Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1890-11-20
Now 70 THROW a BASEBALL.
Tho Natural and Acquired Methods
ssshort-Arm Throwing Considered
kHs Sest:


First, as regards throwing. Every one
has what may be called natural way
of throwing the ball. but this so-called
natural way" usually means a per-
verted method acquired through care.
lessness or attempts 10 throw too hard
before the arfii is sufficiently accustomed
to the work. AS result of this, there
arc few boys or college men who may
not learn a great deal in the matter OF
throwing by careful attention for few
weeks to one or two points. The first
man to whom attention should be called
Is the man who takes hop. skip, and
Jump before he lets the ball go No
IMAM can run fast enough TO beat
thrown ball and, consequently, it takes
longer to carry the ball part way and
throw it the rest, than 1t does to throw
1t all the way. Therefore, the
first thing for the man who has ac-
quired this trick to do, Is to stand still
when he gets the ball, and then throw
1t. The opposite fault to this, is that
of leaning away when throwing: A man
gets sharp grounder, and throws the
BALL before he mas recovered his
balance, and the force of his throw is
thereby greatly diminished. While
this Is not nearly SO common as the
other fault, it is quite rs difficult to cor
rect The happy medium between the
two Is the man who receives the ball
end, quickly Strengthening himself,
drives it while leaning forward; and. as
it leaves the hand. takes his single step
ia the direction of his throw.
So much for the feet and body, now
for the arm, hand, and wrist.
The best and most accurate throw
ers are those who continually practice
what is called ''short-arm" throw,
10 get an IDEA of the first steps toward
the acquisition OF this method, let the
player take the ball in his hand, and
bringing it back just level with his ear.
planting both feet firmly, attempt TO
throw the ball without using the legs
or body. At first the throw is awkward
ard feeble, but constant practice speed
lily results in moderate speed and
peculiar accuracy. After steady
practice at this until quite pace is &C.
guired, the man may be allowed to use
bis legs and body to increase the speed,
still, however, sticking to the straight,
forward motion Of the hand, wrist, and
the arm. The secret of the throw is,
of course, keeping the hand in a line
with the arm and not swinging it out
to the side and away from the head,
where much of the accuracy and some
of the quickness is lost. Certain
catchers have brought this style of
throw to such pitch of perfection as
to get the ball away toward second al
most on the instant it strikes the hands.
They aid the throwing by slight twist
Of the body;
The quickness of this method of
throwing is, of course, due to the fact
that there is no delay caused by draw
ing back the arm past the head or by
turning the body around, which lose SO
much valuable time. Its accuracy is
due to the fact that it is easier to aim
at an object with the hand In front of
the eyes than when it Is out beyond
the shoulder, One eau easily ascers
tain this by Comparing the ease of
pointing the index finger at any object
when the hand is in front of the face,
with the difficulty OF dong so when the
arm is extended out sideways from the
DUuNG Dun III lHc dllHUSt
round-arm throwing, which many play;
ers use, the hand describes an arc;
ard the ball must be let go Mt the
| proper point in the swing, the throw Is
certain to be wild. In the other method,
that of straightrarm throwing any
variation Is far more likely to be .
variation In height only, aud in that re,
spect the variation may be greater
without serious error. A straight
arm throw sends a ball much easier to
handle than the side-arm style. The
latter is likely to curve, bound irregu
| larry. and be more announcement for the
baseman. In the field throwing should
be on line, US much as possible, and
there are few distances to be covered
there that require any up and over
throwing. 1t getting a ball In from q
deep out-ield, the distance Is soma
times SO great that none but profess
iouals or exceptionally strong throw,
ers can drive the ball in except by Civ,
ing it quite an upward direction; even
! then, however, one should be careful
to keep the ball fairly well down, as II
Is far better TO have It reach the catcher
Oh the bound than to 60 sailing owe,
his head. Keep it down" is card
inal rule when fielding at the home
plate for the field. If low ball b,
thrown, 1. is easier for the catcher Il
touch the runner, who IN tight plac,
will invariably slide as close to the
ground as possible. A high throw
gives the catcher almOst no ehaiice Il
Recover and put the ball on the man
whereas low throw brings his hands
in the most advantageous position fol
touching the runner. The same is, o
course, true in the case of the catcher''
throws to the second or the other bases
to put out the runner
The position of the fingers whel
throwing ball is a point upon which
there are individual differences o
opinion; but the majority Of the bes
throwers In the country use principal,
the fore-fnger and middle-fnger ID
giving direction to the ball Vale,
Camp, IN 81. Nicholas.