Las Vegas optic., 1913-03-17


guessing. If you always 90 down on
the first ball or the second or third (
pitched ball they will soon become !
acquainted with this fact and be pre-
pared to catch you in your attempt to
seal.
Watch the Baseman, Too.
Another thing you want to learn
to do is to watch the baseman's eyes. |
The baseman is watching the bali
1t is up to MIN to get the ball and
get you. He has to have the ball be
fore he can tag you, and he is, there
fore, watching the course of the ball.
By watching the baseman's eyes as
you near the bag you will know
which way the ban is coming, The
baseman will try to be where the
ball will be, and your place is as far
away from the baseman as you can
get and still be able to reach the bag.
Slide out of the baseman's reach,
away from the spot where he intends
to take the throw.
That brings you to another big point
in base running; namely. sliding. If
you should ask me how to learn TO
slide, / should answer, practice" "
That is the way to learn anything.
Practice not only makes perfect, but
it also makes possible. Keep on try
ing to slide and you viii learn how;
anyone should be able to ''hit the
dirt" as we call it in baseball
Some boys slide into the bag, slid
ing head first. Do not do this; slide
feet first. When you slide feet first
YOU are less liable to be stepped on.
Basemen do not keep their feet around
a pair Of spikes, and these spikes are
on the feet which you are showing to-
ward the bag. When you slide head
first the baseman will not take any
preeaution. but win step into you, be-
cause there is no danger to him. He
will not step on you Intentionally,
but he will not take the same care
that he would take if he knew a pair
Of spikes were whirling that way.
Do not try to slide away from every
baseman. There are some basemen
who win expect you to slide away from
them: they win be looking for it and
be prepared to turn and tag you.
Again, it is up to you TO outsuess
them. and you can do this by sliding
directly into them. There is an advant-
axe in going directly into the base
man who thinks you win slide away
from him. You might jar him and he
will lose confidence in himself and
miss you when he tries to put the ball
on YOU or YOU are liable to bump him
with your knee or the calf of your
/ leg. so that he will drop the ball.
Some players slide too soon and
4 they lose speed before the reach the
bag. As a matter Of fact, they are ly-
ing still before they touch the bag.
Some players do not slide soon enough
and they slide over the bag and al
though they have the base stolen they
are touched out before they can recov-
/ er it.
What YOU want to do is to be on
the offensive at all times. When you
want to stel. start in a hurry and go
fast. Make up your mind that you
will get to the bag and do it, Let
out all the speed you have and GO
into that base.
When you are trying to score-tha'
it. going into the home plate-go in
as hard as you can. You do not have
to halt at any bag when YOU are so
ing home and you do not have to be
ready TO advance on an overthrow
your course will be finished when yos
reach the plate. You can overslide
home as far as you like.
Stopping suddenly has brought in
igry TO many men. Going into a bar
upright and bringing themselves TO