The Washington herald., 1909-05-09
CATCHER, GENERAL, MUST DIRECT TEAM
Backsop Hands Out Excellent Adpe-He Says Ony
of Nine Play Before Hm-ShouId Study BatterS

7 you stiu have a chance 10 catch it before
I it reaches the ground
This little detail Is important. for there
( IS nearly always twist on ball from
+ the position IN which e leaves the bat
and when it is also blown about by a
strong wind. and the catcher is looking
I into a clear sky on a sunshiny day he Is
Up against about as difficult a proposi-
ton as I know Of
Don't lose sight OF the men on base
when you catch a foul 1y. They can rUn
after you catch IT, often you viii be
piled eut Of your throwing position after
/ getting a hard one Sometimes your back
( Is 70 the infeld when the bail settles IN
I your glove
/ You must reason In advance where the
| base runner IS and where you must throw
when the ban comes down Snap the ball
/ there quickly whether he runs or not.
Then you know he IS held TO his place.
Place your infelders and outhelders
/ properly for every halter who comes Up.
This. think, is the most important thing
OF all
Il Is with this kind Of knowledge that
the catcher can be Of inestimable value to
the pitcher, especially 10 the youngsters.
20 whom the methods OF the big fellows
are a riddle yet.
A catcher who studies knows what
kinds Of balls they Ike and where they
hit them. 1t is UP TO him first 70 try 70
make the pitcher fool the batter, and,
secondly, 10 put the other seven men
where they are most likely 10 get the ball
should the batter hit II.
the batter a bail Just where he likes It,
and then lei him hit It, having first placed
your men where the ban viii come 10 one
Of them for q put-out-
OF course. this does not apply 10 the
heavy hitteTs. men like Wagner. Iajoie.
snd Chance. for example When they get
tie kind Of ball they want # is likely 10
go out Of the lot The great hitters
should never have a chance al one IN the
groove
Make them aim at balls that work the
corners that would be strikes II allowed
to pass. but are not the kind 10 hit hard.
Study batters necessarily This is the
basis Of the catcher's success See how
they stand. watch how they shift on their
feet when q the plate.
The man who pulls away. be il ever so
who crowds the plate can be chased away
with fast breaks close to his head.
Il you can scare a man away from the
plate. and then have the pitcher break
the ball on the corner farthest away from
the batter there IS not much danger Of
thai batter making any safe hits.
Points on "Hit and Run"
Learn the "hit-and-run'' sign Of the
other fellow.
You know what "ait and run means.
The other fellows have a man on base.
He works IN a signal with the man at the
hat. and when the BAH is pitched he
makes a break for second
The batter hits that ball wherever ne
can. andif lie hits It through the hole left
vacant by either the shortstop or second
baseman going over TO cover the bag on
the steal. then it Is a single. which often
lets the man on first get around to third
and paves the way for runs.
If a team can get away with this. then
Il IS sure to win games. But the "hit and
run" can be broken up by a catcher who
knows bis business
Many persons have wondered why the
Detroit team that was 50 strong IN the