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

 coordination.
 Other clubs had good batters. good fielders, good catchers and good pitchers. It was very clear to us that an advantage would lie in the way we got the most out of our strength. We sat up at nights and talked these matters over Every suggestion was given consideration. sometimes in the form of hot argu- ment and sometimes in calm delib- eration. We all had the same aim to win-and we wanted it to be a victory of the team, not of the in- dividua1.
 Obviously the secret of advantage was in base running-getting the larger number of runs out of a given number of hits. Right there is the mark of superiority of a ball club. That, I suppose, is true in any walk of life.
 Base Running
 The Orioles had speed and could hit. By constant experiment we de- veloped system of base running that soon became famous. At the same time we had to develop a sys- tenn of defense against base running l say that we were pioneers in the present art of getting the most runs out of the least number of hits.
 The hit and run play was our best form of attack, though we often varied it. If, when the first man up got on base and the next batter was a good place hitter, we were almost certain to signal, or give the sign, as ball players call 1t, for the hit and run. The runner would start from first base with the pitch and if the batter hit behind the runner he would go to third. If play was made to get him at third the batter would go on to second. We always took chances. There is always an advan- tage in taking close chances. It puts the other fellow up against the worry about what to do. In other words, we would test his nerve instead of let ting him test ours. That. incidentally, is one of the secrets of Ty Cobb's success. He always tests the other mans nerve.
 Of course. opponents got to know this system. Then it was that we had to vary it. Often we used a play that was called "steal and slam" It was simply a variation of the hit and run. The man on first
 
 the base. In that case, if the ball was a good one, the batter would slam at 1t. If the pitcher. expecting hit and run, pitched out, the batter would simply let it go and take chance on the runner stealing the base. In a majority Of cases a rast runner would be safe. The batter then would be in a better position than ever. With a runner on second he could take his time and wait for a good one. He could even sacrifice so as to advance the runner to third and have a man on third with only one out.
 Preventing Double Steal
 I think we were among the first to dope out scheme for preventing the traditional double steal when there are runners on first and third. In the early days, before my time even, 1t was almost certain that if the man on first started for second and throw was made to get him the man on third would score. To this day that is hard play to stop. but we manage to handle it rather suc- cessfully now.
 Our first plan was to let the second baseman cover the bag. The short | Slop Wouiu Fun III, cIoSSiHe III llOhe of second, and take the throw and whip the ball to the plate in time to get the runner from third. That was known as the short throw" It also had it's disadvantage. Soon the runner on third got to expect the play. As a result he would run back to third and both would be safe, it being too late to get the man go- ing to second
 How to Best Play The only way to beat that play successfully Is to have nervy sec ond baseman or shortstop with a good arm. Simply let the throw from the catcher go through. If the second baseman is quick and accu- rate he can take the throw and then whip the ball back to the plate in time to catch the runner from third If the man on third does not start then he can tag out the runner from first. To attempt this play. though would be stupid unless the catcher and second baseman were both ac- curate throwers and able to get the ball away quickly. Amateurs could hardly do that.
 Tn the last Worlds series both the Giants and Tanks made the play by taking a chance on the long throw