The Washington herald., 1912-04-21


most abused stalking
horse" that ever tool
the track for the national game, it wa,
common on rainy days to seek baseball
players of prominence, particularly man
ayers who had been at the head Of
teams which had won baseball champion
ships, and gravely ask them whether
they thought that team composed Of
EIGHT three-ply felders and a tiptoT
pitcher could beat team composed Of
eight star batters and an ordinary
pitcher
Once this problem was, put to Anson.
They did not call him the grand old
man in those days. He was largely and
widely referred to as Baby" Anson, and
90 called because he could outkick any
manager who ever lived, and did.
Anson sDorted when he heard the ques-
ton. He usually did snort, more or less,
when anything came up for discussion in
regard to batting The reason therefor
was that Anson was one of the best bat
ters who ever lived. He boasted that all
pitchers looked alike to him. Further
more, they did. Now and then one would
fool him for the moment. All are likely
to do that to all batters on some occasions,
but in the long run Anson would drive a
shaft of fear into the hearts of pitchers
who opposed him. Rusie was about as
complete a puzzle as any to the Chicago
chieftain, but Anson was beginning to see
the leaves fall in the autumn of his career
when Rusie was at his best.
Anson said there was nothing in it,
that any eight batters who, comparatively
speaking, could hit the-ball as well as he
could beat any team of star felders and
a star pitcher, all of them being chosen
more for their merit as felders and a
pitcher than as batters. A pitcher never
is expected to bat much, anyhow, so the
pitcher did not figure on either team, ex-
cept that the felders were to have a
Rusie, or somebody akin to him.
The foregoing has been leading directly
into the study of batting, which is one
of the most fascinating studies of the
national game.
Albert G. Spalding, who was the
Mathewson of his day land he did not
depend upon a curve ball, but pitched old
fashioned tosses to the batter, in an elo-
quent address TO the schoolboys of New
York likened baseball to war.
Attack and Defence.
Now, Mr.. Spalding did not intend to con- !
vey the notion that the national pastime
is war in the sense of deadly strife be-
tween human beings. That's all non
sense, even if somebody did take it seri-
Ously enough to believe that the greatest
pitcher of his day was teaching doctrine
hostile to the peace treaties. What he
wished to express was that baseball re-
sembled war, because there is an attack
and a defence, and a purpose for both
attack and defence, for the intent is to
win.
Why is it that hulkins big ball player
six feet high and proportionately broad Of
beam can bat the ball successfully in one
third of the attempts that he makes to do
30, while a little chunk of a man seldom
seems able to hit out of the reach of a
fielder?
Reverse the glass. Why is it that lit
tie chunk of a man can make base hits in
one-third of his attempts in professional
games while a big six footer, who could
lift sugar barrel to the main deck of
truck, is unable to make more than one
base hit in a fortnight?
Ofhand the ball player, who never
looks beyond the mere effect of cause,
solves the question to his satisfaction By
agreeing with anybody with whom he
happens to discuss the subject that one
Is natural hitter" and the other is not.
But why should one be a natural batter
and the other not? That question has
resulted in more argument, pro and con.
than would fill an encyclopedia, to say
nothing of the solicitous advice which
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TOOK NO CHANCES.
N y author bearing a bulky manuscript
~ went into the Office of the Bookseller
rill Company in the hope of having his
,ook published. After stating his business