The San Francisco call., 1898-07-07
SUBSTITUTE FOR SACRIFICE
ONLY A PLACE BATTER CAN DO
 THE JOB.
A Scientific Nut for Star Players to Crack When They Want Good Practice-Its Great
 Value.
BY JOE cORBETT.

have been asked time and again why batters, as a general rule, endeavor to hit in the direction of right f1eld after a runner has been safely lodged on first base For the benefit of those who are unfamiliar with this advanced method of play. l will attempt to elucidate its prin- cipal point and the advantages derived from its use. l will also give a little advice-for you must know I make a speciality of advising my contemporaries, and this, by the way, I am told Is the best thing I do-regarding the correct manner in which the play should be con- summated.
 It is known among baseball men, and for that matter among those familiar with 1t, as the hit and run. Its simplic- ity, no doubt, accounts for its name, yet the play when attempted contains a number of difficulties. which to most batsmen, especially those not skilled in the art of placing ball. are hard to overcome. The expression Init and rum signifies that man starts to steal a base, and that the batter at the same instant hits the ball. The idea I will en- deavor to convey in the following exam pie: We will say, for illustration, that there is a runner on first base. How should he attempt to pilfer the next cushion? The instant he departs from first either the shortstop or second base man, whichever intends covering the bag, will necessarily have to leave his posi- toH to intercept the throw from the catcher which, as we are aware is de- liVered with the intention of heading off the baserunner. In this particular case We Will say that the second baseman handled the threw from the catcher In so doing, he was compelled to leave his position, as l mentioned above, and at the same time leave a complete opening between first and second bases. It is the hp to nit the ball through that space left uncovered by the second baseman. If he IS successful. the baserunner continues on 10 third, and he arrives safely at the lnltal bag with a base hit to his credit
 The play when properly made Is most neatiful and scientific. It Is, however. at tended with many difficulties, and is therefore, seldom witnessed during play at Recreation Park. With the batter rests its entire success. He, on receiving sign rom the runner, which implies "l m going to steal" must first discern whether the shortstop or second baseman intends covering second. and in this he very often fails After satisfying himself on this very important point he must then direct the ball in that vicinity If his conjectures are correct the play Is successful If wrong it is failure.
 However, if he be in error in his con- Jectures one success is assured; the man that starts for second invariably ar rfveS at hfs destination before an oppor- tunity is offered to retire him at that
 
 that he starts to steal before the ball is pitched, and consequently secures a lead providing he is quick in carrying out his part of the play, which should bring him safely to second. Of course, if the batter strikes at the ball and misses, the play then reverts to its original state-a man Differing base unassisted by the bat ter-and the chances are in favor of his being again retired. Then again, the bat ter may hit the ball to the pitcher or to one of the other infielders on line, or ard n 1tllN fe and double play results.
 This misfortune, however, would not en- sue 1T a batter was careful not to swing al the ball, as this style of batting, es- pecially in scientific plays, is dangerous in the extreme.
 l have said time and again that batters should not swing at ball, no matter what the situation, and permit me to em- phasize the fact that in attempting the hit and run 1t is almost suicide to re- sort to such tactics. l have seen the play spoiled at Recreation Park at least fifty times in this manner. This play, while 1t may and does look simple Is very diff ficult proposition from the beginning. A batter must first be capable of placing a ball in either left or right field. This in itself is an art attained only by unremt- ting practice and perseverance, He must then acquire the equally difficult art of picking out the right ball, because it is possible to place only certain balls.
 It is useless for right-hand batter to try and place a ball on the inside corner u, and for a left-handed one to hit a simi- lar ball into left. It, of course can be done, but with no results. What batters should do in attempting this play is to meet the ball. as snap hitters are the only successful place batters.
 If you have guessed which of the two men intends taking the bag, ! little grounder If average speed Is all hAt .s 1ecessary to complete the performance. As there is no one close enough to in- tercept this grounder before it is van fCH hNrt 6nlI rlN,- ball and endanger the success of the play when a simple little tap will have ,ne same effect? Then, again. let say that your supposition regarding the man who is to take the bag terminated disas- trously. or, in other words, that you thought the shortstop was going to cover, direction; but, instead. the second base man took the base. Now. if you swung at the ball and it so happened that 1t was hit hard, which generally Is the case, or near 1t, the chances of your as- sisting the opposite side in the comple- tion of double lay are quite favor able.
 But, on the other hand. if you simply met the ball and an easy hit resulted, while you undoubtedly would be retired at first, keen consolation would follow the fact that you advanced the runner to second base. Your easy hit, there fore, if unsuccessful, terminates in a sac rifice.
 The hit and run is the latest scientific acquisition to the national game. It is much more advantageous than the sac rifice game; in fact, 1t is so far superior that there Is no comparison.f Sacrificing however. is not entirely done away with and 1t is a much better and safer game to play for those players who are not proficient in place hitting. I will con clude by reiterating a past statement that snapping or meeting the ball is the scientific manner of batting, and without this art players need never hope to en- gage in scientific plays to any extent, for 1t would be almost impossible to do SC successfully.