The Washington times., 1928-06-09

x
tWhat?' he replied. answering
the question with i question.
~How did you become such good
hitter we repeated.
lust hitting the ball." said OFT.
and his brown eyes opened just q
bit wider In wonderment over what.
he considered an unnecessary cues.
ton.
To OFT, it IL fundamental that a
baseball player should hit g base
hall. That the task carries any I'M
usual hazards, mental or physical,
never occurred to him. OFT Is re-
freshingIy young for his 10 years
or earth. He ID just a frank, in.
genuous boy, playing a game he
loves to play, and, wonder Of won
ders, getting paid for it.
So well paid that he IL able
"a ease the burden Of his par
ents. who live I'm Louisiana And
OFT doesn't see where that con-
Germs the public. A boy should
take care Of his mother. She
took care Of him.
"Have you anything especially on
your mind when you 20 to the plate
in the pinch?" asked OFT.
Sure" he replied. Il aim to hit
that ball."
"Of course" we agreed with the
Youthful prodigy, 'but haven't you
some definite style in hitting. Like
keeping your eve on the ball, and
swinging through an arc parallel
to the ground and getting your
wrists into the swing?''
MIMI MMMMM,' said OFT with a
wondering tone. "If I thought Of
all that I'd never get base hit.
When go up to the plate, aim
to hit the ball. If it's good ball
take my cut. I try not to be
| fooled by the pitcher"
Ort does not realize what makes
him the great batsman he il, 1t is
more than likely that IL he did, he
would start thinking about improv-
ing style that needs no improve
ment, and that would ruin himself.
He Is playing 3 game for
which Nature ideally equipped
him. He has in baseball what
Sam LangfOrd, Jack Johnson,
Joe Cans. and other great nat
nral boxers had In the ring.
When a good ball comes up to the
plate, OFT hits it. He doesn't have
to wait for the brain to telegraph
to the muscles hit" The muscles
act independently, and telegraph the
brain, were going to hit" 1t is
the animal reflex that makes ath.
letes great.
In baseball hitters work on split.
second margins. Walter Johnson,
under test. threw a baseball at the
rate of 80 feet, more or less, per
second. The average pitcher is not
quite as fast. The pitching rubber
Is just sos feet from the home
. plate. So the hitter has just one
half a second in which to swing his
bat through to meet the ball. If
he does not meet the ball square
and well out in front the chances
are six to one against him getting
hit. At best the chances are
three to one against any one get.
ting a safe hit.
Just study Otis form the next
time you see him at the plate. You
will notice, If you watch closely
enough, that no matter where the
ball is OFT never takes his eye off
Of it. He levels his gaze on the
pitcher, and when the latter starts
his motion Otis bat is in position
to swing. :,
OFT cFOuches forward q bit.
with most of his weight on his
lett foot. His feet are about
IL inches apart and the right
Is slightly advanced. He uses
what In gOlfing wOuId-be called
a closed stance.
When the muscles tell the brain
they're going to hit, OFT strides for
ward about seven inches. He
doesn't stride--he Elides. He glides
forward about seven inches and the
weight shifts to the right foot. He