Bisbee daily review., 1909-07-25
MT LND RUN S
 SCIENTIFIC
When Correctly Negotiated By Big Leaguers It is An
 Effective Play
THOSE ABLE TO PLACE HITS
 ARE IN SMALL MINORITY

One of the most effective plays that has wedged its way into the exclusive circles of the national pas,ime is the hit-ani-run play. As rule this per- formance is negotiated when. with a runner on the paths. a pitcher gets himself into a hole by giving the bat ter three and two. Invariably. the only exception being when a good pinch hitter, such as John Wagner Of Pittsburg Is at the bat and with run ners or. the safest move is to give the big fellow a free ticke, and keep his enlarged stick inactive. twirler will do his best to slip the next ball across the Dan. Then it is up to the batter to connect, for as the mound worker makes the slightest movement toward the plate a part of his motion the run ner digs his elects and is off for an other and more fruitful region.
 The high sign for this play is gen orally wigwagged when a runner is on first and the batter has three balls on him. Then if the next offering is wide of the platter there Is no chance of tossing out the runner at second. for he is advanced on the four balls. If the delivery is over the plate con nection by the latter probably meaus something doing.
 As in all other sports. the funda- mental principle of defense is to break up effective plays of this cali bre Ever since the hit-and-run play broke into the confines of baseball much has been offered in the form of a remedy. But the play is still worked effectively. With man on first it is hard for the second baseman or the shortstop to determine whether the runner is attempting to pilfer the second pillow or whether the signal for the hit and run play has been passed That's where the hitch comes in. and 1t is just this element of un- ce-tainty that has made the play a success. The pitcher. nine times out Of every ten, realizes that the play is to be attempted, and yet he has got himself in a hole and is helpless to mar it. He hopes the batter in his anxiety to hit the ball will misjudge it and swing wildly. or that his mates behind him will rise to the occasion and retire the runner, possibly nego- tiating a double play. But handfnl of hope doesn't go a very long way h baseball game of the present day.
 When a player attempts to steal second a signal is passed between shortstop and second as to who will take the throw from the catcher. As the runner digs for the midway either the shortfielder or his mate on ths opposite side of the cushion, as the case may be, starts to cover the bag. It is right here that the scientific part of the hit-ani-run play figures. The batter tries to place the ball through that portion of the diamond left va cant by the fielder trying to cover second. But how many batters in baseball are masters of the phases of hitting-placing the ball? If census were taken 1t would be found that such experts are greatly in the minor ity.
 Every batter has habit He either swings too soon or too iate1f he is 2 victim of the former ailment then he lays the ball to the left of the plate {; and vice versa With such the case, a feasible plan of action is laid open 70 the fielders to follow that may-and according to many wfll-proye just as effective in breaking up the hit-anl' run play as that play has been in tho past.
 The weakness of every batter is studied carefully by his opponents. After he has sojourned in the big leagues for a surprisingly short time his co-leaguers know what he can and what he cannot do. They have ascer tained whether he is long hitter or a short choppy sticker. And also they learned in what direction ae usually knocks the ball. There are . few swatsmiths who are enigmas tc the opposition-they have weakness es, but they vary.
 But having learned, as they should all these things about a batter. the business of the short stop and second baseman in the event of a runner at tempting to piifer the midway appears to be very plain. If the bail down tt the right of the plate, then the shor. stop should cover second and vicS versa.