The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1912-03-23

Hut HFuiNbbs Ark.. March ga
Wee Willie kc~Ier. wonder
bstsman Of tho old baltimore.
Brooklyn and New York Highland
~r days. IL now Prof. VIM kesier.
.. u. doctor Of bsttsngl. whose per.
manent address h tbs Brooklyn
baseball club.
Who IL Willie Kccicrs Such y
fooiishnexs.
kecleF IL the man who Invented
batting Little over five feet la
height. OF sligh, physique. be rank
I'd with the Wagners. Delabantys.
Hfans. Ansons and f.ajoics ~ hit.
ter. When batting consisted OF
siuEginK. kselar perfected bunting
and place hitting, aud became the
marvel OF the game.
Now be II teaching Brooklyn
players 20 bat. have been watch
ing him transform uncoush younE.
STEERS into major league nrtists Of
swat hare 1T Hot Hprings.
keeler's Instructions are by word
and sci lie corrects the kattcr's
position. 10 give better control OF
his muscles. be tells him his faults;
be shows By example how 10 be
more effective: he puts the finish.
inx touches on tho rnw material.
Don't stand 20 far back In the
box." he tells one.
To another. Grip your bat farther
up The handle You're not swinging
= golf club. you know
No. that's not the way. Tho
pitcher knew you intended 20 bunt
before he wound up" The player
bad betrayed his intention BY his At
titude. stand ready 10 hunt or
pole "
To a batter who reached for curve
bsiia. he said: Watch the ball all
the time. Mako IL come over
Several players stood far from
the plate. kceler took his posi-
ton and showed them be could
reach over the plate. even when
choking the bat. ~ be always DOES.
He hunted. placed the ball over the
infieid and finally hit 4 long limo
drive between right and center. The
recruits were amazed.
Stand close. Keep the pitcher
working. Don't strain yourself. or
ron won't get power into your arms.
Don't try TO murder the ball all the
time. You can hif with your fore
arms as well an with your body. II
you try
Hos wonder said Manager
DahIen. Heb tanKht them lot
already
Kccier's clnss Ia buslness-iikc
The members are adopting tho
keclcr position. choking the bat
for bunts and sharp chops and
throwing their weight against tho
ball without pulling from the plate.
They are getting tho running start
on hunts. that mean much In close
decisions.
Players say there is no such thing
as place hitting. but Keeier has ex-
plotted u for years. Cobb. Lajoic
and Jackson are experts at II.
With Kceier ON the job. Brooklyn
looks besfcr than II has since Ned
aianfon won pcnnAnts with tho team.
Az soon as Brooklyn landed at
Hot Springs. Kccler had hit bat
ting clans At work. Improvement 81
noticeable. Men who Mt first went
after curve balls are letting them
pass. Men who telegraphcd
uncnosciously 10 the pitcher remain
mobile until tho bali Is pitched,
and then hunt and start for first
with tho same motion. catching
the opposition flat.footod. Or they
chop tho ball over the heads OF the
inficIders. Ia Keeler.
Bunting is easter to teach than
place hitting. Kecier says, be-
cause most players hunt more or
less cIevcrly. but very few try 10
place their hits. being content to
merely get HIT"
hut under the instruction OF
Prof. Kecler. ID. H.. every man goes
to the plate to place the ball where
tho fielders can not handle II. They
are not hitting so often, but are
picking up all the time. and before
the season opens Dahlen predicts
brooklyn will send team Of pol
ished batters to the plate. each one
able To bunt cleverly. pull the ball
over the infield or pole It to the sub
urbs.
Kcolor has less difficulty than
any other man would have. His
fame Is 40 widespread that players
who would consider an instructor
slap at their intelligence. listen
with respect.