Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-03-08
By j. w. Heislnan.

JNII\ UlNG consideration or
the fielding work of outfeld-
ers, l wish next to call the
readers attention to the way all
outfielders should throw to the
plate and how right fielders should
throw to third base to catch run
ners.
When the untutored spectator
sees such throw hitting the
ground before it reaches home or
third, as the case may be, he usually
jumps to the not unnatural suppo-
sition that the player making the
throw did not have a good enough
arm to send it all the way in on a
line or in the air. If the thrower
was professional player he is
nearly always wrong, for the player
could many times get it in by the
Affair line had he so chosen. But
to send it in so that it viii reach
the catcher after one long bound
means that it does not have to be
aimed so high, which means in turn
that it will take less time to get
there. Also the thrower needs not
to make such a ponderous effort to
get such a throw away, and that
spells a further saving of time. And
finally it results that the ball can be
thrown much more accurately, both
as regards distance and direction.
when sent in on the first bound
than the other way. Some may
think, however, that what the ball
thus gains in speed is neutralized
by lessened velocity after the
bound. but they would be wrong,
for a ball travelling sharply on a
line Stacks up in speed hardly at
all on its first bound, though l grant
that succeeding bounds slow 1t up
very rapidly.
One little point here: Every ball
so thrown in by right-hand man
will break sharply to his own right
Immediately after striking the
ground. Accordingly, right-hand
throwers should aim a little to the
left of a straight line to the team
mate to whom they are throwing.
in confidence that the bound will
make it all right again. Left-hand
throwers can figure on a bound to
the left.
WITH no one on base the right
w fielder should hurry over to
his left to back up the Forthcoming
throw from short or third to first
base if either the shortstop or the
third baseman is fielding the bat
ted ball; but he can not be asked
TO back up the second basemans
throw to first base.
If. however, there is a runner on
first, and less than two down. and
the batted ball goes down to the
third baseman or shortstop, the
right fielder should, of course run
TO his right and back up on the line
of the throw from third or short to
second base, as the play will doubt
less be made to that bag If the ball
is fielded clean.
In amateur ball, at any rate the
pitcher is the one to run over and
back up the second baseman's
throw to first unless he is very
tired or weak. He will have to cross
in front of the runner to get there
and he should be careful to hustle,
and not have collision with that
runner; otherwise he should wait
tin the runner has gone by and
ther7 cross behind him
IT HE only occasion on which the
center fielder or left fielder
should throw TO first base is when
on a fly ball a runner on first has
gone down so far toward second
that, after catching the fly, there
appears a reasonable chance Of
shooting the ball in to first before
the base runner can get back This
throw should also be on the bound,
and should be backed up by pitcher.
THE right fielder can now and
then throw the batter out at
first on what appears to be clean
single, provided the fielder is in
close and the ball comes sharply TO
him on the first or second bound;
but it seldom works out this way
unless the runner is loafing down to
first The catcher should back up
this throw. If he gets it as the re-
suit Of an overthrow bE the right
dclder he should instantly whip it
back t' frs, ou tae DhW,. Jha' tne