Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-02-17
THIRD BASE COACH WINS
MANY GAMES--COLLINS
Must Think Quickly in Direct.
ing Base=Runner on Close
Plays.
HALL, OF BOSTON, CLEVER
Eddie Also Calls Kid Gleason
and Hugh Jennings Val
liable Men.
By EDDIE COLLINS
champion Second Bsseman of the
American Lcague.)

DNOO~~- -@--1c-Asn-e&
American Lcague)
In my last article l dealt with the
work of the first base coacher, and
undertook to show what was expected
of him and how his position was not
SO very important.
But with the coacher stationed at
third it Is different. He surely has
his hands full, and everything really
depends on him. Imagine for a
minute runner on second base and
sharp hit made to right field. The
runner is off with the crack of the
ball and bat, his eyes, centered on the
third base coacher, seem to say,
What shall I do-try for home or
hold up? +" The runner has his back
on the play; to turn to look at it
means the loss of a step or two, and
this delay may be just enough to re-
suit in his being thrown out at home
plate.
So the runner leaves everything to
the coacher, who must determine
almost instantly whether to risk the
chance or not. He must take into
consideration the stage of the game,
such as the score, the inning, the
number of outs, who the base-runner
Is, as some men are so much faster
than others, and arrive at a decision
in fraction of a second.
If the play is successful and the
runner slides in at home safe by a
shade, you read the next day so
and-So took a desperate chance and
by great running scored from second
on Smiths hit" But if the chance
results in the runner being put out
at home, it's the coacher, nine times
out of ten, who is blamed for sending
him in.
The public does not really APP
preciate the value of this man sta
toned to coach at third, but his
worth to q team cannot be overesti-
mated. For man to fill this position
he must have experience, he must be
a quick thinker and he must be will
ing to take a chance. AS general
rule, 1 think the best base-runners
make the best coachers, for the
simple reason that they can figure
quicker what they would do under the |
circumstances, and so are nabled to |
impart their knowledge to the man
on the sacks.
The coacher does not have to be a |
player with a stentorian voice, but |
with one just loud enough to make
the base-runner perfectly acquainted
With MS SURROUNDINGS.
At times it is almost impossible to
hear yourself talk, the yelling of the
crowd is so terrific, and then the
coacher brings his hands, arms, head
and even feet into play, and the rum
ner knows by these signs, which he
sees, when he cannot hear, whether
to stop up or keep going, just as the |
coacher motions and the situation
demands.
In order that tie players can be-
come accustomed to these signs and
some system in coaching maintained, |
it is generally planned to have a |
regular man stationed at third. !
tell you, it is difficult undertaking. !
and no youngster or inexperienced |
player should be allowed to act in |
that capacity. CHANGING at the roster |
of the different major league clubs, |
it is not hard to pick out those who |
can be found regularly upon the |
lines, and in nearly every case they |
are veterans who have finished doing |
active service, but are retained be-
cause of their experience and qualifi- !
cations to teach the younger element
on the club.
There are innumerable different |
styles of coachers, among them the
loud, boisterous, noisy. demonstra- |
tive, comical and sedate. If there is |
any one coacher who fits all of the |
above terms, it must be Herman |
Schaefer, of the Washington Sena- |
tors He sure is the "kingpin" of
them all in this line. Ne has prob |
ably originated more novel things on |
the base lines than any other player. |
Attired in a macintosh and rubber
boots, he appeared one day at third |
base in open mockery of an umpire |
hno .Fi
rain. A tight-rope walking stunt, in |
which he makes believe to balance |
himself on the chalk base line, is an
other laugh producer He and an
other famous performer, Nick Alt
rock, certainly were the source OF
much amusement to the fans around |
the circuit because of their eccentrici |
ties on the lines last summer.
Charlie Hall, nicknamed Gabby, be-
cause of his loquacity on the lines,
was another headliner when he was
member of the Red Sox. THE stands
fairly shake when Hall cuts loose on
the lines so one paper once jolxingly |
commented.
The famous Kid Gleason, of the |
White Sox, is not so conspicuous to
the spectators because of his actions
or sayings as those already men
toned, but he has favorite habit of
continually good-naturedly talking to
and kidding" the opposing infielders,
his object being, l suppose, to dis
engage their minds from their work,
a perfectly legitimate procedure il |
he can get away with 1t.
Hughie Jennings, with his "Eyah,"
and grass-puliing stunt, has a style
really do not know what 1
to name it, but, as I remarked the
other day, 1t seemed to produce re- L
suits for its first three years.
There are many other coachers of
unusual characteristics / have not
mentioned-almost every team has
ono ~ x,,oxa--bs,t In, sr,ffa of thei.-