The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-06-05
IN THE WORLD OF SPORT.
The Race for the National League PEN
nant-Detroit Still Leads.
Chicago, However, Still the Favorite Among
the Knowing Ones for First Place
The Art of Base Running.
BASEBALL IN GENERAL.

The New York Ball Club Gives Detroit Set
Back-Notes About Players.
Special to the INDIANAPOLIS Journal
CHICAGO June 4-Detroit is receiving its first
serious setback at the hands of the giants this
week, and getting taste of the same medicine
they themselves administered to the New York
ers when the latter visited Detroit. There seems
to be DO fault with the Detroiters for their last
two defeats They are playing their best men
at each position, and each man is playing an al
most faultless game. Take Tuesdays game, for
instance. In this there We're but three errors
charged to each team, Crane having made all of
the three for Detroit at second base. and Ward
two at short, and Keefe one in the pitchers
box for the giants. Neither pitcher Jared badly
at the hands of opposing batsman, but Keefe was
hit for eleven bases to Baldwin and Richardson's
nine-they having changed during the game
and still the New Workers won the game. There
can be no spot upon which to place the finger of
blame in such playing rs this 1t is simply ball
playing-good ball playing. upon the part of two
magnifcently organized mines, and the team that
has been trife the more fortunate in punching
it's hits, and bit quicker in getting to bases, has
won the reward
Right here it may be well to say that New
York, under the direction of Captain Ward. is
paying far more attention to base-running and
steaing-this all important factor is successful
ball-playing-than ever before. and it strikes
your correspondent that right here has lain the
secret of their success against the Detrots. The
Michigan mon, while playing in excellent uni
son, and showing brilliant work both in the
field and at bat. have not as yet attained
that degree of proficiency in base running that
has made the Chicago club famous. Getting to
third upon what, by an ordinary player. might
be regarded as only two base hit or taking in
second from first, a la Kelly Gore or Pfeifer is
what counts in baseball, and slowly the other
| clubs in the League have been compelled to rea,
| iZe this | never witnessed more daring work be-
| tween bases than did by those Philadelphia colts
| in their last series upon our home grounds. Eight
and even ten feet of sheer sliding over the runs
was apparently no very staggering undertaking
to them, and the only wonder TO me is that they
did not cripple themselves through their reck
| lessEesS; but they didn't. and won 80 much APP
plause that day that there has been any amount
of kicking among the home team abont he cold
ness of Chicago crowds toward their home team.
Just dwell upon what | have written here, you
strappine, healthy lads out in the country with
ball playing procliyitles, and, when your
team is playing ball with an opposing
club, just steal every base you
can get Should you get to first on safe hit,
an error, or by any other means. dance away
from your base six or eight feet and worry the
pitcher all you can. The chances that he
may throw wild to first or that he will send the
man at bat to base on balls. and give you second
by the operation. If in your judgment you
think your legs are active enough to get you
there start for second as the ball leaves
the pitchers hand for the home plate. OF course
the catcher if he takes the ball as he is expected
to do. will throw to second just as promptly as
he can do it in an effort to cut you off there.
Glance over your left shoulder YOU run, and if
you see the ball coming high, and into the base
mans outstretched hands, wait till you get
within six feet of the bag. then give one clean
spring forward-takine care to jump low-double
yourself up like India rubber ball and shoot
straight under that basemans arm and plump
upon the bag. This is ball-playing that the peo-
pie like to witness, and no other point in play
has brought forth such tremendous rounds of
cheering upon the home grounds this year as
this one has. But to return to the The
following table will show the position of the
clubs they stand up to to-day: