The citizen., 1913-05-30


iust as SUR ly a.. N war the artillery
must cover cavalry or infantry
charge.
The hit and run consists o. the bat
ter GtviuE or receiving a signal SO that
5csh Ike aYd the runner know that on
t.s next pitched ball the runner is
g1.ne to start for the next base The
uu-y of the batter then Is 10 hit the
ba.l-.nd toward the spot most likely
10 " vacated by the irde.der whl
goes tc take the throw at second base.
ul the hit and run. effective as il
las proved has been found inferior
.u tile run and hit The difference is
rlot the enemy has no chance to dis
cover iu advance what the play is 70
d. In tie hit and run the passing
oi signals often warns the opposing
catcher or pitcher OF the intent to
make ,hs play The result IS that the
pitcher pitches out ttElt Is. throws
-ly bal. t1 the catcher SO lar from the
...-. t.at tae batter cannot hit il'
and tae catcher being prepared,
'A.cVs aW tas base runner. BESIDES.
either the runner or batter may mss
'.. --..l with disastrous rtsrlts-
-.... tae signal is absolutely Neces-
~.r. "a,1 d." players are On team,
.a- often between veterans, especially
sn.a Tie runner is a cashin5 ~nd II
Fe-tra player. The greatest OF teams
-Ii players have been for 4 number
g.. years abandoning the hit and run
a-d p.ayia; raa and Lit; thar IS, the
--.uer starts when he sees the best
ailqr.uat,5 and the batter seeing AIiA
going protects h.m by hitting the pail
or by hitting at H. so as TO hamper
The freedom OF the eatchers move
Lents. Crawford ana Oooo' oi the De
troit team. have used TINS system Wi'n
wonderful success, and Crawford sci
dom fails TO cover Cobb.s movements
The All Star team OF 1910. winch
prepared the Athletics fer their hfSt
championship. was composed OF aoou'
as quick thinking crowd OF play
ers as could be assembled. Inc! heid
q meeting before they went INTO the
first game against the champions ana
discussed signals Inc second oase-
man, shortstop and catcher asree" Oh
simple signs to notify the hheia
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 ana nit
Not once, during the entire series III
which they beat the Champions d4-
| cisiyely. did any batter iail 10 see
the runner start or neglect TO PRO
tect him.
The run and hit is. OF course, eX-
| tremely difficult for ineXperia need
players. 1t requires 3 quick eye, a
! quick wit auG quick swing 10 hit
the ball after catching fleeing
glimpse of the runner moving.
The run and hit IS the most effect
i've styla OF attack yet devised. and es-
pecially adapted to the new conditions,
its usefulness as 3 run producer and
in advancing runners being greatly
increased after the adoo-ion OF the
livelier ball. late il l9r5
There Is not. nor ever can be. any fixed
rule recording base running. Il Is all
study Of the STAGES al the game
When one run is needed. any way Il
get 10 second base fron first is the
rrouer wav. Remember taat. in base
running. the more the situation seems
TO call for an effort to seal the less
chance 10 steal is given. The oppos.
ins pitcher knows thai. with two ont
and run desperately needed, the run
ner or first Will probably attempt TO
steal on the first pitched ball;
therefore he watches the bases more
closely. the catcher is expecting he
attempt. and is fortified, the second
baseman and shortstop exchange sig
rals and decide which will receive the
throw. Therefore the runner who
steals en- the wrong ball" that is
steals when the best authorities de-
clare a steal should not be made, is
much more likely to accomplish the
steal than is the one who runs at the
proper instant. In other words, when
YOU must you seldom can, and when
you don't need to ii is easy. During last
Y season in bots the major leagues the
+ runners violated every previously ac
I cepued rule They stole with none
out. with one or two out. stole on the
srst second. third or fourth ball
pitched. stole even with the count one