The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-07-21

mental and physical powers are develop
Ell. Base bail, however. IN all is aspects
i g subject broad enough for volumes
consequently we can here merely glance
at few Of its most prominent features,
!. e. batting. base running. pitching and
fielding. All these are 50 important thai
It i hard matter y decide which - m0si
important. It Is safe. however, 70 say
that the first named. batting, i by NJ
game Much more attention l. nov
given to batting than heretofore Several
years ago the sole object OF each batter
seemed ID be to knock the cover on the
ball Now expert players are satisfied
70 secure "singIe--- Tie i the ideal
batter " no. when the interests Of his ciuh
require it viii forego his own aggrandizs-
meut By sacrifice hitting. The base ball
men now reooguizs the vslne Of such
hitters. Such man Is worth more q
any team than De who. though he make
an occasional home -uH. insists upon
banging away with al his strength re-
gardless OF nothing bat his own batting
average. Al present it cannot be denied
that the temptation for such Rating i
still too great. but from various indiea-
tiOns il seems reasonable % suppose thai
within a short time the batter will be
given the same credit for sacrifice hit
10 the official seore that be now receives
for safe hit
"Banting'- l. 4 popular featare in bat
ting and one which : fruitful IN results
To. bant a ball skiIIf1Ily and successfully
i no easy task, indeed a. much skill or
more Is here required a : involved in
-balging the ball over the fence Il i
a sad display Of Ignorance Of good base
ball for anyone - guy bassulan y DO,
at the proper time. instead OK trying u
Kill the ball. strives 70 place it within
the diamond cot Of reach of iufielders.
Il w0uld be well for amateurs to reTnem
Der that oGr most successful hittsrs. in
stead of striking with all their force, are
Content merely 70 meet the ball with
the lat depending more on the elasticity
q bail and oar than upon brute force
Base running also X no unimportanf
feature in a good base ball. Here too l.
great skill required Level headed
ness i a prime requisite Frequently
il happens that players. skilfai in al
other particulars are sadly lacking IN
Judgment when on bases- Timidity has
no place in the make up OF a good base
runner. 4 vast difference. however.
must be made between daring and fool
hardness. Desperate straits demand that
desperate chances somstimes be taken
The runner must be on the alert con-
stantly and ever ready To avail himself
Of an opportunity u advance himself;
but a blind attempt trusting simply 70
luck, an attempt without some basis OF
reason i always % be Condemned even
though Perchanee the attempt be success
full In speaking Of base running. ~siid-
ing must not be lost sight Of Herein
We find enc Of the most exciting features
of the entire game. What can be more
uer who, when within ten or tfleeu feet
81 base. while going AZ his utmost spee,i
suddenly drops squarely on his face. a. il
seems. and actually shoots forward, en-
vel0ped in cIOud Of dust, 10 the desired
goaIs With what intense interest the
spectator follows with his eye both ball
baseman and runner and finally how
eagerly does be await the umpire's s.-safe,r .
or A. the case may be, '-yOu are OUT
But wha: Of the pitcher and pitehing9
One OF the first questions Of the base ball
enthusiast i. "who pitches tO-dayg-' The
question is significant. for in the asking
the enthusiast gives evidence that be re-
cOgnizes the fact that success or failure
largely depends upon him who twirls.
Usually the pitcher commands the high
ct salary and not without good reason,
for within him must be combined more
sterling qualities than in any other indi-
viduaI plsyer. Not only must he have
speed. throw curves. and have good con-
tr0l but in addition he must have in un-
usual degree that unusual aud most
necessary qualification, perfect eooIness.
without this he sooner or later joins the
numerous company known a. exploded
pheuoms-- The successful pitcher never
becomes ratified. Always cooI, deliberate
and aways watchf1l of bases and quick to
discover the weak points Of the batsmen,
the pitcher Is AZ all times the key 10 the
situation Many times the fate Of the
contest Il in his hands The delivery OF
a single ball may turn the tide for OF
against his team. Much is meant by the
term. control Of the ball. without
perfect control the pitcher is ike ship
at sea without rudder.
Bases on balls are. perhaps more than
any other single feature in pitching. ex-
tremely disastrous Comparatively speak
ing more runs result from bases on balls
than from the clean hitting Of opponents.
Hence the absolute necessity Of good con-
troll IN these days pitcher, be he ever
- good. cannot hope 10 fan out" bat a
very small proportion Of opposing bat
ters. His object always should be 70 keep
safe hits well scattered
The broad term fielding embraces
all players and plays outside the battery
and even ineluding them Manifestly
then the subject y no small one Under
this head a few words concerning team
work. may not be oct of place. Right
here i point the importance of which
cannot 5e overestimated- Be the indi-
v;dGal players ever 80 good. with
out concord % action first class work
II impossible. Upon the field captain
rests great responsibility. He should be
a man who, by ais quickness. eooIness,
and ability to direct has demonstrated To
those under him that AZ all times and in
all situations be y worthy Of their utmost
Confidence. This confidence established
he has the right 70 expect and must insist
upon strict obedience TO his command
His team when on the field Is 20 the cap
tain what an army i b is general
One great hindranee 70 successful team
work Is the record player or in other
words the player whose only object is 10
avoid making an error by Eot accepting
chances. Such a player Is
positive injury - any team Fortunate
Iy this class Is becoming smaller al the
time. for managers are quick - detect
such and are not slow % I'LL their places
with men W no are willing 70 - amer the
ball error or no error. It does not neces-