The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-08-20

]
from the Kentucky
Institute for the Blind. which Is located
near the Falls city. says the New York
Journal.
Il has often been said Of New forks
Giants" that they played like blind
men, and the expression has been TAX
en- simply on the ecstatic figure OF
speech OF some frenzied "rOoier," and
10 mean that they did not play ball at
ALL Now the comparison may be gra-
phic enough. and truthful perhaps, on
occasion, n the Idea TO be conveyed 10
simply that Of loose and ragged play
Ing. for as a matter OF very strange
fact, blind men can and do PLAY base
ball. and derive a very considerable
amount Of pleasure. as well as physical
benefit out OF the national game.
In the Kentucky institute there are
two regularly organized mines. between |
which there Is the fiercest rivalry. and |
the institute pennant Is as highly priced |
and will be as bitterly contested for as
that gaudy strip OF bunting which,
whatever happens will not wave
next year over the Polo grounds.
Prof r. d. Huntoon Of the Kentucky
school describing baseball among The
blind. makes the astounding statement
by way Of preface that among the boys
and young men who must 30 through
life In darkness there is a iondness for
athletic exercises and an ambition 70
excel in feais Of physical power al
nest as deep founded as among the
students Of the universities.
The gymnasium Is well patronized
and field sports are In high favor. nota-
bly, sprinting, longer races up 10 a mile.
running jump. hopskip-and-iump and
putting weights Intense excitement
prevails during these contests. the re-
suits OF which must be reported by
word Of mouth 10 both contestants and
"spectators
The baseball game differs, OF course,
In many OF It's details from the reg
ular games played by the youth CT
America. The diamond is not Of reg
ulation size but Is Of regulation form.
The distance between bases Is but
forty feet. instead Of ninety. The In
felders are stationed the same as In a
National league game. with the excep-
ton that there Is a right shortsiop,
I thus making ten men TO a side. an ar
/ rangement once seriously considered
, by professional ball managers In the
i ouifeld. on public games. Their II an
a unlimited number Of players. eaen TAX
Il Ing a turn at the bat. lrst moving un
, one position Whenever a batsmaR n
/. put out
The catcher sits on the ground. well
lack from the home plate, and, 20 guard
against injury. he wears mask and o
= chest protector. His position Is such
that when the pitcher delivers a hall
Il strikes the ground just between hi.
knees and is taken on the short bound
The batsman takes MS position al
the plate. with a heavy Cat hat, some
what like those used In cricket. Ih'
umpire, who must be man Of unim
paired vision. calls upon the pitche
to get ready and then clearly sings on
"One. two. three 81 the word thre
the pitcher must loyalty deliver III
ball. lie pitches In the slow. under
hand way peculiar 20 the game twenty
five or thirty years ago. the idea beln
10 deliver ball that can be hit by "a
batsman, who. Gtanding there In n
darkness. with a sharpened sense
hearing and wonderful conceptio
Of the time that must clapse bofoI
the ball reaches him. Is prepared
strike.
Baseball writer's often refer TO III
whlsh OF the ball as. like an arrow.
fairly split the space over the hon
plate" To the Qulckened senss Of u
- blind this "whish Of the BALI Is
reality, and Il is astonishing, guided
op this refined development Of the hearil
TO faculty. how often the bali Is struck
ter the batsman.
me II the batsman should miss the b.
I'VE bounces into the catchor's lap aud
the az once returned TO the pitcher by
ac- single toss with a precision that
ks wonderful. When the ball Is bait
in the umpire calls out quickly TO I
Tho fielder, in whose direction Il is trav
,en ing. and he. guided by a sense 81 he.
ne Ing, either catches the ball or folio
ga. Il In It's course through the grass.
strikes are an out In fielding any nu
'om Der Of bounds are permitted. II
an, hatted bali IL a "hot-liner' and trav
was lng straight for an inhelder's head.
/, A. umpire shouts a warning. and in ~
'on, cases the endangered player ducks
4 4, falls TO the turf
= I, Is possible. In fact, the ball Is I
orb quently felded TO irsl In time TO
ma out the runner when throwing 10 .
,h,t the assisting player. who Is guided
NAV the voice Of the batsman. calcul'
w. the distance with nicely and thr.
the ball so that Il strikes the gro
a few yards In front OF the hatsn
saw The latter hears Il coming and usuI
ack. gc.s Il w!;hSs; further asslsial
con. Running bases was formerly a dim
nrns thing. There were then three trees
one. the diamond. toward which the run
shoa ran with outstretched hands. 4
. : have since been substituted for b,
CO., and the runner Is guided by the v
-. Of the batsman, who Is required
- 80 shout FIRST. first, lrst." In like N
's'' ner the other bags are won. Once ,
en base the runner Is pretty sure TO
'oro home. unless his side dies az the no
plate. Six outs put a side out
w Naturally there Ia no approach
the scientific ball-playlng, but under
nd circumstances Il Is astonishing TO I
race the frequency Of clean hits" "
lndi- the basc-runnlng and fielding arr
J and times almost marvellous and prose-
stlil most wonderful exhibition Of the
nr Of anement of the davolonment Of