The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-07-20
George Stone Tells How He
Became a Sphere WaIIOpeT.
BATTERS BORN, NOT MADE.
Browns Clever outfeIder Says He
Had Hard Time Breaking Into Ma
Icr League Game-Pointers For Bat
ters.
BY GEORGE STONE.

by bEOHIE SlONbs
Copyright. 1910. by American Press Asso-
ciaton.l
Batting, according to the experts, is
considered the most important factor
IN the national game The BAH tosser
who can successfully combat the pitch
ers and set away with two or three
safe bingles in each game in the course
Of the season Is looked upon as the
most valuable asset to any ball club.
TO certain extent do agree with
the baseball experts that batting has
taken scientific aspect. still, there Is
great amount OF luck attached to it.
In my case particularly / viii say that
have Ia my career in the big league
experienced my share Of luck with my
hitting don't mean to say that the
majority OF my hits have been lucky
ones but great number Of them were.
I'D order 10 be an expert batsman II
f. necessary for the player TO be pos
sessed Of extraordinary perception, or
better, TO be quick Of thought. fast as
a sprinter and. above all, own a stout
pair Of shoulders and arms. l went
into the American League in perfect
condition. 1 worked at manual labor
several years before adopting the game
as profession. and as result my
arms, legs and shoulders were hard
ened and nc to 20 the route.
have not changed my position since
the first time o bat was handed to
me. some twenty years ago was
called awkward BY my side partners.
but despite this supposed handicap
developed into hard hitter. was
never much Of an outielder In fact,
! aspired 70 be pitcher or third
basemnn. but the boys wanted me 10
play the outileld because Of my abil-
ity to smash out drives at the right
moment.
When went to the Milwaukee club
some years ago the experts there crIti-
cised my position at the plate very
harshlv. But nevertheless | led the
American association that season with
an average that has never been ex-
celIed. When Jimmy Collins, then
manager OF the Boston champions
signed me the know-it-alls opposed me
. Manager Collins was informed that
would never make good ip the Ameri-
can league. and they told him that !
was the poorest outtielder In the coun-
try. admitted this end OF IT. but
was sure that l would prove my ability
as batsman. was given little
chance to show Il.
shortly after. when / visited Boston
as a member Of the St Louis Browns.
l showed these know-it-alls that
could walIop the sphere. ! was lucky
enough to maintain batting average
of 400 in every game in which took
part
In order to be a successful batter you
must study and watch every move the
twirler makes. From the time he
braces himself up to the arrival Of
the bali in front OF you yon mustn't
move your eye OF Mr.. Pitcher and the
ball You must watch the ball as cat
does mouse. The minute you lose
track OF It's course you aro lost
Twirlers have various ways Of deliv-
erlng the bail. Some make a lot OF
unnecessary motions In order TO catch
you OF your guard. Others cut out the
swing and hurl the ball over when
you are least expecting 1t. Then the
catcher is always trying to draw you
into conversation ia order 70 detract
your attention from the pitcher 50
that you win lose sight OF the ball
Keep your ears and eyes wide open
Pay no heed TO the man behind you or
the pitcher before you. This pair are
irving TO outfgure you Remember
these things well. II you never lose
sight Of the ball you win be able TO hit
it. OF course you may not be as sue
cessful as some but you win succeed
] crouch. as the critics say, Ike Jim
Jeffrles does when he delivers blow
ny this I mean / bring my shoulders
down on line with the ball, and as
a result when swing the full force
Of my shoulders, arms and body Is
behind the blow stick The boys say
drive a hard, bounding infeld hit
MY shoulder motion. coupled with
very sharp twist Of my wrists. does
this. ! practiced this method several
years ago upon the lots in Iowa and
found It was the best system OF them
oil. ! am called n fast runner, but /
gain most from breaking fast from the
plate. Onetenth of a second gained
after hitting tho bah wins many o
safety Tor me.