The Washington times., 1911-06-23
Mack's Men Experts at Un-
rayeling Opponents
4 Plans.
RUNNER AT SECOND
TIPS OFF THE SIGNS
Various Schemes Suggested to
Break Up the Prac-
tice.
By "SENATOR."
Only Washington Newspaper Man
With the Nationals.

NEW YORK, June 23.-The champion
Athletics are winning games largely
through reading the signs of their oppo-
nents, according to various members of
the Nationals.
There is nothing unfair in this, and it
has been done successfully time and
time again by other championship
teams since baseball was invented. The
Detroit Tigers are reported to be doing
the same thing now and are winning
games when all looks lost, simply be-
cause the Tiger batsmen are said to
know what to expect from opposing
pitchers.
When the Nationals arrived in Phila-
delphia it was decided among three or
four of them to look carefully at the
methods employed by the champions and
see If they could detect how the signals
were learned. 1t was noticed that either
Bender, Coombs, or Plank is always one
of the men on the coaching line.
When one of the champions happens
to get to second base it is almost a rule
that those following him begin to hit
the pitchers better than before any Of
his teammates landed on the second
sack. The base runner watches the sig
nails, as being given by the backstop,
and flashes them to the CoaCher and
the batter. With careful backstOps
like Billy Sullivan, Oscar Stanage, Char
lie Street, and Jack kleinOW the cham
pions get few signs until they land a
runner on second. for then he is in
easy position to see them being given to
the pitcher.
Bob's Idea.
Bob Groom, the Nationals elongated
hurIer, thinks it would be better for OPP
- a. ha4, Ssier
nails, relying on their own cleverness to
keep them away from the enemy.
Groom is not favorable toward using
the finger signs generally used by back
stops.
Groom. and when one of the Athletics
gets on second he gets the signs as rap
idly as he can. They are shot over to
the coaches and the batter and then it
is good night for the unlucky pitcher
supposed to fool them.
There is nothing unfair in this.
says Kid ElberfeId. ANY live team
can do the same thing with any other
team. The only way to break it up is
to ring in phoney signs. switching them
ell the time, every inning if necessary.
Then you have the batter ignorant OF
what is coming, and unprepared for
what may be served up by the pitcher.
But all good teams try to get the signs
of the other fellows. II they do it fair
ly as the Athletics are doing there's
no kick coming from the slower chaps.
it's up to them to try some methods
which may fool the champs, that's
all
When asked about this today several
members Of the New York Highlanders
living at the same hotel with the Ma
tionals said they had noticed this catch
ing of their signals by the Athletics.
yes, we have doped it out that they
are getting the signals some way" says
Russell Ford, the KiltieS' crack spit-ball
hurler, land have thought out a scheme
of our OWE to outwit them. Hal Chase
is always thinking of something along
this line, and we haven had much
trouble with the Athletics on that ac-
count. But most Of the teams have
the same story to tell"
Beat Them At 1t.
The best way to beat them at it."
says Blair, the Yankees backstop, is
to have different members of the team
give the signals. It will require more
brainwork, but it will surely be more
successful Have the first baseman
give one, and then, perhaps. the catch
er, switching to the shortStop, or some
other infielder. In this way 1t would
he hard for any team to catch TIE
signs; because they couldn't look ev-
erywhere at once"
The Nationals left Philadelphia last
night at o'clock rather dISEeartened
by their work against the Athletics, but
they hope to break even with the Yam
KEGS here. They arrived shortly after
10 o'clock, and were at once packed off
to bed by Manager McAleer, who want
ed them in shape for the grinding fight
today.
Athletes, particularly baseball play
ers," says McAleer, need their rest,
and then they can do their best. With
out it, they play like sticks
wi nf ba al g
secretary, joined the team at Philad 81
phia, and will remain during the series
between the Nationals and the Yam
kees.