Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-09-10

Require Tagging Of PIayer--Fasssst
Way to Reach Initial Station Is %
Set OF at Top Speed and Overrun
Bag.
Why does baseball player slide TO
first base when trying to beat a close
play? Because he thinks he can hit
the bag quicker that way than by GO
ing across standing up. That fallacy
was exploded years ago by actual test,
but the younger generation of players
either has forgotten it or never knew
it, and the practice of sliding into first
base is growing with each new relay
of recruits TO the majors. Even some
of the older players who ought to
know better. are catching the disease.
Way back before the present century
began there was considerable agitation
In favor OK letting base runners over
run second as well as first without IN
curing liabilit. to be put out for 1t.
The object was to increase the base
running by improving mans chances
Of stealing second. 1t was argued and
actually demonstrated by stop watch
tests that runner had to slow up
fraction of q second to make q slide
either head first or feet first. The rea-
son was never clearly given, but some
asserted 1t was because the runner had
to break his stride to make the slide
and others that he lost some OF his
bodily momentum.
Anyhow the tests showed the fast
est possible way to get from one base
to another was to stand up. run ut
top speed all the way and overrun the
bag. But it was decided against per-
hitting runners to do that in going to
second base because Of the different
conditions. At first base 1t is not nee
essary to touch the runner, but only to
beat him to that cushion with the ball,
while at the other three bases it is nee
essary to tag the runner, as every one
knows.
Under these conditions 1t really is an
advantage for runner to slide instead
Of going In standing up. Frequently
when the ball beats runner to Sec
ond. third or home, he can avoid being
touched by sliding away from the
guardian Of the base and making 1t
necessary to tag his spikes or his shins,
whereas II he went In standing up he
would present much larger target for
the baseman to touch
Consequently the movement to permit
overrunning second base was sidetrack-
ed as favor to foxy base runners with
the ability TO slip around opponents. nj
though at cost of fraction Of n see
ond in their speed.
There IL no such advantage I'm the
slide to first base, however, and the
player who hits the dirt merely in
creases the chances Of being beaten by
the ball. 1t is quite probable that the
players habit Of sliding to other bases .
on all close plays. so as to make it ns
hard as possible to tag them. is re-
sponsible for the growing practice of .
hnndicapplng themselves ut first base
lnstinctively when runner going to
first sees the play will he close. he
makes up his mind to slide the same as
AT tiny other base.
II has cost many n runner life
which he might have gained by sprint
lhg across the base at top speed Many
decisions at first are hy the wink Of
an cyensh, consequently the loss of
small part OF n second is enough to
tnrn the scale. Also the umpire some
times Is confused by the slide and
makes the wrong decision because he
expects the runner to flash past the
bag instead Of sliding.