The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1910-08-26
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Batting.
Batting is the aggressive part Of the
game; the true test of the nerve, cour'
age and eye-speed of players, and the
chief center of interest in every con.
test.
The Importance of batting has, it is
true, been largely overestimated, and
few ever of the managers and owners
who have sought in every part of the
country for that rarest Of players the
Three Hundred hitter" realize the
change that has come over batting in
the last decade. The veterans who
lament the passing of the sluggers OF
the good old days." the old-timer who
recalls times when six 900 batters
played on one team, and the student
who looks back owe the records Of
the mighty men of the ash, all have
the idea that present-day batters are
tn%ferior'to the old-time sluggers.
They are misled by figures. The
batters of the modern game are bet
ter hitters, more scientific, and more
effective than those of twenty or ten
years ago. A close analysis Of bats
men. their hits, and the results of
their hits, will prove the point. If
found in the strange acts of mana
gers who, after securing the country
to find a 300 hitter, handicap him, re-
strain his batting, make a $50 hitter
Of him, and then consider him a bet
ter batter than when. perhaps, he
batted 1926.
The fact Is, the batters of today are
more scientific and resourceful, know
more about handling bats, and better
how to attack the weak points, than
their predecessors did. The difference
Is the same as that between the slug
ging fighter, who rushed and pounded
down his man by sheer strength, and
the skillful boxer who, with one we'll
directed blow, ends the battle.
Frequently batters who slaughter
the ball in the minor leagues, and hit
any kind of pitching, fail utterly when
drafted into the major leagues. Many
followers of the sport imagine that
the reason for this failure is to be
found in the superiority of the major
league pitchers. which is wrong.
These mer would hit in the major
leagues. and hit hard, perhaps as hard
as in the minors, if allowed to hit
with the same freedom. There are, in
the major leagues, many batters who
could not hit in the minor leagues at
all. The reason for both is found In
team work, which is the chief cause
of the decline in batting. Some bat
tiers are adapted to the system, others
are not.
A few years ago the Chicago club
purchased a player late in the season
who was one of the great batters Of
the American association. His hitting
helped the team to win the pennant,
yet Chance released him without W
bringing him to Chicago to play the
final games. The act surprised the
followers of the Cubs and someone
asked Chance why the man was re.
leased. First ball hitter" explained
Chance loquaciously (for him).
Chance was right. The player was
worthless as a team hitter, but if per-
mitted to hit the first ball pitched
to him he batted heavily and if he
could have been the first MAJ up in
every inning he probably would have
led the league in hitting.
The first thing in the spring is the
selection of bats and when the season
closes the players still are saving up
disgraced bats and buying new ones.
Bats get to be a mania with some.
Roger Connor used to oil, polish and
rub his substitute bats every night
and hang them from his window
while he took his favorite to bed with
him.
There was a bat In the Boston club
In 1909 which became famous. 1t be-
longed to Gessler, and a scorer one
day jestingly marked upon 1t the
symbols meaning a two-base hit and a
single. Gessler happened to make a
double and a single that afternoon,
and the players swarmed upon the
scorer, pleading with him to mark
hits into the bat. He marked 1t full
Of hits; the Red Sox began a won
derful hitting squirt, all using the same
bat, and before long the scorer was
claiming part Of the credit for their
winning streak. Before the season
ended Gessler hardly would have
traded the bat for its weight In gold.
Evelyn" the famous bat with
which Isbell Of the Chicago White
Sox, made four two-base hits In one
game and won the worlds champion
ship for his team. big Betsy" Ed
Delehanty's famous war club. "Nel'
lie" used by Schultz, and a dozen
other bats have become, we'll known
J through being the feyorttes Of god