The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-08-25

When Dickey Pearce invented the
bunt, and used II as a means of reach
ing first base, he was scorned and bis
fellows thought It rather baby trick 1t
never occurred to them that II might
vice than trying to beat the cover of
the ball.
During the early eighties, there
came into the game two of the great
est inventive geniuses 1t hae known:
Mike Kelly Of Chicago. and Charles A.
Comiskey, leader of the St. Louis
Browns. According to James A. Hart,
who was for years head of the rules
committee, fully one-half of the re-
strictive rules enacted we're the direct
result of the activities of Kelly and
Comiskey to find ways of beating ex-
listing rules and winning games.
Whether they invented them or not,
both used the bluff bunt," the de
layed steal" the double steal" with
runners on first and third, and many
other plays used today by the best
teams. Kelly's greatest invention.
however, was the famous Chicago
slide" now used by every good base
runner The slide, 1t is conceded by
the veterans OF Anson's famous
White Stocking infield, was the inven.
ton Of Kelly, although every man on
the team used II with great success
until II became the trademark of the
White Stockings. The slide consists
OF throwing the body either to the
right or to the left while at full speed,
and sliding upon the hip. with the leg
doubled under, and the foot extended
so as to hook around the bag. The
runner throws his body away from
the baseman to avoid being blocked
or touched, pivots on the foot that
hooks the bag, and prevents over
sliding.
The Chicago team Of 1880, which
reached its fullest development five
years later. was the pioneer of inside
baseball" and from that team came
more original plays, now in common
use, than from any other source.
Those were the formative days of the
modern game, and the players, Quest,
Anson, Kelly, Burns, Williamson,
Gore. Flint and Corcoran, we're learn
ing from each other while teaching
others. But II really was with the
coming of Pfeffer in 1855 that the
team began to play INSIDE baseball"
coherently, both at bat and on the
infield. A system Of signaling, in
volving the catcher, ,lird and second
baseman and pitcher, was invented,
Anson for some reason being excluded
from the team play. The marvellous
success of the team was due more TO
intelligent team work, and the pro
tecting of base runners by the batters
than to the individual skill of the
players, although that was great.
During that same evolutionary
period another leader was coming for
ward In the rival American associa-
tion. Oddly enough, Comiskey, lead
ing the st. Louis Browns, was working
along the same lines of development
of team play as was the Chicago team,
inventing plays, teaching them to his
men, learning from others and win
ming pennants.
Comiskey was and is one of the
great constructive geniuses OF base
ball, and the only one who kept
abreast of the progress of the scien-
tific part of the game, and usually
ahead of IT, He was one of the first
to use the hit-and-run play effectively,
but his great improvement In defen-
sive work was his style of playing first |
base, which was revolutionary in it's |
effect upon the infield game. Comis-
key not only invented plays. but seized
and improved upon plays learned from
his men and his opponents.
There is scarcely a doubt that al
most eveIy play made today was made |
by some pioneer. Kelly, Tom Nc
Carthy, Pfeffer and others made plays |
their own team mates did not compre-
hend, SO If a play is called a new"
play It Is in the sense that It probably |
has been rediscovered. Frank Chance,
in 1906, commenced to work the de |
layed steal persistently and was pro-
claimed the discoverer of the play. Yet |
Kelly, Hamilton, O'Neill, Comiskey,
Duffy and many others used the play, |
anu AAOhNh pNoAO III enab Woy
with much success.
Maloney once was on second base,
another runner at third and the ball |
was hit to the short stop, who threw
home. The runner trying to score
from third was thrown out at the
plate, but Maloney, following him ten
feet behind, slid in front of the plate
and scored before the catcher could
recover and touch him after touching |
out the other runner. 1t was pro-
claimed as new play, but Kelly and
Lange had made 1t several times.
Jimmy Callahan, former manager
of the White Sox, was watching a
crowd of small boys playing on a va
cant lot. Runners were on first and |
third bases, and 1t was evident they |
intended a double steal. Callahan |
watched the play, feeling certain the
diminutive catcher could not make the |
throw. The pitcher made as If to
start his pitching motion, but instead |
stepped directly toward third base
and threw to the baseman. The base
runner dived back to third, but the |