New Britain herald., 1924-04-21
BY TRIS SPEAKER. -
Famous Outfieldeg, Gle, cland Indians

' To attain success as an outileldcr, the player must first be a sure catch. It should be the unusual when good outfelder muffs fly ball.
 Learning to getsa quick start on the ball and acquiring the ability 10 catch a ball while running at full speed while coming in or going out or talk ing Inc ball to either side is most es- scntial.
 Handling ground balls is a feature of play that too many outfelders neg feet. Make 1t sure when there is no possible play. With runners or and n play ahead. the fielder should be able to conc in fast. handle the ball like an innelder and cut 1t loose with the same motion.
 Learning to properly play ground balls is more difficult by far than tho mere catching of fly balls. lt requires much more practice,
 shift Field to suit Battcrs.
 Throw the ball to the proper base. Many ball games arc lost because q fielder makes a foolish throw 10 gel a runner at the plate or third and thereby enables a runner 10 advance 10 second who should have been held at first. This puts tho runner on sec- ond in a position 10 score on 4 hit. otherwise a couple Of hits might be needed 10 drive him around.
 Make a careful study of your bat- iers. Try 10 find to what fields they are likely to hit and then shift ac- cordingly.
 Likewise it is well to know whether they are long distance hitters or hii- tcrs of inc short fly or line drive variety, so ss 10 know whether 10 play a short or deep field on them.
 IT a fielder can go out for n ball as easily as he can come in, am in fa- vor Of that fielder playing a short field with the ordinary batter up, who has no particular reputation as bats man.
 The outfielder who plays short is in a position to grab many a ily ball and line drive that would so safe 1T he 1 made practice Of playing all batters i deep.
 
 times as many balls fall safe in front . of fielder than are driven over his ! head.
 One bit Of ad,ice that want to . give on playing tho outfci1 has 10 do with the throwing Of the ball with i the winning or tying run on the bases Throwing sthe ball to the wrong base is mistake that major lesguers con stantly pull throughout the season.
 To illustrate we will assume that it is the last half of the ninth inning. two out. tho score 2 to in favor of tho home team and there is 2 runner On second, tho tying run.
 Throw Ball to Right Spot
 Proper baseball calls for that run ncr 10 get big lead so as to be in position 10 score if the batsman hits | safely. In majority Of cases such a runner is able 10 score on a base hit.
 The outfelder should always re- member that fact, so that nine times put CT ten the wise play is not 10 try To cut the runner down at home. but rather keep the batsman from reach- Ing second, where he would be in a position 10 score the winning run on Inotler hit. |
 Should inc runner on second be sn slow man and the fielder is ware of it. that is sometimes 2 req son for making a play to the plate. Ordinarily it is dangerous practice. however. Il
 Study your batters. practice con- itantly 10 perfect your play on fly ,slis and groundcrs and keep your cad up to every situation is the gist # my sermon on outhelding.