The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-01-06

perfectly equipped to carry 1t out but little so that it could be a surp surprise.
 When there is runner on first or second and the succeeding batter fol- lows with a clean hit the chances are that the runner will score from sec ond, the man on first will go to third and the batter to second. Just the same the outfielder, nine times out of ten, makes an attempt to get the man at the plate. When it is seen that the throw will not get the run ner at the plate the pitcher generally intercepts the throw and tries to make play at one of the bases. That play has been made so repeatedly that it has come to be sort of matter of form.
 Now, if the hit scores a man from second, with the tying run, the team that allows the batter to take second on the throw to the plate is in grave danger. Another hit may win the game.
 Our plan was for the outfielder to throw the ball directly to Bancroft in
  around and whip the ball to second, If it got the runner coming down from first-the man who had hit the ball-the rally was broken up. And, even to our surprise, his play worked every time we tried it. On three occasions the YanlS batter ran head long into the trap.
 In the last game, if you will re- member, Bob Meusel hit beautiful single into the outfield scoring a runner. The throw looked as if it was headed for the plate, but instead it went directly into Bancroft's hands and he caught Meusel. who started for second. We had made no useless attempt at the plate to prevent the first score, but we had to stop sec ond one. That play saved the game for us.
 Schang Next Victim
 < In the last inning of the game we pulled exactly the same play on so Experienced a veteran as Wally Schang His wallop would have won the game but for Bancroft taking the ball in the same way and catching him at second.
 After seeing Meusel caught that way we really did not expect that Schang would fall for the same trick. But he did And by being thus caught. Meusel and Schang cost the Tanks that game.
 @In other words, we took advan- tage of the chance to upset what had become a habit in baseball. Many games are won during the season by crossing ball players who think in the same groove all the time. The idea is to observe closely, find the grooves, and then block them.
 AS to the reason for shifting from awaiting a man out,' to hitting at the first ball, the answer seems to be obvious We saw that the first scheme was not working. Naturally we changed our tactics. Following ont my suggestion at the start of these memoirs, we located our fault and set about to correct it as quickly as possible.
 Joe Bush Outwitted
 4In the first game l had an idea that Joe Bush might be lacking lit- tie in control instructed the batters to wait him out. Let the first one go by, if necessary, and make him nut one over that could be hit on the nose.
 On this plan of action we went along for several innings. Bu. Bush did not get wild. He was pitching perfectly and we could do nothing with him. Instead of our men profit ing by waiting, he was continually putting Giant batters in the hole. He saw our plan and was laying the first one squarely over the middle of the plate.
 Toward the middle 6 the game ordered the batters to shift.
 A"Take crack at anything he puts over" I told them. Don't wait for anything. If it is in reach, sock it." aLuckily, we had called the turn at exactly the right minute. In a hall inning, it seemed, the whole com plexion of the game had changed one after another our batters walked up and took a swing at the first thing that came over the plate. We popped Bush for five hits, if l re- member right, and won the game in a single inning.
 Players Deserved Credit
 There appears to have been dis position on the part of sporting writ credit for winning this last series. wish, sincerely, that they had mol done this. AS have said, ddi do al the directing, but direction and so- called generalship are of no value whatever if the players do not carry them out. They deserve the credit for delivering the punch. merely pointed out the weak spots.
 An army that wins great battle in the field usually gets the credit fol the fighting-the soldiers l mean Tl.ey should get 1t. The directing