Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-03-15
TIGER PRACTISE WORK
PROGRESSED SO FAR
SIGNALS ARE IN USE
Devising of Scheme to Tip Off Players to
What Is Going to Take Place Diff
cult Job for the Most Expert

get next to the telegraph CODE For
instance, last season, when q hit-and-
run was attempted, each of the Tiger
bat wielders had some distinct sign
to tip the man on first base that he
would hit at the next ball pitched.
Swaeina swung his bat with his left
hand. holding it in the middle: Harry
Smith gave the tip with his left foot;
Eddie Zimmerman stopped down to
rub his hands in the dust, and when
he wiped his hands on his trousers
there was nothing doing, but when
he rubbed them together il meant Ego
ahead" Bill Collins would swing his
bat a couple of times, as batters do
when facing a pitcher and when he
ended his swing just as the bat
reached the plate it meant he intend
ed to wallop the pill. and Billy zim-
merman's flash get set" was to chew
tobacco.
1t is not necessary, as a rule. for
all of the men in the game to know
every mans signals, because the first
man up is very seldom on base unless
through some break when the eighth
or ninth man on the batting order
comes up, but Manager Smith will
ask every one of his men to get ia
miliar with the other mems signals
until he has definitely decided on his
| lineup. The Yannigans will be pre-
scented with separate code when the
practise games begin next week.
Must BE simple.
To devise new but simple signals Is
difficult task, as intricate signs are
apt to get the man ahead puzzled up.
Among the many suggested are
splitting on the bat, rubbing the
handle of the bat. sometimes with the
left for blind and then giving the
real tip with the right hand Stepping
on the plate seems a careless move
ment, but it is quite successful and
often catches the opposing pitcher
and catcher mapping. A bungle makes
the hlt-and-run look foolish. The
pitcher throws the ball wide of the
plate and the base runner is generally
caught standing up. Making fake
moves is also quite an art, as it will
sometimes fool a catcher and pitcher
into giving the batter three balls and
two strikes. The best batteries in the
game fall for this stunt and the
man on first base generally gets credit
from the fans for worrying the
pitcher" OF course. the base runner
acts as though he is trying to get a
lead, but the man who deserves the
real credit is the man at bat Some
times, to throw the other team off
the scent, the coacher gives the signal
to both men. In that case it is neces-
sary for the two active players to
reply by some movement that they
have received the message before the
play is safe. The coacher generally
gives his tip by some word he uses in
coaching, such as wait for good
one" meaning ''get ready" and then
make it be nice" or something SINH
lar meaning the deck Is set for action.
Yesterdays Practise.
The second squad of Tigers who
arrived yesterday morning went
through a lively workout with the
players who were already at the
training camp. Getz and Barcklow
showed fine form in picking up
grounders, while Marty Kavanagh,
the local lad. performed wonderfully
around first base. Hi Myers looked
good at the bat, while Eddie Gagnier
picked some up around second base.
Bert Tooley took things easy and was
only out for few minutes.
1t was the first time that the Tigers
had a double workout. In the morn
ing the boys practised in the Y. M
c. A. gymnasium. An indoor contest
has been arranged between the Tigers
and the Savannah Y. M. c. A. team
forMnext Wednesday night.
F. ]. BENDEL.