Evening star., 1909-06-27
MURPHY EXPLAINS
THE BATTING EYE
Good Hitters Begin Training
When They Are Boys, Ath-
Ietic Expert Says.

A good hitter is the combination of
confidence. good eye and knowledge
of how to land on the ball, says Dan
Murphy of the Athletics.
Not many poor hitters are turned into
good hitters after they come up into the
big league. If they haven't developed the
skill by that time. instruction don'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,
nevertheless such one, if he works intel
TgentIy, can get enough hits so that he
will be able to maintain his place and
turn his Unfolding or outfielding abilities
to advantage.
don't think teams get enough bat
ting practice. This is one reason why
we don't see more good hitters
Watch a lot of boys getting In shape
for the season. The infeld is hand
ling grounders and throwing the ball
around. The outtielders are catching
Hies Pitchers and catchers. are work
ing together.
Shirk Batting Practice.
But how often do you see the boys
taking turns at hitting, while the pitch
ers send up the best speed and curves
they have, and the other members OF
the team in the regular positions chase
the balls
know it isn't much fun to practice this
way There is a whole lot OF waiting
The men in the intield and outfield have
to wait long while for ball to come
their way. There is lots more fun in
other kinds of practice. but it is TINS
batting work that wins games.
np'f
time. early and late. If you don't get
this kind of work when you go up against
good pitching it is new to, you ou
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 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 il.
First of all, you must have conf
dence. Never let the pitcher think he
has anything You. Make up your
mind that he is nothing more than any
other twirler and that he has to put the
ball within your reach to get a strike.
Let him do the worrying, especially II
there are men on bases.
The man who feels comfortable at the
plate cool and collected. no matter who
he faces has made a big start in the
right direction.
Should Never Pull Away.
me man who pulls away, who dodges
from every ball that threatens to come
anywhere near him. has the worst of
any faults. Unless he can correct it, he
never will bat well.
Because a bali is coming straight at
you is no reason for pulling away. Per-
haps it may be curve ball that may
break and go straight over the plate.
You pull and it is a strike. or even
II you manage to hit it when you are
pulling away, you are not in a position
10 get any power on the drive, and are
an easy out
The habit of pulling away can be
Iemedied. but it takes nerve. Teach
yourself to step into the ball before it
teaches the plate. In this way 1t will
always be In front of you, and you
set a wallop at it before it breaks.
There is no law for position. Bat
,ers stand in all kinds of ways. Men
ike Keeler and Stone bend way over
,na plate. Lajoie stands almost straight.
There are all kinds of variations. The
lning TO do is to take the position that
Then don't let the pitcher scare you out
OF it.
Many foxy twirlers will shoot a ball
close to you every once in while to
make you get away from the plate.
Don't let them get away with it. Wait
to the very last second before dodging.
Don't use too heavy a bat. 1t IS
mistaken notion that only a heavy club
good change Of pace make
joke of a batSman who is swinging a
bat too heavy for him. Use a bat of
medium weight. one that you can handle
hard. either. All that is needed is to
meet the ball fairly. to get the weight
of your body back of it the moment you
land.