Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-06-29

TEN is brought evenly into play. But am not
preface to govern instructions about organizing
a boys baseball club, and to present some hints
in regard to training up club nine
In forming a boys baseball club first get to-
gether party of youths with whom you can en-
Joy pleasant companienship; and in doing
this be careful to avoid boys of quarrelsome
disposition, as such invariably break up the har-
mony of club, no matter how pleasant they
may be on an ordinary occasion. See to 1t, too,
that those you select members are of the class
who will stand by their club and not prove
chaugeable in fitting from one club to another.
In the making of laws to govern your Junior
club that there are as few officers as possible
All that is really necessary Is to have presi-
dent a secretary and treasurer; and if you
have constitution and by-laws-and 1t IS good
to have such If only to train yourselves up to act
at meetings as you viii have to do when you get
to be men-make them brief, and such as can be
readily obeyed as a law or rule that is prac-
tically dead letter is worse than none at all.
The expenses of your club will be necessarily
light, as tile outlay incurred to purchase balls,
bats. bases and uniforms need not be great. By
all means have your men uniformed, and do not
select gaudy colors. Blue or light brown or
gray the best colors, as white clothes are
easily soiled and black is out of place. Do not
be ambitious OF using bats and balls too large
Tor class as 1S0 sS to yav on So much
tie better; if not, try the park, but avoid corner
lots and the gamin who usually congregate near
by. And now for some instructions In
ORGANIZING AND TRAINING NINE.
need eleven in all-see 10 it that you get boys
for home positions. Don't place boy at first
base in game and then put him at third in
another or out in the field in third. That is
no way to make up club nine. After getting
together eleven players, best qualified to COM
prise team. select your battery players
trst-pitcher and catcher-and let them be
pair who can work together well, like we'll
matched pair of horses in harness, the pitcher
and catcher making a tesm OF themselves hen In
field support you want bright, intelligent boys
who can become well up in points Of play;
while in the outfield you need boys who can
throw in we'll from long field. You should also
have q change battery at command, which team
of players at the same time can replace dis
abled PLAYERS in the other positions. Don't
| forget that practice makes perfect, especially
at the game Of baseball; and in your practice at
the bat avoid the professional rut of fungo bat
ting, that is, tossing the ball in the air and bat
ting it as it falls this habit mars your sight
in meeting regularly pitched balls. When you
go on the field for practice place your infeld
players in position, get player to throw TO the
| bat and practice placing the ball. When all of
your men are present place the nine men in
position, and practice as in q regular game.
Remember, alike in practice as in playing =
regular match. to avoid the habit Of finding
fault with players who commit errors in their
| field work. Every boy, IN nine. naturally
| fail ceusure but adds to his chagrin without at
all improving his play. In no game are the
| amenities of social life more necessary to full
enjoyment of the pastime than in baseball
| Particularly acceptable are words of commenda-
| tfon for good play, and remarks calculated to
remove the annoyance arising from errors IN the
| field, to young ball players, and these form
| come of the strongest incentives to extra exer-
ton on their part, besides promoting kindly
feelings on the field and during the game.
protest against the fault finding, grumbling
| and snarling dispositions which continually
| censure every failure 70 succeed. and barely
tolerate any crediiable effort that does not
| emanate from themselves Such boys as these
constitutional grumblers are the nuisences OF a
| ball field, and destroy all the pleasure which
| would otherwise result from the game. Every
| really manly player viii keep silent Sheu he
| secs an error committed, or if he makes any re-
mark at all, will apologize for it IN some way
Those who find fault and growl at errors OF play
\ are OF the class who prefer to grstify their
| lucky fielder who happens to ''mun'' ball or
| two in game.
Don't practice too much. An hours ludicious
practice OF an afternoon viii do more TO improve
your play than three hours OF tho ordinary IA
| tiguing practice INDUCED in
Don't allow player in your team to smoke a
cigarette The habit is death to ball-plsying
ability It is bad enough off the field, it It is
| downright folly. and shows the want OF sense IN
| any boy who indulges in the pernicious habit.
| Hyou engage to play in match or TO go out
| at certain time for practice, be prompt in full.
/ filling your engagement. for nothing Is more an
| ncring than to have to wait for dilstory boys.
/ For instructions in the game suitable for nov
1 ices get the amateur guide for 1880; and il You
want to post yourself on the science OF the game
| get copy of the book entitled How to Play
| Bias eball.'' This will do for an Introductory
l chapter. BY and by may give you one on the
points OF the game in fielding, batting, pitching
and base running
One final paragraph: When once ron have
selected an umpire 10. your gaIs-and get
| c1sions and don't "kick'' like the vulgar class
! OF professionals do.