The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-09-28
Eddie Collins Talks About Art
Of Base Running
SPEED NOT MAIN THING
Philadelphia Americans Second Stacker
Says the Head Plays as Important
Part as Feet-Thnks star Base
Runners Born, Not Made.
No. XIV.
BY EDDIE COLLINS.

ny EUntL &QLLlN3y
ICopyright. 1910. by American Press Asso-
ciation.i
Good base running consists In reach.
ing the base safely: bad base running
consists in being caught. At least that
ls the verdict Of the crowd. and even
an expert has hard time TO tell
whether the base running Is good or
bad. Some Of the worst breaks made
on bases win games. and some Of the
best result IN defeat. The expert can
tell good base runner by the way he
gets the start. the ground be gains
while the pitcher is delivering the ball.
the way be slides to the objective base
and the judgment be uses when steal
ing.
Base running brings out most for
chilly what is in a player. Il Is here
where brains count most Hitting
ability Is g natural gift Il is some
thing that may be improved, but can
not be acquired. Base running Is like
hitting. Base runners are born, not
made In all strategies Of attack as
well as defense speed is a nne equip
nent. Il is not an essential Few
ten second men have blossomed into
big league material in the base run
ming department Most Of them lack
brains. Few use their speed 10 adj
vantage. More important than speed
Is the ability to get quickly into mo-
ton. The man who always depends
upon coaeher to tell him what to
do VIII never succeed. A player must
always have the situation in mind.
He must be ready to take advantage
OF every little slip OF an opponent
Making the most OF opportunities II
another knack Of base running. The
record Of stolen bases in A players
average is not always a criterion Of
his ability. There Is no better illus
tration afforded than IN stretching a
hit.
On a BIT TO the outfield Il runner
should always make the turn to sec
ond. lie should run toward the next
bag as far SIS possible without rum
ming the risk Of being trapped By a
quick. accurate throw One should
also use variations to this play. II Is
not bad idea once in awhile to turn
quickly as If to set back to first This
wifi often take the fielder OF bis guard.
he may throw the ball leisurely. max
Ing IL easy 10 beat the throw to the
cushion, or a bluff to take second may
make him throw wildly. II u also
good policy to worry the pitcher and
catcher by leading OF as far as posi-
bic and bluffing. You not only help
yourself. bnt If the batter works In
conjunction with you 1t might lead to
the pitchers losing control.
Another highly important essential
in negotiating bases Il the slide. The
principle is easy. although methods
vary as much as the players. Always
slide opposite to The direction in which
the fielder viii take the throw. A
high throw naturally goes in back OF
the base line. On this one should slide
TO the front OF the bag. A low throw
brings the baseman IN. In this case
the best way Is to circle him from be-
hind. No two men have the same meth
DDS Of sliding. Some try for the bag
feet first. There Is less personal risk.
though when the ground is insecure a
twisted ankle Is the result The slide
varies with the baseman. and expert
ence alone can improve this. Some
like throws to one side. while others
may excel Just the opposite way,
There are players In the big leagues
today who never improve in base run
ming Many have the requisite speed,
but poor managers have done more to
handicap base running than good man
ayers have improved it.