The Winslow mail., 1923-04-20
BATTING IMPORTANT
PART OF BALL GAME
Team Win Not Be Successful Un-
less Players Can Hit Well
and Speed on Bases.
tBy CARL LUNDGREN, Baseball Coach,
University of Illinois.)

tBy CARL LUNDGREN, Baseball Coach,
University of Illinois)
Batting is one of the most impor-
has men in it's lineup who can hit,
they will not be successful, no matter
how good they may field or throw. A
team that can bat and run bases
strikes terror into the hearts Of it's
opponents.
Unless you are commonly known as
a natural hitter and have the unusual
ability to connect with the ball with
out any difficulty, you must pay a
great deal of attention to form in bat
ting. The average ball player usually
has several faults in his form Of bat
ting that if corrected would add
points to his batting average and value
to his team.
A player is said to hit in good form
when he stands erect at the plate,
swings with a stroke that is well con-
trolled, and not so hard that he can
not follow the ball with his eyes. The
arms must be kept well away from
the body; the stride should be short,
and the batter should step directly
toward the pitcher. The back knee
should be rigid and not bent as the
swing is taken.
In starting the swing, the bat
should be carried well back over the
shoulder just before the pitcher is
ready to let loose of the ball. In max
ing the swing care should be taken
not to drop the right shoulder, as this
tends to make you hit under the ball.
If the ball is between the shoulder
and the waistline, the stroke is mere
ly parallel to the ground; from the
waistline to the knee 1t approaches
golfing stroke. The stroke should be
made with moderate swing that is
followed through with the weight Of
the body behind it. Many batter Is
ruined because he Swings his head
Off" The harder you swing the less
likely you are to connect with the ball.
Bearing these fundamental prin-
ciples in mind, the batter must also
take the correct position in the bat
ter's box and hold his bat right. With
an ordinary pitcher in the box, the
batter should stand from six to twelve
inches from the plate and directly op-
posite it. Against a pitcher with tre-
mendous speed and a poor curve,
stand as far away from the plate as
the rules permit. If you are close up
you will not have time to make your
stroke If the pitcher uses many
curves and slow balls without much
speed, stand at the extreme front of
the batter's box. This will enable
you to crack that slow ball before it
curves-Or at least before the curve
reaches it's maximum.
The bat should be held firmly, but
with the muscles loose and relaxed
in order that q free and easy swing
may be obtained. Your hands on the
bat should be together, or at the
farthest not more than three inches
apart.
The batter should watch the ball
with an intense concentration which
does not for a second lose sight Of the
! ball. From the second the ball leaves
the pitchers hand until it Is right
over the plate the batter's gaze should
be intent upon it.
A good batter never hits at a bad
ball, but should wait until the one to
his liking comes over. Some of the
really great sluggers may occasionally
hit bad ball safely, but it Is safe
to say that nineteen out of twenty
hits are made off balls directly over
the plate.