The Washington herald., 1907-07-07
Willie Keller Gives Some
Pointers to Batter.
GOOD EYE MOST NECESSARY
In Addition to the Ability to Follow
the Bali Closely After II Leaves the
Pitcher u Batter Must Have the
Courage TO stand I'D tn the Plate,
for Drawing Away Proves Fatal.
by WILLIE KELLER,
worlds Most Scientific Hitter.

MOST
The well-known assertion that hitters
are born and not made is not entirely
true. l have known OF many good hitters
who were bad at the start. A change in
style Of hitting sometimes brings about
wonderful and unexpected results. At your
request l will, therefore. try to point out
some Of the essential Loquisites Of a COCO
batter. and boys who are growing ~
may understand some points that viii
help them to improve their hitting
Tho first thing needed as a foundation
for a good batter is a good clear eye.
Without a perfect vision and a quick eye
no boy can ever become a batter. That's
why they say batters are born It is be-
cause they were born with good eyes. If
you have a defective vision you may as
well give up hope Of ever becoming a good
hitter
In addition to q good eye q batter must
have courage. That IS, he must not fear
TO face the ball The hitter who gets
ready to strike at a ball and then uncon-
sciously flinches and steps back from the
plate when Il comes near viii not become
hitter. A batsman cannot hit the ball
unless he follows It with HIS eye con
tinuously from the time it leaves the
pitchers hands Many Of our best batters
often let the ball come within half inch
Of their faces without linching. They
know its direction perfectly and they
merely move the head a trife and let the
BAN whIz by. They are not afraid and
they are not nervous.
Do Not Pull away.
Batters who pull away from the plate
often dispute the umpire's decision on
strikes They really believe the bail
didn't come over the plate when they
pulled so far away they couldn't see.
The proper position 10 stand at the
plate is with the forward foot a little
inside Stand with the feet close to-
gother. and you can then step back
ward or forward without losing your
balance Always step toward the bail.
and never 10 one side unless there is
danger Of being hit No good batter
ever allows a ball TO hit him just C. get
his base, unless Il is In case Of dire
emergency BY purposely allowing a ball
10 hit you an accident may occur that
will keep you out of the game for many
days
Every batter has a natural style OF
standing at the plate, but it is always
+ correct to lean forward with your head
almost over the plate This gives the
batter a better opportunity Of judging
the ball Never strike at the ball unless
i it is where you want %. Il IS sometimes
advisable 20 let two strikes 90 by until
I you get the BAH IN the exact spot where
[ you want It.
Always set your base on balls 81 it IS
I possible Don't swing at the ball just
/ for the pleasure Of hitting St. If It doesn't
come right for you TO hit let it go. A
T base on balls helps as much as a hit in
/ starting of The main idea in batting
/ that is, TO help toward victory-is TO get
to first base. no matter how. With men
on bases 10 is time TO hit. but even then
do not fail % take base on balls If
YOU can get IL. The next batter is good
enough 10 be depended upon II he isn't
ne ought not To be on the team.
Do Not Swing wildly.
Now. i'm striking at the ball do not
swing wildly. Grasp your bat well up the
/ handle with your hands three or four
= inches apart By holding your hands
apart YOU get a much better brace or re-
/ sistance, and then you can chop at the
/ ball without swinging wildly and losing
{ ,-g4rv bgI8rg. p,. ,g-a.~,.i..,- tf- H.. ,.-.,
/ the middle commonly known as "chok-
/ ms #, the batter will find that he IS
/ much better able 10 balance the stick in
/ his hands.
When the batter does swing at the bail
/ he must be sure that he hits where he in
tends to hit The batter in his judgment
knows that the BAH is coming in a GER
tain spot Aim at that spot and hit where
you aim. If YOU do not understands that
clearly ! viii explain Often 4 batter
knows where a ball Is coming. but when
I he goes to strike he steps back and makes
a wild lunge at it, Having lost his former
balance his bat will strike three or four
inches from where he intended, and De
will wonder why he missed 1t. You will
! HHt4It ltdt lil'IElSt WHO 10 Ntl bdl ItEu-
larly. often do this
The secret to hitting, if IL be secret
IS TO stand firmly in your tracks and
watch the bali all the time, even while
you are swinging az IT. DO not draw the
bat back OF you, but hit i'm front of you.
I When a batter draws back for a swing
he loses the direction Of the bali
| There are times when it is advisable to
bunt instead of hit, even though there are
no runners on bases a good batter who
sees the third baseman playing very
/ deep will bunt the ball in that direc-
ton, and in a majority Of cases he will
beat it out
/ The hitter needs three qualities. A clear
/ eye, quick wit, and courage. It is not a
question of strength so much as science.
THE TWO GREAT GAMES.