The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-06-11
DAN MURPHY TELLS
ABOUT GOOD BATTING
Philadelphia outfielder Says Good Bat
ters Begin Young.

"a good hitter is the combination
Of confidence, good eye, and knowl-
edge of how to land the ball." says
Outf1elder Dan Murphy Of the Phila-
delphia Americans.
Not many poor hitters are turned
into good hitters after they come up
into the big league. II they haven't
developed the skill by that time. in
struction doesn't help them much.
But with boys it's different. They
are just starting They haven't faults
to correct; that is, no faults that have
become second to nature. And, while
every boy can't become a slugger, new
ertheless such one, IL he works intel
ligently, can get enough hits so that
he will be able to maintain his pace
and turn his Unfolding or outflelding
abilities to advantage.
"I don't think teams get enough
batting practice. This Is one reason
why we don't see moro good hitters.
watch lot Of boys getting in
shape for the season. The infield is
handling grounders and throwing the
ball around The outflelders are catch
ing flies. Pitchers and catchers are
working together.
But how often do you see the boys
taking turns at hitting. while the pitch
ors send up the best speed and curves
they have. and the other members Of
the team In the regular positions chase
the balls?
II know 1t isn't much fun 20 prac-
tice this way. There Is n whole lot
of waiting. The men In the inf1eld
and outheld have to wait a long while
for a ball to come their way. There
Is lots more fun in the other kinds of
practice. but it is this batting work
that wins games.
You can't hit without practice. all
the time, early and late. If you don't
get this kind of work, when you go
up against good pitching, 1t is rev to
you. You don't know what to do, and
before you get accustomed to the
speed and curves the pitcher has you
beaten.
"The worst batters in the world are
pitchers. They are jokes, as a rule,
and the reason Is easy to see. They
get virtually no batting practice If
You want to hit the ball, get out and
practice doing 1t.
dence. Never let the pitcher think
he has anything on you. Make up
your mind that he Is nothing more
than any other twirler and that ne
has to put the ball within your reach
to get a strike. Let him do the wor-
rying, especially If there are men on
bases.
The man who feels comfortable at
the plate. cool and collected, no mat
ter who he faces, has made big start
in the right direction.
1.-THE man who pulls away, who
lodges from every ball that threatens
to come anywhere near him, has the
worst of any faults, Unless he can
correct 1T, he never Will bat we'll
because a ball Is coming straight
at you is no reason for pulling away.
Perhaps it may be a curve ball that
may break and go straight over the
plate.
You pull and It IS a strike. or even
If You manage to hit 1t when you are
pulling away, you are not in position
to get any power on the drive. and
are easy to put out
The habit of pulling away can be
remedied, but it takes nerve. Teach
to step. into the ball before
II reaches the plate. In this way 1t
will always be I'm front of you. and
you get a wallop at it before 1t breaks.
There is no law of position. Bat
ters stand in all kinds of ways.
Many foxy twfrlers will snoot a
ball close to you every once in awhile
to make you get away from the plate.
Don't let them get away with it Wait
TO the very last second before lodging
Don't use too heavy bat. It Is a
mistaken notion that only a heavy
club will drive ball out A pitcher
with good change of pace can make
joke of the batsman who is swing
Ing bat too heavy for him. Use a
bat of medium weight, one that YOU
can handle easily You don't have to
swing so hard, either. All that is need
ed Is to meet the ball fairly, to get
the weight OF your body back of ii at