The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-08-23

In these days of specialist players,
we have crack pinch hitters In con-
trast with all round hard sluggers,
lightning base stealers playing against
those who rely on sacrifice hunts, and
whole throng OF players who are
| experts In their specific departments.
No player. however, relies entirely on
his own knowledge and skill, but he
keeps his attention on the system OF
signals used in his club.
Every now and then some wise lad
who watches his baseball closely, sits
down and grinds out tale endeavor-
ing to show just how important sig
mails are in baseball. And promptly
some person on the side lines arises,
emits a decisive boot and proceeds to
devote columns of valuable space to
knocking the signal story.
Right here and now, want to line
up with the lads who are strong for
1.-The. signal thing, says sport
writer who says: There is no doubt
that the signal play is mighty impor-
tant part in baseball, not only In the
two big leagues, but in every league
team in the country. In fact it would
be pretty hard to find first class
amateur team which isn't there with
the signals.
And by signals, do not mean the
signals the catchers use to put the
pitchers wise. mean the signals for
the shifting of players for certain bat
tiers, signals warning the infielders
lust what the pitcher is about to of
fer the batter, signals STIMULATING
which man shall take the throw at
second, and these signals are flashed
from the infielders to the outfie'ders
$50 that every one of the nine men ia
the field knows just exactly what the
defensive plan on the batter and run
ner is.
OF course the team on the offensive
lis, there with the signals also. Every
time man goes to the plate he has
his orders instructing him what he
| is to try to do at the bat The signal
/ is tipped to the runner, if there is a
runner and the entire success of the
teams attack depends on the proper
working out of the play which the
manager or captain has devised.
A majority of the managers in the
/ two big leagues keep busy on the
coaching line. The manager watches
the batter, and the base runner watch
es the manager. Or the manager may
be on the bench It's cinch that
1 he isn't going to delay the game, call
his men in from the coaching box and
instruct them what play he wants.
! Instead of this he flashes the signal
4 for the play to the coacher, or else
| the batter does it when ne takes his
position at the plate. Both coachers
are watching, and they in tura tip off
t the play to the runner. Sounds sim
! pie, doesn't it? But it isn't, by long
! shot.
The Chicago Cubs have been known
| to change signals as often as six
times in one game. McGraw, of the
Giants, frequently changes his sig
1 mails. Jennings is fond of doing the
| same thing, and signal practice is
about as important as batting and
! fielding practice for the UP to date
team which is making fight for hon
ors in its league
Every baseball fan in the country
lis familiar with the antics of Hughey
Jennings on the coaching line. Jen-
nings pulls UP the grass chews it,
dances on one foot kicks, shouts and
claps his hands. OF course. part of
this is for the effect it may have on