The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1910-08-04
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was swinging every man In the team
was moving automatically toward
right field, In full motion before Nit
chell hit the ball. The gaps at first
base, between first base and second,
over second base and between third
and short were closed hermetically,
while the gap between Steinfeldt and
the third base line was opened up 20
feet. The ball, II hit on the ground,
had no place to go except into some
infielder's hands, unless Reulbach
blundered and Mitchell pulled" the
ball down the third base gap. Every
man on the team knew II Reulbach
pitched high. fast and outside, Nit
chell would hit toward right field.
The only chance Mitchell had to hit
safe was to drive the ball over the
head of the infielders, or hit 1t on a
line over seven feet and less than 10
feet above the ground. II Reulbach
had been ordered 70 pitch low and
over the plate, or low and inside, or
a slow ball, the team would have
shifted exactly in the opposite way.
Every club worthy the name uses
the same system, but II 10 in the ma
jor leagues that II reaches its high
est perfection.
The system Of signaling used by
major league teams Is so involved that
it requires constant thought and a
good memory to follow the signals,
even after knowing them. No team
dares use the same signals for any
length of time. Some players become
so skilful in detecting the signals Of
opponents that they sometimes com.
pei the other club to change them two
or three times during a game.
To show how complicated the sys-
TEN is, the Chicago Cubs catchers
each have five signals which are plain.
ly visible to the second baseman and
shortstop. II the pitcher gives the
signal, the catcher repeats It by a diff
ferent code. The catcher uses his
hands, feet, knees or eyes in signal
ing. The commonest code is one fin
ger in various positions for a straight
ball, two fingers for a curve, a snap
ping of the thumb for spit ball, a
closed fist for a slow ball and the
palm out II he wants pitch out"
the ball being thrown wide to prevent
the batter from hitting It when the
defensive side suspects or knows q
hit and run play is TO be attempted.
Sometimes the signal Is given by the
position Of the feet. Schmidt Of De-
troit, using hands to signal when the
bases are clear, signals with his eyes
when runners are on bases, also
using his hands to deceive them. In
the worlds series between Detroit
and Pittsburg last year Tommy Leach
Of Pittsburg tipped off Schmidt's sig
nails repeatedly by guessing that when
Smith signals one thing with his
hands he was flashing the opposite
signal with his eyes.
The second baseman and short stop
see the catcher's signal and verify II
by signaling to each other, deciding
which is to cover second base. Also
the intention of the pitcher is signaled
to ever member of the team.
In addition the second baseman and
short stop have a code of their own
consisting Of two signals, given with
the hands, feet, arms or eyes--some
times by spoken words that are mean
| ingless to any one else-by which
they understand which one is to take
throws at second base. The manager
also has his private set Of signals by
which he directs the movements OF
the team. Each man on the defensive
infield has at least nine signals he
must remember, most of which are
changed, in meaning at least. every
day. Each batter has six, three with
the three preceding batters and three
with the three men following him, ma
king is signals a day, besides the
ones used by the manager The sec
ond baseman and short stop have
from twenty to twenty-four signals u
keep in mind, most of which are
changed every day and sometimes
three times during a game. In 1909
when the hint had gone through the
American league that the New Yorl
team was stealing signals, the Chi
cago White Sox changed signals nine
times in one game, no signal meaning
the same thing In any two innings.
There is no betrayal of secrets Il
explain how these signals are uset
or what they are, since they arr
changed so often that they may meal
anything. Chance usually signals TO
runner to try to steal by changing
places with some one on the bench
He orders hit and run plays by look
ing over the bats. He orders doubl,
steals by lifting his cap and some
times varies this by using the name
of players. If he calls "Sheckard" h
means steal, If Schultz" hit and run
If Hoffman," go on the first ball.
always shall believe that Detroi
lost the worlds championship of 1870
either through bad infield signalin
or through too much signaling fror
the bench. Detroit's system is rathe
intricate and confusing because Jer
nings continually signals from tn
bench and the coaching lines. HI
signals to batters are given wit