The San Francisco call., 1898-06-11
2 Y z z Y Y z ' q ' | | ! ! ! ! LATEST NEWS
 OF THE NATIONAL GAME.
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, BY JOE CoRBETT.

Handsome Truck Egan will not be seen In San Francisco uniform again this season. He applied for his release last week and Manager Coffroth reluctantly gave 1t to him. Truck had an opportun- ny 10 better himself by joining Big Chlet McGucken's braves, and while Cofroth was not overanxious to part with him, yet he deemed it expedient, ow- ing to the dull times
 Charley Sweeney very properly fined
 liam" lberg $50 for not appearing in Sac ramento last week. Ham was sched- uled to pitch for San Jose, and, without advising his manager, simply took the liberty of remaining at home. He was fined for disappointing the fans, and the league board should uphold Mir. Sweeney in his action. This is not the first time Ham" has closeted himself and the con- sensus of opinion among those who are in a position to talk intelligently on the subject is that Ham and Eggs" will be seeking a place to cook, if he does not display little more discretion.
 Kid' Peoples Is just as fast as ever and is playing a great third for the lead CTS. The management would not part with him for anything short of a Collins. Wallace or McGraw. A glimpse at his record in the field should be studied by some of the lesser lights. Out of thirty SIX chances he has successfully dallied With thirty-two, which gives him a field ing average of .sS9. Pretty good work that But just look who he is-a Gilt Edger, one of the kind that practices every day.
 Mertes Is playing great ball for Chi cago. He not only pliers a base with the utmost regularity, but is hitting the pail hard and in numerous instances safe. HIS batting Is most surprising, and may IL be of the perpetual order. He has not changed his ideas in regard to meeting the ball, however, and I am afraid he will realize the urgent necessity of do- Ing So before many moons. Everybody to his style" may be Sams motto, and 1t might be that Sam could never refrain from swinging at the ball, yet all the greatest batsmen of the present decade are snap hitters," and this fact demon strates in an unmistakable manner the advisability of adopting the rules now in vogue, and employed by those men who each year stand near the top of Ma tional League batting percentages. l do not wish to be misunderstood on this batting proposition. When 1 advance the opinion that snapping at the ball is the correct way of handling a bat, I am speaking to those players who are intent on leading the league. if possible, in bat ting. There are any number of play CTS who swing at the ball and meet 1t very, very often. It is natural for them 10 swing, and natural batters are desir- able, for it is out of this variety of men that all ideal batsmen originate.
 To be first class batter one must pos extent that he is blind to all other ideas concerning this art. When he has trained his eye so as to be able to walk up to the plate and pick out good ball he is then equally difficult part of being proficient in the art of successfully hitting that that he should employ the methods char acteristic of Keeler of the Baltimores and Burkett of the Clevelands. These batters never swing, but simply snap or meet the ball. A base hit Is ali they try for, and in being able to pick out the kind of ball desired 1t is possible for them to left field, center field, along the third base line. over second base, along tho first base line; any spot, in fact, that of fers an opening-it makes no difference to them-they simply meet the ball square and it must go Then, again, they bunt without ever changing their posi- ton or making any kind of a move that would telegraph their intentions. If a third baseman plays in his regular posi- expecting a bunt, they will hit 1t at him so fast that he cannot get his hands on II unless Providence so decrees. In this manner they keep every one of their op- ponents guessing as to what they intend doing next, and therein lies one of the greatest arts of baseball. If l go to pitch
  tactics l have nothing to worry me. He does the same thing every time he comes to the bat and the whole team pulls around in position for him. But the chap who snaps at a ball and keeps you f1gur- ing as to whether he is going to bunt- he is the one to worry you. He keeps your entire team guessing as to what he intends doing, and when he sees you moving around in position he does just the opposite to what you expect. He is a snap" hitter. He does not look for home runs, yet each year invariably finds him at the top. It should be the aim of all players. be they amateurs or not, to practice the best anu proper methods of batting. This can be accomplished only by meeting or snapping the ball. First learn how to meet it, then go to placing All batters should know how to bunt. If c player cannot bunt he cannot sacrifice properly, and a player who is unable to sacrifice without endangering the base runners, does not deserve the title of ball player.
 The game to-day, from every indication, will be good one. The "Beachcombers. smarting under the shutout received at the hands of the Athletics last Sunday, claim that they will turn the tables in to- days game. and 1 suppose that with the tables will go the rest of the bric-a-brac.
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