The Washington times., 1905-05-07
Home Run Raggerty
Likes the SIuggers
Game-Put Ball Over the Fence Every
Time---pitCher at Disadvantage.

John Anderson, strong-armed guy
with a heavy bat. who plays on the
New York Americans, came out with a
story the other day that he had dis
covered a way to. put an english onto g
ball that he batted lust like the bill
lard player puts it on a billiard ball
with his cue. The dispatch said that
by giving the hat certain twist rs he
hit the ball Anderson would be able
TO make il jump out of its course when
il struck the ground and baffle all at
Ienpts of the fielders to field it cleanly.
Now there's very few tricks in the bat
ting line that. any of the big league
siuggers can put me wise to- I've tried
EN- all, and of course I've tried the bat
terss english. Before I tell the story
of why l cast it aside and gave up try
ing TO perfect ii / want TO say a few
words regarding the general subject OF
batting.
Too Much Science
You see it IS often said by the base
ball siaarps in the papers that the ad-
vantage is all with the pitcher in a
ball game and that the poor feller that
gifts up TO the plate with a club in his
hands hasn't any show. That's mainly
CUFF. The reason there amt more long
hits made is that the batters try to do
things too scientific. Instead of doping
II that batting is the easiest thing in
The world. which it is. ana more natural
than any other department of ball play
ing. they seem 10 have it down that it s
something hard and has got to be
studied out
That's the reason there are so many
failures at il, for in most bail mines
there amt brains enough TO engineer a
double play. and when YOU go studyin'
hating YOU only make il worse. And
the wisenheimers that play for bunts
and bases on balIs-and try to worry
the pItcher-are they the guys that get
III the pinch hit when it's needed to
break up the game? [ should say not
The fellow that does that is The one
that never had no idea of being cagey
at all. and just walks up with a do or
die look on his face, and ketches a
straight one good and solid and puts it
out of the lot. Then the papers puff
him for being a .'sagacious hitter" and
a brainy batter. and like as not he's
spoiled for the rest OF his days.
Easy TO Hit.
I tell you man don't need nothin'
when he gets up TO the plate but a good
pair of eyes a good heavy bat, and a lit
tie common sense. Nature in her in
finite wisdom has done all the rest. She
has put strensth into his shoulders for
strong swing, and Injy rubber in the
middle of the ball to make it lively, and
fence around the grounds so that the
flelders can't run out too far on you
and nail your drive. And that's all you
got 10 do-just hit that ball hard enough
with the bat-not too hard, for there's
nc use breaking the ball or losing it
just hard enough to put it over the
fence. IT don't make any difference
which fence, but I generally select the
one farthest from the plate, unless l
amt feeling well. when l make IL as
easy for myself as I can
Some say that placing hits is science,
but blamed IL / can see IL that way
lis nothing but ordinary common sense.
Ncbodys going 10 be fool enough to
plant a ball right where fielder can
pick 1t up and throw you out. Keeping
them out of the fieiders' reach is the
cardinal principle OF The game. and not
nothing to be developed by science.
Pitchers Task.
Look at it this way You're up 10
bat an the pitcher is paving The
ground in the box and lingering how TO
get you out. And right there YOU got il
or him, for you amt got TO do any fig
he's got 20 guard against giyin you
four bad ones or hitting you. which are
the same 10 him as If you'd hit the
bail Then if there's men on the bases
he's got to guard against a wild pitch
or a baik It's his wits against yours.
and you got II on him. for all you've
got TO do is hit the ball: and while
you're doing that, soak II hard enough
to get safe.
Under the present rules there's no
reason why a ordinary strong man
shouldn't put the ball out o the lot
every time he comes up When the
Aifa!fas played the Brobnygag giants
they nad a diamond as big around as a
nalf-mile running track. and II was
something of a sWipe for even me 10
get a hit safe; but with diamonds only
ninety feet square It's a wonder 70 me
there amt more balls lost and fences
battered down than there are.
Too Scientific.
Yes, there's such thing as being too
scientific with ball bat. and I'll tell
you why / say so. Once, Pete Brown
and me were on cur way 70 a ball
grounds and we passed d couple of
, guys in wite flannel iayouts that were
playln' tennis. While we were looking