Evening star., 1918-03-31
TIPPING Of SIGNALS
MAY HELP PLAYERS
Connie Mack Developed a Sys.
tenn to High Point of
Efficiency.
DIFFERENT METHODS USED
BY BILLY EVANS.

mere is considerable diner
ence of opinion as to the ad-
visibility, as we'll as to the valuc,
of signal tipping Connie Mack
has been one manager who has
always believed that knowing
what the opposing pitcher was
going to pitch and knowing
what the opposing players ir-
tended to do at bat and on the
bases was OF great value to his
team. Teams that have followed
the Mack style of play at Phila-
delphia have always had his sys-
tenn perfected to the letter. That
the system has been a success
for Mack is well known. One
has only to glance over the rec
ords made by his teams for proof.
The Philadelphia club during all tsS
years under the Mack regime has never
stopped to the use OF unsportsman1ko
methods to learn the signs Of the opDegz><
ton. Diligent and careful study by -
coachers at first and third have usun1t&
brought about the desired informaf1
Occasionally suggestion from the fpnrz]
ner on second has settled a doubt 49,.
certain signs that were being used. W.
a runner reaches second II becomes 111X
for him to verify the deductions n1Ado ~
the coaches. In other cases. some -
cuiarty on the part of pitcher ~ ~ ~
about TO deliver the ball tips on imnso4lS
ately the style ball he intends to pttGk.
There is difference between his manM1
of throwing the ball when he eiecte ~
Players of the Mack school soon n1e~EI
any such fact and always. used eoc
knowledge to advantage. Sszss>
Several years ago the Mackmen
part in a world series. did not ofic111-73
in that series-in fact, have never WpG1E]
in world series in which the Athjo1D9
took part. However, attended <<
series as newspaper correspondence 49,
a chain OF papers.
Broke Up the Game.
The second game played at PhfIA1S
phia was a nip -and-tuck affair u
late in the game, when. the Ath3oc
went out. had one. of their sfaEn
batting rallies. and broke up the -
game In the early innings 1t 49, e
to tire average person as IL the NJ
men were playing bad base BALI ~
opposing pitcher seemed to be. HQtH
under a strain fIe was pitehfn8 -
he realized it was a world series II
not the ordinary season game.
control was bad Nearly every y ~
letic player had him in the hole - ~
few of them walked. They got threN ~
base hit or were retired In 4 N11
ber of cases the hardest kind OF DIM
were turned into outs by good 41IIkz
ing by the opposition. In perhaps fsars
or five cases the batsman hit with 49,
hills and no strikes, at q time yug<v'
r seemed tho pitcher was surely ~
distress. Late in the game q stngl =
double and a home run nefted dG05
tallies and settled the game. .Sssls5
The Athletics won the game. - -;
IL memory serves me correctly. A4U
the contet I went to the players dree
ing room. Since they had won hgue1X
I wouldn't be intruding:fN11at in go
proba bility I might he welcomed 49,
was the case. A couple OF things c65N1
some inside information. onaAf th1|
was the reason the MackmSN srefun
to wait out the pitcher, Nlafead -
whaling away at the BALI legardl
of any condition that exfstedN01 CT
several situations which made It seo1
the boys were playing rather pnus1
base ball by hitting away. rafher th1A
waiting the pitcher ero out; mo-. Hs ere 4 81 ~
lit was a chame even to think ~
waiting that fellow out. We knsM
everything he was going to pitch. Ais
fast ball was as straight as 6 str!nG:
1t was a regular cripple. We SouldAt
resist the temptation any tfmerwe got !
him In the hole. We all figured We
would get him sooner or later-tha3 n 5.
was only a matter of time before ye
piled up enough runs to decide fhe
game.
They do say the success Of q ball cluh Z
is largely measured by the confdence
it has in its ability to deliver. Thar
condition certainly was prevalent
among the Mackmen when the Athlet-
les were winning pennants and woride
championships. Here was club In
big series with everything at stake re-
fusing to wait out a pitcher who was
apparently wild because they kneW
what he was going to pitch every tiMea
he delivered a ball, and they didn't
have a lot of respect for the STUN ne &
had on the ball. Had Comics aggfe-
CATION lost that game their style %
play might have been picked to pieces.
and Justly so, but since the game was
won situations that were handled rath- (
err differently to the set ethics OF the
game were passed over with slight or
no comment.
: Execution What Counts.
This brings us to the question as to
whether or not the success or failure
OF the practice of signal tipping doesn't
after ali. rest with the ability Of o team
to execute the information kathered-
No better inflelder ever donned suit
than Bobby Wallace. IL you want te
consider all the angles OF the kame
Wallace was never Ty COBB At the
bat. but ne was a mighty dangerous
man when a base hit meant something.
wallace in base ball circles was known