The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-09-02

stole Is bases out Of los attempts, or
72.4 per cent. While Cobb's total at
tempts are unofficial, they are close
enough to show that the first-class
base-runners succeed in about W.
out of ten efforts to steal second. The
figures really reveal more than that.
They show that, while the Inc
steal only about Ga out of every 100
times they try for second base, they
succeed nearly eight of ten (7S plus
out Of 1907 times they start for third.
The conclusion is clear that the
pitchers do not hold up nne close
ly; that the ball is pitched wide a
large percentage of times, and that
the catcher, for various reasons, is
lucky to handle the ball perfectly
three times in ten in actual play.
A player reaches first base, looks
at the batter for a hit-and-run signal,
looks toward the third-base coacher
to see if a signal to steal has been
flashed from the bench, takes his lead,
watches the batter, and anchors him
self. Two balls and no strikes are
pitched; he looks again for the sig
nails. Failing to get them, he knows
the batter is going to take a strike,
and anchors himself again-afraid to
risk the ~displeasure of the manager
by stealing. Even should the pitcher
ca~relessly permit him to get a big
running start, he trots back to first
base, perhaps slides back as hard as
ho ry1"IJ have h@J ~ slide n coo0r1
He catches a hit-and-run signal on
the next ball, takes his lead, gets his
start. The pitcher and catcher know
as we'll as he does that the stage OF
the game calls for an attempt to run
and hit; the pitcher pitches fast and
out; the catcher takes the ball per-
fectly, throws, and ven if the runner
is a speedy man he is out by at least
three feet. The pitcher and catcher
did the thinking, the base runner
used steretoyped team ball" and was
caught.
Another cause for the decline in
base running is the vast improvement
of pitchers in watching bases. The
average pitcher of today holds the
runners to the bases much more care
fully than did those of Is years ago.
The %hit-and-run and the bunt-and-
run games, of course, reduce the num-
Der of opportunities to steal.
Cobb is one of the rare players who
can play "inside ball" and individual
ball at the same time. He is brilliant,
thinks for himself and is not much
hampered by bench orders. He runs
mainly on his own judgment Cor lack
of judgment) but still he RUNS and
he wins pennants for Detroit by run
ming. The pitchers try harder to hold
him to the bases than they do any
other player in the league; the catch
ers give more pitch-out signs to catch
him, but they do not stop him. He is
a living proof of the fact that modern
ball players could run bases with as
much effect as the old-timers could
vidual thinking.
A few years ago, Frank Chance, al
ways a base-runner of rare judgment,
coupled with great daring, started his
team working the delayed steal. His
runners started, stopped, and when
the catcher relaxed from his throwing
attitude and the man covering second
base started back to his position, the
base-runner made a dash for second.
Mechanically figured out, the run
ner will beat the ball to second by
over two feet, on the basis of 3 1-3
seconds tn run the distance.
One day in 1909 Chicago and Pitts
burg were playing, and a run meant
victory for either side. Evers was
on second base, with one out. He