Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-24


cover a lot of ground in the field and
skim over the paths in fast time Is al
ways regarded with much favor.
Usually, when a, base ball scout re-
turns from one of his gum shoe trips.
and gives his report ON the players he
looked over, the first question that is
fired at him concerns the speed of the
players under consideration. Men who
are good batters, but slow in the field
and on the bases, never look as good
to the manager and owner as the fair
hitter who shines on the paths and in
the field. Much of a ball teams sue
cess in these days depends on speed.
Players who block the bases when they
get on are menace to a teams
chances.
/ have heard any number Of National
League players contend that the Giants
as a team were not the best club in the
National League. Despite the opinions
OF these players, who are in a position to
pass Judgment. the Giants won the Ma
tional League pennant last year in a most
grueling finish. There is no denying
the fact that the wonderful pitching of
Christy Mathewson and RUDE Marquard
played prominent part in the Giants
success. Yet there was another ele-
ment that perhaps played a bigger part
than the mastery twirling of the two
pitching stars-speed- The Giants. with
six OF the first ten leauing base runners
in the older organization, practically ran
away with the honors.
Speed is always associated with good
base running Speed is perhaps the most
valuable asset of good base runner.
There are other elements. however. that
must enter into the makeup of the crack
base runner, aside from that gift of ma
ture-speed. The fastest men on their feet
are not always the best base runners. The
average fan, in watching the runner pill
fpr Ia nj SSy1eo6
SesSed by the player That one feature
stands out most prominently appeals to the
eye. It is the mechanical end that makes
the impression, the brain energy expended
in making possible the theft of the base
is usually not taken into consideration
As u rule the brain thought plays an
equal part with the speed, often greater
one.
Bert Shotten of the St Louis Browns
is the fastest man in the American
League getting down to first base. Ameri-
can League umpires and infielders will
bear out my statement have heard the
matter discussed time and again by the
star infelders. and Shotten has always
been the player picked out as the fastest
man in the league getting down to first
Base. No matter how hard Shotten hits
the ball at some infieldeT, rarely is he
ever thrown out by more than a step No
player is declared out so often hair
line decisions. ANY time Shotten steps to
the plate the umpire prepares himself
slowly. takes a high bound. or is fumbled
Inomentarily, ii is almost a certainty that
Shotten will beat it with ease.
Possessing such a great burst of speed.
one would naturally conclude that Shot
ten is a great base runner. Such. how
ever. is not the case. Shotlen Is just the
ordinary man on the bases. He has yet
40 master the art OF getting good lead,
of getting into motion the very instant
the pitcher starts TO deliver the bail. and
acquiring a fallaway slide that makes il
difficult matter for the intielder to get
the bail on him. Shotten has the speed
bit has yet to realize the best ways to
Use that great physical asset. a player
who can eat up the ground as Shotten
does when travelling to first ought to be q
most dangerous man after ne gets on
Proper coaching and much practice would
make this most prom sing player much
more valuable to his club.
Thus il is evident that the star base
runner must have more things than speed
In The first place, he must have more
than the average amount Of gray matter
Then he must be able 20 get a big lead
for the lead or start means everything
at the finish. Runners are thrown out
time after time by a matter of inches
when an additional foot or two at the
start would have resulted in a success
ful steal. Then the player must get The
break. BY getting the break. player.
mean TO start the steal the very mo
nent the pitcher starts his delivery
which insures no lost motion. Nine tirne
out of ten the player must end an at
tempted stea! by a slide, most OF tn
players preferring the feet first method
In many cases the slide IS the china,
TO the attempt. The faEaway slide, il
which the runner gives the fielder littl
more than the spikes on one shoe L
touch. is often the turning point, the de
Gliding factor in the play. There are an
number of players who are referred to b.
the profession as being spike shy. Thes
players do not fancy touching the stee
blades and running risk of injury. Fea
often makes them miss the runner whe
he should be an easy out. Time an
again / have seen the fielder have tn
ball yards in advance of the base run
ner. vet miss him by a foot more
Fear Is not always the reason. Often tn