The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1912-04-14

~ 0NF1DENcE, That SINGLE word
" let's you in on the secret of rap
ping ont home runs in the major
leagues. When baseball fans wondered
at the number OF fourrbaggers [ nit
out the past season and asked me for
the key to the mystery l always gave
them that answer
One instance will illustrate the whole
story. Mathewson is justly regarded
rs one of the hardest pitchers to hit
Tinker Of the Chicago Cubs can solve
his delivery as il the great Giant pitch
or were bush leaguer, for Joe goes
up to the bat with one thought, 'I
ran hit that fellow" and he does.
I have often heard it said that Math
ewson would rather face an entire
team Of siuggers than Joe Tinker alone.
It g confidence that makes Tinker win
SO many games for the Cubs from
Natty. know haven t the confidence
against Christy that Tinker has, and
] don't hit as well
1t; s not so difficult to score homers
as many believe. 1t IS mighty hard
TO tell Just how to do it. But after
/ have raped one out L do know that
j didn e swing Rs hard on the ball as
] did couple of innings before, when
it went only as far as the shortstop.
IL you Judge the ball correctly, hit
it right on the nose with free swing,
not foo hard, and raise it up, YOU stand
an excellent show of making a circuit
Of the bases. Tho hardest hit balls gen
eraiy 20 on line to the infeIders
or outfielders. But the Jnng. tall flies
are the boys that clear the fence
n CAN'T tell how ] had such q year
IL for making home nuns this past
season, unless it t's because / didn 't try
especially TO get them. If you stand
at bat and don Z try 10 put all your
strength into your swing, it's amazing
TO SEQ how many get past the felders.
I've made a Lot of extra base hits
this last season that might have been
fnu1-baggers IL I had put on an extra
pound of steam when I left the plate.
Because sometimes the fielder fddles
around with the ball when he gets it
In hIs hand, giving you q chance to
get all the way around on hit that
doesn't clear the fence.
The longest bah hit last year was
ut the Chicago park against Pitcher
.Anles Of New York. Honestly, didn t
put any more muscle into that drive
than i do in some grounders which
are easily picked up by the inhelders-
But I Judged the ball to be an out
rurve and walloped il right on the
heart, 1t not only cleared the high
bleacher fence, but would have gone
something on the other side.
/ felt that day I could hit Ames, and
! did. Bnt that feeling of confidence
isn't always present. Often 7 90 up
aga1nss pitcher with the thought hs
has 1t on me. Then can't seem 10
get the ball anywhere except in a
players hands It's q mighty funny
proposition all the way If any young
player should ever ask me for advice
IN batting, and especially in making
honIers, would say to get all the
naturally when the ball leaves the
pitcher's hand. Bnt. most important
Of all, keep your eyes on tho ball.
It's comparatively easy to save
strike, even If you we started to swing,
when the ball doesn Z come the wsy
you expected.
TNHIS brings to my mind criticism,
u that has occasionally been leveled
at me I We been called sIow, because
J. don 7 make al! kinds of motions while
standing at the plate They overlool,
the fact that J. make hits now and
then, blaming that on the fact that
I've wakened mp Tor n moment j
go on the theory that batter has
tendency to lose track Of the ball If
he keeps moving around If ! should
wrigRle my bat half dozen times I
might be out of position, of balance,
when I got ready TO swing Moreover.
! eouldn 7 keep my s'sight'' on the
ball as il came. | believe in conser.
vatlon of energy.
For instance-when I'm playing right
field. work as easily as J can. In
my judgment the value Of a ball PLAYER
lies In knowing what to do at the right
Time. rather than try for grandstand
plays ] try to never hurry after a
fly ball, timing its course, and endeavor
TO get Under 1t the instant il nears