Evening star., 1918-02-24
ART OF RUNNING THE BASES
WORTHY OF MORE ATTENTION
This Feature of Game Suffers From Hand
icaps-Catchers' Shin Guards Often
Balk Man Entitled to Score.

, ready to touch the base runner: Strict
Interpretation OF that rule would help
in some plays at the plate.
A majority of the plays at the plate
are close. The catcher is aware the
base runner will slide nine times out of
ten in an effort to beat the play. The
wise catcher then so positions himself
that he pretty well blocks the entrance
to the plate. Usually he is foot down
the liae in the direction of third base.
This makes it difficult for the runner to
reach the plate, though under ordinary
circumstances he would have had an
excellent chance to beat the play. In
many cases plays at the plate are de-
cided by the narrowest of margins.
Since such rulings mean q run or wipe
one out. much hinges on the ruling.
Runner Hits the, Dirt.
Often the runner hits the dirt just as
the ball hits the ground before bound
ing into the catcher's hands. In many
cases it requires hairline decision to
determine whether the runner has been
blocked of a fraction of a second be-
fore the arrival of the ball. In such
cases the umpire as rule plays it
safe and decides the catcher is acting
within his rights. 1t is the extreme to
which many backstops go that has led
to much agitation against the use of
the shin guard. Some catcherS make
it a practice to block off the runner
is not difficult to rule on plays where
it is apparent the catcher has over
stepped his rights. In this connection
/ recall play that came up in game
at Chicago last year.
New York was playing Chicago and
the game was being bitterly contested.
IT was tie at the end of the ninth.
IL my memory serves me correctly. In
one OF the extra innings, with Peckin-
paugh on second, one of the New York
batters hit safely to center field There
are few helders who can come in faster
on ground ball than Felsch of Chi
cago and start ii on the way to the
plate. Felsch made fine play on this
ball and made an excellent throw to
Schalk to head off Peckinpaugh, who
was trying to score from second on the
base hit. as it looked as il a run would
be enough to win the ball game.
As the ball was speeding to the plate
| realized the play at the plate would
be close. Catcher Schalk OF Chicago was
also wise to that fact. He set himself
and. as any wise catcher would do un-
der the same conditions, he gave Peck
inpaugh none the best of the right of
way. l watched the play closely 1 was
pretty certain Peck had beaten the
play by fraction of second, but there
was no way he could reach the base.
Schalk Blocks Path.
He slid into Schalk's peds. which the
there was no chance to get by. It was so
close made up my mind not to draw
any hairline verdict, that if Peck was
touched. I would declare him out Ball
and Peck reached Schalk at almost the
same time. The ball bounded out of
Schalk's glove. Peck had stopped slid
ing against the catcher's guards. but
he was still about six inches from
touching the plate. Schalk took good
chance. particularly If he had got
away with it. To shift positions would
enable Peckinpaugh to touch the plate
SO Ray just naturally pinned the New
Yorker to the ground while he re-
covered the ball and touched him. l
declared Peck safe but he hadn't touch
ed the base vet.
I am not knocking the shin guard
It's a great institution. value my
special pair highly. My criticism is di-
rected at the use to which the shin
guard is being put. I believe 1 am safe
in saying that at least fifty men are
ruled out at the plate each summer in
the American League who otherwise
would have scored. had not the catcher
used his shin guards to advantage.
Base running can hardly stand such
handicap.
Copyright 1918. by W. C. Eyans)