as that          
invention4 ,from the day when the       
,phaeacian maidens started the ball     
rolling down to the present time1 it has
 been continuously in motion1 and as    
long as children love play and adults   
feel the need of exercise and           
recreation1 it will continue to roll4   
,it has been known in all lands1 and at 
one time or another been popular with   
all peoples4 ,the ,greeks and the       
,romans were great devotees of          
ball-play2 ,china was noted for her     
players2 in the courts of ,italy and    

,france1 we are told1 it was in especial
 favor1 and ,fitz-,stephen1 writing in  
the #acth century1 speaks of the ,london
 schoolboys playing at the celebrated   
game of ball4  ,for many centuries no   
bat was known1 but in those games       
requiring the ball to be struck1 the    
hand alone was used4 ,in ,france there  
was early played a species of hand-ball4
 ,to protect the hands thongs were      
sometimes bound about them1 and this    
eventually furnished the idea of the    
racquet4 ,strutt thinks a bat was first 
used in golf1 cambuc1 or bandy ball4    
,this was similar to the boys' game of  
shinny1 or1 as it is now more elegantly 
known1 polo1 and the bat used was bent  
at the end1 just as now4 ,the first     
straight bats were used in the old      
,english game called club ball4 ,this   
was simply fungo hitting1 in which one  
player tossed the ball in the air and   
hit it1 as it fell1 to others who caught
 it1 or sometimes it was pitched to him 
by another player4  ,concerning the     

origin of the ,american game of         
base-ball there exists considerable     
uncertainty4 ,a correspondent of        
,porter's ,spirit of the ,times1 as far 
back as #ahef1 begins a series of       
letters on the game by acknowledging his
 utter inability to arrive at any       
satisfactory conclusion upon this point2
 and a writer of recent date introduces 
a research into the history of the game 
with the frank avowal that he has only  
succeeded in finding a remarkable lack  
of literature on the subject4  ,in view 
of its extraordinary growth and         
popularity as ,our ,national ,game1 the 
author deems it important that its true 
origin should1 if possible1 be          
ascertained1 and he has1 therefore1     
devoted to this inquiry more space than 
might at first seem necessary4  ,in     
#ahef1 within a dozen years from the    
time of the systematization of the game1
 the number of clubs in the metropolitan
 district and the enthusiasm attending  
their matches began to attract          

particular attention4 ,the fact became  
apparent that it was surely superseding 
the ,english game of cricket1 and the   
adherents of the latter game looked with
 ill-concealed jealousy on the rising   
upstart4 ,there were then1 as now1      
persons who believed that everything    
good and beautiful in the world must be 
of ,english origin1 and these at once   
felt the need of a pedigree for the new 
game4 ,some one of them discovered that 
in certain features it resembled an     
,english game called rounders1 and      
immediately it was announced to the     
,american public that base-ball was only
 the ,english game transposed4 ,this    
theory was not admitted by the followers
 of the new game1 hut1 unfortunately1   
they were not in a position to emphasize
 the denial4 ,one of the strongest      
advocates of the rounder theory1 an     
,englishman-born himself1 was the writer
 for out-door sports on the principal   
metropolitan publications4 ,in this     
capacity and as the author of a number  

of independent works of his own1 and the
 writer of the base-ball articles in    
several encyclopedias and books of      
sport1 he has lost no opportunity to    
advance his pet theory4 ,subsequent     
writers have1 blindly1 it would seem1   
followed this lead1 until now we find it
 asserted on every hand as a fact       
established by some indisputable        
evidence2 and yet there has never been  
adduced a particle of proof to support  
this conclusion4  ,while the author of  
this work entertains the greatest       
respect for that gentleman1 both as a   
journalist and man1 and believes that   
base-ball owes to him a monument of     
gratitude for the brave fight he has    
always made against the enemies and     
abuses of the game1 he yet considers    
this point as to the game's origin      
worthy of further investigation1 and he 
still regards it as an open question4   
,when was base-ball first played in     
,america8  ,the first contribution which
 in any way refers to the antiquity of  

the game is the first official report of
 the ,national ,association in #aheh4   
,this declares ,the game of base-ball   
has long been a favorite and popular    
recreation in this country1 but it is   
only within the last fifteen years that 
any attempt has been made to systematize
 and regulate the game4 ,the italics are
 inserted to call attention to the fact 
that in the memory of the men of that   
day base-ball had been played a long    
time prior to #ahde1 so long that the   
fifteen years of systematized play was  
referred to by an only4  ,colonel ,jas4 
,lee1 elected an honorary member of the 
,knickerbocker ,club in #ahdf1 said that
 he had often played the same game when 
a boy1 and at that time he was a man of 
sixty or more years4 ,mr4 ,wm4 ,f4      
,ladd1 my informant1 one of the original
 members of the ,knickerbockers1 says   
that he never in any way doubted        
,colonel ,lee's declaration1 because he 
was a gentleman eminently worthy of     
belief4  ,dr4 ,oliver ,wendell ,holmes1 

several years since1 said to the        
reporter of a ,boston paper that        
base-ball was one of the sports of his  
college days at ,harvard1 and ,dr4      
,holmes graduated in #ahbi4  ,mr4       
,charles ,de ,bost1 the catcher and     
captain of the old ,knickerbockers1     
played base-ball on ,long ,island fifty 
years ago1 and it was the same game     
which the ,knickerbockers afterward     
played4  ,in the absence of any recorded
 proof as to the antiquity of the game1 
testimony such as the foregoing becomes 
important1 and it might be multiplied to
 an unlimited extent4  ,another         
noticeable point is the belief in the   
minds of the game's first organizers    
that they were dealing with a purely    
,american production1 and the firmness  
of this conviction is evidenced by      
everything they said and did4 ,an       
examination of the speeches and         
proceedings of the conventions1 of      
articles in the daily and other         
periodical publications1 of the poetry  

which the game at that early day        
inspired1 taken in connection with the  
declarations of members of the first    
clubs still living1 will show this vein 
of belief running all the way through4  
,the idea that base-ball owed its origin
 to any foreign game was not only not   
entertained1 but indignantly repudiated 
by the men of that time2 and in pursuing
 his investigations the writer has      
discovered that this feeling still      
exists in a most emphatic form4  ,in    
view of the foregoing we may safely say 
that base-ball was played in ,america as
 early1 at least1 as the beginning of   
this century4  ,it may be instructive   
now to inquire as to the antiquity of   
the old ,english game from which        
baseball is said to have sprung4        
,deferring for the present the          
consideration of its resemblance to     
base-ball1 what proof have we of its    
venerable existence8 ,looking1          
primarily1 to the first editions of old 
,english authorities on out-door sports1

 ,i have been unable to find any record 
that such a game as rounders was known4 
,i may have been unfortunate in my      
searches1 for1 though ,i have exhausted 
every available source of information1  
,i have not discovered any mention of   
it4  ,the first standard ,english writer
 to speak of rounders is ,stonehenge in 
his ,manual of ,sports1 ,london1 #ahef4 
,since then almost every ,english work  
on out-door sports describes the old    
with an emphasis ,english game of       
rounders1 and in the same connection    
declares it to be the germ of the       
,american base-ball2 and yet1 curiously 
enough1 not one of them gives us any    
authority even for dubbing it old1 much 
less for calling it the origin of our   
game4 ,but in #ahef base-ball had been  
played here for many years2 it had      
already attracted attention as the      
popular sport1 and by #ahfj was known in
 slightly differing forms all over the  
country4 ,to all these later ,english   
writers1 therefore1 its existence and   

general principles must have been       
familiar1 and it is consequently        
remarkable that1 in view of their claim1
 they have given us no more particulars 
of the game of rounders4 ,are we to     
accept this assertion without reserve1  
when an investigation would seem to     
indicate that baseball is really the    
older game8 ,if this ,english game was  
then a common school-boy sport1 as now  
claimed1 it seems almost incredible that
 it should have escaped the notice of   
all the writers of the first half of the
 century2 and yet no sooner does        
base-ball become famous as the ,american
 game than ,english writers discover    
that there is an old and popular        
,english game from which it is          
descended4 ,many of the games which the 
earlier writers describe are extremely  
simple as compared with rounders1 and   
yet the latter game is entirely         
overlooked6  ,but upon what ground have 
these later writers based their         
assumption8 ,many1 doubtless1 have      

simply followed the writings from this  
side of the ,atlantic2 others have been 
misled by their ignorance of the actual 
age of our game1 for there are even many
 ,americans who think base-ball was     
introduced by the ,knickerbocker and    
following clubs2 a few1 with the        
proverbial insular idea1 have concluded 
that base-ball must be of ,english      
origin1 if for no other reason1 because 
it ought to be4  ,it is not my intention
 to declare the old game of rounders a  
myth4 ,there is ample living testimony  
to its existence as early perhaps as    
#ahcj1 but that it was a popular        
,english game before base-ball was      
played here ,i am not yet ready to      
believe4 ,before we accept the statement
 that base-hall is only a species of    
glorified rounders1 we should demand    
some proof that the latter is really the
 older game4 ,in this connection it will
 be important to remember that there    
were two ,english games called rounders1
 but entirely distinct the one from the 

other4 ,johnson's ,dictionary1 edition  
of #ahgf1 describes the first1 and      
presumably the older1 as similar to     
fives or hand-ball1 while the second is 
the game supposed to be allied to       
base-ball4 ,fives is one of the oldest  
of games1 and if it or a similar game   
was called rounders1 it will require    
something more than the mere occurrence 
of the name in some old writing to prove
 that the game referred to is the       
rounders as now played4 ,and if this    
cannot be shown1 why might we not claim1
 with as much reason as the other theory
 has been maintained1 that the old      
,english game of rounders is only a poor
 imitation of the older ,american game  
of base-ball8  ,up to this point we have
 waived the question of resemblance     
between the two games1 but let us now   
inquire what are the points of          
similarity4  ,are these1 after all1 so  
striking as to warrant the assumption   
that one game was derived from the      
other1 no matter which may be shown to  

be the older8 ,in each there are sides2 
the ball is tossed to the striker1 who  
hits it with a bat2 he is out if the    
ball so hit is caught2 he runs to       
different bases in succession and may be
 put out if hit by the ball when between
 the bases4 ,but with this the          
resemblance ceases4 ,in base-ball nine  
men constitute a side1 while in rounders
 there may be any number over three4 ,in
 base-ball there are four bases         
7including the home71 and the field is a
 diamond4 ,in rounders the bases are    
five in number and the field a pentagon 
in shape4 ,there is a fair and foul hit 
in base-ball1 while in rounders no such 
thing is known4 ,in rounders if a ball  
is struck at and missed1 or if hit so   
that it falls back of the striker1 he is
 out1 while in base-ball the ball must  
be missed three times and the third one 
caught in order to retire the striker2  
and a foul1 unless caught like any other
 ball1 has no effect and is simply      
declared dead4 ,in rounders the score is

 reckoned by counting one for each base 
made1 and some of the authorities say   
the run is completed when the runner has
 reached the base next on the left of   
the one started from4 ,in base-ball one 
point is scored only when the runner has
 made every base in succession and      
returned to the one from which he       
started4 ,in rounders every player on   
the side must be put out before the     
other side can come in1 while in        
base-ball from time immemorial the rule 
has been three out1 all out4 ,the       
distinctive feature of rounders1 and the
 one which gives it its name1 is that   
when all of a side except two have been 
retired1 one of the two remaining may   
call for the rounder2 that is1 he is    
allowed three hits at the ball1 and if  
in any one of these he can make the     
entire round of the bases1 all the      
players of his side are reinstated as   
batters4 ,no such feature as this was   
ever heard of in base-ball1 yet1 as     
said1 it is the characteristic which    

gives to rounders its name1 and any     
derivation of that game must certainly  
have preserved it4  ,if the points of   
resemblance were confined solely to     
these two games it would prove nothing  
except that boys' ideas as well as men's
 often run in the same channels4 ,the   
very ancient game of bandy ball has its 
double in an older ,persian sport1 and  
the records of literary and mechanical  
invention present some curious          
coincidences4 ,but1 as a matter of fact1
 every point common to these two1 games 
was known and used long before in other 
popular sports4 ,that the ball was      
tossed to the bat to be hit was true of 
a number of other games1 among which    
were club ball1 tip cat1 and cricket2 in
 both of the latter and also in stool   
ball bases were run1 and in tip cat1 a  
game of much greater antiquity than     
either base- ball or rounders1 the      
runner was out if hit by the ball when  
between bases4 ,in all of these games   
the striker was out if the ball when hit

 was caught4 ,indeed1 a comparison will 
show that there are as many features of 
base-ball common to cricket or tip cat  
as there are to rounders4  ,in view1    
then1 of these facts1 that the points of
 similarity are not distinctive1 and    
that the points of difference are       
decidedly so1 ,i can see no reason in   
analogy to say that one game is         
descended from the other1 no matter     
which may be shown to be the older4     
,there was a game known in some parts of
 this country fifty or more years ago   
called town-ball4 ,in #ahca a club was  
regularly organized in ,philadelphia to 
play the game1 and it is recorded that  
the first day for practice enough       
members were not present to make up     
town-ball1 and so a game of two-old-cat 
was played4 ,this town-ball was so      
nearly like rounders that one must have 
been the prototype of the other1 but    
town- ball and base-ball were two very  
different games4 ,when this same town-  
ball club decided in #ahfj to adopt     

base-ball instead1 many of its principal
 members resigned1 so great was the     
enmity to the latter game4 ,never1 until
 recently1 was the assertion made that  
base-ball was a development of          
town-ball1 and it could not have been   
done had the writers looked up at all   
the historical facts4  ,the latest      
attempt to fasten an ,english tab on the
 ,american game is noteworthy4 ,not     
content to stand by the theory that our 
game is sprung from the ,english        
rounders1 it is now intimated that      
baseball itself1 the same game and under
 the same name1 is of ,english origin4  
,to complete the chain1 it is now only  
necessary for some ,english writer to   
tell us that in #ahde a number of       
,english gentlemen sojourning in ,new   
,york organized a club called the       
,knickbockers1 and introduced to        
,americans the old ,english game of     
base-ball4 ,this new departure has not  
yet gained much headway1 but it must be 
noticed on account of the circumstances 

of its appearance4  ,the edition of     
,chambers' ,encyclopedia just out1 in   
its article on base- ball says that the 
game was mentioned in ,miss ,austen's   
,northanger ,abbey1 written about #agih1
 and leaves us to infer that it was the 
same game that we now know by that name4
 ,it was not necessary to go into the   
realm of fiction to find this ancient   
use of the name4 ,a writer to the       
,london ,times in #ahgd pointed out that
 in #agdh the family of ,frederick1     
,prince of ,wales1 were represented as  
engaged in a game of base-ball4 ,miss   
,austen refers to base-ball as played by
 the daughters of ,mrs4 ,morland1 the   
eldest of whom was fourteen4 ,in        
,elaine's ,rural ,sports1 ,london1      
#aheb1 in an introduction to ball games 
in general1 occurs this passage3 ,there 
are few of us of either sex but have    
engaged in base- ball since our         
majority4 ,whether in all these cases   
the same game was meant matters not1 and
 it is not established by the mere      

identity of names4 ,base1 as meaning a  
place of safety1 dates its origin from  
the game of prisoners' base long before 
anything in the shape of base-ball or   
rounders2 so that any game of ball in   
which bases were a feature would likely 
be known by that name4 ,the fact that in
 the three instances in which we find   
the name mentioned it is always a game  
for girls or women1 would justify the   
suspicion that it was not always the    
same game1 and that it in any way       
resembled our game is not to be         
imagined4 ,base- ball in its mildest    
form is essentially a robust game1 and  
it would require an elastic imagination 
to conceive of little girls possessed of
 physical powers such as its play       
demands4  ,besides1 if the ,english     
base-ball of #agdh1 #agih1 and #aheb    
were the same as our base-ball we would 
have been informed of that fact long    
ago1 and it would never have been       
necessary to attribute the origin of our
 game to rounders4 ,and when1 in #ahgd1 

the ,american players were introducing  
base-ball to ,englishmen1 the patriotic 
,britain would not have said1 as he then
 did1 that our game was only rounders   
with the rounder left out1 but he would 
at once have told us that base-ball     
itself was an old ,english game4  ,but  
this latest theory is altogether        
untenable and only entitled to          
consideration on account of the         
authority under which it is put forth4  
,in a little book called ,jolly ,games  
for ,happy ,homes1 ,london1 #ahge1      
dedicated to wee little babies and      
grown-up ladies1 there is described a   
game called base-ball4 ,it is very      
similar in its essence to our game and  
is probably a reflection of it4 ,it is  
played by a number of girls in a garden 
or field4 ,having chosen sides1 the     
leader of the out side tosses the ball  
to one of the ins1 who strikes it with  
her hand and then scampers for the      
trees1 posts1 or other objects          
previously designated as bases4 ,having 

recovered the ball1 the scouts1 or those
 on the outs1 give chase and try to hit 
the fleeing one at a time when she is   
between bases4 ,there must be some other
 means1 not stated1 for putting out the 
side2 the ability to throw a ball with  
accuracy is vouchsafed to few girls1 and
 if the change of innings depended upon 
this1 the game1 like a ,chinese play1   
would probably never end4 ,it is        
described1 however1 as a charming       
pastime1 and1 notwithstanding its       
simplicity1 is doubtless a modern       
,english conception of our ,national    
,game4  ,to recapitulate briefly1 the   
assertion that base-ball is descended   
from rounders is a pure assumption1     
unsupported even by proof that the      
latter game antedates the former and    
unjustified by any line of reasoning    
based upon the likeness of the games4   
,the other attempt to declare base-ball 
itself an out-and-out ,english game is  
scarcely worthy of serious              
consideration4  ,but if base-ball is    

neither sprung from rounders nor taken  
bodily from another ,english game1 what 
is its origin8 ,i believe it to be a    
fruit of the inventive genius of the    
,american boy4 ,like our system of      
government1 it is an ,american          
evolution1 and while1 like that1 it has 
doubtless been affected by foreign      
associations1 it is none the less       
distinctively our own4 ,place in the    
hands of youth a ball and bat1 and they 
will invent games of ball1 and that     
these will be affected by other familiar
 games and in many respects resemble    
them1 goes without saving4  ,the        
tradition among the earliest players of 
the game now living1 is that the root   
from which came our present base-ball   
was the old-time ,american game of      
cat-ball4 ,this was the original        
,american ball game1 and the time when  
it was not played here is beyond the    
memory of living man4 ,there were two   
varieties of the game1 the first called 
one-old-cat1 or one-cornered-cat1 and   

the other two-old-cat4  ,in one-old-cat 
there were a batter1 pitcher1 catcher1  
and fielders4 ,there were no sides1 and 
generally no bases to run1 but in every 
other respect the game was like         
base-ball4 ,the batter was out if he    
missed three times and the third strike 
was caught1 or if the ball when hit was 
caught on the fly or first bound4 ,when 
the striker was put out the catcher went
 in to bat1 the pitcher to catch1 and   
the first fielder to pitch1 and so on   
again when the next striker was retired4
 ,the order of succession had been      
established when the players went on the
 field by each calling out a number1 as 
one1 two1 three1 etc41 one being the    
batter1 two the catcher1 three the      
pitcher1 four the first fielder1 etc4   
,thus1 each in order secured his turn at
 bat1 the coveted position4 ,sometimes1 
when the party was larger1 more than one
 striker was allowed1 and in that case1 
not only to give the idle striker       
something to do1 but to offer extra     

chances for putting him out1 one or more
 bases were laid out1 and having hit the
 ball he was forced to run to these4 ,if
 he could be hit with the ball at any   
time when he was between bases he was   
out1 and he was forced to be back to the
 striker's position in time to take his 
turn at bat4 ,this made him take chances
 in running4 ,no count was kept of runs4
 ,two-old-cat differed from one-old-cat 
in having two batters at opposite       
stations1 as in the old ,english        
stool-ball and the more modern cricket1 
while the fielders divided so that half 
faced one batter and half the other4    
,from one-old-cat to base-ball is a     
short step4 ,it was only necessary to   
choose sides1 and then the count of runs
 made by each would form the natural    
test of superiority4 ,that base-ball    
actually did develop in this way was the
 generally accepted theory for many     
years4  ,in #ahfi an article in ,the    
,nation1 from ,a4 ,h4 ,sedgwick1        
commenting upon the features of baseball

 arid cricket as exemplifying national  
characteristics1 said3 ,to those other  
objectors who would contend that our    
explanation supposes a gradual          
modification of the ,english into the   
,american game1 while it is a matter of 
common learning that the latter is of no
 foreign origin but the lineal          
descendant of that favorite of boyhood1 
'two-old-cat1' we would say that1 fully 
agreeing with them as to the historical 
fact1 we have always believed it to be  
so clear as not to need further         
evidence1 and that for the purposes of  
this article the history of the matter  
is out of place4  ,without going further
 into a consideration that might be     
greatly prolonged1 ,i reassert my belief
 that our national game is a home       
production4 ,in the field of out-door   
sports the ,american boy is easily      
capable of devising his own amusements1 
and until some proof is adduced that    
base-ball is not his invention ,i       
protest against this systematic effort  

to rob him of his dues4  ,the recorded  
history of the game may be briefly      
sketched2 it is not the object here to  
give a succinct history3  ,in #ahde a   
number of gentlemen who had been in the 
habit1 for several years1 of playing    
base-ball for recreation1 determined to 
form themselves into a permanent        
organization under the name of ,the     
,knickerbocker ,club4 ,they drew up a   
,constitution and ,by-laws1 and         
scattered through the latter are to be  
found the first written rules of the    
game4 ,they little thought that that    
beginning would develop into the present
 vast system of organized base-ball4    
,they were guilty of no crafty changes  
of any foreign game2 there was no       
incentive for that4 ,they recorded the  
rules of the game as they remembered    
them from boyhood and as they found them
 in vogue at that time4 ,for six years  
the club played regularly at the        
,elysian ,field1 the two nines being    
made up from all the members present4   

,from #ahea other clubs began to be     
organized1 and we find the ,washington1 
,gotham 7into which the ,washington was 
merged71 ,eagle1 ,empire1 ,putnam1      
,baltic1 ,union1 ,mutual1 ,excelsior1   
,atlantic1 ,eckford1 and many other     
clubs following in the space of a few   
years4  ,in ,philadelphia town-ball was 
the favorite pastime and kept out base- 
ball for some time1 while in ,boston the
 local ,new ,england game1 as played by 
the ,olympic1 ,elm ,tree1 and ,green    
,mountain ,clubs1 deferred the          
introduction of base-ball1 or1 as it was
 called1 the ,new ,york game1 until     
#aheg4  ,base-ball grew rapidly in      
favor2 the field was ripe4 ,america     
needed a live out-door sport1 and this  
game exactly suited the national        
temperament4 ,it required all the manly 
qualities of activity1 endurance1 pluck1
 and skill peculiar to cricket1 and was 
immeasurably superior to that game in   
exciting features4 ,there were dash1    
spirit1 and variety1 and it required    

only a couple of hours to play a game4  
,developed by ,american brains1 it was  
flaw to us1 and we took to it with all  
the enthusiasm peculiar to our nature4  
,in #aheg a convention of delegates from
 sixteen clubs located in and around    
,new ,york and ,brooklyn was held1 and a
 uniform set of rules drawn up to govern
 the play of all the clubs4  ,in #aheh a
 second general convention was held1 at 
which twenty-five clubs were            
represented4 ,a committee was appointed 
to formulate a ,constitution and        
,by-laws for a permanent organization1  
and in accordance with this ,the        
,national ,association of ,baseball     
,players was duly organized4 ,the game  
now made rapid strides4 ,it was no boys'
 sport1 for no one under twenty-one     
years of age could be a delegate4 ,each 
year a committee of men having a        
practical knowledge of the game revised 
the playing rules1 so that these were   
always kept abreast of the time4        
,during #aheh a series of three games   

between picked nines from ,new ,york and
 ,brooklyn was played on the ,fashion   
,course1 ,long ,island4 ,the public     
interest in these games was very great  
and the local feeling ran high4 ,the    
series1 which terminated in favor of    
,new ,york1 two to one1 attracted       
general attention to the game4  ,in     
#ahfa a similar game was played called  
the silver ball match1 on account of the
 trophy1 a silver ball1 offered by the  
,new ,york ,clipper4 ,this time         
,brooklyn won easily1 and it is said    
some #ae1jjj people were present4  ,at  
the second annual meeting of the        
,national ,association in #ahfj1 seventy
 clubs had delegates present1           
representing ,new ,york1 ,brooklyn1     
,boston1 ,detroit1 ,new ,haven1 ,newark1
 ,troy1 ,albany1 ,buffalo1 and other    
cities4 ,during this year the first     
extended trip was taken by the          
,excelsior ,club1 of ,brooklyn1 going to
 ,albany1 ,troy1 ,buffalo1 ,rochester1  
and ,newburgh4 ,all the expenses of the 

trip were paid from the treasury of the 
traveling club1 for there were no       
inclosed grounds in those days and no   
questions as to percentage or guarantee 
were yet agitating the clubs and public4
 ,the ,excelsiors won every game1 and   
their skillful display and gentlemanly  
appearance did much to popularize the   
game in the cities visited4  ,already in
 #ahfj the game was coming to be        
recognized as our national pastime1 and 
there were clubs in all the principal   
cities4 ,philadelphia had forsaken her  
town-ball1 and ,boston's ,new ,england  
game1 after a hard fight1 gave way to   
the ,new ,york game4 ,washington1       
,baltimore1 ,troy1 ,albany1 ,syracuse1  
,rochester1 ,buffalo1 all had their     
champion teams4 ,from ,detroit to ,new  
,orleans1 and from ,portland1 ,maine1 to
 far-off ,san ,francisco1 the grand game
 was the reigning out-door sport4  ,with
 the outbreak of the ,civil ,war came a 
very general suspension of play in the  
different cities1 though the records of 

occasional games in camp show that the  
boys did not entirely forget the old    
love4 ,in #ahfe the friendly contests   
were resumed1 though the call of the    
rolls showed many absent who had never  
been known to miss a game4 ,more than   
one of those who went out in '#fa had   
proven his courage on the crimson field4
  ,during the seasons of '#fe1 '#ff1 and
 '#fg amateur base-ball1 so-called1 was 
in the height of its glory4 ,at the     
annual ,convention of the ,national     
,association in '#ff a total of two     
hundred and two clubs from seventeen    
,states and the ,district of ,columbia  
were represented2 besides1 there were   
present delegates from the ,northwestern
 and ,pennsylvania ,associations1       
representing in addition over two       
hundred clubs4  ,in #ahfg the trip of   
the ,nationals of ,washington was the   
first visit of an ,eastern club to the  
,west1 and helped greatly to spread the 
reputation of the game4  ,for a number  
of years1 however1 certain baneful      

influences had crept into the game and  
now began to work out their legitimate  
effect4  ,the greatest of these evils   
was in the amount of gambling on the    
results of games4 ,with so much money at
 stake1 the public knew that players    
would be tampered with1 and when finally
 its suspicions were confirmed1 it      
refused further to patronize the game4  
,the construction of inclosed grounds   
and the charge of admission proved      
another danger4 ,no regular salaries    
were paid1 so that the players who were 
depending on a share of the gate        
arranged to win and lose a game in order
 that the deciding contest might draw   
well4  ,doubtless there were more of    
these things existing in the public     
imagination than in actual fact1 but    
distrust once aroused1 there was no     
faith left for anything or anybody4     
,very early in the history of the       
,association the practice prevailed     
among certain clubs of offering         
inducements to crack players in order to

 secure them as members4 ,the clubs     
which could afford this grew            
disproportionately strong1 and in the   
face of continual defeat the weaker     
clubs were losing interest4 ,in #ahei a 
rule was made forbidding the            
participation in any matches of paid    
players1 but it was so easily evaded    
that it was a dead letter4 ,in #ahff the
 rule was reworded1 but with no improved
 effect1 and in #ahfh the ,national     
,association decided1 as the only way   
out of the dilemma1 to recognize the    
professional class of players4 ,by      
making this distinction it would no     
longer be considered a disgrace for an  
amateur to be beaten by a professional  
nine4  ,for the professionals the change
 was most beneficial4 ,it legitimized   
their occupation and left them at       
liberty to pursue openly and honorably  
what they had before been forced to     
follow under false colors4 ,the proud   
record of the ,cincinnati ,reds in '#fi 
proved that professional base- ball     

could be honestly and profitably        
conducted1 and from that time forth it  
was an established institution4  ,but   
with the introduction of professionalism
 there began a great competition for    
players1 and this brought in a new evil 
in the form of revolvers1 or1 as they   
were sometimes called1 shooting stars4  
,players under contract with one club   
yielded to the temptations of larger    
offers and repudiated the first         
agreements4 ,it became evident that a   
closer organization was necessary to    
deal with these affairs4  ,in #ahga the 
professional and amateur organizations  
concluded to dissolve partnership4 ,two 
distinct associations were formed1 and  
the first regular championship contests 
were engaged in by the ,professional    
,association4 ,after a few years the    
,amateur ,national ,association passed  
out of existence4  ,in #ahgf eight clubs
 of the ,professional ,national         
,association formed an independent body1
 calling themselves ,the ,national      

,league1 and this is the present senior 
base-ball organization4  ,in #ahha a new
 body of professional clubs1 ,the       
,american ,association1 entered the     
field1 and is now1 with the ,national   
,league1 one of the controlling factors 
of the game4  ,there have been a number 
of other base-ball associations formed  
from time to time1 but1 unable to       
compete with the larger ,leagues1 and   
despoiled of their best players1 they   
have been forced to withdraw4 ,under a  
new regime there are at present quite a 
number of these minor organizations1 and
 some of them are in a most flourishing 
condition4  ,in #ahhb the ,national     
,league1 ,american ,association1 and    
,northwestern ,league entered into what 
was called the ,triparti ,agreement1    
which the following year was developed  
into the ,national ,agreement4 ,the     
parties to this document1 which is      
become the lex suprema in base-ball     
affairs1 are now1 primarily1 the        
,national ,league and the ,american     

,association4 ,it regulates the term of 
players' contracts and the period for   
negotiations2 it provides a fine of five
 hundred dollars upon the club          
violating1 and disqualifies the player  
for the ensuing season2 it prescribes   
the formula necessary to make a legal   
contract2 the clubs of each ,association
 are to respect the reservations1       
expulsions1 blacklistments1 and         
suspensions of the clubs of the other2  
it declares that no club shall pay any  
salary in excess of two thousand        
dollars2 finally1 it provides for a     
,board of ,arbitration1 consisting of   
three duly accredited representatives   
from each ,association1 to convene      
annually1 and1 in addition to all       
matters that may be specially referred  
to them1 to have sole1 exclusive1 and   
final jurisdiction of all disputes and  
complaints arising under1 and all       
interpretations of1 this ,agreement4 ,it
 shall also decide all disputes between 
the ,associations or between club       

members of one ,association and club    
members of the other4  ,to this main    
agreement are tacked ,articles of       
,qualified ,admission1 by which the     
minor base-ball associations1 for a     
consideration and upon certain          
conditions1 are conceded certain        
privileges and protection4 ,these       
articles are an agreement between the   
,league and ,american ,association1     
party of the first part1 and the minor  
leagues as party of the second part4    
,the most important feature of the      
,national ,agreement unquestionably is  
the provision according to the club     
members the privilege of reserving a    
stated number of players4 ,no other club
 of any ,association under the          
,agreement dares engage any player so   
reserved4 ,to this rule1 more than any  
other thing1 does base-ball as a        
business owe its present substantial    
standing4 ,by preserving intact the     
strength of a team from year to year2 it
 places the business of baseball on a   

permanent basis and thus offers security
 to the investment of capital4 ,the     
greatest evil with which the business   
has of recent years had to contend is   
the unscrupulous methods of some of its 
managers4 ,knowing no such thing as     
professional honor1 these men are ever  
ready to benefit themselves1 regardless 
of the cost to an associate club4 ,the  
reserve rule itself is a usurpation of  
the players' rights1 but it is1 perhaps1
 made necessary by the peculiar nature  
of the base-ball business1 and the      
player is indirectly compensated by the 
improved standing of the game4 ,i quote 
in this connection ,mr4 ,a4 ,g4 ,mills1 
ex-,president of the ,league1 and the   
originator of the ,national ,agreement3 
,it has been popular in days gone by to 
ascribe the decay and disrepute into    
which the game had fallen to degeneracy 
on the part of the players1 and to blame
 them primarily for revolving and other 
misconduct4 ,nothing could be more      
unjust4 ,i have been identified with the

 game more than twenty-five years--for  
several seasons as a player--and ,i know
 that1 with rare exceptions1 those      
faults were directly traceable to those 
who controlled the clubs4 ,professional 
players have never sought the club      
manager2 the club manager has invariably
 sought--and often tempted--the player4 
,the reserve rule takes the club manager
 by the throat and compels him to keep  
his hands off his neighbor's enterprise4
  ,it was not to be expected that club  
managers of the stamp above referred to 
would exhibit much consideration for the
 rights of players4 ,as long as a player
 continued valuable he had little       
difficulty1 but when1 for any reason1   
his period of usefulness to a club had  
passed1 he was likely to find1 by sad   
experience1 that base-ball laws were not
 construed for his protection2 he       
discovered that in base-ball1 as in     
other affairs1 might often makes right1 
and it is not to be wondered at that he 
turned to combination as a means of     

protection4  ,in the fall of #ahhe the  
members of the ,new ,york team met and  
appointed a committee to draft a        
,constitution and ,by-laws for an       
organization of players1 and during the 
season of #ahhf the different ,chapters 
of the ,national ,brotherhood of        
,ball-,players were instituted by the   
mother ,new ,york ,chapter4 ,the objects
 of this ,brotherhood as set forth by   
the ,constitution are3  ,to protect and 
benefit its members collectively and    
individually2  ,to promote a high       
standard of professional conduct2  ,to  
foster and encourage the interests of   
',the ,national ,game4'  ,there was no  
spirit of antagonism to the capitalists 
of the game1 except in so far as the    
latter might at ally time attempt to    
disregard the rights of any member4  ,in
 ,november1 #ahhg1 a committee of the   
,brotherhood met a committee of the     
,league1 and a new form of players'     
contract was agreed upon4 ,concessions  
were made on both sides1 and the result 

is a more equitable form of agreement   
between the club and players4  ,the time
 has not yet come to write of the effect
 of this new factor in base-ball        
affairs4 ,it is organized on a          
conservative plan1 and the spirit it has
 already shown has given nothing to fear
 to those who have the broad interests  
of the game at heart4 ,that it has      
within it the capacity for great good1  
the writer has no manner of doubt4  ,and
 thus the erstwhile schoolboy game and  
the amateur pastime of later years is   
being rounded out into a full-grown     
business4 ,the professional clubs of the
 country begin to rival in number those 
of the halcyon amateur days2 and yet the
 latter class has lost none of its love 
for the sport4 ,the only thing now      
lacking to forever establish base-ball  
as our national sport is a more liberal 
encouragement of the amateur element4   
,professional base-ball may have its ups
 and downs according as its directors   
may be wise or the contrary1 but the    

foundation upon which it all is built1  
its hold upon the future1 is in the     
amateur enthusiasm for the game4 ,the   
professional game must always be        
confined to the larger towns1 but every 
hamlet may have its amateur team1 and   
let us see to it that their games are   
encouraged4  ,,chapter ,i4 ,,theory ,,op
 ,,the ,,game4 ,a ,,chapter ,,for ,,the 
,,ladies4  ,on account of the           
associations by which a professional    
game of base-ball was supposed to be    
surrounded1 it was for a long time      
thought not a proper sport for the      
patronage of ladies4 ,gradually1        
however1 this illusion has been         
dispelled1 until now at every principal 
contest they are found present in large 
numbers4 ,one game is generally enough  
to interest the novice2 she had expected
 to find it so difficult to understand  
and she soon discovers that she knows   
all about it2 she is able to criticize  
plays and even find fault with the      
umpire2 she is surprised and flattered  

by the wonderful grasp of her own       
understanding1 and she begins to like   
the game4 ,as with everything else that 
she likes at all1 she likes it with all 
her might1 and it is only a question of 
a few more games till she becomes an    
enthusiast4 ,it is a fact that the sport
 has no more ardent admirers than are to
 be found among its lady attendants     
throughout the country4  ,whoever has   
not experienced the pleasure of taking a
 young lady to her first game of ball   
should seize the first opportunity to do
 so4 ,her remarks about plays1 her      
opinions of different players and the   
umpire1 and the questions she will ask  
concerning the game1 are all too funny  
to be missed4 ,she is a violent partisan
 and at once takes strong sides1 and if 
her favorite team fails to bat well she 
characterizes the opposing pitcher as a 
horrid creature2 or when the teams have 
finished practicing she wants to know1  
with charming ingenuousness1 which won4 
,but as she gets deeper into the        

principles of the game her remarks      
become less frequent and her questions  
more to the point1 until her well-timed 
attempts to applaud good plays and the  
anxious look at critical points of the  
game indicate that she has at last      
caught the idea4  ,unfortunately1 some  
men are not able to intelligibly explain
 the theory of base-ball1 while others  
are so engrossed with the game that they
 do not care to be disturbed4 ,for the  
benefit of those ladies whose escorts   
either cannot1 or will not1 answer their
 questions1 ,i will attempt to set forth
 as clearly as possible the fundamental 
principles of the game4  ,there are     
always two opposing teams of nine       
players each1 and they play on a field  
laid out in the shape of a diamond1 as  
seen in time diagram on the following   
page4  ,at each corner of the diamond is
 a base1 and these are known            
respectively as home base1 first base1  
second base1 and third base4 ,one of the
 teams takes the field1 that is1 each of

 its nine players occupies one of the   
nine fielding positions shown in the    
diagram1 and known as pitcher1 catcher1 
first base1 second base1 third base1    
short stop1 left field1 centre field1   
and right field2 the other team goes to 
the bat and tries to make runs4 ,a run  
is scored in this way3 ,one of the nine 
batting players takes his position at   
the home base and endeavors to hit the  
ball1 thrown to him by the opposing     
pitcher1 to some part of the field where
 it can neither be caught before        
touching the ground1 nor thrown to first
 base before the batter himself can run 
there2 if he can hit it far enough to   
allow him to reach not only first base1 
but second or third or even home1 so    
much the better1 for when he has made   
the complete circuit of the bases his   
side is credited with one run4 ,if he   
cannot make home on his own hit he may  
be helped around by the good hits of    
succeeding batsmen1 for each one of the 
nine takes his regular turn at the bat4 

,this batting and running goes on until 
three of the batting side have been put 
out1 whereupon the batting side take the
 field and the other team comes in to   
take its turn at bat and make as many   
runs as possible4 ,when three of a      
batting side have been put out1 that    
side is said to have had its inning1 and
 each side is entitled to nine innings4 
,a player is put out in various ways1   
principal among which are the following3
 ,if he strikes three times at the ball 
and misses it and on the third strike   
the ball is caught by the catcher2 a    
ball which passes over the plate between
 the height of the knee and shoulder and
 not struck at1 is called a strike just 
as though it had been struck at and     
missed4 ,the batsman is also out if the 
ball which he hits is caught by some    
fielder before touching the ground2 or  
if1 having touched the ground1 it is    
thrown to time first-baseman before the 
batter himself can reach that base4 ,he 
is out if1 at any time after having hit 

the ball1 he is touched with it in the  
hands of a fielder1 when no part of his 
person is touching a base4  ,there are  
lines drawn from the home base through  
the first and third- base corners and   
continued indefinitely into the field4  
,these are called foul lines1 and any   
hit ball falling outside of them counts 
as nothing at all1 unless1 of course1 it
 be caught before touching the ground2  
in which case it puts the striker out4  
,outside of the nine players on each    
side there is another important         
personage1 known as ,the ,umpire4 ,he is
 not placed there as a target for the   
maledictions of disappointed spectators4
 ,he is of flesh and blood1 and has     
feelings just the same as any other     
human being4 ,he is not chosen because  
of his dishonesty or ignorance of the   
rules of the game1 neither is he an     
ex-horse thief nor an escaped felon2 on 
the contrary1 he has been carefully     
selected by the ,president of the       
,league from among a great number of    

applicants on account of his supposed   
integrity of character and peculiar     
fitness for the position2 indeed1 in    
private life he may even pass as a      
gentleman4  ,his duties are arduous2 he 
must decide all points of play1 though  
taking place on widely separated        
portions of the field2 he determines    
whether a ball has been fairly pitched  
over the home-base1 whether a hit is    
fair or foul1 or whether a player has   
been put out in accordance with the     
rules4 ,in brief1 he is expected to see 
all parts of the field at once and      
enforce all the principal and incidental
 rules of the game4 ,it would not be    
strange1 therefore1 if he made an       
occasional mistake or failed to decide  
in a way to suit all4  ,i have given    
thus concisely1 and with the use of as  
few technical terms as possible1 the    
first principles of the game4 ,many     
things are purposely left for the novice
 to learn1 because any attempt to go    
into detail would prove confusing4 ,for 

the instruction of those who wish to    
master the technical terms generally    
used1 ,i subjoin some definitions4 ,they
 are intended for beginners1 and though 
not in all cases covering the entire    
ground1 will yet convey the idea4       
,,definitions4  ,a batsman1 batter1 or  
striker is the player who is taking his 
turn at bat4  ,a base-runner is what the
 batter becomes instantly after having  
hit a fair ball1 though for convenience 
of distinction he is often still called 
a batter until he has reached first     
base4  ,a fielder is any one of the nine
 fielding players4  ,a coacher is one of
 the batting players who takes his      
position within certain prescribed      
limits near first or third base to      
direct base- runners and to urge them   
along4  ,a fair hit is1 generally       
speaking1 a ball hit by a batsman which 
falls within the foul lines4  ,a foul   
hit is one which falls without the foul 
lines4 ,a base hit is a fair hit by a   
batsman which can neither be caught     

before touching the ground nor fielded  
to first base in time to put out the    
striker4 ,it may be either a two-base   
hit1 a three-base hit1 or a home run1   
according as two or three or four bases 
have been made on the hit without an    
intervening error4  ,an error is made   
when a fielder fails to make a play that
 he should fairly have been expected to 
make4  ,a fly is a hit caught before    
touching the ground4  ,a muff is made   
when a fly or thrown ball1 striking     
fairly in the hands of a fielder1 is not
 caught4  ,a grounder is a hit along the
 ground4  ,a steal is made when a       
base-runner gets from one base to       
another without the assistance of a base
 hit or an error4  ,a wild pitch is a   
ball thrown by the pitcher out of the   
fair reach of the catcher1 and on which 
a base-runner gains a base4  ,a passed  
ball is a throw by the pitcher which the
 catcher should stop but fails1 and by  
his failure a base-runner gains a base4 
,for the purpose of distinction1 the    

nine fielders are subdivided into ,the  
,battery1 ,the ,in-field1 and ,the      
,out-field4 ,the ,battery means the     
,pitcher and ,catcher1 the ,in-field    
includes the ,first1 ,second1 and ,third
 ,basemen1 and the ,short-stop2 and the 
,outfield is composed of the ,left1     
,centre1 and ,right ,fielders4  ,as for 
the theory of the game1 remember that   
there are opposing sides1 each of which 
has nine turns at the bat1 i4e41 nine   
innings1 and the object each inning is  
to score as many runs as possible4 ,a   
run is scored every time a player gets  
entirely around the bases1 either by his
 own hit alone or by the help of        
succeeding batters1 or by the errors of 
the opposing fielders1 and the team     
making the most runs in nine innings is 
declared the winner4 ,an inning is ended
 when three of the batting side have    
been put out1 and a player may be put   
out in various ways1 as before          
enumerated4 ,the umpire is not trying to
 be unfair1 he is doing the best he can1

 and instead of abuse he is often       
deserving of sympathy4  ,,chapter ,,ii4 
,,training4  ,some one has truthfully   
said1 that ball players1 like poets and 
cooks1 are born1 not made1 though once  
born1 their development1 like that of   
their fellow-artists1 may be greatly    
aided by judicious coaching4 ,of what   
this training shall consist becomes then
 a question of much importance4  ,the   
only way to learn base-ball is to play  
it1 and it is a trite saying that the   
best practice for a ball player is      
base-ball itself4 ,still1 there are     
points outside of the game1 such as the 
preliminary training1 diet1 and         
exercise1 an observance of which will be
 of great advantage when the regular    
work is begun4 ,the method and style of 
play and the points of each position are
 given in the subsequent chapters1 so   
that ,i shall here speak only of those  
points which come up off the field and  
are not included in the game proper4    
,but first of all1 let me say1 that no  

one will ever become an expert ball     
player who is not passionately fond of  
the sport4 ,base-ball cannot be learned 
as a trade4 ,it begins with the sport of
 the schoolboy1 and though it may end in
 the professional1 ,i am sure there is  
not a single one of these who learned   
the game with the expectation of making 
it a business4 ,there have been years in
 the life of each during which he must  
have ate and drank and dreamed baseball4
 ,it is not a calculation but an        
inspiration4  ,there are many excellent 
books devoted exclusively to the general
 subject of training1 and a careful     
reading of one such may be of much      
service in teaching the beginner the    
ordinary principles of self-care4 ,it   
will show him how to keep the system in 
good working order1 what are proper     
articles of diet1 how to reduce weight1 
or what exercises are best calculated to
 develop certain muscles2 but for the   
specific purposes of a ball player such 
a book is entirely wanting1 for the     

reason that the condition in which he   
should keep himself1 and therefore the  
training needful1 differ from those for 
any other athlete4 ,to perform some     
particular feat which is to occupy but a
 comparatively brief space of time1 as  
to run1 row1 wrestle1 or the like1 a man
 will do better to be thoroughly fit4   
,but if the period of exertion is to    
extend over some length of time1 as is  
the case with the ball player1 working  
for six months at a stretch1 his system 
will not stand the strain of too much   
training4 ,working solely on bone and   
muscle day after day1 his nervous system
 will give way4 ,he will grow weak1 or  
as it is technically known1 go stale4   
,this over-training is a mistake        
oftenest made by the young and highly   
ambitious player1 though doubtless many 
of the instances of loss of speed by    
pitchers and off streaks by older       
players are really attributable to this 
cause4  ,the condition in which a ball  
player should keep himself is such that 

his stomach and liver are in good order1
 his daily habits regular1 his muscles  
free and firm1 and his wind strong      
enough to allow him to run the circuit  
of the bases without inconvenience4 ,he 
must not attempt to keep in what is     
known as fine condition4 ,he should     
observe good hours1 and take at least   
eight hours sleep nightly2 and he may   
eat generously of wholesome food1 except
 at noon1 when he should take only a    
light lunch4 ,there are many players who
 eat so heartily just before the game   
that they are sleepy and dull the entire
 afternoon4 ,the traveling professional 
player needs to pay particular attention
 to the kind and quality of his food4   
,the sudden changes of climate1 water1  
and cooking are very trying1 and unless 
he takes great care he will not get     
through a season without some trouble4  
,especially should he avoid under or    
over ripe fruit1 for it is likely that  
many of the prevalent cases of cholera  
morbus are due to indiscretions in this 

particular4  ,if he finds it necessary  
to take some light stimulant1 let it be 
done with the evening meal4 ,never take 
any liquor at any other time3 ,i do not 
favor the indiscriminate use of any     
drink1 but1 on the contrary1 oppose it  
as a most harmful practice2 ,i do       
believe1 however1 that a glass of ale1  
beer1 or claret with one's meal is in   
some cases beneficial4 ,a thin1 nervous 
person1 worn out with the excitement and
 fatigue of the day1 will find it a     
genuine tonic2 it will soothe and quiet 
his nerves and send him earlier to bed  
and asleep4 ,the beefy individual1 with 
plenty of reserve force1 needs no       
stimulant1 and should never touch liquor
 at any time4 ,if taken at all1 it      
should be solely as a tonic and never as
 a social beverage4  ,the force of the  
above applies with special emphasis to  
the young professional player4 ,knowing 
so well the numberless temptations by   
which he is surrounded1 ,i caution him  
particularly against indiscriminate     

drinking4 ,in no profession in life are 
good habits more essential to success   
than in baseball4 ,it is the first thing
 concerning which the wise manager      
inquires1 and if the player's record in 
this respect is found good it is the    
most hopeful indication of his future   
success4 ,keep away from saloons4  ,the 
amount of work necessary to keep a      
player in the proper form must be       
determined in each particular case by   
the individual himself4 ,if he is       
inclined to be thin a very little will  
be enough1 and he should not begin too  
early in the spring2 while if prone to  
stoutness he may require a great deal1  
and should begin earlier4 ,it is        
scarcely necessary to say that all      
exercise should be begun by easy stages4
 ,commencing with walks in the open air 
and the use of light pulley weights or  
clubs or bells1 the quantity of exercise
 may be gradually increased4 ,never1    
however1 indulge in heavy work or feats 
of strength4 ,such exercise is not good 

for any one1 but especially is it       
dangerous for ball players4 ,they do not
 want strength1 but agility and         
suppleness2 besides1 the straining of   
some small muscle or tendon may         
incapacitate one for the entire season1 
or even permanently4 ,right here is the 
objection to turning loose a party of   
ball players in a gymnasium1 for spring 
practice4 ,the temptation to try feats  
of strength is always present1 and more 
than likely some one will be injured4   
,the best preliminary practice for a    
ball player1 outside of actual practice 
at the game1 is to be had in a hand-ball
 court4 ,the game itself is interesting1
 and one will work up a perspiration    
without noticing the exertion2 it       
loosens the muscles1 quickens the eye1  
hardens the hands1 and teaches the body 
to act quickly with the mind2 it affords
 every movement of the ball field except
 batting1 there is little danger from   
accident1 and the amount of exercise can
 be easily regulated4 ,two weeks in a   

hand-ball court will put a team in      
better condition to begin a season than 
any ,southern trip1 and in the end be   
less expensive to the club4  ,but       
whatever preliminary work is found      
advisable or necessary to adopt1 the    
player should be particular in the      
following3 ,having determined the amount
 of exercise best suited to his         
temperament1 he should observe regular  
habits1 keep the stomach1 liver1 and    
skin healthy1 attend carefully to the   
quality of food taken1 and if he takes  
any stimulant at all let it be with the 
evening meal4  ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,,the   
,,pitcher4  ,of all the players on a    
base-ball nine1 the pitcher is the one  
to whom attaches the greatest           
importance4 ,he is the attacking force  
of the nine1 the positive pole of the   
battery1 the central figure1 around     
which the others are grouped4 ,from the 
formation of the first written code of  
rules in #ahde down to the present time1
 this pre-eminence has been maintained1 

and though the amendments of succeeding 
years have caused it to vary from time  
to time1 its relative importance is more
 marked to-day than at any preceding    
period4 ,in a normal development of the 
game the improvement in batting would   
unquestionably have outstripped the     
pitching1 and finally overcome this     
superiority2 but the removal of certain 
restrictions upon the pitcher's motions1
 the legalization of the underhand throw
 instead of the old straight-arm pitch1 
the introduction of curve pitching1 and1
 finally1 the unrestricted overhand     
delivery1 have kept the pitching always 
in the lead4 ,at several different      
times1 notably in the rules of #ahhg1 an
 effort has been made to secure a more  
even adjustment1 but recent changes have
 undone the work1 and the season of     
#ahhh will see the inequality greater1  
if anything1 than ever4  ,the qualities 
of mind and body necessary to constitute
 a good modern pitcher are rarely       
combined in a single individual4        

,first-class pitchers are almost as rare
 as prima donnas1 and out of the many   
thousand professional and amateur ball  
players of the country not more than a  
dozen in all are capable of doing the   
position entire justice4  ,speaking     
first of the physical requirements1 ,i  
will not discuss the question of size4  
,there are good pitchers of all sizes1  
from ,madden and ,kilroy to ,whitney and
 ,mc,cormick1 though naturally a man of 
average proportions would have some     
advantages4  ,the first thing necessary 
before one can become a star pitcher is 
the ability to throw a ball with speed4 
,the rules1 which at present govern the 
pitching1 place a premium on brute      
strength1 and unless one has a fair     
share of this he will never become a    
leading pitcher4 ,there are a few       
so-called good professional players     
whose sole conception of the position is
 to drive the ball through with all     
possible speed1 while others whose skill
 and strategy have been proven by long  

service1 are forced out of the position 
because they have not sufficient speed  
for the modern game4  ,next1 one must be
 possessed of more than an ordinary     
amount of endurance4 ,it is by no means 
a simple task to pitch an entire game   
through and still be as effective in the
 ninth inning as in the first2 and when1
 as sometimes happens1 the contest is   
prolonged by an extra number of innings1
 the test is severe4 ,this being true of
 a single game1 how much more tiresome  
it becomes when continued regularly for 
an entire season1 during the chilly days
 of the spring and fall1 and under a    
broiling ,july sun1 can be appreciated  
only by one who has gone through it4    
,and what with all day and all night    
rides from city to city1 broken rest and
 hasty meals1 bad cooking and changes of
 water and climate1 the man is extremely
 fortunate who finds himself in         
condition to play every day when wanted4
 ,only a good constitution1 a vigorous  
digestion1 the most careful habits1 and 

lots of grit1 will ever do it4  ,besides
 force and stamina1 there are certain   
mental characteristics necessary4 ,a    
pitcher must be possessed of courage and
 of self-control4 ,he must face the     
strongest batter with the same          
confidence that he would feel against   
the weakest1 for it is only so that he  
can do himself entire justice2 and he   
must be able to pitch in the most       
critical situations with the same       
coolness as at any other stage4 ,he must
 control his own feelings so as not to  
be disconcerted by anything that may    
happen1 whether through his own fault1  
that of a fellow-player1 or through no  
fault at all4 ,he should remember that  
all are working for a common end1 and   
that the chances of victory will be only
 injured if he allows his attention to  
be diverted by unavoidable accidents4   
,and then1 too1 it is more manly to play
 one's own game as best one can1 no     
matter what occurs1 than to continually 
display an ugly temper at the little    

mishaps sure to occur in every game4    
,the next point is to acquire a correct 
position in the box1 and an easy1 yet   
deceptive1 style of delivery4 ,the      
position is1 to a great extent1         
prescribed by the rules1 and so much of 
it as is not can be learned by observing
 the different pitchers4 ,the position  
which seems most natural should be      
chosen4 ,the ball should be held in     
exactly the same way1 no matter what    
kind of curve is to be pitched4 ,being  
obliged by rule to keep the ball before 
the body1 in sight of the umpire1 any   
difference in the manlier of holding it 
will be quickly noticed by a clever     
batter1 and if for a particular curve it
 is always held in a certain way1 he    
will be forewarned of the kind of ball  
to expect4  ,some batters pay no        
attention to these little indications2  
but the majority are looking for them   
all the time1 and once they detect any  
peculiarities1 they will be able to face
 the pitcher with much greater          

confidence4 ,the correct manner of      
holding the ball for every kind of      
delivery is between the thumb and the   
first and middle fingers1 as shown in   
the accompanying cut of ,clarkson4  ,it 
is true there are some curves which may 
be better acquired by holding the ball  
differently in the hand1 but this fact  
is outweighed by the other              
considerations of which ,i have just    
spoken4 ,pitcher ,shaw might still be a 
wizard had he not neglected this        
precaution2 by noticing his manner of   
holding the ball the batter always knew 
just what was coming2 and there are     
other pitchers yet in the field who     
would find their effectiveness greatly  
increased by a closer observance of this
 point4  ,as for the style of delivery1 
it should be remembered that the easiest
 movement is the best4 ,a long1 free    
sweep of the arm1 aided by a swing of   
the body1 will give more speed1 be more 
deceiving to the batter1 and allow of   
more work than any possible snap or     

jerky motion4 ,facing the striker before
 pitching1 the arm should be swung well 
back and the body around so as almost to
 face second base in the act of         
delivery2 this has an intimidating      
effect on weak-nerved batters2 besides1 
not knowing from what point the ball    
will start1 it seems somehow to get     
mixed up with the pitcher's arm and body
 so that it is not possible to get a    
fair view of it4 ,it will be understood 
what motion is meant if there is an     
opportunity to observe ,whitney1        
,clarkson or ,keefe at work4  ,next     
comes the knowledge of how to throw the 
different curves4 ,i have yet to see an 
article written on this subject which is
 of the least value in instructing a    
complete novice4 ,in the chapter on     
,curve ,pitching will be found the      
theory of the curve1 but as for         
describing intelligibly the snap of the 
wrist and arm by which the various      
twists are imparted to the ball1 ,i am  
convinced it cannot be done1 and will   

waste no effort in the attempt4 ,to     
curve a ball is not a difficult feat1   
and a few practical lessons1 which any  
schoolboy can give1 will teach the      
movement4 ,but1 while not attempting    
myself to tell how this is done1 to one 
already possessed of the knowledge1 ,i  
may offer some valuable suggestions4    
,not only must the ball always be held  
in the same way before pitching1 but in 
the act of delivery the swing of the arm
 must be identical or so nearly so that 
the eye of the batter can detect no     
difference4 ,all this means that the    
pitcher must not give the striker the   
slightest inkling of the kind of ball to
 expect1 so that he will have the       
shortest possible time in which to      
prepare to hit4 ,i advise against the   
use of too many different curves4 ,the  
accomplished twirler can pitch any kind 
of curve1 but there are some which he   
seldom employs4 ,it is impossible to be 
accurate when too many deliveries are   
attempted1 and accuracy is of far       

greater importance than eccentric       
curves4 ,almost all professional        
pitchers now use the overhand delivery  
and pitch only a fast1 straight ball and
 a curve4 ,the fast ball1 on account of 
its being thrown overhand and the twist 
thereby given1 jumps in the air1 that   
is1 it rises slightly1 while the curve1 
pitched with the same motion1 goes      
outward and downward4 ,the curve will   
necessarily be slower than the straight 
ball1 and this will give all the        
variation in speed needed to unsettle   
the batter's eye and confuse him in     
timing the ball4 ,some pitchers are     
able1 keeping the same motions1 to vary 
the speed even of the curve and straight
 balls1 but1 as before said1 this is apt
 to be at the expense of accuracy1 and  
should not be attempted by the young    
player4 ,occasionally1 say once an      
inning1 a pitcher may make a round arm  
or underhand motion simply to mislead   
the batsman1 and if the game is safely  
won he may use an underhand delivery if 

he finds it rests his arm1 but these are
 exceptional instances4  ,i have already
 spoken of the importance of accuracy1  
but it cannot be too strongly           
emphasized4 ,the more marked the control
 of the ball the greater will be the    
success1 for no matter how many         
wonderful curves he may be able to get1 
unless he has perfect command he will   
never be a winning pitcher2 seasoned    
batsmen will only laugh at his curves   
and go to first on balls4 ,to acquire   
thorough control requires long and      
patient practice4 ,a pitcher should     
always pitch over something laid down to
 represent a plate1 and if possible get 
a batter to stand and hit against him4  
,let him practice with some method1     
pitching nothing but a straight ball1   
and trying to put it directly over the  
plate every time4 ,he should not be     
annoyed if the batter hits him1 as he is
 only practicing4 ,when a pitcher is    
able to cut the centre of the plate     
eight times out of ten he may begin with

 his curve and work it in the same way4 
,finally1 when he can also control the  
curve1 he should try to alternate it    
with a straight ball4 ,he will find that
 he cannot do this at first and retain  
command of each1 but he should keep at  
it1 an hour or more regularly every day1
 till he can4  ,up to this point he has 
been learning only the mechanical part  
of pitching1 and if he has learned it   
well he is now ready to try his skill   
and mettle on the field of actual       
contest4 ,and here comes in an element  
not before mentioned1 which is called   
strategy1 or head-work4 ,it means the   
attempt to deceive the batter1 to outwit
 him so that he cannot hit safely4 ,this
 may be accomplished in many ways1      
though the particular way best suited to
 each case can only be determined at the
 time by the pitcher himself4 ,it       
depends1 therefore1 upon his own        
cleverness and wits1 and it is not      
possible for any one else to supply     
these for him4 ,an intelligent catcher  

may help him greatly1 but there will    
still remain many points which he       
himself must decide4 ,i may be able1    
however1 to furnish some hints which    
will indicate the process of reasoning  
by which the pitcher may arrive at      
certain conclusions2 ,i can point out   
some things he should notice1 and       
describe what these generally mean4     
,,signaling4  ,but first as to the      
question of signs4 ,every battery1 by   
which is meant a pitcher and catcher1   
must have a perfectly understood private
 code of signals1 so that they may make 
known their intentions and wishes to one
 another without at the same time       
apprising the opposing players4 ,the    
first and1 of course1 most important of 
these is the signal by which the catcher
 is to know what kind of ball to expect4
  ,there is no necessity of more than   
one sign for this1 because all that any 
experienced catcher asks is to know when
 to expect a fast1 straight ball2 not   
having received the signal for this1 he 

will understand that a curve is to be   
pitched1 and the difference in curve or 
speed will not bother him after a few   
moments' practice4 ,until within a few  
years this sign was always given by the 
pitcher1 but now it is almost the       
universal practice for the catcher to   
give it to the pitcher1 and if the      
latter doesn't want to pitch the ball   
asked for he changes the sign by a shake
 of the head4 ,i think the old method   
was the better1 because it is certainly 
the business of the pitcher not only to 
do the pitching1 but to use his own     
judgment in deceiving the batsman4 ,he  
should not act as a mere automaton to   
throw the ball2 moreover1 the catcher   
has enough of his own to attend to      
without assuming any of the duties of   
the pitcher4 ,of course1 if the pitcher 
is young and inexperienced1 while the   
catcher is seasoned and better          
acquainted with the weak points of      
batters1 the latter will be the better  
one to signal4 ,it may be thought that  

the right of the pitcher to reverse the 
sign by a shake of the head practically 
gives him the same control as though he 
himself gave the signs1 but this is not 
strictly true2 it is impossible for the 
pitcher not to be more or less          
influenced by the catcher's sign1 and he
 will often pitch against his own       
judgment4 ,at least ,i found this to be 
true in my own experience1 and therefore
 always preferred myself to do the      
signing4 ,if the pitcher gives this sign
 he must be careful to choose one that  
will not be discovered by the other     
side1 for there are certain players     
always watching for such points4 ,some  
years ago the ,chicago ,club gave me the
 roughest kind of handling in several   
games1 and ,kelly told me this winter   
that they knew every ball ,i intended to
 pitch1 and he even still remembered the
 sign and told me what it was4 ,chicago 
finished first that year and we were a  
close second4 ,that point which they    
gained upon me may have cost ,providence

 the championship1 for they beat us     
badly in the individual series4 ,when ,i
 suspected a club of knowing my sign ,i 
used a combination1 that is1 ,i gave two
 signs2 either one of them given        
separately was not to be understood as a
 signal at all1 but both had to be given
 together4 ,i found this to work        
admirably1 and it was never discovered  
by any club1 so far as ,i know4 ,if it  
be agreed that the catcher is to give   
this sign1 it is still not necessary    
that the pitcher be entirely influenced 
by him4 ,the pitcher should rely upon   
his own discretion1 and not hesitate to 
change the sign whenever his judgment   
differs from that of the catcher4       
,there are certain signs which the      
catcher gives to basemen when there are 
runners on the bases1 and with these1   
too1 the pitcher must be perfectly      
familiar1 so that he may be able to     
pitch the ball in accordance with what  
is about to be done4 ,for instance1 if  
the catcher has signaled to the first   

baseman that he will throw there1 he    
will probably ask the pitcher for an out
 curve4 ,in order1 then1 to help him out
 with the play and give him plenty of   
room1 the pitcher will not only pitch   
the out curve asked1 but he will keep it
 well out and wide of the plate1 so that
 it can't possibly be hit1 and he will  
pitch it at the height where it may be  
best handled by the catcher4 ,so1 too1  
if there is a runner on first who is    
likely to attempt to steal second1 he   
will pitch for the catcher1 and he      
should shorten his pitching motion so as
 to give the catcher as much time as    
possible to throw4 ,when runners steal  
on a catcher it is oftener not so much  
his fault as the pitcher's4 ,it is      
almost impossible to make a clean steal 
of second1 even with a very ordinary    
thrower behind the bat1 if the pitcher  
will not give the runner too much start4
  ,the pitcher should also receive a    
signal from the catcher notifying him   
when to throw to second base to catch a 

runner leading off too far4 ,this point 
will1 however1 be noticed more          
appropriately under the duties of ,the  
,catcher4  ,as for the other bases1     
first and third1 the pitcher should look
 after them himself without any signal  
from the catcher4 ,i could always stand 
in the pitcher's position facing the    
batter and still see out of the corner  
of my eye how much ground the runner on 
first base was taking4 ,as the baseman  
is already on the base1 there is no     
necessity of notifying him of an        
intention to throw1 so1 watching the    
opportunity1 ,i would throw across my   
body without first having changed the   
position of my feet or body at all4 ,the
 throw is1 of course1 not so swift as by
 first wheeling toward the base and then
 throwing1 but it will catch a runner   
oftener4 ,smiling ,mickey ,welch plays  
the point to perfection1 and last season
 caught many men napping in this way4   
,its advantage is that it is entirely   
legitimate4 ,some pitchers1 in order to 

catch a runner at first1 make a slight  
forward movement1 visible to the runner 
but not to the umpire1 as if about to   
pitch4 ,this1 of course1 starts the     
runner1 and before he can recover1 the  
pitcher has turned and thrown to first4 
,notwithstanding the strictest          
prohibition last season of any motion   
even calculated to deceive the runner1  
there were umpires weak- kneed enough to
 allow these balks4  ,the easiest men to
 catch are the best base-runners1       
because they are always anxious to get  
away1 and they take the most chances4   
,an ambitious runner will keep moving up
 and down the line trying to get his    
start4 ,the pitcher should not appear to
 notice him1 pretending to be interested
 only in the batter1 but watching the   
runner closely all the time4 ,suddenly1 
and without the least warning1 he should
 snap the ball to the baseman4 ,if the  
pitcher will choose a time when the     
runner is on the move away from the base
 the batter will be off his balance and 

may be caught before he can recover4    
,for the third base it may be advisable 
to have a signal with the baseman to    
notify him of a throw4 ,it is very      
seldom possible to catch a runner off   
third by a throw from the pitcher1      
though it may sometimes be done4        
,clarkson and ,galvin both accomplish it
 at times1 though they always do it by  
the aid of a balk4 ,clarkson's method is
 this3 ,with a runner on first and one  
on third1 the man on first will usually 
try to steal second1 and if the ball is 
thrown there to catch him1 the runner on
 third tries to score4 ,in this         
situation ,clarkson makes a slight      
forward movement of the body as though  
about to pitch1 and the runner on third1
 being anxious to get all possible      
ground1 moves forward4 ,with the same   
motion1 and before the runner can       
recover1 ,clarkson1 by a prior          
understanding with the third baseman1   
throws to the base1 the baseman meets   
the ball there1 and before the runner   

has quite realized what has happened1 he
 is out4 ,i have reason to know the     
working of this little scheme1 because  
,i was caught by it in ,chicago last    
season in a very close game4 ,the balk  
was palpable1 and ,i made a strenuous   
kick1 but the umpire refused to see it  
that way4  ,a pitcher should not be     
misled by what ,i have said into too    
much throwing to bases4 ,he should throw
 only when there is a fair chance of    
making the put-out2 for all other       
purposes1 as to hold the runner close to
 the base1 a feint will answer just as  
well and does not entail the possibility
 of an error4  ,,strategy4  ,a strategic
 pitcher is one who depends for success 
not simply on speed and curves1 but who 
outwits the batsman by skill1 who       
deceives his eye1 and plays upon his    
weaknesses4 ,what will be the best      
method for a particular case must be    
decided in each instance by the pitcher 
himself1 and his success will depend    
upon his judgment and cleverness4 ,but  

while no general rule can be laid down1 
,i may still be able to offer some      
useful suggestions4  ,assuming that a   
pitcher has never seen the batters whom 
he is about to face1 there are certain  
points to be noted as each of them takes
 his place at the bat4 ,first1 his      
position and manner of holding his bat  
should be observed4 ,if he carries it   
over his shoulder and in an almost      
perpendicular position1 the chances are 
that he is naturally a high ball hitter 
and is looking for that kind of a pitch1
 because that is the position of the bat
 from which a high ball is most easily  
hit4 ,if1 on the contrary1 he carries   
his bat in a more nearly horizontal     
position1 he is ready either to chop    
over at a high ball1 or cut under at a  
low one1 the chances being that he      
prefers the latter4 ,of still more      
importance is his movement in hitting1  
and this the pitcher must try to        
discover before the batter has hit the  
ball at all4 ,an out-curve should be    

pitched just out of his reach2 being so 
near where he wants it1 it will draw him
 out and he will make every movement1   
except the swing of the bat1 as in      
hitting4 ,this movement should be       
carefully noted4 ,if1 in stepping       
forward to hit1 he also steps away from 
the plate toward the third base1 it is  
at once a point in the pitcher's favor4 
,the batsman is timid and afraid of     
being hit4 ,if1 however1 he steps       
confidently forward1 almost directly    
toward the pitcher1 he is a dangerous   
man and all the pitcher's skill will be 
needed to outwit him4 ,again1 if in     
stepping forward he makes a very long   
stride1 it is another point for the     
pitcher1 because it shows that he is not
 only anxious to hit but means to hit   
hard1 and such a man is easily deceived4
 ,but if he makes a short stride1       
keeping easily his balance and standing 
well upright1 he is more than likely a  
good hitter1 even though he steps away  
from the plate1 and if in addition to   

stepping short he also steps toward the 
pitcher1 the pitcher should look out for
 him4  ,without going into too much     
detail ,i will try to illustrate3 ,if my
 batter is one who steps away from the  
plate ,i will pitch a fast1 straight    
ball in over his shoulder too high and  
too far in to be hit4 ,the next time he 
will step still further away1 but this  
time ,i should put a fast1 straight one 
over the outside corner of the plate4   
,from his position he will probably not 
be able to reach it at all1 or if he    
does he will hit with no force4 ,i might
 pitch the next ball in the same place1 
and then ,i should consider it time to  
drive him away from the plate again and 
,i would send the next one in over his  
shoulder as before4 ,he may hit at one  
of these high in balls1 but if he does  
he will probably not touch it2 at any   
rate1 another fast1 straight one over   
the outside corner ought to dispose of  
him4 ,it will be observed ,i have not   
thrown a single curve1 nor would ,i to  

such a batter except occasionally1 say  
two or three during the game1 and then  
only to keep him guessing4  ,taking     
another kind of hitter1 suppose that he 
steps up in the best form1 making a     
short stride toward the pitcher1 keeping
 his balance well and his form erect4   
,as already said1 he is a dangerous     
batter and likely to hit in spite of my 
best efforts1 but ,i must do the best ,i
 can with him4 ,i therefore observe his 
manner of holding the bat and note      
whether he prefers a high or low ball1  
and we will say that it is a low one4 ,i
 send a couple of low drop curves just  
out of his reach4 ,it is just what he   
wants if he could only get at them1 and 
the next time he steps well in toward   
the plate4 ,this time1 however1 ,i send 
a fast1 straight1 high ball over the    
plate1 and if he hits it at all1 it will
 be in the air4 ,another fast1 straight1
 high one might not escape so easily1   
but ,i have two balls called and can't  
take the chances of giving him his base4

 ,i therefore try it again4 ,if he has  
missed that ,i now have two strikes1 and
 only two balls1 and can afford to throw
 away a ball or two1 which ,i do as     
before by pitching a couple of low drop 
curves out of his reach1 until his mind 
is again fixed upon that point4 ,then ,i
 would probably again try a fast1 high  
ball on the inside corner of the plate4 
,these two cases1 are given merely to   
illustrate the line of reasoning1 and in
 practice each would be governed by its 
own particular circumstances4 ,to avoid 
confusing details1 ,i will add only a   
few observations3 ,a batter who steps   
away from the plate1 should be worked on
 the outside corner2 one who steps in1  
on the inside corner2 one who makes a   
long1 vicious swing at the ball1 will be
 easily deceived by a slow ball1 much   
more readily than one who snaps or hits 
with a short1 quick stroke2 one who     
strides long must necessarily stoop or  
crouch1 and is in bad form to hit a high
 ball2 if he swings his bat always in a 

horizontal plane1 he will not be able to
 hit a shoulder or knee ball as well as 
one who swings in a perpendicular plane1
 i4e41 who cuts under at a low ball and 
chops over-hand at a high ball2 there   
are some batters who prefer to hit only 
at a fast1 straight ball1 while others  
wait for a curve1 and in such a case the
 pitcher may get a strike or two by     
pitching what he will not care to hit   
at2 some are never ready to hit at the  
first ball pitched1 so that by sending  
this in over the plate a strike may be  
secured2 some are known as great        
waiters1 who will only hit when forced1 
and these should be forced to hit at    
once2 others are anxious and cannot     
wait1 and may be safely worked wide of  
the plate4 ,then occasionally there will
 be found a batter who betrays by his   
manner when he has made up his mind to  
hit1 and in that case he will let go at 
anything within reach2 therefore a ball 
should be pitched where he will be least
 likely to hit it4 ,if the pitcher finds

 a batter facing for a hit to right     
field1 he should not give him the ball  
out from him1 but crowd him with it1    
keeping it on the inside corner1 and it 
will be almost impossible for him to    
succeed4  ,it does not do to work the   
same batter always in the same way1 or  
he will discover a pitcher's method4    
,sometimes the pitcher must cross him   
and at times it is even advisable to    
give him a ball just where he would like
 to have it1 but where1 for that very   
reason1 he least expects it4  ,finally1 
a pitcher should not be in a hurry to   
deliver the ball4 ,as soon as the       
catcher returns the ball the pitcher    
should assume a position as though about
 to pitch and stand there2 he should    
take all the time the umpire will give  
him4 ,this will allow him to give and   
receive any necessary signal from the   
catcher1 it will rest him and thus      
enable him to hold his speed1 and1      
finally1 it will work upon the nerves   
and eyesight of the batter4 ,the batter 

will grow impatient and anxious1 and    
unless his eyes are very strong the long
 strain in a bright light will blear his
 sight4  ,,fielding ,,the ,,position4   
,some pitchers seem to harbor the       
impression that nothing else is expected
 of them but to pitch the ball1 and the 
effect of this opinion is to diminish   
their worth to a very great extent3 ,a  
pitcher is just as much a fielder as any
 of the other players1 and may render   
his side efficient service by his       
ability to properly care for this part  
of his work4  ,i have already spoken of 
throwing to bases to catch runners1 and 
it is unnecessary to say anything       
further except to again caution against 
too much of it4 ,a pitcher should throw 
only when there is a chance of making   
the put-out4  ,in fielding ground-hits  
he must exert considerable activity on  
account of the very short time allowed  
him4 ,he should have the courage to face
 a hard hit1 because on account of the  
position of the second baseman and      

short-stop such a hit will generally be 
safe if he does not stop it1 or at least
 turn its course4 ,it is his place to   
get all bunted hits4 ,it is a mistake to
 break up the in-field by bringing a    
third baseman in close to get hits which
 a live pitcher should be able to field4
 ,when a batter who is likely to bunt   
the ball comes to the bat1 the pitcher  
must be ready at every ball pitched to  
move in the direction of the third base 
line1 where such hits are always made4  
,there are some pitchers1 such as       
,galvin and ,van ,haltren1 against whom 
it is not safe to try a bunt1 but1 as ,i
 have said1 many others seem to think   
they are expected only to pitch4  ,on a 
hit to the first baseman the pitcher    
should cover the base1 and if the hit is
 slow or if the baseman fumbles it he   
may still have time to toss the ball to 
the pitcher4 ,the pitcher should not    
wait until he sees the fumble before    
starting1 but the instant the hit is    
made go for the base2 he will then be   

there and ready to receive the ball and 
not be forced to take it on the run4    
,so1 too1 the occasion may arise when he
 should cover second or third1 where    
some combination of play has taken the  
baseman away and left the base          
uncovered4 ,in all cases where a runner 
is caught between bases the pitcher must
 take part in the play4 ,if the runner  
is between first and second1 the pitcher
 will back up the first baseman1 leaving
 the short-stop to back the second      
baseman2 if between second and third1 he
 will back up the third baseman2 and if 
between third and home1 he will back the
 catcher4  ,the pitcher must back up the
 catcher1 the first and third basemen1  
on all throws from the out field4 ,he   
must not wait until the throw is made   
before getting in line1 but the moment  
the probability of such a throw arises1 
he should get there1 and then he can see
 the entire play1 and will be sure to   
get in a line with the throw4 ,in       
backing up he must not get too close to 

the fielder he is backing1 otherwise    
what is a wild throw to him will be     
likewise to the pitcher4 ,he should keep
 from fifty to seventy-five feet away4  
,with runners on bases he should be sure
 that he understands the situation      
perfectly before pitching1 and he must  
keep it in mind2 then1 if the ball is   
hit to him1 he need lose no time in     
deciding upon the proper place to throw 
it4 ,if his play is to try for a double 
by way of second base1 he should not    
wait until the baseman gets there and   
then drive the ball at him with all his 
might2 but he should toss it to the     
baseman as he runs for the base1 timing 
the speed of the throw so that the      
baseman and the ball will reach the base
 together4 ,thus no time will be lost1  
and the throw being easy1 may be much   
more quickly and safely handled4  ,in   
short1 a pitcher should make himself    
useful wherever he can1 and use his wits
 in fielding as well as in pitching4 ,he
 should not be disheartened by poor     

support or unavoidable accidents1 but   
should keep up his courage1 and the     
entire team will be infused with his    
spirit4 ,there are some pitchers who are
 not hit hard and yet seldom win because
 they display such a lazy disposition in
 the box that they put all the other    
players to sleep2 and1 again1 there are 
others not so successful in the matter  
of base hits1 who yet win more games1 on
 account of the aggressive spirit they  
impart to their fellow-players4 ,let the
 pitcher be alive1 then1 and if he has  
any heart let him show it2 let him keep 
up his spirits1 have a reason for every 
ball pitched1 and use his brain as well 
as his muscle1 for it is only in this   
way that he1 can ever take a place in   
the front rank4  ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,,the  
,,catcher4  ,next after the pitcher1 in 
regular order1 comes the catcher4       
,though the negative pole of the        
battery1 his support of the pitcher will
 largely influence the latter's         
efficiency1 and he therefore becomes an 

important factor in the attacking force4
 ,were it not for the extreme liability 
to injury1 the position of catcher would
 be the most desirable on the field2 he 
has plenty of work of the prettiest kind
 to do1 is given many opportunities for 
the employment of judgment and skill1   
and1 what is clearer than all to the    
heart of every true ball player1 he is  
always in the thickest of the fight4    
,moreover1 his work1 unlike that of the 
pitcher1 always shows for itself1 and is
 therefore always appreciated4 ,a       
pitcher's success depends upon many     
circumstances1 some of which are beyond 
his own control1 so that1 no matter how 
faithfully or intelligently he may work1
 he must still suffer the annoyance and 
mortification of defeat4 ,but the       
catcher has almost complete control of  
his own play1 he is dependent upon no   
one but himself1 and1 in spite of       
everything and everybody1 the nature of 
his work remains the same4  ,there are  
some cases in which a steady1           

intelligent catcher is of more worth to 
a team than even the pitcher1 because   
such a man will make pitchers out of    
almost any kind of material4 ,bennett1  
the grandest of every-day catchers1 has 
demonstrated this fact in many          
instances1 and ,i have no doubt that    
much of the success of the ,st4 ,louis  
pitchers has been due to the steady     
support and judicious coaching of       
,bushong4  ,there are certain           
qualifications necessary to produce a   
good catcher1 and if a person has any   
ambition to play the position1 he should
 first examine himself to see whether he
 is the possessor of these4 ,here again 
the size of the candidate seems not to  
be of vital importance1 for there are   
good catchers1 from the little1         
sawed-off bantam1 ,hofford1 of ,jersey  
,city1 to the tall1 angular ,mack1 of   
,washington1 and ,ganzell1 of ,detroit4 
,still1 other things being equal1 a     
tall1 active man should have an         
advantage because of his longer reach   

for widely pitched balls1 and on account
 of the confidence a big mark to pitch  
at inspires in the pitcher4 ,besides1 a 
heavier man is better able to stand     
against the shocks of reckless runners  
to the home plate4  ,more important than
 size are pluck and stamina1 especially 
if one contemplates becoming a          
professional catcher4 ,in every         
well-regulated team nowadays the        
pitchers and catchers are paired1 and   
the same pair always work together4     
,perfect team work involves a perfect   
understanding by each man of all the    
points of play of the others1 and it is 
believed that a battery will do better  
team-work where its two ends are always 
the same4 ,but to be able to work       
regularly with one pitcher through an   
entire season1 catching every day when  
he pitches1 a catcher will more than    
once find his powers of endurance       
strongly taxed2 and if1 for real or     
fancied injuries1 he is often obliged to
 lay off1 then1 no matter how brilliant 

his work when he does catch1 he will    
lose much of his value to the team4     
,certain injuries are inevitable and    
necessitate a rest1 but there are others
 of minor importance to which some men  
will not give way4 ,i do not laud this  
as pure bravado1 but because it sets an 
example and infuses a spirit into a team
 that is worth many games in a long     
race4 ,i have the greatest respect and  
admiration for the ,bennetts and the    
,bushongs of base-ball4  ,but there are 
other features necessary before a person
 can hope to become a first-class       
catcher4 ,as before said1 he has many   
chances offered for the employment of   
judgment and skill2 and to make the best
 use of these he must be possessed of   
some brains4 ,the ideal catcher not only
 stops the ball and throws it well1 but 
he is a man of quick wit1 he loses no   
time in deciding upon a play1 he is     
never rattled in any emergency1 he gives
 and receives signals1 and1 in short1   
plays all the points of his position1   

and accomplishes much that a player of  
less ready perception would lose        
entirely4 ,two of the best catchers in  
the country are neither of them         
remarkable back-stops nor particularly  
strong and accurate throwers1 and yet   
both1 by their great generalship and    
cleverness1 are winning catchers4 ,i    
refer to ,kelly1 of ,boston1 and        
,snyder1 of ,cleveland4 ,ewing1 of ,new 
,york1 combines with wonderful skill and
 judgment the ability to stop a ball    
well and throw it quicker1 harder1 and  
truer than any one else1 and ,i         
therefore consider him the ,king of all 
catchers--when he catches4  ,in learning
 to catch1 the first thing1 of course1  
is to acquire a correct style1 that is1 
an approved position of body1 hands1 and
 feet1 the best manner of catching a    
ball1 the proper place to stand1 how to 
throw quickly1 and the best motion for  
throwing4 ,after this comes the study of
 the different points of play4 ,there   
are as many different styles in detail  

as there are individual catchers1 and   
yet1 through all1 there run certain     
resemblances which may be generalized4  
,as to the position of the body1 all    
assume a stooping posture1 bending      
forward from the hips1 in order better  
to get a low as well as a high pitch4   
,some1 like ,daily1 of ,indianapolis1   
crouch almost to the ground1 but such a 
position must be not only more          
fatiguing1 but destroy somewhat the     
gauging of a high pitch4 ,a catcher     
should not stand with his feet too      
widely apart4 ,it is a mistake some     
players make1 but a little reflection   
will convince a catcher that a man in   
such an attitude cannot change his      
position and handle himself as readily  
as if he stood with the feet nearer     
together4 ,besides1 on a low pitched    
ball striking the ground in front of    
him1 it is necessary to get the feet    
entirely together to assist the hands in
 stopping it1 and this he cannot do if  
he is too much spread out4 ,these things

 may appear to be of minor importance1  
but it is their observance which often  
makes the difference between a          
first-class and an ordinary catcher4  ,a
 catcher should not stand directly back 
of the plate1 but rather in line with   
its outside corner2 and when he gets 7or
 gives7 his sign for the kind of ball to
 be pitched1 he should not1 by any      
movement out or in1 indicate to the     
batter what is coming2 there are some   
batters who glance down at the plate to 
see1 from the corner of the eye1 where  
the catcher is standing4 ,he will have  
ample time to move after the pitcher has
 begun his delivery and when the        
batter's attention is wholly occupied   
with that4 ,if an out-curve is coming1  
he should be ready to move out1 or if an
 in-curve1 or fast1 straight ball1 he   
should be ready to step in4 ,he should  
not anchor himself and try to do all his
 catching with his hands1 but in every  
instance1 if possible1 receive the ball 
squarely in front of him4 ,then if it   

breaks through his hands it will still  
be stopped by his body4  ,in catching a 
high ball the hands should be held in   
the position shown in the following cut 
of ,bushong1 the fingers all pointing   
upward4  ,some players catch with the   
fingers pointing toward the ball1 but   
such men are continually being hurt4 ,a 
slight foul-tip diverts the course of   
the ball just enough to carry it against
 the ends of the fingers1 and on account
 of their position the necessary result 
is a break or dislocation4 ,but with the
 hands held as in this cut there is a   
give to the fingers and the chances of  
injury are much reduced4 ,for a low ball
 the hands should be held so that the   
fingers point downward1 and for a waist 
ball1 by crouching slightly it may be   
taken in the same manner as a high ball4
  ,some catchers throw more quickly than
 others because1 having seen the runner 
start1 they get into position while the 
ball is coming4 ,instead of standing    
square with the plate1 they advance the 

left foot a half step1 and then1        
managing to get the ball a little on the
 right side1 they have only to step the 
left foot forward the other half step   
and let the ball go4 ,to throw without  
stepping at all is not advisable1       
because1 on account of the long         
distance1 there would not be sufficient 
speed2 to take more than one step       
occupies too much time1 more than is    
gained by the extra speed obtained2 so  
that the best plan and the one used by  
the most successful catchers is the one 
just described4 ,it is not however the  
speed of the throw alone that catches a 
base-runner1 but the losing of no time  
in getting the ball on the way4 ,some   
very ordinary throwers are hard men to  
steal on1 while others1 who give much   
greater speed to the ball1 are not so   
dangerous4  ,a ball may be thrown       
under-hand1 round-arm1 or over-hand4    
,experience has proven to me that a ball
 may be thrown a short distance1 as from
 home to second1 most accurately by a   

swing of the arm1 half way between a    
round- arm and over-hand delivery4 ,my  
natural style was over-hand1 but ,i have
 cultivated the other until it now comes
 without difficulty4 ,i was influenced  
to make the change by noting the styles 
of other players1 particularly of ,ewing
 and ,o',rourke4 ,i found that they both
 got great speed and accuracy1 and ,i   
also noticed that they seldom complained
 of lame arm4 ,by being a more          
continuous swing1 it is a more natural  
motion1 less trying on the muscles1 and 
gives greater accuracy on account of the
 twist such a swing imparts to the ball1
 much on the same principle as does the 
twist to a bullet from a rifled gun4 ,i 
therefore recommend it for trial at     
least4 ,when practicing with the pitcher
 the catcher should be just as careful  
about his style as he would be in a     
game1 for it is while practicing that   
his habits are being formed4 ,in        
returning the ball to the pitcher each  
time1 he should learn to catch it and   

bring the arm back1 with one continuous 
motion of the hands1 without making any 
stops or angles4  ,a word about high    
foul flies1 since many of the catcher's 
put-outs are from these hits4 ,a ball   
thrown directly up into the air by the  
hand will descend in a direct line1 and 
may be easily judged1 but a pitched ball
 hit directly up is given a tremendous  
twist by its contact with the bat1 and1 
in descending1 this twist carries the   
ball forward sometimes as much as ten1  
or even twenty feet4 ,consequently we   
see catchers misjudging these hits time 
after time because they either do not   
know this1 or fail to take it into      
consideration4 ,it is also necessary to 
know the direction and force of the     
wind1 and this should be noted from time
 to time during the game by a glance at 
the flags1 or in some equally sure way4 
,there is one more point in fielding the
 catcher's position upon which a few    
words will not be amiss1 that is1 as to 
touching a runner coming home4 ,there is

 a difference of opinion as to the best 
place for the catcher to stand when     
waiting for the throw to cut off such a 
runner4 ,the general practice is to     
stand a couple of feet from the plate   
toward third base and in front of the   
line4 ,but this necessitates the        
catcher's turning half-way round after  
catching the ball before he can touch   
the runner1 and many an artful dodger   
scores his run by making a slide in     
which he takes1 at least1 the full three
 feet allowed him out of the line4 ,many
 a run is scored when the catcher seemed
 to have had the ball in waiting4  ,i   
believe the best place to stand is a    
couple of feet toward third and just    
back of the line4 ,the pitcher saves the
 time of turning around and has the     
additional advantage of having the play 
in front of him1 where he can better see
 every movement of the runner4 ,when the
 game is depending upon that one put-out
 the best place of all to stand is a few
 feet toward third and directly on the  

line4 ,from there the catcher can reach 
the runner whether he runs in front of  
or behind him1 and if he slides he will 
come against the catcher and may        
therefore not be able to reach the      
plate1 or1 at least1 the catcher may    
delay him long enough to make the       
put-out4 ,it is an extremely dangerous  
play for the catcher1 however1 and one  
that he will feel justified in          
attempting only when the game depends   
upon the put-out4 ,brown saved the ,new 
,yorks a game in ,new ,orleans last     
winter by this play1 though ,powell1 the
 base-runner1 came against him with such
 force as to throw him head-over-heels  
ten feet away4 ,the object in standing a
 few feet toward third is to avoid close
 plays1 for then if the put-out is made 
at all there can be no possible chance  
for the umpire to decide otherwise4     
,,signaling4  ,under the heading of ,the
 ,pitcher ,i have spoken of the         
necessity of a private code of signals  
between pitcher and catcher1 and ,i also

 said it was the general practice now   
for the catcher to signify the kind of  
ball to be pitched1 though it is my own 
opinion that the pitcher should do this1
 unless there are special reasons why it
 should be otherwise4 ,in giving this   
sign the catcher1 standing with his     
hands resting on his knees1 makes some  
movement with the right hand1 or a      
finger of that hand1 or with the right  
foot1 to indicate an out ball1 and some 
similar movement with his left hand or  
foot for an in ball4 ,of course1 this   
may generally be plainly seen by every  
one on the field except the batter1     
whose back is turned1 and this fact has 
been taken advantage of by some teams4  
,the coacher1 standing at first or      
third1 makes some remark with no        
apparent reference to the batter1 but   
really previously agreed upon1 to notify
 him what kind of ball is going to be   
pitched4 ,this known1 the batter has    
nothing to do but pick out his ball and 
lay on to it with all his weight4 ,some 

of the ,new ,york players had great     
sport the past winter in this way at the
 expense of the ,california pitchers4   
,it is therefore advisable that some    
sign be used that is not easily         
detected4  ,there are other signals     
which a catcher must give to basemen to 
apprise them of his intention to throw4 
,when there are runners on any of the   
bases1 he should not give the sign to   
the pitcher to pitch until he has       
glanced quietly around and seen whether 
any of the runners are leading too far  
off the bases1 and if so1 by a          
prearranged signal notify the baseman   
that he will throw4 ,this signal should 
be known also to the pitcher and by     
every other fielder who may be          
interested in the play4 ,the pitcher    
will now send the catcher the ball wide 
of the plate and at a height where the  
catcher can handle it easily4 ,the      
moment he moves to pitch the baseman    
starts for his base and the proper      
fielders get in line to back up the     

throw1 if by accident it should be wild4
 ,it is very necessary that the pitcher 
keep the ball out of the batter's reach1
 otherwise it may be hit to a part of   
the field left unguarded by the fielders
 who have gone to back up the throw2 and
 the fielders must understand the signal
 or they will not be able to get in line
 to back up4 ,the complete success of   
all these plays lies1 therefore1 in     
every one knowing and doing his part1   
and in all working together4 ,a mistake 
by one1 as if the pitcher allows the    
ball to be hit and it goes safely to a  
field that would have otherwise been    
guarded1 demoralizes the entire team1   
and several such mistakes destroy the   
confidence of the men in team work4 ,in 
some cases the basemen themselves signal
 to the catcher for a throw1 but in     
order that every one interested may see 
the signal and be prepared for the play1
 it is manifestly better that the       
catcher alone should give it4  ,a tricky
 runner on second will sometimes lead   

well off for the express purpose of     
having the catcher throw down1          
whereupon1 instead of returning to      
second he goes on to third4 ,whenever a 
catcher has reason to suspect a runner  
of this intention he should make a feint
 to throw to second1 and if the runner  
starts for third the catcher then has   
him between the bases4 ,the feint must  
be well made and no time lost afterward 
in getting the ball either to second or 
third1 according to circumstances4 ,the 
importance of a play such as this rests 
not only in the single put-out made1 but
 in the respect for the catcher with    
which it inspires subsequent runners4   
,they will be exceedingly careful what  
liberties they attempt to take4 ,a very 
quick-witted runner1 seeing himself     
caught in this way between the bases1   
will1 of course1 try by every means to  
extricate himself4 ,he may1 in turn1    
make a feint as if to return to second1 
and when the catcher throws there he    
will still go on to third2 or1 he may   

feint to go to third and manage to      
return to second4 ,to catch such a man  
it is necessary to make a second feint  
to throw to the base nearest him1 and   
this will almost invariably force him to
 go in the opposite direction4 ,besides1
 with each feint the catcher has stepped
 quickly forward and by the time he has 
finished the second feint he is almost  
down to the pitcher's position4 ,the    
runner is then completely at the        
catcher's mercy and only an error of    
some kind will allow him to escape4     
,there are not more than a half dozen   
catchers in the profession who know how 
to make this play properly1 but there   
are some1 as ,i have learned by sad     
experience4  ,when there are runners on 
first and third with second unoccupied1 
and the runner on first tries to steal  
second1 there are several possible      
plays4 ,the catcher may throw to second 
to catch the runner going down2 or he   
may feint to throw there and throw to   
third to catch that runner leading off2 

or he may actually throw toward second1 
but short of the base1 so that the      
baseman will have a less distance to    
return the ball home1 in case the runner
 on third starts in4 ,which one of these
 plays is to be made the catcher must   
decide beforehand and notify the basemen
 by signal1 and he will be governed in  
his decision by the circumstances of the
 case4 ,if the situation of the game is 
such that it will make little difference
 whether the runner on third scores or  
not1 the catcher will1 of course1 throw 
to second to make that put-out4 ,but if 
one run is vital there are other things 
to be considered4 ,if the runner at     
third is very slow or one not likely to 
attempt to run home1 he may still throw 
to second to catch the man from first4  
,but if the runner at third is one who  
will attempt to score1 the catcher must 
either throw short to second or else    
feint and throw to third4 ,whatever he  
is going to do must be understood       
thoroughly by all the fielders          

interested1 and to this end he will give
 the proper signal4 ,as the second      
baseman and shortstop may also take an  
important part in this play1 it will be 
spoken of later4  ,in conclusion let me 
say1 that in order to accomplish        
anything by these private signals the   
catcher must have them in such thorough 
working order that no mistake can       
possibly occur4 ,this may come only     
after long and patient practice2 some   
fielders find it almost impossible to   
work with signs1 but they must be kept  
at it every day until the code becomes  
perfectly familiar to them4  ,,chapter  
,v4 ,,the ,,first ,,baseman4  ,from the 
fact that the first baseman has more    
chances to his credit than any other    
player1 it might seem to the casual     
observer that his is the most difficult 
position to play2 but as a matter of    
fact most of his chances are of a very  
simple nature1 involving merely the     
catching of a thrown ball1 and an       
examination of the official averages    

will show him leading in the percentages
 year after year4 ,the possibilities of 
the position1 however1 have been        
developing4 ,for many years1 and1       
indeed1 until he retired from the       
diamond1 ,old ,reliable ,joe ,start was 
the king of first basemen2 but1         
unquestionably1 the play of such basemen
 as ,connor1 ,commisky1 and ,morrill is 
a steady improvement1 along with the    
rest of the game4 ,especially has there 
been an advance in the direction of     
fielding ground hits1 and it is now not 
an unusual sight to see a first baseman 
getting a hit in short right field1 and 
assisting in the put-out at first or    
second base4  ,the position demands a   
tall man4 ,such a one1 by his longer    
reach1 will not only save many wide     
throws1 but1 because he is a good mark  
to throw at1 will inspire confidence in 
the throwers4 ,he must be able to catch 
a thrown ball1 whether high1 low1 or on 
either side4 ,as to the surest way of   
catching1 opinions differ2 but as to the

 best way1 everything considered1 ,i    
hold the same conditions to be true here
 as in the case of the catcher2 that is1
 for a high thrown ball the fingers     
should point not toward the ball1 but   
upward1 and for a low thrown ball1 just 
the reverse4 ,if the throw is off to    
either side1 the baseman must shift his 
position so as to be able to reach it1  
and if it is so far wide that he must   
leave the base1 he should not hesitate  
to do so2 he should not imagine that he 
is tied to the bag4 ,start was the first
 man ,i ever saw who knew how to leave  
the base for a wide throw4 ,he never    
took the chance of a long reach for the 
ball1 unless1 of course1 the game       
depended on that one put-out and there  
was no time to leave the base and       
return4 ,he believed1 and with reason1  
that it was better to first make sure of
 the ball and then touch the base1 than1
 by trying to do both at once1 see the  
ball sailing over into the side seats4  
,it is a difficult play when the throw  

is to the baseman's left1 in toward the 
runner1 because of the danger of a      
collision with the latter4 ,to the      
average spectator who may never have had
 much experience on the field1 these    
collisions between players may seem     
trifling affairs1 but they are not so   
regarded by the players themselves4 ,in 
the history of the sport many men have  
been seriously injured in this way1 and 
a few killed outright4 ,for two weeks   
once ,i was obliged to sleep nights in a
 sitting posture as the result of a     
shock of this kind1 and it was months   
before ,i recovered entirely from its   
effects4 ,to avoid a collision when the 
ball is thrown in this way many good    
basemen stand back of the line with the 
right foot touching the base1 and allow 
the runner to pass in front of them4    
,there was one first baseman who used   
simply to reach in his left hand and    
pick the ball from in front of the      
runner with as much ease and safety as  
though it were thrown directly to him4  

,i mean ,mc,kinnon1 poor ,al ,mc,kinnon6
 ,what a flood of affectionate          
recollections his name brings back4     
,kind-hearted1 full of fun1 manly1      
honest1 and straightforward to the last 
degree1 he was one whose memory will    
always be green in the hearts of those  
who knew him well4  ,in picking up low  
thrown balls which strike the ground in 
front of the baseman1 some become much  
more expert than others4 ,one of the    
best1 ,i think1 is ,phillips1 who played
 last season with ,brooklyn1 and is now 
with the ,kansas ,city ,club4 ,when the 
bound is what is called a short bound1  
that is1 where it strikes but a few     
inches in front of the hands1 the play  
is really not a difficult one if the    
ground is at all even2 but where it     
strikes from one to three feet beyond   
the hands1 it requires considerable     
skill to get it1 especially if the      
ground cannot be depended upon for a    
regular bound4 ,in this latter case the 
bound is too long for a pick-up and too 

short for a long bound catch2 so that   
the only thing to do is to calculate as 
nearly as possible where the ball should
 bound and then try to get the hands in 
front of it4 ,it will be found easier to
 reach the hands as far forward as      
possible and then give with the ball1   
that is1 draw the hands back toward the 
body in the direction the ball should   
take on its rebound4 ,a player should   
never turn his face away1 even at the   
risk of being hit1 for by watching the  
ball all the time1 he may be able to    
change the position of the hands enough 
to meet some slight miscalculation as to
 the direction of the bound4  ,in       
fielding ground-hits1 the same rule     
applies to the first baseman as to every
 other fielder2 that he should get every
 hit he possibly can1 with the single   
qualification that he shall avoid       
interference with other fielders4 ,but  
as between a possible interference and a
 failure to go after a ball that should 
have been stopped1 the interference is  

much to be preferred4 ,there are some   
basemen who seem to think there is a    
line beyond which it is forbidden them  
to go2 they act as though they were tied
 to the base-post by a twenty-foot      
lariat4 ,having fielded a ground-hit1   
the baseman will usually himself run to 
the base2 but sometimes the hit is so   
slow or so far toward second or he      
fumbles it so long that there is no time
 left for him to do this4 ,in such case 
he will toss the ball to the pitcher1   
who has covered the base4 ,in making    
this play a baseman should not wait     
until the pitcher reaches the base      
before throwing1 as it loses too much   
time1 and he should not throw the ball  
at all1 because it makes a difficult    
catch2 but he should pitch the ball     
easily in front of the pitcher so that  
he and the ball will both meet at the   
base4 ,a little practice will make this 
play plain and simple1 and the advantage
 of doing it in this way will easily be 
seen4  ,there are times when1 with      

runners on the bases1 the play will not 
be to first1 but to second1 third1 or   
home4 ,with a runner on first1 many     
batters try to hit into right field1    
because with the second baseman forced  
to cover second for a throw from the    
catcher1 the space between first and    
second is left almost unguarded4 ,but if
 the first baseman will be on the alert 
for such a hit1 and throw the runner out
 at second1 he not only balks the play  
but frightens following batters from    
attempting the same hit4 ,with a runner 
on third and not more than one man out1 
all the in-fielders will play closer to 
the bat1 so as to throw the runner out  
at home on an in-field hit2 in such case
 if the batter should strike out1 and   
the third strike be dropped1 the first  
baseman should not go to his base to    
receive the throw from the catcher1 but 
meet it on the line as near as possible 
to the plate4 ,he is then able to touch 
the runner on his way to first and to   
throw home if the man on third attempts 

to score on the throw to first4 ,it may 
be possible to make a double play by    
first touching the runner to first and  
then throwing home2 but if the runner to
 first holds back and there is danger of
 the man from third scoring1 it is      
obviously best to throw home and cut him
 off1 ignoring entirely the runner to   
first4  ,another point in which many    
basemen are remiss is in backing up4 ,on
 all throws from left or left-centre    
field to second base he should get in   
line with the throw1 and on all throws  
from the same fields to the plate he    
should also assist in backing up1 unless
 there is some special necessity for    
guarding his own base4  ,there is a     
prevalent belief that it matters little 
whether a first baseman can throw well  
or not1 but a moment's consideration    
will show the fallacy of this4 ,there   
are some plays in which he needs to be a
 hard and accurate thrower2 with a      
runner on second and a ball hit to the  
in- field the runner will sometimes wait

 until it is thrown to first1 and then  
start for third4 ,in such case only the 
best kind of a return by the first      
baseman will head him off4 ,so also in  
long hits to extreme right field he may 
have to assist the fielder by a throw to
 third or home4  ,it will thus be seen  
that there are points of play at first  
base which1 in the hands of an ambitious
 fielder1 may be developed into very    
considerable importance4  ,,chapter     
,,vi4 ,,the ,,second ,,baseman4  ,second
 base is the prettiest position to play 
of the entire in-field4 ,in the number  
of chances offered it is next to first  
base1 and in the character of the work  
to be done and the opportunities for    
brilliant play and the exercise of      
judgment1 it is unsurpassed4 ,it is true
 the second baseman has more territory  
to look after than any other in-        
fielder1 but on account of the long     
distance he plays from the batter he has
 more time in which to cover it4 ,the   
last moment allowed a fielder to get in 

the way of a ball is worth the first    
two1 because one will be consumed in    
getting under headway4 ,then1 too1 the  
distance of his throw to first is       
generally short1 and this allows him to 
fumble a hit and still get the ball     
there in time4 ,so that while much of   
his work is of a difficult kind1 he is  
more than compensated by certain other  
advantages1 and1 so far as the          
percentage of chances accepted is       
concerned1 he generally leads every one 
except the first baseman4  ,the position
 should have a man of at least average  
physical proportions4 ,there are in     
every game a number of throws to second 
from all points of the field1 and with a
 small man there many of them would be  
wild1 on account of his lack of height  
and reach2 moreover1 a larger man offers
 a better mark to throw at1 and the     
liability to throw wildly is decreased  
because of the increased confidence on  
the part of the throwers4 ,then1 too1 a 
small man is not able to stand the      

continual collisions with base-runners1 
and as a number of his plays are        
attempts to retire runners from first1  
he grows timid after awhile and allows  
many clever sliders to get away from    
him4  ,on the other hand1 the position  
requires a very active player1 and for  
this reason1 too large a man would not  
be desirable on account of the large    
field he has to cover1 he must possess  
the ability to run fast and to start and
 stop quickly2 he must be able to stoop 
and recover himself while still running1
 and be able to throw a ball from any   
position4 ,not all his throws are of the
 short order2 sometimes he is expected  
to cut off a runner at third or return  
the ball to the catcher for the same    
purpose1 and in these cases speed and   
accuracy are of the utmost importance4  
,because of the number and variety of   
plays that fall to his lot1 he must be a
 man of some intelligence4 ,with runners
 on the bases1 the situations of a game 
change like the pictures in a           

kaleidoscope1 so that there is not      
always time to consider what is the best
 play to make2 there are times when he  
must decide with a wit so quick that it 
amounts almost to instinct1 for the loss
 of a fraction of a second may be the   
loss of the opportunity1 and that one   
play mean ultimate defeat4  ,the exact  
spot to play1 in order best to cover the
 position1 will be determined by the    
direction in which the batter is likely 
to hit1 by his fleetness1 and by the    
situation of the game4 ,if there are no 
runners on the bases the consideration  
of the batter will alone determine2 if  
he is a right-field hitter the second   
baseman will play more toward the first 
baseman1 the entire in-field moving     
around correspondingly2 and if he is a  
left-field hitter he will play toward   
second and back of the base1 in either  
case playing back of the base line from 
fifteen to fifty feet1 depending upon   
whether the batter is a very fleet or   
slow runner4 ,if there are runners on   

the bases this fact will have to be     
taken into consideration2 for example1  
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 third2 or if there is
 a runner on first and the baseman is   
himself going to cover the base in case 
of a steal1 he must be near enough to   
get there in time to receive the        
catcher's throw4 ,on the other hand1 he 
must not play too close or he leaves too
 much open space between himself and the
 first baseman2 and1 though playing far 
enough away1 he should not start for the
 base until he sees that the batter has 
not hit4 ,it is not necessary that he be
 at the base waiting for the throw1 but 
only that he make sure to meet it there4
 ,pfeffer1 of ,chicago1 plays this point
 better than any one1 ,i think1 and in  
all respects in handling a thrown ball1 
he is unexcelled4  ,to catch a runner   
attempting to steal from first1 most    
second basemen prefer to receive the    

ball a few feet to the side of the base 
nearest first and in front of the line4 
,the first is all right because it      
allows the runner to be touched before  
getting too close to the base and avoids
 close decisions2 but ,i question the   
policy of the baseman being in front of 
the line in every instance4 ,from this  
position it is extremely difficult to   
touch a runner who throws himself       
entirely out and back of the line1      
reaching for the base only with his     
hand4 ,with a runner who is known to    
slide that way1 ,i believe the baseman  
should stand back of the line2 it       
demoralizes the runner when he looks up 
and finds the baseman in the path where 
he had expected to slide1 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 accustomed4    
,the veteran ,bob ,ferguson always stood
 back of the line1 and more than once   
made shipwreck of my hopes when ,i might
 have evaded him if he had given me a   

chance to slide4 ,the time taken in     
turning around and reaching for the     
runner is often just enough to lose the 
play1 whereas1 standing back of the     
line1 this time is saved1 and1 in       
addition1 the baseman has the play and  
the runner's movements in front of him4 
,with a runner on third and not more    
than one out1 the batter may try to hit 
a ground ball to the in-field1          
sacrificing himself but allowing the    
runner from third to score4 ,to prevent 
this the in-fielders will generally play
 nearer the bat1 so as to return the    
ball to the catcher in time to cut off  
the runner1 and how close they must play
 will depend1 of course1 upon the       
fleetness of the runner4 ,even then the 
ball may be hit so slowly or fielded in 
such a way as to make the play at the   
plate impossible1 in which case the     
fielder will try to retire the batter at
 first4  ,with runners on first and     
third the one on first will often try to
 steal second1 and if the catcher throws

 down to catch him1 the one on third    
goes for home4 ,to meet this play on the
 part of the runners is by no means     
easy1 but it can nevertheless be done4  
,if the one run will not affect the     
general result of the game1 it may be   
well to pay no attention to the runner  
from third and try only to put out the  
one from first1 thus clearing the bases4
 ,but if it is necessary to prevent the 
run scoring1 the second baseman must be 
prepared to return the ball to the      
catcher in case the runner starts for   
home4 ,in order to gain as much time as 
possible1 he should take as position to 
receive the catcher's throw ten feet    
inside of the base-line2 keeping one eye
 on the ball and the other on the runner
 at third1 if he sees the runner start  
for home1 he must meet the throw as     
quickly as possible and return the ball 
to the catcher2 if the runner does not  
start1 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  
first4 ,the play is a difficult one and 
requires more than the ordinary amount  
of skill and practice4 ,there is another
 and1 ,i think1 better way of making    
this play1 which will be spoken of under
 ,the ,short-stop1 because that player  
is principally interested4  ,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 baseman4 ,when the  
catcher threw the ball1 the coacher     
started down the base-line toward home1 
and the sec-mid baseman1 seeing only    
imperfectly1 mistook him for the runner 
and returned the ball quickly to the    
catcher4 ,the result was that the runner
 from first trotted safely to second1   
the runner at third remained there1 and 
everybody laughed except the second     
baseman4  ,in fielding ground-hits the  
second baseman1 because of his being so 
far removed from the bat1 has a better  
chance to judge a hit4 ,he is able      

either to advance or recede a step or   
more to meet the ball on a high bound2  
and on account of the short throw to    
first he may take more liberties with   
such a hit2 it is not absolutely        
necessary that he field every ball      
cleanly1 because he may fumble a hit and
 still make his play4 ,in general1      
however1 he should meet a hit as quickly
 as possible1 so that if fumbled he may 
have the greatest amount of time to     
recover and throw4 ,he should also1 if  
possible1 get squarely in front of every
 hit1 thus making his feet1 legs1 and   
body assist in stopping the ball in case
 it eludes his hands4 ,when not possible
 to get directly in front of the ball he
 must still try to stop it with both    
hands or with one1 for he may then      
recover it in time to make the play4    
,having secured the ball1 he should wait
 only long enough to steady himself     
before throwing4 ,he should not hold the
 ball a moment longer than is necessary4
 ,in some cases he has not time to      

straighten up before throwing1 but must 
snap the ball underhand2 and where he   
gets the hit near enough to the base he 
should not throw at all1 but pitch the  
ball to the baseman2 this makes the play
 much safer4 ,when there is a runner on 
first and the ball is hit to the second 
baseman1 he tries for a double play1 and
 there are four ways in which it may be 
made4 ,first1 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 there4
 ,second1 if the runner from first stops
 so that he can't be touched1 the       
baseman drives him back toward first as 
far as possible and throws there in time
 to put out the batter2 the other       
runner1 being then caught between the   
bases1 is run down1 completing the      
double4 ,third1 if the hit is near      
enough to the base he may touch second  
and then throw to first to head off the 
batter4 ,and1 fourth1 he may first pass 
the ball to the short-stop1 who has     

covered second1 and the latter throws to
 first in time to put out the batter4   
,in nine cases out of ten the last is   
the safest play2 it makes sure of the   
runner to second and is more likely to  
catch the batter1 because the short-stop
 is in better shape to throw to first   
than the baseman would be if he         
attempted to make the play unassisted4  
,the second baseman should take not only
 all fly hits in his own territory1 but 
also all falling back of the first      
baseman1 and back of the short-stop     
toward centre field4 ,in all these cases
 he gets a better view of the ball than 
either of the other players named1      
because1 instead of running backward1 as
 they would be obliged to do1 he runs to
 the side1 and the catch is thus easier 
for him4 ,if the hit is one which can be
 reached by an out-fielder1 and the     
latter calls that he will take it1 the  
second baseman will1 of course1 give    
way1 because the fielder has the ball in
 front of him1 in a better position even

 than the baseman4  ,with a runner on   
second he must be on the lookout for the
 catcher's signal to the pitcher to     
throw to second1 and on seeing this he  
must start at once for the base to      
receive the pitcher's throw4 ,he must   
also watch for the catcher's sign to the
 second baseman notifying him of an     
intention to throw1 and while the ball  
is passing from the pitcher to the      
catcher1 get to the base to receive the 
throw4  ,he should back up throws to the
 first baseman whenever possible1       
leaving his own base to be covered by   
the short-stop4 ,he should assist the   
right and centre fielders in the return 
of long hits1 running well out into the 
field to receive the out-fielder's      
throw4 ,when plays arise other than     
those here mentioned his judgment must  
tell him what to do1 and1 without       
neglecting his own position1 he must not
 hesitate to take any part to advance   
his team's interests4  ,,chapter ,,vii4 
,,the ,,third ,,baseman4  ,in the early 

days of the game1 when the pitching was 
slower and fair- foul hits were allowed1
 the third base position was the busiest
 and most difficult to play of the      
in-field4 ,but the changes in the rules1
 which did away with fair-foul hitting1 
and those which introduced the present  
pace in pitching1 have taken away much  
of the third baseman's importance4 ,most
 of the in-field hitting now is toward  
short-stop and second base1 and the best
 of third basemen are not able to       
average over three or four chances to a 
game4 ,but1 though the amount of his    
work has been diminished1 it still      
retains its difficult nature4 ,the      
length of the throw to first1 and the   
short time given him in which to make   
it1 occasion many wild throws1 and if he
 fumbles the ball at all1 the           
opportunity is lost4 ,fleet runners who 
hit left-handed1 and others who merely  
bunt the ball1 can be caught only by the
 quickest and cleanest work2 so that1   
everything considered1 it is not        

surprising to find the third baseman    
generally at the foot of the in-field   
averages4  ,a third baseman1 like a     
second baseman1 should be a man of at   
least average size1 and ,denny1 who is  
by long odds the best in the profession1
 is a large man4 ,he will have a longer 
reach for both thrown and batted balls1 
he will be a better mark to throw at1   
and1 by reason of his superior weight1  
he will have more confidence in the face
 of reckless base-running4 ,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    
baseman4 ,the ,new ,york team of #ahhg  
demonstrated the odd fact that a man who
 seemed entirely unable to play second  
base1 could yet play third in good      
style1 while another who was but an     
average third baseman could take care of
 second equal to any one4 ,the          
explanation probably lies in the fact   
that the positions require men of       
different temperaments4 ,at second base 

a player of nervous tendency grows      
anxious waiting for the ball to come1   
and by the time it reaches him is unable
 to get it in his hands1 while at third 
base1 where the action is much quicker1 
such a man is perfectly at home1 because
 he is not given time to become nervous4
 ,the same curious fact is seen when an 
infielder is changed to an out- field   
position2 he finds it impossible1 at    
first1 to stop ground-hits1 because they
 seem never to be going to reach him1   
and he is completely rattled by the long
 wait4 ,for the same reason the most    
difficult hits which an infielder has to
 handle are the slow1 easy1 bounding    
balls that under ordinary circumstances 
a child could stop4  ,the proper place  
for a third baseman to play must be     
governed by the nature of the case4 ,for
 an ordinary right-hand batter1 likely  
to hit in any direction1 and no one on  
the bases1 he should play from fifteen  
to twenty feet toward second and several
 feet back of the base line4 ,for a very

 fast runner he should move nearer the  
batter1 and1 if there is danger of a    
bunt1 he may even have to play well     
inside the diamond1 though1 as before   
said1 all such hits should be attended  
to by the pitcher4 ,for a batter who    
hits along the foul-line1 he will play  
nearer his base1 and for one who        
invariably hits toward right-field1 he  
will move around toward second base1    
going1 in some instances1 even as far as
 the short-stop's regular position4 ,for
 left-hand hitters he will generally    
have to play nearer the bat1 because    
these players always get to first       
quicker than right-hand batters4 ,they  
are five or six feet nearer first base1 
and by the swing of the bat they get a  
much quicker start4 ,if there is a      
runner on third and not more than one   
out1 he will have to play near the base 
before the ball is pitched1 the object  
being to give the runner as little start
 as possible1 so that he cannot score on
 a sacrifice hit4 ,when the ball is     

pitched the baseman runs off to his     
proper position1 unless1 of course1 he  
has received a signal from the catcher  
to expect a throw4  ,the third baseman  
should go after not only all hits coming
 within his position proper1 but also   
all slow hits toward short-stop1 for the
 latter is sometimes unable to field    
such hits in time to make the putout1 on
 account of the longer distance he plays
 from the home base4 ,the baseman       
should1 however1 avoid useless          
interference with the short- stop1 and  
he should not put down one hand or      
otherwise balk that player on a hit     
plainly within the latter's reach4      
,having stopped a batted ball1 he should
 throw it as quickly as possible after  
having regained his balance1 so that if 
the aim be slightly inaccurate the first
 baseman may have time to leave the base
 and return4 ,if there is a runner on   
first1 the baseman's throw will be to   
second2 this will1 at least1 cut off the
 runner from first1 and possibly a      

double play may be made1 if the ball can
 be sent to first ahead of the striker4 
,if there are runners on both first and 
second at the time of the hit1 he may   
either throw to second for the double   
play as before1 taking the chance of    
catching two men1 or he may make sure of
 one man by simply touching the third   
base1 forcing out the runner from       
second4 ,finally1 there may be a runner 
on third and not more than one out1 in  
which case1 if the runner on third      
starts home1 he will usually try to cut 
him off by a throw to the catcher1      
though possibly he may still deem it    
best to throw to some other base4 ,in   
any case1 what is the best play he must 
determine for himself1 and he will      
expedite his decision by having a       
thorough understanding of the situation 
before the play arises4  ,the third     
baseman should receive a signal from the
 catcher when the latter intends        
throwing to him to catch a runner       
napping4 ,the runner always takes       

considerable ground in order to score on
 a slow hit to the in-field1 or on a    
short passed ball4 ,by a signal1        
received before the pitcher delivers the
 ball1 the baseman knows that the       
catcher will throw1 and during the      
delivery he gets to the base to receive 
it4 ,and here1 again1 the best base     
runners are oftenest caught because they
 take the most ground4 ,if the batter   
hits at the ball the runner takes an    
extra start1 and a quick throw to the   
base will very often catch him before he
 can get back4 ,it should1 therefore1 be
 understood that1 in every case when the
 batter strikes at the ball and misses  
it1 the catcher will throw to third1    
whether or not he has previously given  
the signal4 ,in touching a runner the   
baseman must not run away from him2 he  
must expect to get spiked occasionally1 
for1 if he is thinking more of his own  
safety than of making the put-out1 he   
will lose many plays by allowing runners
 to slide under or around him4          

,,chapter ,,viii4 ,,the ,,short-,,stop4 
,originally1 it is said1 the            
short-stop's chief function was as      
tender to the pitcher1 though this soon 
became an unimportant feature of his    
work4 ,the possibilities of the position
 as a factor in field play were early   
developed2 such fielders as ,george     
,wright and ,dick ,pearce soon showed   
that it could be made one of the most   
important of the in-field4 ,but the same
 legislation which almost crowded the   
third baseman out of the game1 affected 
materially the short-stop's work1 and it
 is only within the past couple of years
 that he has regained his former        
prominent place4  ,during #ahhg there   
was more hitting to short than to any   
other in-field position2 though the     
second baseman averaged more total      
chances1 on account of a greater number 
of put-outs1 the assists were in favor  
of the short-stop4  ,the conception of  
the position has also undergone some    
changes1 and when1 therefore1 ,i say    

that the position is now played more    
effectively than ever1 it is not to     
assert that the players of the present  
are better than those of the past1 but  
simply that these changes have been in  
the line of improvement1 that the       
short-stop now makes plays never thought
 of in former years--in short1 that the 
development of the position has kept    
pace with the rest of the game4  ,in the
 early days short-stop was played on the
 base line from second to third1 or even
 several feet inside the diamond2 now it
 is played from ten to twenty and       
sometimes thirty feet back of the line4 
,the result is a vast increase in the   
amount of territory covered2 hits are   
now fielded on either side which once   
were easily safe2 short flies to the    
outfield1 which formerly fell between   
the in and outfielders1 are now1 many of
 them1 caught2 the shortstop backs up   
the second and third bases1 helps hold a
 runner on second1 and1 on a throw from 
pitcher or catcher1 the second base is  

covered by him almost as often as by the
 baseman himself4 ,playing so much      
further from the batter1 he will make   
inure errors2 he can seldom fumble a hit
 and still make the play2 his throw to  
first is longer1 and must therefore be  
swifter and more accurate2 but for these
 disadvantages to himself he is repaid  
many fold by an increased usefulness to 
his team4 ,all these features together  
make the position very different from   
what it was some years ago1 and in point
 of effectiveness it has undoubtedly    
been improved4  ,a short-stop should be 
a player of more than ordinary          
suppleness and activity4 ,he has a large
 amount of ground to cover2 he has to   
field sharply hit balls on either side1 
and must therefore be able to start and 
stop quickly2 he is often obliged to    
stoop1 recover himself1 and throw while 
running1 and so has no time to get his  
feet tangled4 ,moreover1 his presence is
 often required at widely separated     
portions of the field1 with very brief  

intervals allowed him for making the    
changes4 ,he may have to field a hit to 
first from near second base1 and at     
once1 in continuation of the same play1 
back up third on the return of the ball 
from first base4 ,or1 from a close      
in-field position one moment1 he may be 
called the next to far left-field to    
assist in the return of a long hit4 ,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 required4 ,on account 
of the length of his throw to first     
base1 and because he is often expected  
to assist in the return of a long hit to
 the out-field1 he should be a good1    
hard thrower4 ,he should also be able to
 throw from any posture1 because there  
are occasions when he has no time to    
straighten up and pull himself together 
before throwing4  ,in chances for       
skillful plays and the employment of    
judgment1 short-stop is second to no    
other position on the in-field4 ,he is  

tied to no base1 but is at liberty to go
 anywhere he may be most needed1 and he 
is thus able to make himself very useful
 at times1 in plays altogether out of   
his position proper4 ,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 passed4      
,brains are as much a necessity in      
base-ball as in any other profession4   
,the best ball players are the most     
intelligent1 though1 of course1 natural 
intelligence is here meant and not      
necessarily that which is derived from  
books4  ,the proper place for the       
short-stop to play will be governed     
always by the particular circumstances1 
as explained in the preceding chapters  
with reference to other in-fielders4 ,if
 there are no runners on the bases1     
regard for the batter alone will        
determine1 but if there are runners1    
this fact1 and the situation of the     
game1 must be taken into consideration4 

,a glance at the diagram of the field   
given in ,chapter ,i will show the usual
 position of all the fielders1 but from 
these points they may greatly vary4 ,if 
the batter generally hits along the left
 foul- line1 the short-stop will play   
nearer the third baseman1 and if1 on the
 other hand1 the batter hits toward     
right-field1 the short-stop will move   
toward second1 even going so far as to  
be directly back of the pitcher1 the    
entire in-field1 of course1 moving      
around correspondingly4  ,if the batter 
is a heavy runner1 the short-stop may   
play a deep field1 because he will still
 have sufficient time to get the ball to
 first2 and so1 also1 if there is a     
runner on first1 he may play well back1 
because his throw then1 on a hit1 is    
only to second base4 ,if he is covering 
second base either to catch a runner    
from first or to hold a runner on second
 who has already reached there1 he must 
play near enough to the base to be able 
to receive the throw4 ,or1 if the       

attempt is to be made to cut off at the 
plate a runner trying to score on a     
sacrifice hit1 he will play on the      
base-line or a few feet inside the      
diamond4  ,all in-fielders1 as well as  
out-fielders1 should be willingly guided
 as to the position to play by a signal 
from the pitcher4 ,the latter1 knowing  
what kind of ball he is going to give   
the batsman to hit1 is best able to     
judge beforehand of the direction of the
 hit4  ,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-field4 ,this     
allows the second baseman to guard the  
territory between second and first1     
which he would not otherwise be able to 
do1 and if the ball is hit to him1 he   
throws to the short-stop at second1     
forcing out the runner from first4  ,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-field4 ,of course1 he does 

not play on the base1 but near enough to
 be able to reach it if the pitcher or  
catcher wishes to throw there4  ,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
 second4 ,one way of making this play   
was described in speaking of ,the       
,second ,baseman1 but it is believed    
that it may be much better done with the
 assistance of the short-stop4 ,with    
runners on first and third1 the catcher 
signals whether he will make a long or  
short throw toward second4 ,when the    
runner on first starts down1 the second 
baseman runs inside the diamond to a    
point in line with the base1 and the    
short-stop goes to the base4 ,if the    
throw is long1 the short-stop receives  
the ball and touches the runner1 or     
returns it quickly to the plate if the  
runner on third starts in4 ,if the throw
 is short1 the second baseman receives  
the ball and returns it to the catcher2 
or1 if the runner on third does not     

start home1 the baseman may still have  
time to turn and toss the ball to the   
short-stop to catch the runner from     
first4 ,in deciding to give the signal  
for a short or long throw1 the catcher  
is guided by the circumstances of the   
case and the situation of the game4 ,if 
one run is going to materially affect   
the result of the game1 the throw will  
be short1 so that the ball may be surely
 returned to the catcher before the     
runner from third scores4 ,if the run is
 not vital1 the throw may still be short
 if the runner at third is speedy2 but  
if he is slow and not likely to chance  
the run home1 the throw will be all the 
way to the shortstop to put out the     
runner from first4 ,the success of the  
play lies in the fact that the runner on
 third can never tell1 until too late1  
whether the throw is to be short or     
long4 ,the play was first made in this  
way by ,gerhardt and myself in #ahhf1   
and during the past two seasons it has  
been tried in the ,new ,york team many  

tunes with the best results4 ,each      
player must1 however1 understand his    
part and all work together4 ,in a recent
 game against ,philadelphia1 on the     
,polo ,grounds1 ,crane1 who had never   
taken part in the play before1 gave     
,fogarty a ball within reach and he hit 
it through the short-stop position1 left
 unguarded by my having gone to cover   
second base4  ,on all hits to left and  
left centre-fields1 the shortstop should
 take second1 allowing the baseman to   
back up the throw1 and on all hits to   
right and right centre the baseman will 
take the base and the shortstop attend  
to the backing up4  ,in fielding ground 
hits the short-stop should observe the  
general principles for such plays4 ,he  
should1 if possible1 get directly and   
squarely in front of every hit1 making  
his feet1 legs1 and body assist in      
stopping the ball1 in case it gets      
through his hands4  ,if the ball comes  
on a short bound1 he should not push the
 hands forward to meet it1 hut1 having  

reached forward1 give with the ball by  
drawing back the hands in the direction 
the ball should bound4 ,in this way if  
the ball does not strike the hands      
fairly1 its force will at least be      
deadened so that it will fall to the    
ground within reach of the player2      
whereas1 if he pushes his hands forward 
and the ball does not strike fairly1 it 
will be driven too far away4  ,he should
 meet every hit as quickly as possible1 
so that if fumbled he may still have    
time to recover the ball and make the   
play4 ,in running in to meet the ball1  
he must not forget the importance of    
steadiness1 and to this end should get  
himself in proper form just before the  
ball reaches him4 ,what is meant by good
 form may be seen by the above cut4 ,the
 feet1 legs1 hands1 arms1 and body are  
all made to assist in presenting an     
impassable front to the ball4  ,if      
base-ball diamonds were perfectly true  
the bound of the ball might be          
calculated with mathematical precision1 

but unfortunately they are not1 and     
these precautions become necessary4     
,there should be an understanding       
between the short-stop and third baseman
 that the latter is to take all slow    
hits toward short1 and as many hard hits
 as he can fairly and safely field4 ,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 base4 ,some players do not
 like the idea of another fielder taking
 hits which seem more properly to belong
 to themselves1 but this is the correct 
way for a short-stop and third baseman  
to work1 and between two men1 playing   
only for the team's success1 there will 
never be any dispute4  ,it is always    
best1 when possible1 to use both hands  
to stop or catch a ball2 but sometimes a
 hit is so far to either side1 or so    
high1 that it can only be reached with  
one hand4 ,therefore1 a short-stop      
should practice one-hand play so that he
 may be able to use it when the         

emergency requires4 ,he should never    
attempt it at any other time4  ,having  
secured a batted ball1 he should throw  
it at once1 waiting only long enough to 
regain his balance and make sure of his 
aim4 ,the practice of holding the ball  
for a moment and looking at the runner1 
whether done to demonstrate the         
fielder's perfect sang froid1 or to make
 a swift and pretty throw for the       
benefit of the grand stand1 is          
altogether wrong4 ,generally1 the throw 
will be to first1 though sometimes there
 will be an opportunity to put out      
another runner1 in which case it will be
 to some other base4 ,in throwing to    
second or third1 if he is near the base1
 he should pass the ball to the baseman 
by an easy1 underhand toss4 ,it is a    
difficult play to catch a thrown ball   
when the thrower is quite near2 besides1
 in making double plays by way of second
 base1 any time lost in tossing the ball
 will be more than regained by the      
quicker handling1 and there is the      

additional inducement of safety4  ,in   
making double plays to second it is     
almost always better to pass the ball to
 the baseman and allow him to throw to  
first1 than for the short- stop to      
attempt to make the play alone4 ,in     
#ahhb1 a couple of weeks before the     
season closed1 the ,providence ,club    
reached ,chicago with the pennant all   
but won2 one game from ,chicago would   
have made it sure4 ,in about the sixth  
inning of the last game1 with the score 
four to two in our favor1 the first two 
,chicago batters reached their bases4   
,kelly then hit to ,george ,wright at   
short1 who passed the ball to ,farrell1 
retiring the runner from first1 but     
,jack threw a little high to ,start and 
missed the double4 ,with runners on     
first and third1 the next man1 ,anson1  
hit hard to ,wright1 so that he had     
plenty of time again for a double4 ,but1
 this time1 instead of passing the ball 
to ,farrell1 as before1 ,george         
attempted to make the play alone4 ,he   

touched second1 but1 by the time he was 
ready to throw ,kelly came against him1 
and the result was a wild throw1 and1 to
 complete the disaster1 the ball rolled 
through a small opening under a gate and
 both runners scored4 ,we were beaten   
finally six to five1 and lost the       
championship4 ,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-runners4  ,by far the  
most difficult catch on a ball field is 
that of a ball hit high to the in-field1
 because of the great twist to the ball4
 ,the slightest failure to get the ball 
fairly in the hands will result in a    
miss1 and yet this is always greeted by 
derisive howls from certain among the   
spectators4 ,there are various styles of
 catching these hits1 but the position  
of the hands shown in the accompanying  
cut is believed to be the best4  ,the   
hands should be reached well up to meet 
the ball and then brought down easily in

 the line of its course4 ,if the hands  
and arms are held stiff1 the ball will  
rebound from them as though it had      
struck a stone4 ,the use of a glove on  
one hand may be found helpful in        
counteracting the effect of the twist4  
,the short-stop is expected to try for  
all such hits falling in his own        
position1 and also all falling back of  
the third baseman and in short          
left-field4  ,with runners on bases1 a  
double play may sometimes be made by    
allowing such a hit to first strike the 
ground4 ,in order that the ball may not 
bound beyond reach1 it should be caught 
or picked up on the short bound1 and to 
do this safely requires a great deal of 
skill4 ,it is a pretty play1 and often  
of invaluable service1 and it should    
therefore be practiced carefully until  
it can be made with approximate safety4 
,the short-stop must not betray         
beforehand his intention1 but pretend   
that he is going to catch the ball on   
the fly4  ,with all signals given by the

 catcher to the different in-fielders   
the short-stop must be perfectly        
familiar1 in order that he may be       
prepared to do his part4 ,if there is to
 be a throw to second or third he should
 know it1 so that he can be ready to    
back up in case the throw is wide or    
breaks through the baseman's hands4 ,so1
 too1 he must know when to expect a     
throw if he himself be covering second4 
,in all cases where a runner is caught  
between bases1 the short-stop must take 
part4 ,if the play is between first and 
second or between second and third1 he  
and the second baseman alternate in     
backing one another up on one side of   
the runner1 while the other baseman and 
the pitcher do the same on the other    
side4 ,if it is between third and home1 
he and the third baseman attend to one  
side1 while the catcher and pitcher look
 after the other4 ,in every case the    
base runner should be run down as       
quickly as possible1 and always toward  
the base farthest from the home plate1  

so that if an error is made the runner  
will gain no advantage4  ,in backing up 
other fielders a short-stop may be of   
great service1 and he should do this in 
every possible case1 no matter where the
 play may be4 ,but the positions which  
he is specially bound to back up are the
 second and third bases1 not only on all
 throws from the catcher1 but from any  
other fielder1 where it is possible for 
him to get in line with the throw4 ,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 ball4  ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,,the        
,,left-,,fielder4  ,the simplest of the 
three out-field positions is the        
left-field1 and one evidence of this is 
seen by the fact that a left-fielder    
almost invariably leads in the averages4
  ,if fielding were the only            
consideration1 the man who was the      
surest catch1 who could run the fastest 
and throw the longest1 would be the best
 man for the left-field position2 but   

other points enter into the question4 ,a
 team1 to win1 must have hitters as well
 as fielders1 and it is therefore usual 
to fill up the outfield with good       
batters1 even at the expense of a slight
 weakness in fielding4  ,considered     
simply as a fielder1 the occupant of the
 left-field should have a good eye to   
judge a ball hit in the air4 ,the moment
 the hit is made he must be able to tell
 its direction and locate the place     
where it is going to fall4 ,the best    
fielders acquire a remarkable skill in  
this respect and are able to decide     
these things at a glance4 ,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 ball4 ,particularly 
is this true of a fly hit over the      
fielder's head4 ,the player who attempts
 to run backwards or sideways for the   
ball1 or who turns his back to the ball 
but keeps his head twisted around so as 

to see it1 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 fall4 ,if the     
eyesight is good any fielder can learn  
to do this1 all it requires being       
sufficient practice and plenty of       
confidence4  ,another qualification for 
a fielder is the ability to start       
quickly and run fast4 ,the player who   
excels in these respects will1 of       
course1 get more hits than one who      
starts and runs slowly4  ,next1 he must 
be a sure catch on a batted ball1 no    
matter in what shape he may be obliged  
to take it1 whether running toward or   
with the ball1 and whether it be high1  
low1 or on either side4 ,many fielders  
are sure of a ball if they can get it in
 a particular position or at a certain  
height1 but this is not enough1 for it  
is not always possible to do this4 ,a   
player who feels himself weak on any    
point should practice and practice upon 

that particular thing until he has      
mastered it4 ,if he can catch hits on   
his right better than on his left side1 
let him practice catching only on the   
left2 if he is weak on hits over his    
head1 he should have some one bat to him
 thus1 until he has overcome the        
weakness4 ,any failing of this nature   
may be corrected by practice4  ,a fly   
ball should never be caught holding the 
hands and arms rigid4 ,the fielder      
should reach up to meet the ball and    
then bring the hands down easily with   
it4 ,there are some balls hit to the    
outfield1 as well as to the in-field1   
which the fielders cannot possibly reach
 with both hands but may be able to get 
with one4 ,in a game played to-day 7,may
 #gth71 between ,new ,york and          
,indianapolis1 ,hines1 of the latter    
,club1 made a marvelous one-hand catch  
of a hit that would otherwise have been 
good for three bases2 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 played4 ,so that1  
while discountenancing one-hand plays   
when two hands may be used1 ,i still    
think every fielder should practice     
one-hand catches1 to be prepared for    
such a play when it becomes necessary4  
,in fielding balls hit along the ground1
 the fielder should not wait until the  
ball comes to him1 but run in to meet it
 as quickly as possible4 ,then1 if      
fumbled1 he may still have time to get  
it back to the infield before base      
runners can take an extra base4  ,the   
instant an out-fielder gets a ball in   
his hands he should throw it to some    
point in the in-field4 ,the habit of    
holding a ball is extremely dangerous4  
,if the bases are clear and a single    
base-hit is made the ball should be sent
 at once to second base4 ,if there is a 
runner on first1 it should be thrown to 
third base1 because if sent to second a 
bold runner will sometimes keep right on

 to third4 ,if there is a runner on     
second when the hit is made and the     
left-fielder secures the ball quickly1  
he should throw it to third1 because    
most runners will over-run that base in 
order to draw the throw to the home     
plate1 and a quick throw to the base    
will catch them before they can return4 
,the left-fielder is expected to back up
 the second and third bases on a throw  
from first base or right-field4 ,he     
should also back up third on a throw    
from the catcher1 and to this end must  
be on the look-out for the catcher's    
signal4 ,he must also back up the       
centre-fielder when that player runs in 
to meet a hit1 for1 though he may not be
 able to get in front of the ball1 he   
will still be able to recover it quicker
 than the centre-fielder in case it gets
 by the latter4 ,he should also get near
 the centre-fielder when the latter is  
trying for a high fly1 so that if the   
ball is missed he may assist in sending 
it quickly to the in-field4  ,as soon as

 a fielder has decided that he can get  
to a hit and has made up his mind to    
take it1 he should call out loudly and  
distinctly1 ,i'll take it4 ,that gives  
every one else warning to keep out of   
the way1 and avoids the chance of       
collisions4 ,on the other hand1 if he is
 running for a hit and hears some other 
fielder call out1 he should reply1      
quickly and clearly1 ,go ahead4 ,that   
gives the other fielder confidence1 and 
he need not hesitate or take his eye    
from the ball to learn the location of  
other fielders4 ,if this very simple    
rule is observed there will never be any
 collisions1 nor will any hits that     
should be caught be allowed to drop     
between fielders4  ,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-fielder1 who has
 gone out to help him back with the     
ball4 ,if he misses a fly he should get 
after the ball at once and send it to   
the proper point on the in-field1 and   

not walk after it simply because he has 
missed it4  ,andy ,leonard1 of the old  
,bostons1 was1 in his day1 one of the   
best of left-fielders4 ,he was          
particularly strong on balls hit over   
his head1 which he always took over his 
shoulder while running with the         
direction of the hit4 ,he was also a    
remarkably bard and accurate thrower4   
,,chapter ,x4 ,,the ,,centre ,,fielder4 
,much of what has been said with        
reference to the left fielder is        
applicable also to the occupant of the  
centre field4 ,as a fielder only1 it is 
necessary that he should possess the    
same powers of judging a hit quickly1 of
 starting the instant the hit is made1  
of running fast until he has reached it1
 and of catching the ball in any        
position2 but as a fielder and batter as
 well1 his fielding qualities are often 
overlooked1 to a certain extent1 in     
favor of his power as a batter4  ,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 ball4 ,some of them do    
this because they can catch a ball      
better in that way1 and others because  
they think it looks prettier and pleases
 the grand stand2 they are continually  
making what appear to be difficult      
catches1 and they occasionally fall down
 and roll over to add to the effect4    
,but while this may deceive the average 
spectator1 it never escapes the other   
players1 and they soon grow extremely   
weary of such gymnastics4 ,and after    
awhile the spectators1 too1 discover his
 tricks1 and then the player will not   
get credit even for the really good work
 he may do4 ,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 it1 whereas if 
they had run hard at first the ball     
would have been easily caught4 ,the     
safest plan is to get under the hit as  
quickly as possible and then there will 

be time to correct any slight           
misjudgment4  ,in fielding balls hit    
along the ground1 the outfielder should 
run in quickly to meet the ball and     
return it instantly to the proper point 
on the in-field4 ,i have seen games lost
 by out-fielders stupidly holding a ball
 or returning it lazily to the in-field4
 ,there is absolutely nothing to be     
gained but everything to be lost by such
 plays4  ,in throwing to any point on   
the in-field1 if the throw is at all a  
long one1 the fielder should line the   
ball in on the bound4 ,an out-fielder   
should never attempt a long throw on the
 fly1 to first or third or home4 ,a     
throw on the first bound will reach     
there just as quickly1 more accurately1 
and with less chance of getting by the  
fielder to whom it is thrown4  ,the     
centre fielder must back up second base 
on all throws from the catcher1 and also
 on throws from any other position1     
whenever possible4 ,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
 fielder4 ,when a runner is stealing    
second base and the catcher's throw is  
wild1 the centre fielder must meet the  
ball quickly so as to prevent the runner
 from going on to third4 ,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 wild4 ,if 
there is a probability that the runner  
actually intends to go to third1 there  
is nothing left the fielder but to throw
 and take the chance4 ,but if the       
fielder has good reason to suspect the  
honesty of the runner's intentions1 a   
quick throw to second1 instead of to    
third1 will often catch him before he   
can return4  ,the centre fielder should 
also back up the left and right fielders
 on all hits along the ground which     
either-of them runs in to meet4 ,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 himself4      
,even on an in-field hit to the second  
baseman or short-stop the out- fielder  
should move in at once1 so as to be able
 to recover the ball quickly if it gets 
through the in-field4  ,when a runner is
 caught between first and second or     
second and third bases1 the centre      
fielder should get in line with the     
play1 back of second base4 ,for1 while  
only four players take an active part in
 such a play others should back up to   
provide for the possibility of a wild   
throw4  ,the necessity of calling for a 
fly hit applies with particular force to
 the centre fielder4 ,as soon as he has 
seen that he can get to a hit and has   
decided to take it1 he calls out loudly 
so that every one must hear1 ,i'll take 
it1 and all the other fielders near him 
respond1 ,go ahead4 ,this will avoid all
 danger of collisions to which he is    
specially exposed by having a fielder on
 either side4  ,on all high flys to     

another out-fielder he should go near   
the fielder who is attempting to make   
the catch1 so that if the ball is missed
 and bounds his way1 he can recover it  
quickly and prevent runners from gaining
 extra bases4  ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,,the    
,,right ,,fielder4  ,the right field1   
when properly played1 is the most       
difficult of the out- field positions4  
,a ball hit in that direction by a      
right-handed hitter always describes a  
curve and is therefore very hard to     
judge4 ,a good right fielder should also
 throw out many men at first base during
 a season1 and this means that he must  
possess all the qualifications of an    
in-fielder4 ,a few years ago it was not 
an unusual thing to see a batsman thrown
 out at first on a hit into right field4
 ,one of the best fielders for this was 
,george ,shaffer1 who for several       
seasons played with the ,cleveland      
,club4 ,another good man was ,jake      
,evans1 of the ,troy ,club1 and when    
with the ,providence ,club1 ,dorgan     

seldom let a game go by without catching
 one or more men in this way4  ,of late 
this is not done so often1 for the      
reason that the right fielder plays a   
much deeper field now than he did a few 
years ago4 ,then1 when the curve was    
still a novelty1 there were very few    
hard hits made to right field by        
right-handed batters4 ,still1 even now1 
there are many batters for whom there is
 no reason to play a deep right field1  
and such a batter should often be thrown
 out at first4 ,yet the only player whom
 ,i have seen make the play this season 
was ,brown1 of ,boston1 who threw out   
,titcomb twice in one game on the ,polo 
,ground4  ,all that has been said about 
the other out-fielders as to judging a  
hit1 starting1 running1 and catching1   
may be said of the right fielder4       
,equally with them he must locate a hit 
instantly1 start quickly1 run speedily1 
and be able to catch the ball in        
whatever form he may reach it4 ,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 batter4  ,in fielding   
ground-hits he meets the ball quickly1  
and1 where possible to catch the batter 
at first1 he throws there on the fly4   
,the reason for throwing so in this     
instance is1 that if he is near enough  
to catch the man at all1 he is near     
enough to throw accurately on the fly4  
,but to third base or home he should    
always throw on the bound4  ,he should  
back up first base on all throws from   
the catcher4 ,he also should assist the 
centre fielder in backing up second     
base1 and to this end run back of the   
centre fielder when the latter goes in  
to meet the ball2 so that if it passes  
one1 the other will still be there to   
stop it4 ,he should also back up the    
centre fielder on all ground-hits to the
 latter1 and on all fly hits to him he  

should go near so as to quickly recover 
the ball if it be missed4  ,he should   
call for the ball the moment he has     
decided to take it1 and as between an   
out-fielder and an in-fielder the former
 will take any hit he can reach4 ,he is 
running in for the ball and has it      
before him all the time1 while the      
in-fielder1 running out1 is apt to get  
twisted up and in bad shape to make the 
catch4  ,out-fielders1 like in-fielders1
 must change position to correspond with
 the direction the batsman is likely to 
hit4 ,for instance1 there are some men  
who are never known to hit to right     
field1 and for such the entire out-field
 moves toward the left field1 the right 
fielder going almost to centre1 the     
centre fielder to left centre1 and the  
left fielder close to the foul-line4    
,when the fielder knows the batsman1 he 
will change without direction2 but in   
any case he should respond quickly to   
any signal from the pitcher1 because the
 latter may be going to force the batter

 to hit in a particular direction4 ,the 
best fielders make the greatest         
difference in the positions they play   
for different batsmen4  ,the right      
fielder must be on the look-out for the 
catcher's signal to throw to first or   
second base1 because1 in order that he  
may get in line with the throw1 it is   
necessary that he shall start when the  
pitcher begins to deliver4 ,he cannot   
wait until the catcher throws or he will
 be too late to get in line4  ,,chapter 
,,xii4 ,,the ,,batter4  ,the most       
unsatisfactory feature in base-ball to  
the player himself1 is batting4 ,in     
theory it is so simple1 yet in practice 
so difficult1 that one is forever       
finding fault with himself and thinking1
 when too late1 of what he might have   
done if only he had not done as he did4 
,of course1 the element of chance or    
luck1 as it is called1 enters largely   
into the question4 ,the hardest hit will
 sometimes go directly into the waiting 
hands of a fielder1 while a little punk 

hit from the handle or extreme end of   
the bat may drop lazily into some       
unguarded spot4 ,but1 in the course of a
 season1 these chances should about     
equalize one another1 and1 though fate  
may seem to be against a man for a half 
dozen or more games1 he will be found   
finally to have benefited as much by    
scratch hits as he has lost in good1    
hard drives4  ,the theory of batting is 
simplicity itself4 ,all that is         
necessary is to wait until the ball     
comes over the plate and then hit it on 
a line back into the field4 ,from the   
grand stand1 nothing could be easier4   
,to sit back of the catcher and see the 
balls come sailing over the plate1 one  
will wonder why they are not hit out of 
creation1 and when some player1 who has 
allowed a couple of balls to pass       
directly over the plate without making  
the least attempt to hit at them1       
finally lets go at one that he could    
scarcely reach with a wagon tongue1 much
 less with a #cf- inch bat1 the         

spectator is likely to question the     
fellow's sanity4 ,it is amusing to sit  
in a base-ball crowd and hear the       
remarks4 ,there are more good batters   
and umpires and all-round ball players  
in the grand stand within one's hearing1
 than are to be found in both the       
contesting teams4  ,it would be more    
amusing still if some of these prodigies
 could be lifted out of their seats and 
taken down into the field1 and1 with a  
bat in hand1 made to face some          
first-class pitcher until they had hit  
the ball just once4 ,they would be      
surprised to see how differently it     
looks4 ,at a distance of only fifty feet
 from a man who can throw a ball like a 
streak of lightning1 or with the same   
apparent motion1 send it so slowly that 
one will think it is never going to     
reach him1 who can curve it in or out1  
up or down1 the question of hitting the 
ball at all becomes one of some doubt1  
to say nothing of base hits4 ,and then1 
add to this the danger of a swift1 wild 

pitch carrying away an arm or burying   
itself in the batsman's stomach1 and the
 difficulty is greatly increased4 ,just 
think of it for a moment4 ,a player who 
can throw a ball1 say one hundred and   
sixteen and two-thirds yards1 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  
speed4 ,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    
further4 ,it would be interesting to    
know just how many mule power there is  
behind such a blow4 ,there are a few    
moments after a man has been hit during 
which he wishes he had never seen a     
base-ball1 and for the next couple of   
games1 at least1 he will think more of  
escaping a recurrence of the accident   
than of hitting the ball4 ,hines1 of    
,indianapolis1 has already been hit on  
the head this season by one of the      
,chicago pitchers1 and the result is a  

long1 ragged-looking scar that he will  
always carry4 ,an inch lower1 and the   
blow might have cost him his life4  ,the
 first consideration in learning to bat 
is to acquire the proper form4 ,by this 
is not meant the position to be assumed 
while waiting for the pitch1 because    
each batter may1 and generally does have
 his distinctive style4 ,but when in the
 act of hitting there is a certain form 
to be observed1 and this1 in its salient
 points1 is the same with all good      
batters4  ,standing within easy reach of
 the plate1 the batter should hold his  
bat ready to hit a breast-high ball4 ,it
 is easier to hit a low ball when       
expecting a high one than to hit a high 
ball when a low one was expected1 for   
the reason that it is easier to drop the
 bat quickly and swing underhand than it
 is to elevate it and chop overhand4    
,when the ball is pitched be should not 
move until he has seen where the ball is
 going4 ,not until in the act of        
swinging his bat should he step forward1

 and then his step should be short1 and1
 generally1 directly toward the pitcher4
 ,when he hits1 the body should be held 
erect and flung slightly forward1 so    
that when the bat meets the ball the    
weight is principally on the forward    
foot4  ,if he steps too soon1 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 ball4  ,neither should he make   
too long a stride1 for the same reasons 
given in the preceding paragraph1 and   
also because it puts him in bad form to 
hit at a high ball4  ,he should         
generally step directly toward the      
pitcher1 unless he has special reasons  
for doing otherwise4 ,for instance1 if a
 right-hand hitter wishes to hit to     
left-field1 he had better step so as to 
face slightly in that direction2 and if 
he wishes to hit to right-field1 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 

hit4  ,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 ball4 ,the body is thrown       
slightly forward so that the weight and 
force of the body may be given to the   
stroke4 ,it is not necessary to hit     
hard1 but solidly1 and this is done not 
so much by the swing of the arms as by  
the push and weight of the shoulder     
behind it4  ,the accompanying cut of    
,ewing is an excellent representation of
 a batter1 in the act of hitting4 ,he   
not only swings the bat with the arms1  
but pushes it with the weight of the    
shoulders4 ,the position is a picture of
 strength4  ,in hitting at a high ball  
the bat should be swung overhand1 in an 
almost perpendicular plane1 and so1     
also1 for a low ball1 the batter should 
stand erect and cut underhand4 ,if the  
bat is swung in a horizontal plane the  
least miscalculation in the height of   
the ball will be fatal4 ,if it strikes  
above or below the centre line of the   

bat1 it will be driven either up into   
the air or down to the ground4 ,whereas1
 if the bat is swung perpendicularly1   
the same mistake will only cause it to  
strike a little farther up or down on   
the bat1 but still on the centre line1  
and if it misses the centre line it will
 be thrown off toward first or third1   
instead of up or down4  ,there are two  
classes of good batters whose styles of 
hitting are so different that they may  
be said to be distinct4 ,the one1       
comprising such hitters as ,connor1     
,brouthers1 ,tiernan1 ,wise1 ,fogarty1  
,whitney1 ,ryan1 ,denny1 and ,fred      
,carroll1 use the full length of the    
bat1 and in addition to the push of the 
shoulders make a decided swing at the   
ball4 ,in the other1 in which are       
,anson1 ,kelly1 ,dunlap1 and a few      
others1 the motion is more of a push    
than a swing4 ,anson1 who1 if not the   
best batter in the country1 is certainly
 the surest1 seldom does anything but   
push the bat against the ball1 only     

occasionally making what might be called
 a swing4 ,many of the latter class     
grasp the bat up short1 and some of them
 keep the hands a few inches apart4 ,if 
,i were advising a novice which style to
 learn ,i should say the latter1 because
 it is the surer1 though such batters   
seldom hit as hard as the others4       
,every ball player who pretends to play 
the game with his brain as well as with 
his body1 should be able to hit in      
whatever direction he wishes4 ,it may   
not be always possible to hit in the    
exact direction desired1 and1 of course1
 he cannot place the ball in any        
particular spot1 but he can and should  
be able to hit either to left field or  
right1 as the occasion demands4 ,the    
advantage of this to the player himself 
and to his team cannot be overestimated4
 ,for example1 there is a runner on     
first who signals to the batter that he 
will try to steal second on the second  
ball pitched4 ,when he starts to run the
 second baseman goes for his base and   

the entire field between first and      
second is left open4 ,now1 if the batter
 gets a ball anywhere within reach and  
taps it down toward right field1 the    
chances are that it will be safe1 and   
the runner from first will keep right on
 to third4 ,oftentimes1 too1 the batter 
himself will reach second on the throw  
from right field to third to catch the  
runner ahead of him4 ,here1 now1 by a   
little head-work1 are runners on third  
and second1 whereas1 an attempt to smash
 the ball1 trusting to luck as to where 
it should go1 might have resulted in a  
double play or at least one man out and 
no advantage gained4 ,many a game is won
 by such scientific work1 and the club  
that can do the most of it1 day after   
day1 will come in the winners in the    
finish4  ,when a batter is known as one 
who will attempt a play of this kind1 it
 is usual for the second baseman to play
 well over into right field1 allowing   
the second to be covered by the         
short-stop4 ,when the batter discovers  

such a scheme to catch him he should    
continue to face toward right field1 in 
order not to betray his intention1 but  
when the ball is pitched1 he should turn
 and hit toward left field4 ,if the     
short-stop has gone to take the base1   
the space between second and third is   
left open just as the other side was4   
,a great fault with many batters is that
 they try to hit the ball too hard4     
,this is especially true of the younger 
players1 the colts1 as they are called4 
,a young player with a reputation as a  
hitter in some minor league1 goes into a
 big club and at once thinks he must hit
 the ball over the fence4 ,the result is
 that he doesn't hit it at all1 and     
unless he corrects his fault1 he goes on
 fanning the atmosphere until he is     
handed his release4 ,and yet the same   
player1 if he would steady himself down 
and once get started hitting might do   
just as well as he did in his former    
club4  ,and this brings up the          
reflection that there is a great virtue 

in confidence4 ,the player who goes     
timidly to the bat with his mind made up
 that he can't hit1 anyhow1 might just  
as well keep his seat4 ,but the one who 
walks up1 saying to himself1 ,other men 
hit this ball1 and ,i can1 too1 will be 
inspired by his own confidence1 and for 
that very reason he will be more likely 
to hit4 ,so it is that batting goes so  
much by streaks4 ,a nine that has not   
made a hit for several innings will     
suddenly start in and bat out a victory4
 ,one player leads off with a good hit  
and is followed by another and another1 
each benefited by the confidence and    
enthusiasm the preceding batters have   
aroused4  ,it goes without saying that  
the player's eyesight must be perfect or
 he can never hope to be a good batter4 
,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  
height4  ,so1 too1 the nerves must be   
kept in good condition or the player    
will be unable to resist the temptation 

to hit at wide balls4 ,a nervous batter 
is easily worked1 because he is so      
anxious to hit that he can't wait for a 
good ball4  ,but the most important     
attribute of all in the composition of a
 good batter is courage4 ,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 flinching1 the
 fearlessness that can contemplate the  
probability of a blow from the ball     
without allowing the judgment to be     
affected4 ,out of ten poor batters nine 
are so because they are afraid of being 
hit4 ,it is often asked1 ,why are       
pitchers1 as a rule1 such poor batters8 
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
 incurs4 ,there is perhaps no such thing
 as absolute fearlessness2 the batter   
who has once been hit hard--and all of  
them have--will never quite forget the  
occurrence1 and he will forever after   

have the respect for the ball that a    
burned child has for the fire4 ,but some
 men will not allow this feeling to     
overcome them4  ,it is absolutely       
necessary1 then1 to first conquer one's 
self1 to fight down fear and forget     
everything except that the ball must be 
hit4 ,to some1 this seems not a         
difficult matter1 to many it comes only 
after the most determined effort and    
schooling of the nerves1 while to a few 
it seems to be an utter impossibility4  
,the instinct of self-preservation is   
such a controlling power with them that 
unconsciously they draw away from the   
ball1 and1 try as they will1 they cannot
 stand up to the plate4 ,the player who 
cannot overcome this feeling will never 
be a good hitter1 though when he finds  
that he is a victim he should not give  
up without a struggle4 ,some players    
have broken themselves of the habit of  
running away from the plate by stepping 
back with the rear foot1 instead of     
forward with the forward foot1 when in  

the act of hitting4 ,thompson1 of       
,detroit1 who is a remarkably good      
hitter1 steps backward instead of       
forward4 ,others1 like ,hecker1 of      
,louisville1 step neither way1 but hit  
as they stand1 simply throwing the body 
forward4 ,every expedient should be     
tried before the case is given up as    
incurable4 ,in my own case ,i was forced
 to change from right to left-hand      
hitting4 ,i had been hit so hard several
 times that ,i grew afraid of the ball  
and contracted the habit of stepping    
away from the plate4 ,it was a nervous  
fear over which ,i had no control1 and  
the habit became so confirmed that ,i   
resolved to turn around left-handed4 ,i 
thought that in learning to hit the new 
way ,i could avoid the mistakes into    
which ,i had before fallen4 ,it took    
time and practice to learn1 but the     
result1 ,i think1 has been an           
improvement4 ,while not able to hit so  
hard left-handed1 because the muscles   
are not yet so strong1 ,i make more     

single hits1 reach first base oftener1  
and score more runs4  ,,chapter ,,xiii4 
,,the ,,base-,,runner4  ,of the four    
departments of play1 batting1           
base-running1 fielding1 and battery     
work1 the most interesting is           
base-running4 ,it is the most skillful1 
it calls into play the keenest          
perception and the soundest judgment1 it
 demands agility and speed1 and it      
requires more daring1 courage1 and      
enthusiasm than all the others combined4
  ,its importance as a factor in winning
 games cannot be estimated4 ,we only    
know that a team of base-runners wins   
game after game in which it is          
out-batted and out-fielded by its       
opponents4 ,no system of scoring has    
been or can be devised by which a full  
record of this kind of work can be kept4
 ,the system now in vogue1 crediting the
 number of bases stolen1 is all right so
 far as it goes1 but it covers only a   
small part of the ground4 ,stealing     
bases is a part of base-running1 but it 

is a very small part1 and to say that   
the player who steals the most bases is 
therefore the best base-runner1 is an   
altogether unwarranted statement4 ,a    
quick starter1 speedy runner1 and clever
 slider might easily steal the most     
bases1 and yet in general usefulness    
fall far behind some other player4      
,beginning with the more mechanical     
features1 the first qualification for a 
base-runner is the ability to start     
quickly4 ,the distances on a ball field 
have been laid out with such marvelous  
nicety that every fraction of a second  
is valuable4 ,almost every play is      
close1 and the loss of an instant of    
time is often the loss of the           
opportunity4  ,but to start quickly     
means more than a quick action of the   
muscles2 it means also that the brain   
and body must act together4 ,the        
base-runner who must wait to be told    
what to do will always be too late4 ,by 
the time the coacher has seen the point 
and called to the runner and the latter 

has gotten himself into action1 the     
chance has long passed4 ,the player must
 be able to see the play himself and act
 upon it instantly1 without waiting to  
be told4  ,different runners adopt      
different methods for getting a long    
start from a base4 ,some take as much   
ground as possible before the pitch and 
then start the moment they see the first
 motion to deliver4 ,others stand near  
the base1 and when they think it about  
time for the pitcher to pitch make a    
start4 ,if they happen to guess aright  
they get a running start1 which is1 of  
course1 a great advantage4 ,and if they 
guess wrong1 the pitcher is so taken by 
surprise that it is always possible to  
return to the base before he can throw4 
,of the two methods ,i prefer the       
latter4 ,remaining near the base disarms
 suspicion1 and the runner is not tired 
out1 by repeated feints to throw1 on the
 part of the pitcher4  ,in either case  
the practice of standing with the feet  
wide apart is altogether wrong and in   

violation of every principle of quick   
starting4 ,unlike a sprinter1 a         
base-runner must be in shape to start in
 either direction1 and this can be done 
best and quickest by standing upright   
with the feet almost together4 ,a second
 qualification is speed4 ,while1 as     
before said1 mere speed will not make a 
base-runner1 in the full sense of the   
term1 yet1 other things being equal1 the
 faster runner will be the better       
base-runner4 ,straight away running is  
something to which ball players do not  
devote sufficient attention4 ,while1 to 
a certain extent1 it is a natural gift1 
yet every man can improve himself       
greatly by practice1 and if the spring  
training of players included more of    
this work1 the result would certainly be
 an improvement in the base-running4    
,notwithstanding the importance of      
starting and running and sliding1 there 
is absolutely no attention given these  
matters1 and1 consequently1 the majority
 of players seem to be entirely ignorant

 of the proper form4 ,it would be a good
 investment for some clubs to employ a  
professional sprinter to teach their men
 how to stand1 in order to start        
quickly1 and how to put one foot in     
front of the other in the approved form4
  ,an important aid also to successful  
base-running is the knack of sliding    
well4 ,a player skillful in this respect
 will often save himself when he seems  
caught beyond escape4 ,every runner     
should know how to slide if he expects  
to accomplish anything at all1 and every
 man will slide who has the proper      
interest in his work4 ,some players do  
not do so because they have never       
learned and are afraid to try1 while    
others seem to care so little for the   
team's success that they are unwilling  
to take the chances of injury to        
themselves4 ,as for the former class1 a 
half hour's practice on sawdust or soft 
earth will show them how easily it is   
learned1 and as for the latter1 they    
should be made to slide1 even if it be  

found necessary to persuade them through
 their pockets4  ,sliding1 as an art1 is
 of recent growth1 though it has long   
been the practice of base-runners to    
drop to avoid being touched4 ,in view of
 its present importance it is amusing to
 read1 in an article written on the     
subject some years ago1 an argument     
against the practice indulged in by a   
few players of sliding to the base in   
order to avoid being touched by the     
ball4  ,the old style of sliding was    
with the feet foremost1 but there are   
now various methods employed4 ,many     
runners now slide head foremost1        
throwing themselves flat on the breast  
and stomach4 ,some keep to the base-line
 and slide direct for the base1 while   
others throw the body and legs out of   
the line and reach for the base with a  
hand or foot4 ,among those who always   
slide feet first and direct for the     
base1 ,hanlon is the most successful4   
,he doesn't go down until quite close to
 the base1 and then does not at all     

slacken his speed4 ,connor also slides  
feet foremost1 but instead of throwing  
himself at full length1 he maintains a  
sitting posture1 and each of his slides 
is the signal for a laugh from the      
crowd4 ,on account of his size and the  
weight behind his spikes1 he is always  
given the entire base-line without      
dispute4 ,williamson is a very          
successful slider4 ,he runs at full     
speed until near the base and then      
throws his body away from the baseman   
and his feet at the base4 ,the          
successful runners who slide flat on the
 stomach are ,fogarty1 ,tiernan1        
,miller1 ,andrews1 ,brown and others4   
,of those who go in head foremost but   
throw the body out of the line and away 
from the baseman1 are ,ewing1           
,glasscock1 ,pfeffer1 ,dalrymple and    
some others4  ,an expert base-runner    
will confine himself to no particular   
style1 but1 being familiar with all1    
will use1 in each instance1 the one best
 suited4 ,sometimes one style is best   

and sometimes another1 depending upon   
where the ball is thrown and the        
position of the baseman4 ,i consider    
,kelly the best all-round slider in the 
,league1 because he can1 and does1 use  
every style with equal freedom4  ,the   
,american ,association has some of the  
finest runners in ,nicoll1 ,latham1     
,stovey1 ,purcell1 and many others1 but 
,i have1 unfortunately1 not seen enough 
of their work to speak accurately of    
their methods4  ,though stealing bases  
is only a part of base-running1 yet even
 this requires considerable skill1 and  
it is by no means always the fastest    
runner who succeeds the oftenest4 ,much 
depends on the start1 and much1 too1 on 
the slide4 ,i may be permitted to       
outline my own method3 ,having reached  
first1 ,i signal to the next batter when
 ,i am going to steal4 ,then1 standing  
near the base1 well upright and with my 
feet together1 ,i try to get a running  
start on the pitcher2 that is1 when ,i  
think he is about to pitch1 though he   

has yet made no motion1 ,i make my      
start4 ,if he does pitch ,i get all the 
ground that ,i would have had by playing
 off the base in the first place1 and ,i
 have1 besides1 the advantage of being  
on the move4 ,every one who knows       
anything of sprinting will appreciate   
the advantages of such a start4 ,if the 
pitcher does not pitch ,i usually manage
 to return to the base in safety4       
,having secured my start1 ,i expect that
 the batter will hit the ball1 if it is 
a good one1 into right-field1 in which  
case ,i will keep right on to third     
base2 or1 if it is a bad ball1 the      
batter will at east hit at it1 in order1
 if possible1 to blind the catcher and  
help me out4 ,in any event ,i put down  
my head and run direct for the base1 and
 in no case do ,i attempt to watch the  
ball4 ,it is a foolish and often fatal  
mistake for a runner to keep his head   
turned toward the catcher while running 
in another direction4 ,if the ball is   
hit ,i listen for the coacher's         

direction1 but if it is not1 ,i keep my 
eye on the baseman1 and by watching his 
movements1 the expression of his face1  
and the direction he is looking1 ,i can 
tell as certainly just where the throw  
is going as though ,i saw the ball4 ,if 
he stands in front of the line ,i run   
back of him1 and if he is back of the   
line ,i slide in front4 ,in every case1 
and whether ,i go in head or feet       
foremost1 ,i throw my body away from the
 baseman so as to give him the least    
possible surface to touch with the ball4
  ,there is an advantage in sliding head
 foremost1 in that the runner1 by       
falling forward1 gains the length of his
 body and the reach of his arm1 whereas 
in sliding feet foremost1 he loses this4
 ,but if one always goes in head        
foremost1 the baseman1 knowing what to  
expect and standing in no fear of       
injury1 will block the base-line4 ,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 basemen4   
,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 pads4 ,some have the      
padding stitched to the inside of the   
pants1 and for the knees this is the    
better plan1 though it interferes       
somewhat with the washing of the        
uniform4 ,but for the hips ,i prefer the
 separate pads1 which may be bought at  
any store for the sale of base-ball     
goods4 ,the best make is buttoned to a  
strap which hinds tightly the lower     
portion of the body1 and this latter    
feature is itself of great advantage2   
not only as a matter of comfort and     
safety1 but also for the sake of        
decency1 every player should wear one of
 these straps1 the same as athletes do  
in other branches of sport4  ,but1 after
 all1 the important factors in          
successful base-running are yet to be   
spoken of1 and the foregoing points are 
merely mechanical aids4 ,there is no    

other department of play in which       
intelligence plays so important a part1 
and no matter how clever the player as a
 starter1 runner1 or slider1 these      
faculties will be of little value unless
 directed by a quick perception and     
sound judgment4 ,indeed1 they will often
 serve only as traps to lead him into   
difficulty4  ,by its very nature a quick
 perception is an inborn faculty of the 
mind1 and while it may be developed by  
constant use1 no amount of coaching can 
create it4 ,there are some players who  
are no more capable of becoming good    
base-runners than of living under water1
 so unfitted are they by nature4 ,the   
power of grasping a situation and acting
 upon it at once is something which     
cannot be taught4  ,in order1 however1  
to know when a fair opportunity presents
 itself1 the runner must be familiar    
with the chances of play1 and this comes
 only from experience and close         
observation4 ,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 opening4 ,the former has  
learned to marshal at a glance all the  
attendant probabilities and             
possibilities and to estimate1 in the   
same instant1 the chances of success or 
failure4  ,it is not1 however1 always   
best to accept an opportunity when      
presented1 even where the chances of    
success are largely in the runner's     
favor4 ,the stages of the game must be  
taken into consideration1 and what may  
be a perfectly commendable play in one  
situation may be altogether reckless and
 foolhardy in another4 ,therefore1 the  
most important faculty of all1 the      
pendulum which regulates1 and the rudder
 which guides1 is judgment4 ,an         
illustration may make my meaning clear4 
,in the ninth inning1 with a runner on  
first base and the score a tie1 it may  
be a good play for the runner to attempt
 to steal second1 because from there a  
single hit may send him home4 ,but      

suppose that1 instead of the score being
 a tie1 the side at bat is four or five 
runs behind1 of what possible use will  
the steal be now1 even if successful8   
,one run will do no good1 and the only  
chance of victory is in the following   
batters also getting around the bases4  
,but the hits or errors by which this   
must be accomplished will also send the 
first runner home without a steal1 so   
that in attempting to steal he takes a  
chance which is of no advantage if      
successful1 and perhaps a fatal mistake 
if not4  ,again1 suppose there is a     
runner on third and none out and the    
batter hits a short fly to the          
out-field1 on the catch of which it is  
doubtful whether the runner can score4  
,if the next batter is a good hitter1 he
 will not make the attempt1 trusting to 
the next hit for a better chance4 ,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 presented4 ,these are    

only given as examples and they might be
 multiplied1 because the same problem   
will always present itself in a more or 
less imperative form every time the     
runner has a play to make4 ,the question
 he must always decide is1 ,is this the 
best play1 everything considered8 ,it   
goes without saying that he must answer 
this for himself4 ,in conclusion1 ,i    
will describe some plays that may arise 
and venture some observations1 running  
through which the reader may discern the
 general principles of base-running4    
,there is an element in base-ball which 
is neither skill nor chance1 and yet it 
is a most important factor of success4  
,it is the unseen influence that wins in
 the face of the greatest odds4 ,it is  
the element1 the presence of which in a 
team is often called luck1 and its      
absence a lack of nerve4 ,it is         
sometimes spoken of as young blood1     
because the younger players1 as a       
general rule1 are more susceptible to   
its influence4 ,its real name is        

enthusiasm1 and it is the factor1 in the
 influence of which1 is to be found the 
true explanation of the curious standing
 of some clubs4 ,between two teams of   
equal or unequal strength the more      
enthusiastic will generally win4 ,the   
field work may be slow and steady1 but  
at the bat and on the bases there must  
be dash and vim4  ,if1 for example1 it  
be found that a catcher is a poor       
thrower1 or a pitcher slow in his       
movements1 every fair runner reaching   
first should immediately attempt to     
steal second1 and even third4 ,this     
style of play will demoralize an        
opposing team quicker than anything     
else1 and even if unsuccessful at first1
 and the first few runners be caught1 it
 should still be kept up for a couple of
 innings1 because it will1 at least1    
affect the nerves of some of the        
opposing players1 and if a break does   
come1 the victory will be an easy one4  
,every batter should be ready to take   
his place quickly at the bat1 and hit at

 the first good ball2 every runner      
should be on the move2 and with plenty  
of coaching1 and everybody full of      
enthusiasm1 it is only necessary to get 
the run-getting started in order to have
 it go right along4 ,this is the game   
that is winning in base-ball to-day1 as 
every observant spectator knows4        
,base-running begins the moment the ball
 is hit4 ,there are some players who    
don't know how to drop their bats and   
get away from the plate4 ,some stand    
until they see whether the hit is safe1 
and they run to first with the head     
twisted around to watch the ball4 ,the  
instant the ball is hit1 no matter where
 it goes1 the batter should drop the bat
 and start for the base2 leaving the    
ball to take care of itself1 he should  
put down his head and run1 looking      
neither to the right nor the left4      
,every foot gained may be of vital      
importance1 for in most cases the runner
 is thrown out by the distance of only a
 few feet4  ,some runners make a mistake

 in jumping for the base with the last  
step4 ,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 plays4  ,a  
runner to first on a base hit or fly to 
the outfield should always turn first   
base and lead well down toward second1  
so that if the ball is fumbled or       
handled slowly or missed1 he may be able
 to reach second4 ,and by hurrying the  
out-fielder he increases the probability
 of an error4  ,a runner should always  
run at the top of his speed1 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 throw4  ,at no other time is there  
anything to be gained by slow running1  
and often there is much to be lost4 ,in 
the game spoken of elsewhere in this    
book1 between ,providence and ,chicago1 
which virtually decided the championship
 for #ahhb1 ,hines was on first when    
,joe ,start hit what looked like a      

home-run over the centre-field fence4   
,the wind caught the ball and held it   
back so that it struck the top of the   
netting and fell back into the field4   
,hines1 thinking the hit perfectly safe1
 was jogging around the bases when the  
ball was returned to the in-field4      
,start had run fast and overtaken       
,hines1 and the result was that instead 
of a run scored1 a man on third and no  
one out1 both runners were put out and  
we lost the game by one run1 and the    
championship by that one game4 ,a player
 has no right to think this or that2 his
 sole duty is to run hard until the play
 is over4  ,when a runner is on first   
and a hit is made he should run fast to 
second1 and if possible force the throw 
to third4 ,every such throw offers an   
opportunity for error1 and the more of  
these the runner can force the more     
chances there will be in his favor4 ,by 
getting quickly to second he is in a    
position to go on to third if the ball  
is fumbled or slowly handled1 or        

returned to the wrong point on the      
in-field4  ,so1 too1 a runner on second1
 when a hit is made1 should always force
 the throw to the home plate1 even if he
 does not intend to try for the run4 ,in
 order to do this he must run hard to   
third and turn the base as though he    
really meant to go home4 ,any hesitation
 or looking around will fail of the     
object4 ,the throw home gives the player
 who hit the ball a chance to reach     
second base4  ,in a game where there is 
plenty of hitting runners should        
obviously take fewer chances than where 
the hitting is light4  ,it is usually   
advisable for a good runner1 who leas   
reached first with two men out1 to      
attempt to steal second1 because then   
one hit will likely bring him home2     
whereas if he stays on first it will    
require two hits1 or two errors in      
succession1 and these are not likely to 
come1 with two men already out4  ,the   
only times to steal third are1 first1   
when there is only one out1 for then a  

hit1 a sacrifice1 or a long fly will    
score the run4 ,if there is no one out1 
the chances are that a runner on second 
will eventually score anyhow1 and if    
there are two out there is little       
advantage gained by stealing third4 ,it 
still requires a hit or an error to     
score the run1 and the same would       
probably score it from second as easily 
as from third4 ,second1 it may sometimes
 be advisable for a runner on second    
base to steal third1 even when there are
 two out1 provided there is also a      
runner on first4 ,because1 if           
successful1 the runner on first also    
gets to second1 and the result is two   
stolen bases front the one chance1 and a
 hit will now likely score two runs     
instead of one4  ,when there is a runner
 on second or third with no more than   
one out1 and the batter makes what is   
apparently a long1 safe hit1 the runner 
should hold the base until he has seen1 
beyond a doubt1 that the hit is safe4   
,if safe1 he will still have ample time 

to reach home1 while if1 by any chance1 
it be caught1 he will nevertheless get  
third or home1 as the case may be4 ,a   
couple of seasons back a ,new ,york     
runner was on third1 with no one out1   
when the batter made what looked like a 
home-run hit4 ,the runner on third1     
instead of waiting to make sure1 started
 home2 the ball was caught and1 though  
he managed to return to third1 he did   
not score1 as he otherwise might easily 
have done4 ,the next two batters went   
out1 the score was left a tie1 and we   
finally lost an important game4         
,succeeding base-runners should have    
private signals so that they may        
communicate their intentions without    
apprising the opposing players4 ,a      
runner on first who intends to steal    
second should inform the batter1 so that
 the batter may hit the ball1 or at     
least strike at it4 ,a runner on second 
should notify a runner on first of his  
intention to steal third1 so that the   
other may at the same time steal second4

 ,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 play4  ,in
 such a situation the runner on first   
will generally attempt to steal second1 
and if the catcher throws down to catch 
him there are several things which the  
runner on third may do4 ,first1 as soon 
as he sees the throw to second he may   
start for home1 and if he has previously
 decided to do this1 he should take     
plenty of ground front third base4      
,second1 he may not start for home on   
the throw1 but if the runner from first 
gets caught between first and second1 it
 will then be necessary for him to try  
to score4 ,for this purpose he carefully
 takes as much ground from third as     
possible1 while the other player is     
being chased backward and forward4      
,finally1 when the ball is tossed by the
 second baseman to the first baseman1 he
 makes a dash for home4 ,the idea of    
waiting until the ball is thrown to the 

first baseman is because the latter has 
his back to the plate1 and not only     
cannot see the play so well but must    
turn around to throw4 ,third1 if the    
circumstances are such that he thinks   
best not to try to score on the throw1  
he should1 at least1 on seeing the throw
 to second1 make a strong feint to run  
in order to draw the second baseman in  
and allow the runner from first to reach
 second4  ,there is a pretty play by    
which one run may be scored when there  
are runners on first and second4 ,it is1
 however1 a desperate chance and should 
only be resorted to in an extremity4    
,the runner on first leads off the base 
so far as to draw the throw from the    
catcher1 and1 seeing the throw1 the     
runner on second goes to third4 ,then1  
while the first runner is playing       
between first and second1 the runner now
 on third scores as described in the    
preceding play1 waiting until the ball  
is passed to the first baseman4 ,if the 
second baseman is a poor thrower it may 

be best to make the dash for home when  
the ball is thrown to him4  ,a runner on
 second may receive a signal from the   
batsman that the latter intends to try a
 bunt1 in which case the runner will try
 to steal third4 ,if the bunt is made   
the runner reaches third1 but if the    
bunt does not succeed1 the attempt draws
 the third baseman in close and leaves  
the base uncovered for the runner4      
,without particularizing further1 it    
will be seen that a base-runner must not
 only have some wits but he must have   
them always with him4 ,exactly the same 
combinations never conic up1 new ones   
are continually being presented1 and in 
every case he must decide for himself   
what is best4 ,in view of all the       
circumstances1 he makes a quick mental  
estimate of the chances and acts        
accordingly4 ,sometimes for-time will be
 against him1 but if his judgment is    
sound he is sure to be successful in the
 majority of attempts4  ,,chapter ,,xiv4
 ,,curve ,,pitching4  ,curve pitching is

 a scientific fact1 the practice of     
which preceded the discovery of its     
principle4 ,for a long time after its   
existence was familiar to every         
ball-player and spectator of the game1  
there were wise men who proclaimed its  
impossibility1 who declared it to be    
simply an optical delusion1 and its     
believers the victims of the pitcher's  
trickery4 ,it was only after the curve  
had been practically demonstrated to    
them1 in a way which left no room for   
doubt1 that they consented to find for  
it a scientific explanation4  ,the      
discovery of the curve itself was purely
 an accident4 ,during the years from    
#ahff to #ahfi the theory was held by   
many pitchers that the more twist       
imparted to a pitched ball1 the more    
difficult it would be to hit it straight
 out4 ,it was thought that even if it   
were struck fairly1 this twist would    
throw it off at an angle to the swing of
 the bat4 ,one writer on the game       
declared strongly against this practice 

of the pitchers on the ground that1     
though this twist did do all that was   
claimed for it1 it at the same time     
caused the ball1 when hit1 to bound     
badly1 and thus interfered with good    
fielding4 ,of course1 both of these     
theories become absurd in the light of  
the present1 but it was doubtless the   
belief in the former that led to the    
introduction of the curve4 ,in #ahfi    
,arthur ,cummings1 pitching for the     
,star ,club1 noticed that by giving a   
certain twist to the ball it was made to
 describe a rising1 outward curve1 and  
his remarkable success with the new     
delivery soon led to its imitation by   
other pitchers1 and finally to the      
general introduction of curve pitching4 
,the philosophy of the curve is1 in     
itself1 quite simple4 ,a ball is thrown 
through the air and1 at the same time1  
given a rotary motion upon its own axis1
 so that the resistance of the air1 to  
its forward motion1 is greater upon one 
point than upon another1 and the result 

is a movement of the ball away from the 
retarded side4 ,suppose the ball in the 
accompanying cut to be moving in the    
direction of the arrow1 ,b ,c1 at the   
rate of #ajj feet per second4 ,suppose1 
also1 that it is rotating about its     
vertical axis1 ,e1 in the direction of  
,i to ,h1 so that any point on its      
circumference1 ,i ,h ,d1 is moving at   
the same rate of #ajj feet per second4  
,the point ,i is1 therefore1 moving     
forward at the same rate as the ball's  
centre of gravity1 that is1 #ajj feet   
per second1 plus the rate of its own    
revolution1 which is #ajj feet more1 or 
#bjj feet per second2 but the point ,d1 
though moving forward with the ball at  
the rate of #ajj feet per second1 is    
moving backward the rate of rotation1   
which is #ajj feet per second1 so that  
the forward motion of the point ,d is   
practically zero4 ,at the point ,i1     
therefore1 the resistance is to a point 
moving #bjj feet per second1 while at ,d
 it is zero1 and the tendency of the    

ball being to avoid the greatest        
resistance1 it is deflected in the      
direction of ,f4  ,in the ,scientific   
,american of ,august #bhth1 #ahhf1 a    
correspondent gave a very explicit      
demonstration of the theory of the      
curve1 and1 as it has the virtue of     
being more scientific than the one given
 above1 ,i append it in full4  ,let     
,fig4 #c represent a ball moving through
 the air in the direction of the arrow1 
,b ,k1 and at the same time revolving   
about its vertical axis1 ,u1 in the     
direction of the curved arrow1 ,c4 ,let 
,a ,a ,a represent the retarding action 
of the air acting on different points of
 the forward half or face of the ball4  
,the rotary motion1 ,c1 generates a     
current of air about the periphery of   
the ball1 a current similar to that     
caused by the revolving flywheel of a   
steam engine4  ,if1 now1 at a point on  
the face of the ball we let the arrow1  
,r1 represent the direction and         
intensity of this rotary current of air1

 and if at the same point we let the    
arrow1 ,a1 represent the direction and  
intensity of the retarding action of the
 air1 then we will find by constructing 
a parallelogram of forces that the      
resultant or combined effect of these   
two currents acts in the direction      
indicated by the dotted arrow1 ,t4 ,in  
other words1 we have a sort of          
compression1 or force of air1 acting on 
the face of the ball in the direction   
indicated by the arrow1 ,t4 ,this force1
 as we can readily see1 tends1 when     
combined with the original impetus given
 to the ball1 to deflect or cause time  
ball to curve in the direction of the   
dotted line1 ,b ,p1 instead of          
maintaining its right line direction1 ,b
 ,k4 ,if the ball rotate about its vert 
axis in the opposite direction1 the     
curve1 ,b ,n1 will be the result4  ,to  
the above demonstrations it is only     
necessary to add an explanation of one  
other feature4 ,the question has arisen 
why it is that the ball apparently goes 

a part of its course in a straight line 
and then turns off abruptly4 ,one might 
suppose at first thought that the       
greater speed at the beginning would    
create the greater resistance and       
consequently cause the greatest         
deflection4 ,this1 however1 is not true4
 ,the difference between the resistance 
upon opposite points of the ball in the 
circumference of its rotation always    
remains the same1 no matter how great   
the force of propulsion1 and therefore  
the increased force of the latter at the
 beginning has no effect on the curve4  
,but while the force of the twist itself
 is not affected by the rate of the     
forward movement1 its effect upon the   
ball is greatly nullified4 ,the force of
 propulsion being so great at first1    
drives the ball through the air and     
prevents it from being influenced by the
 unequal resistance4 ,it is only when   
the two forces approach one another in  
strength that the latter begins to have 
a perceptible effect4 ,as soon1 however1

 as it does1 and the course of the ball 
begins to change1 the direction of the  
dotted arrow1 ,t1 begins to change      
likewise4 ,it follows the course of the 
ball around1 and the more it curves the 
more this resultant force tends to make 
it curve1 and this continues until the  
ball has lost either its twist or its   
forward motion4  ,having established the
 fact that a ball will curve in the     
direction of the least resistance1 it is
 only necessary to alter the direction  
of the axis of rotation in order to     
change the direction of the curve4      
,thus1 if in the cut first given the    
ball were rotating in the direction of  
,d ,h ,i instead of ,i ,h ,d1 the ball  
would curve1 not toward ,f1 but to the  
right4 ,so1 also1 if the axis of        
rotation is horizontal instead of       
vertical1 and the greatest resistance is
 made to come on top1 the ball will     
curve downward1 or drop4 ,and in the    
same way1 by imparting such a twist that
 the resistance falls on some           

intermediate point the ball may be made 
to take any of the combination curves   
known as the outward drop1 the rising   
out-curve1 and so on through the entire 
category4