Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1913-04-24
Big League Clubs Eager to
Land Man Who Gan Bat.
FEW CAN FILL The ROLE.
Man Who Has the Position of Emer-
sency Batter Is Important Part of the
Game-Must Be Natural Batter-Mc-
Cormick Of Giants Is a Star.

hitter. and a pinch hitter Of his ability
is invaluable to a team with champion
ship aspirations. AS in the case of Nc
Cormick, the baseball season will be
notable this year for the players car
ried on the payrolls for their Nnch hit
ting ability.
Years ago. when baseball was far
from being the scientific game that it
is now. for a club to carry a man who
seldom attempted to play in the field.
but occasionally was sent in to bat for
another weaker hitter in a pinch, was
practically IN unheard of thing. 1t
was regarded us a useless expenditure
Of money, if it was thought Of at all.
But baseball Of today demands it. and
baseball Of the future will see more
Of it.
Pinch hitting has become a part of
the game. just as pitching and fielding
have always been part Of the sport.
The player who can take an occasional
turn at bat and produce a hit when a
hit means Il run or more in a close
contest and that run means victory is
a player to whom any big league man.
ager willingly will pay a good salary.
Such hitters are scarce. The work is
easy. but it is only n in fifty players
who can fill the position capably, and
that is u conservative estimate.
The only requisite is that the player
be Il natural hitter. He must have a
clear eye and be able to meet the ball
with ii free swing and be able to solve
in just Il short trip to the plate what
an opposiux pitcher has"
All this the regular players have
studied while at bat. If they have
failed on their first attempt they have
had time to reason why they failed and
act differently the next time. The pinch
hitter has had no such opportunity. AS
he sits on the bench. waiting for the
managers call. which nay come at any
moment or may not come ut all that
day. he listens to his teammates dis
cussing the quality Of the pitching they
are up against. He watches the pitch
er closely. but all this is ~hearsuy, and
his observations are made from Il dis
lance.
When he is called the chances are
that there will he runners on the bases
and there may he two out. The re-
sponsibility of the game is suddenly
shifted to his shoulders. 1t means vic.
tory or defeat for his club. and every
game that he figures in may later be
weighed in the balance for ~ against
his club in the final standing.
1t is a responsibility that few, even
though they be veterans, are capable
Of assuming without qualms.
Possibly the close observer of base
ball may have noticed that there are
some players who are more proficient
than their associates at hitting when
technical expression. they hit well be.
hind the runners" There are other
players who are good batters when the
bags are empty. They can do better
with the stick then than at other times.
Such players are generally called upon
to head the batting order. and the mes
who can hit well behind the runners"
follow them on the batting order where
the manager believes their ability will
be most effective.
For the most pare it will be found
that players who are carried for their
pinch hitting alone are not as pro-
icient in the field. There are othel
players who are just as good batters
as the pinch hitter or hitters Of the
club aud who can field as well; there
fore they are needed in the game all
of the time. But a situation frequently
presents itself to the manager where
these particular players are not the
next in order to bat. That's when the
pinch hitter is the mar Of the min
ute"
Mccormick Is not a good fielder. FIe
IS slow. Yet it was Mccormick who
Won more than n game for the
Giants last season. Otis Crandall, the
pitcher. is an excellent pinch hitter.
McGraw frequently calls upon the
demon reliever" to bat. This is I'M
usual. AS a rule, for some reason or
other, pitchers seldom are particularly
adept with the bat.
Crandall recalls another who was
listed as a pitcher. but who was more
or less of a failure as a twirler. "Dode"
Crisis Of the st. Louis Browns. Crisis
was not worth much more than a shil-
ling a week as a pitcher. but he was
carried by the Browns for his pinch
hitting.
After Chance retired from active
playing and became a sort Of bench
manager with the Cubs he was wont
to bat for weaker %stickers. and the
big fellow was no SLOUGH in a pinch.
He will act in that capacity for the
New York Americans this season, sue
ceeding Harry Wolverton. last years
manager. Wolverton often batted for
another player and more often than
otherwise made good.