The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-04-08
How To Play the Oufield
By IRIS SPEAKER, Of the Cleveland Indians

by iris Speaker, unversally regarded
ali time. It. purpose Is to school the
yoUnGster In the tricks of Outfieldinx.
While II In of the most vital inherent to
reading for the adult fan for 1t details
the methods which Speaker used to
reach baseball greatness.
Speakers article II the nth of a
daily ON "How to Play Baseball" The
other contributors Grover AIexan-
der. Steve O'NeiIl a.d Wilbert Robin
C con; Ar Was..r by Gs"rEs si.,sr' Eddie
Groh have appeared previously. To-
mOrrow's article will be "How to Bat,
by Ty Cobb
The youngster who aspres to be-
come an outflelder, must, first of
all:
1--Learn to catch the ball in the
proper and the easiest and surest
way
t2)-Learn to be in such position
when making a catch that he can make
throw to any needed base without
whirling around.
t)-Learn to throw perfectly from
all angles, from all distances and to all
bases.
W. i~C1l IL W lAdht CcllCIlSS white
running backward for the ball
The best way of catching the ball Is
with the hands cupped. That's the
*urest and ususlly the most natural
fashion. 1t may be little fancier to
make the "N' shaped catch at the
chest, but it's not as sure. And you
must be sure about making the catch.
OF course, there are times when the
ball comes at you in such a way that
you can't make Cup" catch Then
catch it in any way that you can. But
! whenever possible, take the bail in the
cup of your hands.
! Learn One-Handed Catch.
! After you have learned thoroughly
how 20 make catches with both hands,
| try making one handed catches. Prac-
+ tee that until you feel you are obso-
! lutcly proficient in it. But, after you
have learned it, never try to make q
one handed catch in any game unless
it is utterly impossible for you to use
both hands in receiving the ball
| Remember, the one handed catch is
to be made only in an absolute emer
gency.
, Practise faithfully the trick of facing
the infeld and especially the base
where a play is likely to be made
when ever you make a catch. With
conscientious effort you not only can
do this when making ordinary catches
but. in time, you'll learn the trick OF
shifting around when making q run
nirg backward catch so that you can
make the throw without lost motion III
The loss of time
Speed is Essential.
! Speed is Of vital necessity in all you1
actions. Very often the barest frac
ton of a second determines whether
an enemy runner is safe or is Il putout
victim.
Bear this in mind at all times:
When one play is completed ant
another is about to start, get the
battle action fixed absolutely in YOU
mind. Remember how many runner:
are on base-and on what bases they
are resting. Anticipate what they're
likely to do if a ball is hit to you
Then if the ball is hit out your way
you'll know Just what to do with i
when you get it.
So, never lose sight of the ball. -.
Never take your eyes off OF tina
infield until the side is retired. How
do you know that your pitcher. O.
your catcher isn't going to try to catcl
| a HAL mapping Oll lilS OctoCS. AIN
how do you know that the throw ism
going to be wild-and that the bal
won't roll out your way.
So, keep your eye on the ball-al
ways.
Must be Accurate
A man who can make one miracu
lous catch after another never will
merit job in the outfield if he ism
fast and accurate thrower. TIL
only way you can become one is b.
constant practice. Make throws T.
all bags in your practice sessions
Make them from all distances. Max
} them standing still, make them Will
running forward, make them Will
completing a backward running catch
Peg for every base. Keep on pes
ging. Practice throwing until yo
, reach point SO that you can shoe
the ball with rifle bullet speed to an
base, or to the plate. After you ar
, 100 per cent perfect in your THROWN
, ability, keep right on with your pes
ging practice so you'll maintain on
Z hundred per cent perfection.
! 1t isn't reaching greatness tina
counts most in baseball: maintainin
that greatness is the thing.
Shoestrjng catches are about tn
most difficult of all. Certainly the
are the most dangerous. A shOestrin
catch may save run-may even say
the game. But if you miss the catch
you may lose the game for the ba
is going to roll past you and tn
drive that would have been an ordil