San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-04-11
WHEN BUNTs ARE BASE HITS

New York, April 1f.-When the
bunt first began to be common in
baseball it was very unpopular. That
was particularly the case in the west
althou.h one Of the best bunters play
ed for many years on a western team
-Arlie Latham for the st. Louis
E5owrs. When Latham bnnted the
ball the crowd would express its dis
like and groan in derision but
Latham was so full Of deviltry tHlt
he could carry anything off ami be
NCrld turn the scowls into smiles and
the, groanS into grins. Thus the bunt,
when he made il. was accepted as
sort of comical play for which there
was no reason except that Latham
was such wag he would be more
likely TO do something that looked
foolish than he would to, do some
thing very prim.
Managers were much quicker TO soc
what the bunt was likely TO accom-
plish in the way of scoring runs thaH
were the spectators. The play a.
pealed particularly To those manager
who We're beginning 10 develop a
newer game in which speed had more
prominence than. it had in the ola
game. But the bunt did not meet
with favor on the part of the base
ball critics and they never were over
eager to give safe hits on il. To tell
the truth. the prejudice against the
bunt in some cities was such that the
play would be scored an error upon
every opportunity that presented IT.
self and there is reason To imagine
| that more than once a batter was
deprived Of a base hit some thirty
years or so ago simply because the
scorer would not encourage that KIND
of batting. II the first-hascman drop
| ned the ball in close play when
| il was almost sure that the batter
would have been at the base IN ad-
vance of the ball. even il the pre-
sumablc error had not been made. the
| chances were GOOD that the batter got
nothing for his trouble.
. After time scorers began to take
charge Of games who were FULLY aS
progressive as the more progressive
managers and then the batters began
| to get their deserts and got more base
! hits than they had been receiving
prior to that time. If the batter APP
reared TO have been able TO make the
base no matter whether the ball
was PLAYED perfectly or not. was
givch base hit and that is rule
which il is always wise 10 follow.
lie sure in scoring bunt TO watch
the batter. That is. keep Il close eye
on the MAY when the batter is with
| in the last stem or so of first base. IL
| it looks as il he had the ball beaten,
whether it is caught or not, give the
batter the benefit of the doubt. On
| the other hand. if the throw is poor
and it appears as if the batter would
have been out had the throw been
well made give the fielder an error
| and DO not score n base hit.
If, when the ball is fielded. the
pitcher stumbleS or slips, providing he
is trying to handle the ball, be sure
to take due notice of the position
which he was in when he made a
miSstep. II he went after the ball
awkwardly the chances are that he
could have gotten the batter. In that
| case. give the fielder an error. If the
| ball and the batter arrive at first
at the same time and the ball is drop
ped. always give the batter hit
| There is no eye keen enough TO sec
what the play might have been. on
course. the batter is safe but the
temptation to give an error in an
important stage of the game some
times is too great and the scorer will
put down misplay against the first
baseman and take away from the bat
ter a smart performance for which he
should be given due credit.
! There is always an argument for
the batter when bunt is made be-
cause most of such attempts TO hit
are for the purpose of advancing run.
ners and that is to the credit of the
batter and should be so recorded.