The San Francisco call., 1898-06-30
A Sim pie Rule to Avoid
 BlunderS.
SYKES AS AN EXAMPLE
FAILED TO CONSTRUCT HIS
 WORK AND ERRED.
Players, No Matter What Position They Occupy, Should Know Be- forehand What to Do When
 They Get the Ball.
BY JOE cORBETT.

uOE SOR6ETI.
 l have long desired to discover sirce giving so much attention to the games now gong on at Recreation Park, why III CoSe and critical plays players claiming recognition through past performances ana otherwise make so many mistakes ana Tn general play inferior and at times very stupid ball. Instances too numerous 10 mention where baserunners were per- mltted to score or advance, as the case may be, when a little judgment on the part or the man fielding the ball could easily have prevented them, have. from a baseball standpoint, marred the beauty of more than one game played since the con- soldauon. The casual observer, as well as those patrons of the game who devote but little of their time in figuring out whether or not play was properly con- summated, are, as general rule, ignor- ant regarding the correctness of a play. however, there is another class of indi- Vlduals who regularly attend all games and who are quite competent to criticize through their knowledge of the art, many of the plays, l am intent on referring to in this article. l might also be safe in stating that this latter class of fanatics Is greatly in the majority, and the sooner players aCQuaint themselves with this fact the better it will be for them in every conceivable sense.
 In last Saturdays game between the OakandS and Sand Crabs there occurred enough stupid miSplays to i'll a book Owing principally to the clOSenesS of the contest and It's sensational climax these imperfect plays were allowed to pass un- noticed, but not into oblivion. Now how ever, as sufficient time has been allowed
 us critics to feast on the mis takes of others, the question arises, How is it that an intelligent fellow like Mir. Sykes would as he did in Saturday game, stop d ball with a man on first, and, instead of at hJr throwing to second, feel satisfied that his work was properly finished when he re- tired the latter by simply touching the initial base! It certainly was not ignor- Rnce of the correct manner in which the play should have terminated on the part or Mir. Sykes, as 1t was a very ordinary one and simple in the extreme Why then, did not MT. Sykes, enjoying a per feet knowledge of the play, attend to it's being cOnsummated in accordance with this knowledge and with the primary laws of baseball? The answer is quite simple he did not construct the play before the ball was hit, and in consequence when he received 1t a state of DeWilderment i'm mediately followed. He looked toward second base and saw that the runner was not half way; yet, instead of throwing the ball in that direction, walked over and proudly stood upon first. True, one man was put out on the, play, but 1t does not necessarily follow that the play was cor rect. It emphaticauy was not, and Mir. Sykes knew it. He should have thrown to second and retired that runner, and as MT. Sullivan, the gentleman who hit the sphere, is by no means fast sprtnter, the chances for a double play were pro-
 NIT. Sykes is not the only player con tinuaIly breaking the first rules of base ball. MT. ONeil, his side partner, who has been connected with the national game long enough to be its great-great- grandfather, makes plays occasionally which not only dazzle, but have such an intoxicating effect on Colonel T. r. Rob- inson that his absence from Recreation Park during practice is often attributed to business, when in reality he IS recupef- ating For as he himself says, ''The mel lihuous epithets which emanate from that vast multitude encircling wonder fence every time my first love, Tip, shows the effects of overwork, produces a feeling of utter disregard for even baseball glory, and is more intoxicating, if l may use the expression, than the sparkling beverages. IiP ma9e sena play in gaut this same same was not as simple play as that of MT. Sykes, yet which was brought to an unsatisfactory ending, be- cause O'Neil, while he constructed his play, did so negligently.
 The exact moment of the play I have forgotten, but it occurred In this man base and the Oakland infield was playing in, with the intention of catching this runner at the plate, should he attempt to score. The ball was hit to O'Neil, com ing directly into his hands, and he appa- rently fielded it perfectly. The man on third however, scored, and MT. ONeil re- luctantly tosed the ball to first, retiring the batter. Now, something went wrong with that play, as the man on third had no more of start than is usually taken Where, then, does the fault lie? With Mir O'Neil. He only had his play half constructed, for instead of going in on the ball he waited for it, and was lost.
 My advice, therefore, comprises rule, Construct your play before the ball IS pitched By this l mean say to yourself while the pitcher is maneuyering in the box, What will l do with the ball should fl come to me? In the case Of MT. Sykes 1t should have been: If 1t comes to me &nv way fast l will immediately throw &t to second, return to the bag and be Tn position to receive the throw from second should the play necessitate one. Had he done this double play would have inevitably resulted, providing, of course, that his throw to second was perfect and also the return
 Every player should have his play con- structed before the pitcher delivers the ball Think of the time that is lost if after you pick up the bali, a glance at the situation is necessary before you can throw it to the proper place. Misplay player picks a ball up. The bases are full He has not constructed his play, and is consequently bewidered. All he can see Is runners tearing around the bases at a breakneck speed, yet he remains as though petrihed. If he does not do this the ball is thrown after the situation is taken in by a hurried glance, and very often arrives at its destination too late
 l have seen 1t happen many a time, even in the National League, although in the latter place it generally occurs through negligence, and these players pay for their negligence At Recreation Park, however. 1t is, common occur renee to see players do the wrong thing in critical plays. They do so, I sincerely believe. because they have never been told otherwise. If they will, however, follow this construction rule an astonish- ing improvement will surely characterize their efforts No matter what the situa- tfon no matter what position you play the rule applies to all.
 -
 Mark Hopkins Institute of Art.
 It does not appear to be generally 1-.o-.-r, that thn nficers and enlisted men