The daily sentinel. [volume] (Grand Junction, Colo.) 1893-current, 1910-09-27
P()RTSS
BEHIND THE SCENES
OF BASEBALL

| suggests something theatrical IN con-
nection with ''us Americans big
headliner sport.
In this case ''benInd the scenes
| means many things either unknown
! or Invisible to the average fan, within
| the confines of any one of the league
parks during the baseball season.
To begin with, while the baseball
diamond bears little or no visual sim
! ilarity to the theater's "athoium" or
operate section, it is the stage upon
| which many sensation athletic per-
formances are presented and that not
without as much careful preparation
as the actors are required to make in
heatricals-which constitutes the
rehearsal of baseballdom.
Baseball players are compelled to
do much more rehearsing than actors.
For the bill" is changed daily in
the baseball theater Perhaps more
than the majority of the fans have
but slight knowledge of what trans
pires during morning practice" or
the baseball players daily rehearsal,
when the team is playing on home
grounds. The stage directors of the
great national game plan these re-
hearsals for each individual contest
or performance. aud when weather
conditions do not interfere they are
invariably held.
While considerable time may be
given to regulation batting practice,
III the team has not been hitting well.
or in fielding if the players have been
displaying a weakness in that depart
ment, much of tie period of. these re-
hearsal hours is devoted to an indi-
vidual consideration of the style of
play which characterizes the opera
tons of the team to be met in com
bat later in the day.
RcheaIse to Occasion.
For instance, II the adversaries at
hand are noted for speed on the bases
the best means of checking this effic-
iency is rehearsed; If a left-handed
pitcher is likely to be used against
them they are given a long season at
bat with one of their own southpaws
on the firing line and various other
and similar retaliatory maneuvers are
drilled along these lines.
There is. of course. no visible cur
tain to the baseball stage, neither are
there any scenes of the kind one
might get behind in person. The
opening and closing of the outer gates
or the amphitheater is the only screen
system employed. But there are in
visible scenes" to get behind men
tally, which reveal much when under
stood and described.
Much of grave importance to base
ball success happens behind these in
visible scenes. There alone may the
truth about pitching control be dis
covered. Perfect control means more
than the ability to keep the ball going
over the plate except when giving an
Intentional base on balls The most
effective twirlers purposely keep the
Datters guessing concerning their con-
trol, and would rather appear to be
Wild at times. II the batter should
feel assured that every ball pitched
would come over the plate he would
have much more confidence in hit
ting.
"A taVorite system ON some pitchers
is never Intentionally to speed their
fast ball over at a hitable angle. The
fastest delivery this particular type
OF pitcher has at his command would
be Just fast enough to make easy
hitting If sent across the plate. There
fore, lbs speediest fling is directed at
the batsman's head. which makes the
Finger seem wild in his delivery
when in reality he is working with
absolute control. This intentional
wild throw. coming headwise. more
or less i1rs the batter MS he never
knows when he is going to have to
dodge 1t. and the intervening less
speedy drop or curve is assured of
much greater effectiveness lack
Dunn, now manager of the Baltimore
Eastern League team, who never had