Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-08-21

When old timers get to arguing
about the relative merits of ball play.
ers of the nineteenth and twentieth
centuries they can win the argument
In the back-stopping department. Not
that there are not as brilliant catch
ers now as ever looked through a
mask, but the art OF catching has fall
en- somewhat into decay, taking the
whole run Of major league catchers
as field Of observation.
Probably Is per cent Of the catch
ers in the game today give the pitch
ers the sign for the next ball while the
pitcher Is off the slab IL there are
runners on bases and particularly II
there Is a runner on first or second
Watch this any day and see how often
!. the pitcher win stand off to one side
of the slab or behind 1t until
he has caught the sign for the
next ball to be delivered. Then said
pitcher will step on the slab. usually
taking his hurting position deliberate
ly and finally pitch the ball.
This happens most frequently when
there Is a runner likely to advance.
1
only runner on third the pitcher
generally will take his regular posi-
ton before looking for the catcher's
sign. Some pitchers habitually re
main off the slab until they know
what they are going to pitch.
When this Is not deliberately &C
guired habit to overcome the tend
ency to pitch too fast, It is done as
rule for the purpose of guarding
against betraying tne catcher's sign
to the base runnes There has been
so much talk and suspicion about sig
nal tipping in recent years that catch
ers and pitchers have devoted a lot
of time and thought to crossing their
opponents and preventing the detec-
tion Of their signals. BY stepping to-
ward third base from the slab when
there Is a man on first the pitcher
enables the catcher to conceal his
hand from the man on first When
there Is runner on second the pro-
cess Is reversed and the pitcher steps
over toward first base to look for the
sign. If the only runner is on third
he cannot see a sign anyway. With
runners on first and second the prob
lem Is more difficult and the battery
men have to resort to other ruses
which they think clever.
In working out these schemes to
checkmate would-be tippers the catch
er and pitcher have tossed into the
discard one Of the most effective de
fensive elements Of the game-the
eyes and wits of the catcher. Old
time backst6ps and afew Of the pres
ent generation were and are of great
assistance in every game In. calling
the turn on what the baserunners or
batsnfen are planning to do on the
next ball pitched. In order to do this
It is necessary for the pitcher to be
on his slab ready to pitch before the
sign Is given. Then. with the runner
and batsman alert for the play to start
with the motion Of the pitchers arm.
one or the other of the opponents Is
liable to give away the impending play
by some unconscious move or atti-
tude.
Catcher Watches Batter and Runner.
The wise catcher, squatted behind
the batsman, keeps one eye on the
runner and the other on the batsman
and gives his sign TO the pitcher de-.
hberately, not hurriedly. If he detects
the intent of the runner to steal or
sees hit-and-run play coming off he
can call for a pitch out. which means
the ball will be delivered out of reach
Of the batsman, but in good position
for the catcher to throw out the run
ner.
If the batsman has the pitcher in
the hole so that 1t is not safe to