Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-07-22

any experienced catcher asks is to know
when to expect q fast, straight
ball; not having received the signal for
this, he viii understand that Q curve is to
be pitched, and the difference in curve Or
speed will not bother him after q few mo-
ments' practice. Until within q few years
this sign was always given by the pitcher,
but now it is almost the universal practice
for the catcher 10 give il to the pitcher,
and if the latter doesn't want TO pitch the
ball asked for be changes the sign by .
shake of the head.
''If the pitcher gives this sign be must
be careful to choose n that will not be
discovered by the other side, for there are
certain players who are always watching
for such points. Some years ago the Chi
cago club gave me the toughest kind of
handling in several games, and Kelly told
me this winter that he knew every ball /
intended to pitch, and even still remem-
bered the sign and told me what il was.
Chicago finished first that year and we
were q close second. The point which they
gained on me may have cost Providence
the championship, for they beat US badly
in the individual series. When / suspect
ed q club Of knowing my sign / used q
'combination;' that is, / gave two signs
either one Of them given separately was
not to be understood as n signal at all, but
both had to be given together. / found
this to work admirably, and il was never
discovered by any club, 50 far as / know"
With regard to his own method of fool
ing'' batsmen Mr.. Ward says: "If my
A.kka. =, aaa mhn afana asa. frnp, kka
plate / will pitch q fast, straight ball in
over his shoulder too high and too far in
to be hit. The next time he will step
still farther away, but this time / should
put a fast, straight over the outside corner
of the plate. From his position he will
probably not be able to reach il at all, or
if he does he will hit with no force. /
might hit the next ball in the same place,
and then / should consider it time to
drive him away from the plate again, and
/ would send the next one in over his
shoulder - before. He nay hit at one of
these high in" balls, but if he does
he will probably not touch it; at
any rate, another fast, straight one over
the outside corner ought to dispose of him.
1t will be observed l have not thrown a
single curve, nor would l to such q batter
except occasionally, say two or three dur
ing the game, and then only to keep him
guessing Taking another kind of hitter,
suppose he steps up in the best form,
making q short stride toward the pitcher,
keeping his balance well and his form
erect. He is q dangerous batter and likely
to hit in spite of nv best efforts, but /
must do the best / can with him. /
therefore observe his manner of holding
the bat and note whether he prefers q high
low ball, and we will say that it is a
low one. / send u couple of low drop
curves Just out OF his reach. II is Just
what he wants if he could only
get at them, and the next
time he steps well in toward
the plate. This time, however, / send a
last, straight, high ball over the plate, and
il he hits it at all il will be in the air.
Another fxst straight. high one might not
escape so easily, but l have two balls call
ed AID can't take the chances Of giving
him the base. I therefore try it again. If
he has missed that / now have two strikes
aud only two balls, and can afford to throw
away q ball or two, which / do as before
by pitching a couple OF low drop curves
out of his reach, until his mind is again
fixed upon that point. Then / would
probably again try q fast, high ball on the
inside orner of the plate. A batter who
steps away from the plate should
be worked from tho outside corner; one
who steps in, on the inside corner; q
who makes q long vicious swing at the
ball, will be easily deceived by a slow ball
much more readily than one who snaps
or hits with 3 short, quick stroke. One
who strides long must necessarily stoop Or
crouch, and is in bad form to hit q high
ball. Ii be swings his bat always in a
horizontal plane he will not be able to hit
q shoulder or knee ball as well as one
who swings in q perpendicular plane--i.
g., who 'cuts' under ut a low ball and
chops overland at q high ball. There
are some batters who prefer to hit ouly at
a fast, straight ball, while others wait for
a curve, and in such a case the pitcher may
get a strike or two By pitching
what he will not care to hit at.
Some are never ready to hit
at the first ball pitched, so that by sending
this in over the plate q strike may he Sc
cured; some are known as great walters
who will only hit when forced, and these
should be forced 10 hit st once; others are
anxious and can not wait and may be safe
ly worked wide of the plate. Then oc-
c~asioually there will be found a batter who
betrsys by his name when he has made
no his mind TO hit, and 10 that case be will
let 60 at anything within reach; therefore
a ball should be pitched where he will be
least likely to hit il. II the pitcher finds
a batter facing for a hit to right field, he
should not give the ball out from him, bat
crowd him with it, keeping it on toe in-
side corner, and it will be almost impossi-
BILE for him to succeed.
ut does not do to work the same batter
always in the same way, or be will dis
cover the pitchers method. Sometimes
the pitcher must cross him, and at times
it is ever advisable to give him y ball Just
where he would like to have it, but where,
for that very reason, he least expects it.
FINALLY, o pitcher should net be in a
hurry to deliver the ball. As soon as the
catcher returns the ball the pitcher should
assume a position as though about to pitch
and stand there; be should take all the
time the umpire will give him. This will al.
low him to give and receive any necessary
signal from the catcher; it will rest
him and thus enable him to hold his speed,
and finally, it will work upon the nerves
and eyesight Of the batter. The batter
will grow impatient and anxious, and IN
less his eyes are very strong the long strain
in a bright light will blear his sight"
Babes In the Wood.
Detroit Free Pres.
From old Virginia comes q pretty, half
PATHETIC story of two little lads of 3 and s,