Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-04-26
EXPERT TELLS HOW
To PLAY TRYING
POSITION
Points For First Baseman From.
Fred Tenney Who Has Made.
Good With Giants.
u, Fred Tcnnc,.

man wao could hit well. and catch a
thrown ball, was considered a sta first
baseman. even though he didn't pos
sess the slightest agility in the field,
and was no wonder when il came to
using his head All the managers
wanted To get for the position was a
man who could hit and hang onto 4
thrown ball.
hut Of late years things have
changed, and the big heavy first base
men have. with few exceptions. been
driven off the bag. Their places have
been filled by smaller, more active
men. who are able to get around aud
put more speed into their work. and
whose playing has revolutionized the
standards for filling the position
Plays are now of everyday occurrence
Of which the big, husky. old-timers
never dreamed Among them are the
running in on bunts n making the
force play at second. or third, going
toward second to handle ground balls,
and capturing short flies in the out
field. In times gone by. such per
formances as a regular part of the
work Of the firstsacker were un-
thought Of, and the man who once
in a while might pull off one of these
stunts was looked on as a sure mar
vel,
The position is still about the easiest
on the diamond to play-l mean ordi-
narilN Wcll-though II car make
many difficult plays and do a lot OF
hard work If he tries to live up TO the
standard hat has been set in the last
few years. Some of the plays made
by the first basemen of today require
the greatest possible amount of ac-
curacy. activity and nerve. 1t is the
players who possess these qualities IN
good share that are making a sue
cess of playing ball. The one Who -
afraid to attempting a play. though
the chances against his making 1t sue
cessfully are great, cannot be consld-
cred a first-class man for his position.
The player on the initial sack
should give as much attention to sec
ond. hire and home as the other in
feeders give to first, and should be
ready at all times to take advantage
of an opportunity that presents itselt
to pull off a play to any II OF these
positions. Many a close game can be
saved by a quick throw to second or
third which catches the ba~Scrunncr
mapping because of its very ~uneNpect-
edness. When attempting thccs plays,
the first bascman should have an un-
.derstanding with the second baseman
and the pitcher. so that first may not
be left uncovered, n
Az TO STYLE of mitt to be Used, IL
would suggest a small, Hight affair. as
it can be handled much more easily
and accurately than n OF the heavy
ones. Much one-hand work of neces-
sity fails TO the lot Of the ttrst base
man, and the light glove is an invalu-
able asset, so far as this end Of ms
playing goes,
Always reach cut and meet 2
thrown ball with as great a stretch
as possible. remembering that every
Of q second counts. especially
on infield taps. Very often a fleet
runner beats out q ground pan
and is credited with a hit, all BE-
cause the first baseman was too sure
Of the out. and did not get the pau
as quickly as he might have. Meet
ban with hands well out . the
body and then give back. n the
hardest thrown balls will be comparG-
easy to handle. If a man does
moi get in tho habit OF receiving az
throws in this fashion, his hand VIII
s,,ffnr ana he viii find himself on
me injured list. a victim Of The sore
and bothersome bone bruise. :,
The most vital prat of the WORK ~
. rood first hascman is the knacN Of
I~o9ninp the root on the base when
mo bodv is extended and in the most
autward uositfOn. Educate the toe
~ sfay on the bag. at the Same tune
rcttinr thc bodg in front OF the ball
that. If the hands miss, the BODY VIII
stop 1t.
of batted balls that there Is any
OF thclr reVchtng' Wnlci'
do not attempt to capture hlts
thcy think can be reached py any
In kccptng ON the base. when a thrown
is coming, though the eh"nNca
are a hundred t. one against tnsn
oatrhipg the ball il they do 50. Whl4'
It, a. nIuATlp me game EAttFt
md stepping away from the phse u
tbrv think they are liable to miss IN
hall some attcmpt to Eath"F IN ~
Of the other players. All thes" N"tt
STYLES have been followed ny wv
men who are enrolled on the historic
pages of baseball as star FIRST base
men. and consequently it VIII De seen
When an opponent is IN he basc
,iaV lust inside the bag with leels
toughing the corners. one - then III
F, positton to turn to left or right TO
the runner. OF to run into the qua
nond as the ban is pitched, as inc DC
,aslon may call for. 1t IS very hect5-
mat the man at first have Il SIG
IA system with the pitcher and catch
r.. SO hat he will know Just Wheh 10
.xpect a throw and not be taken uh-
wares.
II is a very hard thing 10 recon-
mend following any certain style IN
,iaving the position. There are as
many STYLES as there are men playing
he position. and all have their strong
their weak points. som" faNof
Having close to the plate. others Wen
,acL from the diamond; sonlc believe
nat ii is no mean Undertaking 10 O.
Use one method and decry another
Thu best way for a beginner In the
position is to pick out no one man
or IL model. Let him see them all
them and discover their strong
Let i'm see how they do tins
that and then try TO do the same
himself. This means hard work and
Of il. but in baseball, as in
else. it is the hard worker
Who wins success. The ballplayer
Who always shirks. avoids practice
s henever he can. and in general tries
o take things easy. is hurting no one
more than himself. He may believe
hat he is obtaining some easy money,
,ut the effect OF his idleness Will soon
gin to show. and he Will quickly be
informed that his services are no long
II required. Success in ANYTHING means
OTIS Of good hard work. and in baseball
most strenuous Of modern pro-
essions-for the game is now a pro-