The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-08-12
STORIES OF
The DIAMOND.
"TOpsy" HaTtssI Talks About
Duties Of an OuifIeIdeT.
He MUST Be GOOD JUDGE.
Player Should Know Where Ball viii
Fall--Aecuraey and oulokness Abso-
IuteIy Requlfsd--What to Do When
Hit Is Mads--valus Of Good Throw.
No. XVII.
BY "ToPsY" HARTsEL.

No. XVII.
BY "TOPsY" HARTSEL.
lCopyr1ght, 1910. BY American Press Asso-
claton,l
DO consider playing the outtield
easy compared with other positions on
bali team7 l should say not. While
he has not aa much to do as the in
fielders. catcher or pitcher, the out
fielder has not cinch by any means.
There are many qualities that a player
must possess before he can be called
an expert outfielder. First Of all he
must be good judge OF fly balls,
quick and accurate Judgment in tell
ing where the bali will fall is not all
that is necessary. He must be able to
determine in fraction Of second
how to catch the bail, where to throw
1t and how to throw it. He must know
whether to run up and try to smother
low hit ball or play 1t safely, that
is, wait and take 1t on the bound, and
his Judgment, combined with his mem
ory, must tell him where this or that
batter il going to hit the ball. The
first thing a major league ball outfield
er must learn to do is how to handle
the ball after single is made. This
is puzzling TO many. The first thing
an outEielder should do is to get the
ball to second base as soon as possible
That is where It belongs, whether a
single has been made to right. left or
center. The object is, Of course, to
hold the runner on first sack. II the
runner sees that you are about to
make a mistake and throw the ball
to the pitcher or, perhaps. to the
catcher to attempt to get man run
ming home. he win start for second
sure. And She chances are that he
win make the base very easily.
When a hit Is made with a man on
third sack it Is, of course, impossible to
get him all the plate, When good
clean hit Is made with a man on sec
ond 1t Is not likely that he can be
caught at the plate even by the fastest
outfieIder. Throws to the home plate
are to be expected more often when
there Is tiy To the outtielI with a man
on third corner with none or one out.
Then the outer gardener has an OPP
portunity to test bis throwing wing.
There is no prettier sight than that Of
a long, perfect throw from the outfield
which arrives before the runner and
he is tagged out. The player who can
make throw like that is admired by
everybody When you can see one that
can do it right along ask him how be
throws so well and he win answer, by
practicing."
1t must be left entirely to the Judg-
ment OF the man playing In the outtield
whether or not he Is to throw to the
plate to try TO get The runner making
for home after a fly to the outfield
Perhaps he has been too far out and no
fielder can make the throw and get
the runner. In such a case and IL there
is man on first the outflelder should
not throw to the plate, but to second
sack instead If the throw were made
to home plate the runner on first would
reach second. and from that point he
could score If the batter following
should make hit
1t is the aim Of nearly every outfield-
er in the majors to throw the ball low
and straight. 1t Is better for it to 90
into the catcherss mitt on the first
bound Then it is pretty sure not to
be to high, and the moment he gets
his hands on it he can tag the runner
out. It Is pardonable to be deliberate
in throwing from the outileld to the
home plate, but not too much time can
be taken Constant practice in throw
ing to the plate can ouly engender
speed in getting the ball away.
1t IS very important that the out
fielder should be able to know whether
to run up or to wait when the ball is
hit low. Low balls are the hardest
things the outfelder is called upon to
stop-those which are too low to catch
on the fly and too high to get on the
bound If he runs in and tries to
scoop the ball It is likely to get
through his hands and go to the rear
fence. If he waits for it on the bound
It Is likely to turn suddenly, since
most outergardens are rough, and get
away from him. The thing that should
be uppermost in the mind Of the out
fielder at that time should be to hold
on to the BAN and thrust the hand
holding it up as soon as be can, that
the umpire may see that he has caught
It.