Evening star., 1909-03-14
UNGlAUB TELLS HOW
TO PLAY FIRST BASE

| Bob Unglaub of the Nationals has the
| following signed article in a recent issue
of Jake Morse's Base Ball Magazine:
| To be a successful first baseman a fell
low must be of good size, but not neces-
sarily a giant as the real tall men in
variably have their troubles getting down
after the low ones A big man at the
first station gives the fielders good
mark to throw at, and thus saves many
errors. The first baseman must be as
good on ground balls as the other in
tielders. as he gets his full share OF
bounders and Skimmers-hard ones, too.
Against speedy pitcher the right-hand-
erS are prone to send hot ones down the
base line while against almost any
twirler the left hand hitters send them
along. The first sacker must also be
very accurate on high-tWisting infield and
foul flies, as he gets a greater number
of these than any other player. with the
possible exception of the catcher
\ long reach Is another absolute requi-
site for many OF the wild and high
throws that the first haseman must cap
turc. and dig up out of the drift a
man is not as sure on pick-ups as he is
on thrown balls he should never at
tempt to play the bag. AS many as d
dozen throws a game hit the ground be-
fore they reach the first baseman, and.
if he could not field them, where would
his team be? 1t is not the ordinary
bound that is hard to handle: it is the
one where the ball strikes the dirt a
couple of feet away from the man on
the base and is liable to shoot off in
almost any direction. To field these the
player must judge quickly as to where
the ball Is most liable to come, be ready
for it, and. in case his judgment is at
fault. have his body IN the way to keep
the ball from getting by him and allow
inG the runner 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 badly.
when a 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 possible cutting-up.
but he loses his man. Stand there; don't
think of personal injury. 1t 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
his manager has no kick coming. On
the other hand, If he steps off he is not
hurt. but he will have private inter
view with the powers that be-; will be
told a few things about himself and in
all probability. be suspended Or released.
Signals fill very important place in
the work at first The player must have
signals with the catcher for a snap
throw to nail Il 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 infielders
as TO covering bases. taking throws and
playing for sacrifice hits Especially
must the first baseman work in unison
WITH the man at second. 1t is the duty
of the second baseman to cover first
when the player az that poirt is pulled
off the bag to field bunis. capture flies.
etc. and if the middle man" does not
Know how his side partner is going to
move he cannot help him out properly
The good first baseman is always back
ing up when there is no play at his base
He must back up home and third when
ever possible and must intercept throws
from the outfeld when a man has singled
WIN runner on second and the latter
has the ball beaten to home. In fact.
ne must be everywhere helping out. but
ne must make it point never TO inter-
1ere with his teammates A good wing
Is likewise needed, for the baseman is
continually throwing to second to third
ana 10 nome. trying to head off speedy
udse runners Ihere are many players
VINO Will always try to go from first to
thlrd on sacrifice or a slow infeId hit
Inc Hfst Daseman on big league team
must know who these men are and must
Always be ready to head them off He
must know what players can get ouickIv
uo"n 10 nrSt and must time his move
ments accordingly. A good point is this:
W hen a man is on first and an infielder
!! !hrows the batter out. always whip the
e oal uo"h 10 second. as the man running
~ I'm ih u INV idpiy oVerrunS the base
ne man AT first must be able to catch
ilsh ana low, fast and slow balls: catch
them one hand and catch them two
hands; catch over the runner and under
the runner: and he mus, be a hitter for
on him and the outfielders rests the bur
den of the work OF knocking i'm the runs
From this 1t will be seen that to be a
ifSt pdseman one must be pretty strong
IN all departments of the game Time
was WHen man who was a fairly good
nitter but failure in the field was nut
INTO frst base: ii was a sort OF stop-over
p'dce Tor dead ones. But now that time
ls past. TO play first on a big league
team man mus. be a star, able to rln
TO feld and to hit. The position once
considered easy. is now looked on as
one OF the most difficult and few, in
deed, are the star first basemen.