The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-05-31
INSIDE PLAYS
PUZZLE FANS
Average Enthusiast Knows Little
Of Secret Workings Of Team.
MANAGER DIRECTS OFFENSE.

Defensively the Team, If It Works
HarnoniousIy, Decides It's Strateeies
on the Spur Of the Moment-catcher
the Pivot.
If the Average fan could realize how
little he really knows Of baseball he
might be less prone to criticism. There
Is nothing more refreshing to a stu
dent of the game than to sit through
some pleasant afternoon in hotbed
of fans in stand or bleachers and hear
the quips handed out on the play as
these spectators see it.
OF course the fan pays his good mon
ey to nourish the sport. Then who has
a better right than he to air his views?
While the layman doubtless is aware
Of the fact that baseball of today en-
braces far more than is shown on the
surface, few, very few, realize the in
tricate complications of "inside" base
ball. Far too often are such epithets
as "bonehead," 'lob," ivory skull" and
the like applied to the wrong party.
The game is progressing with the
times. The team manager of today is
the one supreme power on whose judg-
ment almost solely depends success or
disappointment
The captaincy of a major league
baseball club of today is but hollow
honor. Indeed, there is virtually no
such office except in case of a strictly
bench manager, such as Connie Mack
or Pat Donovan. In the latter case a
field captain is essential only so far as
handling the umpires.
Offensively the manager directs play.
Defensively the team, if it works har-
moniously, decides its strategies on
the spur of the moment-that is, so
far as accepting chances is concerned.
The fielders concerned always try, but
the one who is absolutely sure of the
play calls for the chance and is invari-
ably allowed to stand or fall on his
own Judgment.
Naturally the position of the catcher
gives him best command of all the
situations that arise. He faces his
other teammates and can keep strict
tab on the bases. If a base runner
strays too far from his station the
catcher flashes the intelligence to both
pitcher and infielder concerned. The
fielder is ready for the throw when
the pitcher wheels quickly to let the
ball go. and if the base runner is not
equally alert he is caught tapping.
The catcher signals the pitcher the
nature of every ball he is to serve the
batter. Sometimes the pitcher will not
agree with his battery mate on the
point. Then the backstop signals fol
different kinds Of balls until he hits
upon one the pitcher thinks will dc
the trick-that is, Of course, If he has
faith in the twirler's judgment.
But not alone the catcher profits by
the sign language of the battery. The
hawk eyed infielders and out1elders
must be familiar with every sort OF
ball delivered. Both infielders and out
fielders have to play differently on {
fast straight one to what they coult
on a curve. That is why one may
often notice the gardeners shift theil
positions frequently while the samt
man is at bat The center fielder car
see the signal, and he tips of his fel
low gardeners. The second basemaI
and shortstop flash the third and frs.
baseman if these are unable to see fol
themselves.
OF course the catcher has 30 bt
guarded in his work. He must have
several sets OF signals at his command
with which every one is familiar; 9th
erwise a brainy opponent on secont
would get on to those signs and il
turn tip off the various offerings Il
the man at bat. A catcher cannot u.s.
the same sign twice before a rival
Then, too, he must guard against tn
batsman peeking back to catch hi
code. That is why the backstop stoop
in calling for balls. He covers tn
hands, which are used entirely TO
battery signals. with his glove.