The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-03-29
UNGLAUB TELLS HOW
TO PLAY FIRST BASE

Bob Unglaub of the Nationals has
the following signed article in a re-
cent issue of Jake Morse S Baseball
| Magazine:
To be a successful first baseman a
fellow must be of good size, but not
necessarily giant, as the real tall men
invariably have their troubles getting
down after the low ones A big man
| at the first station gives the fielders a
good mark to throw at, and thus saves
many errors. The first baseman must
| be as good on ground balls as the
other infelders, as he gets his full
share OF Founders and skimmers-hard
ones, too. Against a speedy pitcher
the right-handers are prone to send
hot ones down the base line, while
against almost any twirler the left
hand hltters send them along. The
first sacker must also be very aecu-
rate on high-twisting infield and foul
f1les, as he gets greater number of
these than any other player, with the
possible exception of the catcher.
A long reach is another absolute
requisite, for many of the wild and
hlgh throws that the first baseman
must capture, and dig up out of the
drift man is not as sure on pick
ups as he IS on thrown balls he should
never attempt to play the bag. AS
many as dozen throws game hit
the ground before they reach the first
baseman, and, if he could not field
them whore would b;c %oo,.,
not the ordinary bound that is hard to
handle; it is the one where the ball
strikes the dirt couple of feet away
from the man on the base and is liable
to shoot off in almost any direction.
10 field these the player must Judge
quickly as to where the ball is most
liable to come, be ready for it. and
IN ease his Judgment is at fault. have
his body in the way to keep the bail
from getting by him and allowing the
runner a couple of extra bases. Nerve
counts greatly in doing this. and it is |
the man not afraid who succeeds
Nerve, too, is needed, and needed bad |
~, when man comes sliding into the |
base directly at the feet of the one |
covering the bag. If the baseman |
steps off he saves himself from a |
possible cuttingup, but he loses his
man. Stand there; don't think of per-
sonal injury. It is rarely that a man |
is spiked, and the first baseman must |
take his chances If he is injured |
he is disabled but for short time. and |
ms manager has no kick coming. On !
the other hand, if he steps off, he is
not hurt, but he will have a private in
tervlew with 'the powers that be:'' /
Will be told few things about him
self, and, IN all probability, be sus-
pended or released.
Signals fill very important place
IN the work at first. The player must
nave signals with the catcher for a
snap throw to nail man mapping.
signs with the pitcher to try and get
man taking too long a lead and
catch him off his balance, signs with
the other infelders as to covering bases,
taking throws and playing for sacri-
lice hits. Especially must the first
baseman work in unison with the man
at second. 1t IS the duty of the sec
ond baseman to cover first when the
player at that point is pulled off the
bag to field hunts, capture flies. etc.
and If the "middle man. does NOT
know how his side partner is going to
move he can not help him out properly.
The good first baseman is always
backing up when there is no play at
MS base. He must back up home and
.hlrd whenever possible, and must in
.ereept throws from the outfield when |
man has singled with a runner on
second and the latter has the ball !
beaten to home. In fact, he must be
everywhere helping out, but lie must
make it point never to interfere with
us teammates. 4 good wing is like ]
wise needed, for the baseman is con-
lnually throwing to second, to third I.
md to home, trying to head off speedy
'ase runners. There are many players
Who will always try to go from first TO
hlrd on sacrifice or a slow infeld
ut. The first baseman on big
eague team must always be ready to
read them off. He must know what
players can get quickly down to first.
nd must time his movements accord