The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1914-02-11
EXPLAINING BASEBALL .
TO ENGLISH READERS.

From London Answers: Just as as
ISOLATION football attracts thousands
and thousands of spectators every
Saturday, during the season, in this
country. so does baseball draw it's
armies Of enthusiastics in the United
States of America.
This American national game ia a
mixture Of cricket and FOUNDERS, and
although a first glance at the accom-
panying plan of g. baseball field may
make 0 think 1t complicated, this is
not really the case, as you will see
by reading this article.
The game is won by the side that
makes the most runs, and the runs
are made, as in FOUNDERS. That ia to
say, a man must touch the three
bases" and get back to the "home
plate" before a run is scored. A glance
at the plan "a diagram of a. diamond
Is given) will show you the bases, /.
2, 3 and the home plate, which is
the diamond between AA.
AA is callel the batsman's box and
opposite him, at B, stands the pitcher,
who corresponds to the bowler in
cricket. Behind the batsman. at G.
stands the catcher, who stands for OUR
wicket keeper, and behind both the
pitcher, B, and the catcher, C., respec-
lively, there stands an umpire, UU.
There are no. wickets, but the pitcher
must mako each ball pass over the
home plate, between. IA, not higher
than the batsman's shoulder, and not
below his knees. If he can SEND down
three balls in this manner, which the
batsman fails to hit, the man is out.
Now look at the wv foul lines that
run out at angles from where the
batsman stands. The ball must not
be hit over these, so that there is no
cutting or placing to leg, as in
cricket. Amy placing Of the ball by the
batsman must be in the nature Of a
drive or slog. When hitting he must
have a clear idea, therefore, as to the
positions of the different fieldmen.
Another look at the plan will tell you
how these are placed.
There are nine men a side at base
ball and we have already accounted
for two in the fielding side. namely
the pitcher and catcher. The other
fieiders shown in the plan are as fol-
lows:
Beyond first base, at e. stands the
first baseman. Farther on, at F. stands
the second baseman. On the other side
Of n second base, at G, is shortstop.
while near third base, at H, is the
third baseman. Then we have what we
should call the deep fieidsmen, name-
ly. I j, and K. OF these, I is called
the right fielder, j lis the left fielder
and K the center fielder. There are
now only two positions unexplained IN
the picture. the two obIongs, Do,
which are known as the .'coachers'
boxes" The coacher is a PLAYER be.
longing to the batting side, who may
stand at DID in order to direct the
batsmen at the different bases. by
telling them when to run on to the
next base, and when to stand still,
A peculiar point about baseball is
that the fielding side does not have to
get out all their opponents before go-
ing in to bat. An inning at baseball Is
somplete as soon as three batsmen are
dismissed. "A match consists OF nine
innings for each side; 1t lasts. on an
average, between two and three hours.
and. as already stated, the side which
has made most runs wins.
AT baseball a club is used instead Of
la bat, and the catcher. who has 70
stand up to all sorts OF fierce throw
ing from the pitcher. wears a mask
over his face, rather like that used by
lfencers. He also has a stout glove on
his left hand, something after the
style OF a small boxing glove, and he
~endeavors to let the bali strike this
glove first, Immediately after which
he claps his. right hand over 1t.
The catcher and the pitcher have a
secret code OF signals between them,
but 1t is the catcher who signals what
sort of a ball should be sent down
for the following delivery.