The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-23

In college game, where the play CTS are not so expert, the sNort
 throw seems to work better.
 Another play, used merely as a
 surprise, is for the pitcher to inter- cept the throw and whip it right back to the catcher.
 Still another system that we worked successfully, and it took Will bert Robinson to do it, was for the catcher to make a bluff as if to throw to second. Instead he turns and whips the ball to third, catching the runner off the bag That play can
 not be worked too often. Otherwise
 the other side will get wise and sign
 the man on third to stick to his bag. If he did so both runners would be
 safe It is up to nimble mind of the catcher to decide which play to
 make and act simultaneously with
 his thought
 It was not so much the originality
 of these various plays that counted
 with the Orioles It was the perfec-
 tion with which they were carried
 out. We studied those things out at
 night and practiced them repeatedly
 in the mornings.
 Though 1t never seemed to strike
 ball players that way, 1t is really
 easier to make steal of third than
 of second. That was one of my long
 suits. It was rare that I was ever thrown out stealing third. In fact. nc ball player ought to be thrown out. His eye should tell him when to start. His judgment of time and dts 1 tance must be naturally accurate. In
 other words, he should never start
 for third until he has sufficient lead. i He is able to get that lead by being behind the pitcher. If he has the 1 lead then there is no excuse for his ! being thrown out. If he does miss it | it is because his judgment is bad. l MerkIe Great Thief
 l Fred Merkle was not what one could call avery fast man on a i sprint but he was an adept at steal
 ing third base. He never started un- less he had the right lead. Once 1 started he rarely missed. And, to steal third is of enormous advantage. | There is no doubt but that the art 1 of base running has fallen into de- l cline due to the lively ball. That is i one of the questions asked by those who have sent in filled out question: nares. The answer is obvious. , Base running Is really matter of ] taking chances so as to profit by a | succeeding hit In the old days the 1 single was to be expected We didn't look for doubles, triples and home 1 runs as we do now.
 Singles are also more frequent now because with the lively ball any kind of a grounder is likely to shoot past
 an infielder for q clean hit. Fans, I I believe. don't realize how much l harder the infielder's job has become l since the advent of the lively ball. Now instead of taking chances on I base running stunts. find that often | there is more percentage in letting l the runner hold his base and wait | for the next man to hit one through. That accounts for the falling off in ! base stealing. The runner sees noth- l ing to be gained by taking desperate i chances when a long hit is likely to 1 come any time and drive him around. I am sorry to see the fine art of i base running go into the discard. but 1 it would be foolish to take chances | that do not gain anything. In fact, ! the chances of the batter hitting one l through are greater than those of the | runner stealing the base.
 | There are other serious drawbacks ! to the lively ball.
 ] Copyright, 1923. United States and Canada, by Christy Walsh Syndicate for ! North American Newspaper Allience, and The Birmingham Age Herald.)