The Red Cloud chief., 1913-05-29

tempts to drive the ball safe can win
consistently. The batter must help
the base runner and cover his moves
Just as surely as. In war, the artillery
must cover cavalry or infantry
charge.
The hit and run consists Of the bat.
ter giving or receiving u signal 80 that
both he and the runner know that on
the next pitched ball the runner 10
going to start for the next base. The
duty Of the batter then is to hit the
ball-and toward the spot most likely
to be vacated by the inielder who
goes to take the throw at second base.
But the hit and run. effective as 1t
has proved. has been found inferior
to the run and hit. The difference Is
that the enemy has no chance to dis.
cover In advance what the play IL to
be. In the hit and run the passing
of signals often warns the opposing
catcher or pitcher Of the intent to
make the play. The result is that the
pitcher pitches out" (that Is. throws
the ball to the catcher so far from the
plate that the batter cannot hit III
and the catcher. being prepared.
throws out the base runner. Besides.
either the runner or batter may miss
the signal. with disastrous results.
Still the signal is absolutely neces-
sary when new players are on a team.
and often between veterans, especially
when the runner is a dashing and In
ventive player. The greatest OF teams
and players have been for number
Of years abandoning the hit and run
and playing run and hit; that Is, the
runner starts, when he sees the best
opportunity and the batter. seeing him
going. protects him BY hitting the ball
the freedom of the catchers move
ments. Crawford and Cobb. Of the De-
troit team, have used this system with
wonderful success, and Crawford sell
dom fails TO cover Cobbs movements.
The "All Star" team Of 1910, which
prepared the Athletics for their first
championship, was composed OF about
as quick thinking crowd OF play
ers as could be assembled. They held
a meeting before they went into the
first game against the champions aud
discussed signals. The second base
man, shortstop and catcher agreed on
simple signs to notify the inheld
whether the shortstop or second base
man would take the throw at second
Then they decided not to attempt any
other signal. but to play run and hit
Not once. during the entire series In
which they beat the Champions de-
cisively, did Any batter fail to see
the runner start, or neglect to pro
tect him.
The run and hit ia, of course. ex
tremely difficult for inexperienced
players. 1t requires a quick eye. d
quick wit and quick swing to hil
the ball after catching a fieetine
glimpse Of the runner moving
The run and hit Ii the most effect
i've style of attack yet devised, and es
pecially adapted to the new conditions
its usefulness as q run producer ant
in advancing runners being greatly
increased after the adoption OF tho
livelier ball, late In 1910.
There is not. nor ever can be. any fixet
rule regarding base running. 1t is al
q study of the stages Of the game
When one run Is needed, any way tt
get to second base from first Is thu
proper way. Remember that In bas'
running, the more the situation seem!
to call for an effort to steal the les:
chance to steal Is given. The oppos
ing pitcher knows that, with two ou
and a run desperately needed. the run
ner on first will probably attempt t.
steal on the first pitched ball
therefore he watches the bases mor'
closely. the catcher is expecting thu
attempt, and Is fortified. the secont
baseman and shortstop exchange sig
nails and decide which will receive thu
throw. Therefore the runner VIII
steals on "tbe wrong ball." that ia
steals when the best authorities de
clare q steal should not be made, Il
much more likely to accomplish th'
steal than Is the one who runs at th'
proper instant. In other words. whel
you must you seldom can, and whel
you don't need to 1t to easy. During las
season In both the major leagues tn
i runners violated every previously &C
cepted rule. They stole with nom
out, with one or two out. stole on th'
first, second. third or fourth bal
pitched. stole even with the count on
strike and three balls. The season
was a reversion to tho baseball of i
years ago In base running.
After reaching second base the prob
lem of the steal is much more compli
Gated. Most managers oppose steal
ing third. except in rare cases. on tn
grounds that the risk does not just
fy the gain. as hit or q bad erro
will score a runner from second a
easily as 1t will from third.
In regard to the stealing of third
With q runner on second and no on
out, the sacrifice bunt, even with tn