Qass. Book COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT t PALDINGS ArHimc Sports ^_osTI3:E2o_ ArtofBattingiBaseI^dhhihg NEW YORK, »sen9!' COPYRIGHTED 1886. THE LARGEST SPORTING GOODS HOUSE ^N AMERICA. MANUFACTURERS, IMPORTERS, AND DEALERS IN General Sporting Goods, GUNS AND GUN AGGOUTREMENTS, BASE BALL SUPPLIES, Lawn Tennis, Cricket, Croquet, Ice aad Roller Skates, Foot Balls, Lacrosse, Polo, Cutlery, Gymnasium, Theatrical, and General Sporting Goods. Send for Illustrated Catalogue, designating kind of Goods wanted. Address, A. G. SPALDING & BROS., 247 Broadway, NEW YORK, 108 Madison St., CHICAGO. THE ART OF BaTTIHIJ A|JD Ba^E I(Ufflffl[{ CONTAINING INSTRUCTIVE CHAPTERS ON SCIENTIFIC BATTING, PLACING THE BALL, BASE HITS AND EARNED RUNS, THE RIGHT FORM FOR HITTING, PLAYING POINTS ON THE PITCHER, THE PROPER SWING OF THE BAT, FACING FOR POSITION, THE CORRECT POSITION IN BATTING, THE TRUE CRITERION OF EFFECTIVE HIT- TING, SACRIFICE HITTING, WITH NEW BATTLVG RULES FOR iS86. TO WHICH IS ADDED 'HE ART OF BISE RUNNING TOGETHER WITH INTS ON PLAYING POINTS IN THE GAME— HOW TO MANAGE A TEAM— HOW TO CAPTAIN A NINE, Etc. ILLUSTRATED BY GEO. H. BEIS^EDICT. /^N^^^^ MAY 1 ]m. (Copyrighted.) V q, ) ' "^ ' ^ ;' ' I PUBLISHED BY A. G. Spalding & Bros., ^41 BROADWAY, 1Q8 MADISON ST. HEW YORK, •,,.., CHICAGO. PREFACE. This revised work on Batting and Base Running will be found to be greatly improved over the sepa- rate books on the same subject of 1885. Especially is this the case in regard to the additions made to it in the form of the new features of the best batting aver- ages, and in hints on " The Points of the Game," and on the management of professional club teams. The two books, Nos. 3 and 4, which include Pitching, Fielding, Batting and Base Running, in fact, form a little library of instructive chapters on every point in base ball, useful as well as interesting to every player, whether professional or amateur. ■K-: ROGER CONNOR, CHAMPION LEAGUE BATTER OF 1SS5. Rog'er Connor hails froin W.iterbury, Conn., and he first played with the Monitors of that city in 1S76. He joined the NeW York club in 1SS3, and he has been in that club ever since. His play at first base in the New York nine has been up to the hig-hest mark, while as a heavy hitter at the bat he has no superior. His honorable conduct on and ofiE the field makes him a valuable member of New York's League team. INTRODUCTION. A noteworthy feature of the improvement which has taken place in the general playing of the game of base ball, has been the marked difference in the ad- vance made in the fielding department compared to that of the batting. In the progress of education in the knowledge of what may be termed the "science of the game," the art of batting has greatly lagged behind that of fielding ; and one reason for this has been the fact that but little attention has been paid to the study of the theory of skillful batting, while improvement in fielding has been forced on the pro- fessional class by the fact that the great mass of the patrons of the game, while knowing little or nothing about scientific batting, can fully appreciate the beauty of skillful exhibitions in the field ; and hence an im- petus has been given to a spirit of rivalry in fielding excellence, while in regard to batting the incorrect data on which the annual statistics of average play at the bat are made up, and the premium which is offered to " record playing " at the bat by the injudi- cious method of scoring the game, and the promi- nence given to batsmen in the line of heavy hitting, has had the effect of retarding the progress of the tru§ art of skillfully handling the ash. (4) INTRODUCTIONo Up to within the past year or two a great deal of the batting done in the professional arena was but little, if any, in advance of that which characterized the prominent clubs of over a dozen years ago. One cause of this failure to improve batting as rapidly as fielding has been, has been the reluctance shown by the professionals to studying up the subject of how to handle the bat properly. For years past the majority of players have gone to the bat possessed either of bad habits in their manner of holding and swinging the bat, or lacking in knowledge of how to use their bats with the best effect, even if they did stand in a correct position and hold their bats properly. As a general thing, they have taken their stand at the bat with no fixed rule of action, but simply on the princi- ple of going in for general results, as it were, trusting to what is called "luck." One player's idea is to hit as hard as he can at the first ball that comes within his reach. Another's is to wait for a particular kind of ball, a pet of his, and then hit it as if his sole object was "to knock the stuffing out of it." This kind of batting is especially characteristic of " hard hitters" or home-run-hitters — men who think that the end and aim of a batsman is to make home-runs. This class of batsmen average a home-run hit to about every three or four "outs from poorly-hit balls. Of course, keen sight and muscular strength are essentials in batting skill, but judgment and its practical exem- plification in strategic play are even more important. The batsman who can be most relied upon for a 6 INTRODUCTION. single-base hit is worth two of your home-run class of hitters. The former is the man to win in the long run, though the latter may excel in cutting a dash or making a showy splurge in odd games. In the science of batting there are certain rules, the neglect of which must prove damaging to the bats- man's general play. First comes the rule which requires that he should "stand at ease" when he takes his position at the bat ; that is, to stand so as to be able to swing his bat to meet the ball with the easiest movement at command. Then there comes the rule governing the proper method of swinging the bat forward to meet the ball ; in this latter the man- ner In which he stands has an important bearing. The proper poising of the bat preliminary to making the forward swing in striking, too, is an important matter. But the one thing in the science of batting which has, up to within a year or two past, been but little understood, or, if understood, has been sadly neglected, is the rule governing what is technically called '•'-facing for position'''' — that is, taking your stand at the bat in such a manner as to lead to the control of the regular swing of the bat, causing it to meet the ball so as to send It in the direction of either one or the other of the three outfield positions of the field, viz.. The right, center, or left field. More atten. tlon has been paid to this by the more intelligent class of professionals of late than ever before, and the result has been, to that extent, Improvement in batting* But, as a general thing, chance hitting has been too INTRODUCTION. 7 much in vogue for any marked progress in scientific batting. This, and the paying of too much attention to the playing for a record — tlie record in question being one which gives no criterion of skillful play at the bat whatever — have been the principal drawbacks to a relative advance in the practical knowledge of the true art of batting, in comparison to that which has characterized the fielding in the game. A great inducement held out to the class of heavy hitters is the prominence given by base ball writers of the sporting papers, and in the columns of the dailies which give space to reports of the doings of the fraternity in the field, to total base hits. Some of these papers not only enlarge the scores with details of two and three base hits and home runs, but they give special prominence in their introductions to the scores, to the batsmen who excel in making " two baggers," and " three baggers," while they add a spec- ial point of praise to the batsman who scores a home- run, no matter whether the player who makes it has to tire himself out with a 120 yards "spurt," at his utmost speed, to gain a single run, or to bring in one or two base running companions. The practical effect of all this is to destroy a batsman's ambition to excel as a "team player" in batting, and to drive him into play- ing solely for a high average record of total bases. We hope to show in the following chapters that scientific batting is the basis of successful team work in handling the ash, and that the batsman who can the most easily earn a single base, and who is willing 8 THE ART OF BATTING. to sacrifice his record of total bases and a high aver- age in faulty statistics in order to bring in a needed run, does work in batting in "playing for the side" worth all that the most brilliant heavy hitting bats- men ever accomplished. THE ART OF BATTING. In no department of the game are more facilities offered for strategic play than in batting; but it re- quires an intelligent player to engage in it success- fully. The batsman who would be invariably success- ful must resort to strategy, for if he depends solely upon a quick eye and a strong arm he will fail. These are very excellent as aids, but a comparatively poor dependence to place your trust in altogether. The batsman, when he takes his bat in hand, finds opposed to him nine men, and though to the casual observer it may seem a very easy undertaking to bat a ball out of the reach of only nine men, cov^ering as large a space as a four or five acre field; yet when you come to face nine experienced and active fielders, you will soon be taught to realize the fact that "headwork" is as important an element of success in batting as it is in pitching; and you will then see that to earn bases on hits, and thereby to score runs, you will have to play "points" pretty successfully. From the moment the batsman takes his stand at the bat, to the time he strikes a fair ball, he should stand in proper form for hitting at every ball, or he will be sure to be caught napping by a skillful THE ART OF BATTING. 9 pitcher, and find himself retiring from a tip, a poorly hit ball, or from called strikes, instead of taking a well earned base. This proper form for a hit is im- portant. It is fatiguing, of course, to stand still and keep prepared for hitting, while ball after ball is sent in out of reach; but it must be done in order to secure chances for hitting the ball you want when it does come. A skillful pitcher is always on the alert to find the batsman "out of form," and not prepared to hit, and the moment he sees him thus standing "on the loose," he is sure to send him a good ball, and the batsman either strikes at it hastily or lets it go by him, only to see the ball fielded easily, or a strike called on him. The batsman is only in proper form for a good hit when he stands squarely on his feet, with the bat grasped firmly about six or eight inches from the end of the handle, and with the point of the bat partly resting over the shoulder. He should never hold it horizontally, and especially should he avoid pointing it toward the pitcher. In fact, the only way in which he can swing it so as to meet the ball at the proper angle is to bring it down from the shoulder; he then brings the weight of the bat as well as the power of his arms and wrists, to bear upon the stroke. In standing ready, prepared to meet the ball, his right foot should be firmly placed on the ground as a pivot foot, leaving his left foot loosely touching the ground ready for a springy for- ward step to give direction to the hit, as an addi- tional impetus to the stroke. lO THE ART OF BATTING. THE FORWARD SWING OF THE BAT. The batsman who would excel in scientific hitting must study up well the tlieory of the art. It is one thing to take up the bat and "slug" away with all the force at your command at the ball, with the single idea of hitting the ball as far out in the field as you can; but it is quite another thing to take your stand, bat in hand, well posted in all the points in batting, and ready to match strategic skill in hand- ling the ash against strategic pitching, point for point, and with a special object in view in making every hit. There are many points to Icnrn before a batsman can arrive at any marked degree of skill in hitting. First, he should learn the bearings of the natural swing of the bat in meeting the ball, and the different effect of a swift and a slow stroke in form- ing these bearings. Measuring the semi-circular line of the swing of the bat from its position as it is held over the shoulder, to the point of its meeting the ball, it will be seen that the swiftness of the stroke has a great deal to do with giving direction to the ball. A slow stroke will meet the ball back of the base; a medium stroke will meet it on the line of the base, and a quick stroke in front of it. The lines of these strokes are shown in the follow- ing diagram. The slow stroke would send the ball toward the right field; the medium stroke toward the center, THE ART OP BATTING. II and the quick stroke to the left. So much for the lines of the forward swing of the bat against the ordi- nary si^eed of the delivery of the ball to the bat. In addition, however, the varying speed of the jDitched ball has to be taken into consideration, inasmuch as a slow pitched ball would meet the slow stroke on the line of the base instead of back of it; while a very swiftly pitched ball would meet the swift stroke in the same place, instead of in front of the base. The pace of the ball, therefore, has to be taken into the calculation in estimating the force of the forward swing of the bat in giving the ball any special direc- tion. FACING FOR POSITION. One thing in the science of batting which has only of late years been understood, is the rule governing 12 THE ART OF BATTING. what Is technically called "facing for position" — that is, taking your stand at the bat in such a manner as to lead to the control of the regular swing of the bat, causing it to meet the ball so as to send it in the direc- tion of either one or the other of the three out-field positions of the field, viz: The right, center, or left field. This "facing for position" is a subject calling for some study of the rules which govern it. Just as a man stands at the bat, just so will the regular or forward swing of the bat meet the ball, all things, of course, being equal, viz., the rapidity of the forward swing being in proportion to the speed of the deliv- ered ball. But the general direction of the ball, from a regular and proportioned swing of the bat, is gov- erned by the manner in which the batsman stands when prepared to strike at the ball — that is, in pro- portion as he "faces" for the right, the center or the left. As a general rule, in order to send a ball to the right he should face almost as if the first baseman was going to pitch the ball to him, and not the pitcher. THE ART OF BATTING. 1$ The three iri-fielders, therefore, to face any one of whom the batsman should stand when about to strike at the ball, are the first-baseman, the pitcher and the third-baseman, just as he desires to send the ball in the direction of the right, the center, or the left field. We have frequently seen important batting points lost in a match, owing to the failure of the batsman to properly face for position. Take, for instance, the position of a game when a runner is on third base, with but one man out, and the batsman goes to the bat. Without regarding anything but his making a long hit to the outer field, he takes his position so that the regular forward swing of the bat will cause it to meet the ball either at the line of the home base or in front of it, and the result is that the ball is hit either to pitcher, second baseman or short-stop, there- by preventing the runner from going home from third, even if the striker be not put out. Now, had the batting point in this case been properly played, the batsman would have taken up his position so as to have faced for right field, thereby almost insuring the ball's being hit in that direction, in which case the runner would have been enabled to score his run, even if the batsman had sacrificed himself by his hit. This is but one phase of the rule governing facing for position in batting, but it suffices to show the impor- tance of the subject. When a hit to left field is desired the batsman takes his stand as if the short-stop in his regular position was about to pitch the ball to him, and this brings the H THE ART OF BATTING. regular forward swing of the bat so as to meet the ball in front of the home base, the diagram showing the lines of the forward swing of the bat, and also that of the direction given the ball as follows: FACING FOR LEFT FIELD. The batsman when about to hit to center field, or to the pitcher, should stand in the ordinary position, the lines of which are shown in the appended dia- gram. THE ART OF BATTING. ^5 FACING FOR CENTER FIELD. For right field hitting the batsman should face the first baseman, in which case the swing of the bat would meet the ball and send it in the direction shown in the appended diagram. If the batsman is a quick hitter he should invariably face for right field hitting if the pitching is fast, but if i6 THE ART OF BATTING. FACING FOR RIGHT FIELD. medium paced he would do better to fnce the pitcher or short-stop. The dotted lines show not only the position of the bat when the swing is made, but also the direction of the forward swing, and of the ball as it leaves the bat. THE ART OF BATTING. 17 High balls are the best to hit at when facing for right field when the pitching is swift; a slight stroke from the bat will frequently send it safe out of reach of the in-fielders, and yet not far enough out for the right fielder to catch. A close study of the various forces governing the swing of the bat in meeting the ball, and of the rules applicable to "facing for position," will fully prepare the batsman for taking his stand at the bat ready for active service. l8 THE ART OF BATTING. THE POSITION IN BATTING. The position taken by the batsman when he takes his stand at the bat, has a great deal to do with his success or failure in hitting. When once a batsman gets into a bad habit, either in his manner of holding the bat, or in the way he stands, it is difficult to get out of it, and it always interferes with his success as an effective batsman. Many players are accustomed to hold their bats directly in front of them, and pointed toward the pitcher. This necessitates the withdrawal of the bat previous to swinging it forward to meet the ball, thereby making two movements of the bat instead of one, and, of course, marring the aim in striking. This bad position is illustrated in the cut on preceding page. The appended cut shows a correct position in stand- ing ready for an effective hit. It is that of the late Gen. Thos. S. Dakin, the old pitcher of the Putnam Club of Brooklyn of i860. Confidence is everything in batting, and you can never feel confidence in your ability to bat well unless you are accustomed to a regular position both in standing ready to strike, and in properly holding your bat so as to use it with the best effect. It is hardly possible for a batsman who is accustomed to strike in what may be called bad form, to hit the ball so as to "place it" where he wants to, because to do this the bat must be swung forward with an accuracy of aim which a bad method of holding it renders scarcely THE ART OF BATTING. 19 STANDING IN GOOD FORM. possible. The correct position for a batsman is to stand well on his right foot, having his left foot touch- ing the ground lightly, thereby making his right the pivot foot. By this means he v^ill gain a body sw^ing to give additional force to the swing of his arms in batting. In holding the bat he should keep it poised 30 THE ART OF BATTING. SO as to have it ready for the regular forward swing, as shown In the appended cut. George Wright holds the bat a little further back over the shoulder than the General did. The impor- tant point is to get the best balance of the bat so that iits weight should not trouble the wrists too much. THE ART OF BATTING. 21 From the moment the batsman takes his stand at the bat, to the time he hits a fair ball, he should stand in proper form for hitting every single ball pitched to him. Unless he makes this a habit, he will surely be found a ready victim, to a more or less extent, for a skilful, strategic pitcher. The rule, with a good batsman, is always to be in form all the while he is at the bat. This is specially necessary to meet the uncertainties of a curved line deliverv. How often do we see batsmen go to the bat, one after the other, and as they take their stand, get into fair form for the first two or three balls, and then, on finding that the pitcher's delivery is rather wild, stand at ease, as it were, quite unprepared to hit in proper form, only to see the ball come in over the base, and at the height indicated, while they either fail to strike at it or miss the ball if they do, simply because they did not stand prepared to meet it, or, in other words, were not in form for batting. The moment a shrewd, strategic j^itcher sees a batsman standing at the bat in bad form, he feels sure of capturing him. On the other hand, it bothers the best pitchers to see the batsman untiring in his efforts to stand in good form in his position, and fully prepared to meet every ball pitched to him. This "proper form" for hitting every ball is, of course, fatiguing to the batsman, when the pitching is at all wild, but it must be kept up in order to secure chances for hitting the ball when it comes within fair reach of the bat. A point to play on the pitcher in connection with ^2 THE ART OP BATTING. this standing in good form, is to pretend to stand at the bat as if tired of waiting for a good ball, and yet to be on the alert to meet a quickly pitched ball sent In to catch you napping while you are apparently out of form for good hitting. Another good point to play on the pitcher is to deceive him in regard to your facing for position. Suppose, for instance, that when you take your position at the bat you "face" for a hit to first base? The pitcher or catcher, seeing this, will signal the first baseman to play up closer to his base; to the second baseman to go to right short, and to the right fielder to " come in a little." Now, suppose again, that while " facing" for the hit in question you so time the swing of the bat as to meet the ball considerably forvvard of the base, instead of hitting it to the part of the field your opponents had been led to expect you would by the manner in which you " fiiced for the hit," the result will be a safe hit to an unguarded quarter, and a pretty display of skilful l)atting. But this strategic play is anything but easy of accomplishment; a thorough command of the bat, considerable experience, and a quick eye being neces- sary. FIRST BASE HITS. Base hits are the chief criterion of efl^ective batting, and ea7'7ied 7'uns off the pitching are the reward of such hitting. Just here comes the pertinent queries of what constitutes a " base hit," and what is an earned run ? With all due regard for the capabilities of the THE ART OP BATTING. 2^ many intelligent and competent scorers who have had to decide upon the questions of base-hits scored and runs earned during the base-ball campaign of 1885 it is a fact well known that the majority are so involuntarily biased by their connection with the clubs for which they score, that scarcely any two can be found who are in full accord in their views on the subject of base-hits and earned runs. When "doctors disagree," an outside individual, who is removed from party bias, must step in and decide the disputed point — as we propose to do in this article on base-hits and earned runs. In rendering a decision likely to govern the matter, we shall be guided, ns hitherto, solely by our efforts to promote the best interests of the game in bringing it up to the highest standpoint of a scientific field-sport, and we hope again to merit that attention to our views which has hitherto been accorded them. The first question to be answered is: What is a base hit? and the reply to the query is that it is a hit which secures to the batsman his first base without the aid of even a doubtful error by any one fielder. In order to give a clear definition of the term, how- ever, we enumerate below the special instances in which base-hits are made: Firstly. — When a ball is hit fairly along the ground to any part of the field out of possible reach of any of the fielders. Secondly. — When a ball is hit fairly over the heads of any of the in-fielders, and so as to fall short of allowing any of the out-fielders a fair chance to catch it. 24 THE ART OF BATTING. Thirdly. — When a high fly-ball is hit fairly over the heads and out of fair reach of the out-fielders. Fourthly. — When a ground ball is hit with such force from the bat as to render it almost a physical impossibility to stop it, or, if partially stopped, to grasp it in time to throw it accurately to a base- player. Fifthly. — When a line fly ball is hit with such force from the bat as to make it difficult even to partially stop it, and still more so to hold it on the fly. No one will question the fact, we think, that all of the above hits are base hits which clearly earn first base for the batsman. There is still another hit which earns a base at least three times out of five that the hit is made, and that is when a ball is hit fairly, but in such a manner as to roll slowly to the center of the triangle formed by the pitcher, striker, and first baseman's positions. In rei^ard to this last character of hit, we have to state that out of some thirty odd instances during a special period of play in which a ball has been hit in the manner described, we have seen but four successful eflforts made to put the striker out, and then it was chiefly the result of slow running to the first base. The difficulty atten- dant upon fielding such a ball is that the pitcher cannot well get it and throw it accurately to first base before the striker can reach his base, while neither can the first baseman run and field it and return to his base in time, nor can the pitcher run across to THE ART OF BATTING. 25 first base and take such ball in time if fielded by the first baseman, even if the two j^layers should agree upon so fielding the ball, which they rarely do. It is rather an accidental hit, it is true — the result of hitting the ball by the bat near to the handle, thereby givin<^ a weak blow to the right. Nevertheless, as it is a hit which effectually — in a large majority of instances — prevents the fielder from getting the ball in time to throw the striker out, it cannot be recorded otherwise than as a base-hit. In regard to the drop- ping of a hard hit line ball on the fl[y, or the failure to field a hard hit ground ball, there will doubtless be some objection urged to the crediting a base hit for such apparently missed chance. But if any man will realize by practical experience the danger and diflSculty of stopping a hot ground-ball that has had a rifle-like twist imparted to it by the blow of the bat, or of securely holding a similarly batted fly-balls he will not hesitate in awarding the batsman the credit of a base-hit for any such ball, which the fielder finds it impossible to stop or to grasp in time to put the striker out. Of course, there are hot ground-balls that should be stopped and picked up in time, and which, if not so fielded, do not yield base-hits, as, also, hot-line balls, which, if not caught, give bases on errors. But the hits we refer to are exceptional ones; and when they are made, the batsmen who make them are entitled to the credit of base-hits. There are certain bounds to the ability of fielders to stop and catch balls, and these bounds are exceeded in the special cases we refer to. 26 THE ART OF BATTING. WHAT ARE NOT BASE HITS. We now come to the next important query con- nected with hitting for bases, and that is: " What is not a base hit?" and the reply is conveyed in the following described instances of failures to accept chances for outs. Firstly. — No ball which is hit so as to admit of its being fairly caught on the fly can earn a base. Secondly. — No ball hit to any of the in-fielders in such a way as to admit of their picking it up and throwing it to any baseman in time to put an op- ponent out, can earn a base. Thirdly. — No ball similarly hit to any in-fielder, and which is picked up neatly, but thrown too high or too low or wide to any baseman, can earn a base. Fourthly. — No ball similarly hit, well picked up, and accurately thrown to a baseman, but which is muffed by the basemen, can earn a base. Fifthly.— No ball hit so as to give an easy op- portunity to any fielder for a catch can earn a base, if the fielder, through the failure of the captain to call him or through any gross carelessness in fielding, fails to avail himself of .the plain opportunity for making the catch. Now, there is no questioning the fact that not one of the above hits is such as to be claimed as a base- hit, or a hit that earns a base. The rule which prevents a base being earned by any hit that is marked by a fielding error has its exception, and that THE ART OF BATTING. 27 exception is when the ball is sent so swiftly and sharply from the bat as to render it almost impossible for the pluckiest of fielders to stop or hold it. But all ordinary errors, such as dropped fly-balls, bad muffs, wild throws, and failures on the part of base- players to hold good balls thrown to them — all count in preventing base-hits being made. A '< hot" ball which is well stopped, but which, in the effort to grasp it, is fumbled, is in a majority of instances an error by the fielder, and prevents a base-hit; while high or line balls to the out field, which fielders run in for and fail to hold in their efforts to catch them while stooping low near the ground, cannot justly be regarded as errors, and in a majority of instances such hits earn bases. Unfortunately this degree of latitude in judging of base hits in doubtful cases, like the ex- ceptions above noted, open the door to quite a dif- ference in the records of official scores in match games, and hence the inaccuracy of so much of the data on which the season's averages are made out. EARNED RUNS. In regard to taking an account of runs scored by skilful batsmen two calculations have to be made — one of runs earned from opportunities offered by the pitcher for base-hits, and the other of runs earned from chances given by the fielders for successful base- running. Of course, no runs can be earned off the pitching unless by base-hits; and no runs can be earned by chances given for successful base-running 28 THE ART OF BATTING. through such direct fielding errors as "dropped fly- balls," "wild throws" and "muffed" or "fumbled" balls; or from such "battery" errors as wild pitches, called balls, or passed balls. The definitions of the term used to designate direct fielding errors are, a missed catch; a muffed ball; a fumbled ball ; 07' a wide thro-iu ; while those used for direct battery errors viz : errors on which bases are run or runs scored but not on "lives" given, are wild pitches^ the sixth called ball^ and passed balls ^ a wild throw to a base by the catcher being as much of a direct fielding error as is a wild throw to a base by the pitcher. Any ball dropped by the fielder, fair or foul, which he had a chance to catch, must be recorded as a "missed catch." The fact of his merely touching a fly-ball does not necessitate the record of a miss; he must have had a fair chance offered him to catch the ball. On the other hand, the failure to touch the ball does not absolve him from being charged with a missed catch; for, if a high ball is hit which affords an easy chance for a catch, and the fielder, by lack of activity, or by a palpable error of judgment, fails to properly make an effort for the catch, he should be charged with the error. In the case of a chance for a catch, purposely missed in order to secure a chance for a double play from a "force off," no error should be charged unless the missed chance for the catch is followed by a bad throw to the base player, in which case the bad throw must be charged as the error. A fielder makes a "muflf" when in his efforts to THE ART OF BATTING. 29 field a ball he only partially stops It, or fails to pick it up so as to throw it in time. This does not apply however, to cases of failures to stop or hold very swiftly-batted or thrown balls; but only to palpable errors in fi^iling to field ordinary balls from the bat. A base-player failing to hold a ball not thrown wide to him, makes a muff. But if the ball is thrown to him on the bound, no error is justly chargeable to him if he fails to hold it; while if he does hold it, all the more credit is due him. A fielder is said to "fumble" or "juggle" a baU when, after stopping it, he has to try two or three times to pick it up to throw it. It is a variation of the "muff," more frequently accidental than the re- sult of unskillful play. Wide or "wild" throws are made in two ways — first, by inaccuracy of aim and unskilful throwing; and secondly, by the difiiculty of stopping and pick- ing up a hot ball so as to throw it with comparative leisure. Hard hit balls to third base generally il- lustrate the difficulties attendant upon a good thrower's efforts to throw to the other bases ac- curately. A ball thrown over the head of a base- player or fielder, or to either side of him out of reach, or on a low bound, is a "wide throw." All these errors come under the head of "direct field- ing" errors in contra-distinction to "battery errors," which include only passed balls, wild pitches and bases on called balls. Of course no errors follow a wild pitch or a passed ball unless a base is run on it. 30 THE ART OF BATTING. "Wild pitches" are balls sent in out of the legitimate reach of the catcher, and on which a base is run. Passed balls are balls "muffed" or "fumbled" by the catcher after having been pitched to him within his legitimate reach, and on which a base is run. In the case of a very swiftly-pitched ball which the catcher holds on the fly but which he cannot gather himself in time to throw to a base to cut off a player, an error ought not to be charged — except, perhaps, on the part of the pitcher in delivering so swiftly when players are running bases. In regard to called balls, of course, only an error can be charged to the pitcher on the sixth called ball which gives the base. It is very questionable whether bases given on called balls should be included in the estimate of runs earned off the pitching. In the first place, the giving of a base on called balls depends too much upon the umpire's leniency or strictness in in- terpreting the rules, and it is difficult to judge fairly whether a base on called balls is due to the umpire's strictness, the pitcher's wild delivery, or his pla3nng a point to get out of a dangerous hitter; and, as some- times neither is at fault, the best way is to ignore called balls altogether, as something not to be used in estimating an earned run. While it is no discredit to a batsman to take a base on called balls, it certainly is not an act to be very proud of; and it may there- fore be set down as neither for nor against the earning of a run, and consequently we leave it out altogether. Runs earned from the pitcher include the following : THE ART OF BATTING. 3 1 Firstly. — When four base-hits, each giving only- one base, are made in succession. Secondly, — When the striker makes a clean home- run. Thirdly, — When the first striker makes a first- base hit, and the second makes a three-base hit, or vice versa. Fourthly, — When the first striker makes a first- base hit, the second a hit which, though limiting the striker to first-base, enables the base-runner to get to third, and the third striker a simple first-base hit. Ordinarily three first-base hits place only three men on bases without scoring a run. Fifthly. — When the first striker makes a first-base hit, and the second striker is put out by a hit to the field which only admits of the striker being put out, and prevents the player, forced oflf, being put out by the ball being held at second, or by his being touched while running to second. In such case, should the third striker be similarly put out, thus allowing the base-runner to reach third, a base-hit by the fourth striker would yield an earned run, though only two first-base hits were made ; and it would be earned off the pitching, as it is presumed to be a point of play on the part of the pitcher in cases when the first striker makes his first base to deliver the ball so as to force the batsman to hit the ball to an In-fielder, in order that the fielder may capture the base-runner "forced ofif; " and if he fails to do this he is to be 32 THE ART OF BATTING. charged with the style of punishment which an earned run gives. Runs earned from the field differ from those earned off the pitching, to the extent that sharp base-running comes into play as a basis of earned runs off the fielding, while successful base-running does not enter into the calculation of runs earned off the pitching alone. To illustrate the difl^erence, we will quote from actual play: In . the Chicago New York game at the Polo grounds on Sept. 25, 1884, in the fifth innings Kelly of the Chicago Nine led off with a safe bounder to left field on which he easily earned his base. Anson followed with a similar ball to right field, and Williamson followed suit with another, on the latter of which Kelly scored an earned run, and off the pitching. Williamson was then caught napping off first base by Ewing, and then Burns hit a ball to Caskins whose wild throw to Cowan at first base sent Burns to second base, the error also sending Anson home, who otherwise would have been kept on third base. Burns afterward reached third base safely, and after Pfeffer had been finely caught out on a foul fly by Dorgan at right field — Burns getting to third after the catch had been made — Flint hit a hot grounder to Troy earning his base and sending Burns home, and on Goldsmith's three base hit over Welch's head Flint scored the fourth run. But for Caskins' wild throw but one run would have been earned off the pitching, as only Kelly would have THE ART OF BATTING. 33 scored his run from base hitting when Dorgan caught PfefFer out. As it was, however, sharp base running yielded an additional run which was earned off the field, while the other two additional runs were scored off the direct errors of the field, chiefly from Caskins' damaging throw. PLACING THE BALL. The highest degree of skill in scientific batting is reached when the batsman can " place a ball'' — sent in by swift curved-line pitching — in any part of the field he chooses. It is, however, the most difficult of all batting feats which a batsman can attempt. There are so many points to be learned so as to become thoroughly familiar with them, before tliis placing of a ball can be accomplished, that it is rarely that one sees this finishing touch in the art of batting exhibited. But when it is at command, what an immense ad- vantage it gives the batsman in outwitting his field- ing opponents, and what an aid it is in sending runners round from first-base to home-base. Then it is that the necessity for making the placing of a ball a feature of a batsman's work becomes plainly apparent. When the professional fraternity have gone through the " slugging" era, and the ambition to excel in the home-run style of batting has been superseded by more scientific work in handling the ash, the coming batsmen of the future will look back with surprise to think that they should, for so many 34 THE ART OF BATTING. years, have neglected so valuable an adjunct of really effective and successful batting. To hear the general class of batsmen comment on the efforts made to place a ball in a match, one would be apt to think that it was something next to impossible. The fact is, however, the majority of batsmen are too loth to take the necessary pains to learn how to place a ball. When do you ever see a team practicing scientific batting, or trying to learn to place a ball ? When a nine takes the field for preliminary practice before the beginning of a match, some of them take their ac- customed positions in the field while two of them bat "fungo" balls — balls that are tossed up in the air and hit as they fall — to the fielders, and that is about all the practice they get as batsmen. In April, 1S84, we saw something better than this attempted on the Philadelphia Club field under Harry Wright's tuition, when the batsmen were allowed to bat at a dozen balls, each pitched to them for hitting purposes. As a general rule all the practice batting is for the pur- pose of giving chances for catches to the fielders. This is of great benefit in fielding improvement, and it is one of the reasons why the fielding leads the bat- ting in its progress tov/ard perfect play. What batsmen require for practice in learning to place balls is to practice against swift curve-line ^Ditching. First, to bat against the " out curves," then against the "in curves;" then to try the various " shoots." But above ail, should the batsman practice wrist play in handling the bat against swift THE ART OF BATTING. 35 pitching. The most effective placing of the ball is done when runners are on bases and basemen neces- sarily hug their bases closer. With a runner on first base, and especially with one on second, a wrist-play hit of a swiftly pitched ball — almost a tap of the ball, as it were — will place the ball safely to right field and short of the outfielders' position. When a runner, too, is at second, and the second baseman and short- stop's attention is taken up by him, a similarly short hit high ball over the second baseman's head will earn a base, while a quick, sharp hit of the kind made while "facing for the pitcher," will frequently clear the third baseman's reach and send home the runner from second. Club managers or the captains of teams — whichever of the two have the daily training of the team in hand — should insist upon batting prac- tice in placing the ball, for until this is done very lit- tle improvement in batting can be expected. SACRIFICE HITTING. An essential part of good team work in batting is " sacrifice hitting." This is done whenever a bats- man, in his efforts to place a ball properly when runners are on bases, hits the ball to the field in such a way as to oblige the fielders to put the runner out at first base, thereby enabling the runner at first base when the hit is made, to reach his second base safely. This sacrifice hitting is nearly equivalent to a base hit; in fact, it is fully as effective when it is done at the time a runner is at third base and only one man 36 THE ART OF BATTING. out, for then it insures a run, and it is then really more valuable than a base hit made when no runners are on the bases. But sacrifice hits can only follow efforts to place a ball at right field, for otherwise they are merely chance hits. One advantage of a sacrifice hit is, that it relieves the batsman of the onus of being- charged with a poor hit, the latter being, of course, a hit to the field which affords a plain chance for an out, either in the form of an easy catch or a chance to throw a runner out, whether that runner is the striker or a runner forced off. Of course no sacrifice hit can be made when two men arc out, nor when there are no runners on bases. Every sacrifice hit which sends a runner home ought to be regarded as a base hit. Indeed, it is questionable whether all sacrifice hits made before more than one man is out should not be so credited, as they yield a base each time. No batsman can make a sacrifice hit if he goes to the bat simply with the idea of "slugging" at the ball, aS then his being put out by a hit which sends the run- ner round to the next base, is entirely an accidental hit. It is only when he makes an eflort to place the ball, and in that effort hits it so as to make it a sacri- fice, that he is worthy of the credit of it. FUNGOES. There is no worse habit for batsmen to indulge in, than that of batting "fungo" balls; that is, tossing the THE ART OF BATTING. 37 ball in the air and hitting it to the tield. It trains the eye to meet the ball in batting it in a manner which never occurs in actual play. It ought to be prohibited on every vs^ell regulated ball field. If it be necessary to practice the fielder in making catches, or in stop- ping and fielding ground balls, let some outsider or other employe than the team player do the batting. And yet no tnatch takes place on a professional ground that some two or more of the players of the team, in their preliminary practice, do not engage in fungo batting; in fact, they have no other practice at the bat than this child's play style of hitting. When facing the regular pitching in a match, they have to bat against swiftly delivered balls,indeed, some are almost a direct line to the bat — and in order to meet such balls with eflfect, they need all the practice they can have in learning to sight such line balls. It can easily be seen, therefore, what a bad effect practice in hitting at balls whic'n fall to the ground at right angles to the line of the pitcher's regular delivery has. HOME RUN HITTING. All batsmen who go in for a record strive their ut- most to make home runs. They are well aware of the fact, that the majority of spectators at a match — especially in country towns — know little or nothing of what constitutes real skill in batting; the prevail- ing idea with the crowd being, that the best batsman is the "slugger," who manages to scratch a home run once out of every nine times at the bat. Hence 38 THE ART OF BATTING. the eclat attendant upon a dashing hit of the kind Is too tempting to resist, and hence they throw team work in batting to the dogs, and go in for a style of batting which pleases the crowd, though it proves costly in the long run to the success of a team in taking the lead in a championship race. A brief glance at the cost of a home run in wear and tear of a batsman's physical strength, will show what a draw- back the slugging style of batting is in progress toward scientific hitting and thorough team work at the bat. Suppose nine men of one side in a match, go to the bat, and the first eight make single base hits in succession ; the result will be that, when the ninth man goes to the bat, five runs will have been scored and earned, and three men will be occupants of bases; and all this will have been done at the least possible expenditure of physical strength in running bases. vSuppose, on the other hand, that the first five men of the other side had made clean home runs, and that the other three were on bases, ready to be batted home by the ninth man, as in the case of the nine men first at the bat in the game. What would then have been accomplished? Simply the same number of runs as by the single base hitters, but at what com- parative cost would the runs have been obtained? The answer is, that while, in the first case, the bats- men who had scored and earned their runs by single hits, would be free from fatigue in running bases, and ready for active field work at once; the home run hitters would be partially exhausted with their THE ART OP BATTING. 39 hundred and twenty yards spurts at their utmost speed, and unfit for their field duties without some rest. This is but one view of the subject of the costly character of the home run style of hitting, when compared to first-class team work in batting, in going in for single base hits, and good sacrifice hits after trying to place balls. Home runs are, of course, useful, but they should only be made the chief effort of a batsman's play in team work when the bases are occujoied, and it will pay to run the chance of failure. Even then we prefer to see a good placer of a ball come to the. bat, rather than a slugger. Another objection to home run hitters, lies in the fact, that, as a class, they become the easiest victims to strategic pitching. Besides the desire for the eclat attached to home run hitting elicited by the applause from the ignorant crowd, which acts as an inducement, there are the scoring rules of the game, and the mistaken sys- tem of press reporting in vogue. The former gives official prominence to the records of total base-hits and ignores sacrifice-hits. The reporters, as a gen- eral rule, see nothing worthy of special praise aside from "two-baggers,'' "three-baggers,'' and "home- runs." The custom of singling out for publication the names of batsmen who make these hits and runs is responsible for their striving more for this sort of glory than for the best intei*ests of the club they represent. Alike in the field and at the bat, a man may do the most effective work in that branch of base ball technically called "sacrifice-play,'' and yet 40 THE ARl^ OF BATTING. not receive a word of credit for it at the hands of many of the reporters. Only let him get in a home- run, even though it be off the weakest kind of pitch- ing, and down will go his name in the score, and laudator}' press reports will follow. All this is a hin- drance to the policy of " playing for the side," which is the great essential of success, and the only way for players to render a club the most effective service. Were the recording of two and three base-hits and home-runs abandoned as a feature of scoring, and the recording of sacrifice-hits and other points of play incidental to earnest and honest co-operative work substituted, there would be much less of "playing for a record," regardless of the club interests, than there now is. WAITING FOR GOOD BALLS. The waiting for good balls is a strong point to play on a pitcher if it be properly done; but it will not do to wait for balls as too many batsmen do, that is to wait until they get a certain particular ball which is a pet ball with them. One thing essential in waiting for good balls is to be always ready to take prompt advantage of them when they do come, and not to be caught napping while out of good form for hitting. It is no discredit to a batsman to be sent to his base on called balls; on the contrary if he has the keen sight and good judgment to stand at the bat ready every time the ball is pitched to meet it and hit it to advantage— something requiring nervy THE ART OF BATTING. 41 play 111 the face of a battery of swift curved balls — and he can thus drive the pitcher into g"iving him his base on balls, the batsman is playing a good point. As a rule, the batsman who can judiciously wait for good balls is a player who very frequently proves troublesome to quick-tempered pitchers. These latter dislike being foiled in their efforts to get batsmen out of form, and when they find a man waiting patiently ball after ball until one comes within reach, and also showing himself to be on the alert to meet the first good ball that comes within his reach, they are very apt to begin to put on extra speed and thereby lose command of the ball to an extent sufficient to have balls called on them, and the result is that the batsman is rewarded for his skilful policy by having his base given him on called balls. Wait for good balls, but do it while being fully on the alert to meet them when they do come in. BATTING FOR THE SIDE. Up to the season of 1S84 there was not one out of twenty professional batsmen who ever troubled them- selves about playing for the side at the bat. Fielders might do it sometimes, because a failure to do so is more apparent to outsiders than it is in batting. But to sacrifice the prevailing ambition to play for a batting record at the shrine of playing for the side is seldom thought of by the majority of the professional class of batsmen. Batting for the side is only shown when the efforts of the batsman are exerted solely 42 THE ART OF BATTING. in the interests of enabling his side to score runs. For instance, suppose the first striker has made a base hit and earned and secured first base. The point for the succeeding batsman to play before all others is to get that runner forwarded to second base or further round if he can. The batsman who goes in for a record only, never troubles himself about the runner who is on the base waiting for a chance to steal to the next base, or to be batted round. He only thinks of the "big hit" he wants to make on his own special account. If in striving for this special hit, he either forces the runner out and thereby gets a base himself or is put out by a running catch in the out-field he considers himself in "hard luck"* when such a result is entirely due to his willful and studied neglect of scientific batting. On the other hand if he is a team player — that is a player who in his batting as well as fielding makes his own special record of secondary imj^ortance to the interests of the team as a whole in winning the game, his whole attention when he goes to the bat will be devoted to the point of doing his best to forward the runner round, if on first base, or in getting the runner home if the latter is on third. In other words, he does his best to play for the side. In doing this he is just as ready to make a sacrifice hit as in any other way to give advantage to the team he is in. PLAYING FOR A RECORD. Though, under the existing method of making out THE ART OP BATTING. 43 the yearly averages of a club team, it apparently pays a batsman better to play for a record than to bat for the side in his team work, the latter policy in the long run will inure more to his ultimate benefit than any mere record playing. The latter shows in the list of averages and that is all it does. Take the nine men who lead in the average at the bat in the records of a season's play and place them in a team against nine men who are known to excel in good team work in batting for the side, and the former would prove to be no match for the latter in winning the series of matches for the championship. Take for instance the American records of club averages in batting, 1SS4, and what do we see; simply the Athletic Club at the head of the list in batting averages, though in the pennant race in winning games they stood sixth on the list. In the first place it is not such batting as is now in vogue that wins matches, but superior field- ing and base running, the latter especially. When batsmen learn the art of skilful batting then that de partment of the game will be more of an essential of success in winning matches than it now is. In the meantime sharp base running and good field support of efTective pitching has far more to do with victory than has the style of batting hitherto in vogue, which is largely that of batting for a record. It would surprise some of the managers of base ball clubs could they get at the inside of the profes- sional player's work and see how many batsmen sacrifice the interests of their club by efforts to play 44 THE ART OF BATTING. for an individual record. The publishing of weekly and monthly averages at the bat also tends strongly to induce the batsmen to go for individual records; and it is pertinent to remark just here that the season's averages as far as published exhibit very plainly the utter uselessness of attempting to estimate a player's value to his team by the figures of his batting averages. CONFIDENCE IN HITTING. Confidence in one's ability to hit the ball v^^ith effect is half the battle in batting. To go up to the bat with a feeling of expectancy of failure and only a hope of success, is simply to court defeat. Confidence in hitting is born of a plucky and nervy determina- tion to deserve success by skillful efforts to secure it. It won't do to face the pitcher with any feeling of doubt as to j-our ability to punish his pitching; nor can you attain any degree of confidence in batting if you have any fear of the speed of the delivery. You must face the hot fire courageously, depending upon keen sight to watch the direction of the ball closely ; and also stand in such form, when ready to meet the ball from a swift delivery, as to insure your being able to step aside safely to avoid the impending blow from a badly joitched ball. There is an innate feeling of confidence in one's ability to hit the ball, which is the result of a practical knowledge of all the points of play in batting, which leads a batsman skilled in scientific hitting to punish pitching when the slugging THE ART OF BATTING. 45 style of batsman invariably fails. Such a batsman goes up to the bat without a doubt as to his being able to " hit the pitching," and this confident feeling is the very power which enables him to succeed. Without it, practice in batting fails of its primary purpose, which is to give the batsman confidence in hitting. The difference between being confident in hitting and lacking confidence, is often strikingly illustrated when batsmen face a noted strategist for the first time. If, when they go to the bat, they are told that they are about to face the most effective pitcher in the country, they will at once imagine that every ball he sends in is fraught with some dan- ger or other to the hope of a successful hit, which at once deprives them of what little confidence they otherwise might have had. On the other hand, if the pitcher is one they only know of as an untried man in the position — no matter what his real ability may be — they go up to the bat with a degree of con- fidence which almost insures success at the outset. Frank Pidgeon's remark to the Eckfords when they went to the bat to face the Atlantics in the olden days, illustrates the depressing effect prestige of skill has in depriving batsmen of confidence in hitting. Frank said to his men one day, on the old Manor House grounds, when the Eckfords were losing ground in their game with the Atlantics, " Go up to the bat, men, and forget all about these fellows being the Atlantics, and think they are only an ordinary nine you're playing against." It is just such a feeling 46 THE ART OF BATTING. as Frank referred to in this case that loses half the games played. Indeed, some teams, when they face noted rivals, are beaten before they strike a single blow. Sometimes a sudden degree of confidence is in. spired in a certain class of batsmen, when they reach a particular innings in a match, one, for instance, in which they have been generally lucky enough to score runs; and it frequently happens that they will then and there " get onto a streak of batting " which will pull them out of the fire. It was a peculiarity of the old Atlantic batsmen that tiiey never felt discouraged or lost hope of ultimate success in a match until the last man was out in the last innings, and the feeling of confidence in batting which was thus inspired, en- abled them to pull many an apparently lost game out of the fire. Let a man go up to the bat to face the j^itcher with the idea that he is too difficult a pitcher to punish, and the very lack of confidence in his own power will make him an easy victim. Let, however, the batsman face the pitching confident that he can, by his quick sight, command of the bat, and ability to prevent the fielder from outwitting him, make good hits, and as sure as the ball comes within his legiti- mate reach he will hit it safely five times out of six. To retain this confidence, therefore, is the essential point in batting; to destroy it, the great point in pitching. THE ART OF BATTING. FOUL AND FAIR BALLS. 47 The important difference between balls hit high from the bat and those hit almost directly to the ground, as applicable to the rule defining fair and foul hit balls, is frequently lost sight of, alike by players and spectators. If a ball be hit up in the air it becomes "fair" or "foul" according to its falling on "fair" or "foul" ground. But if it be /^// direct to the ground^ it becomes "fair" or "foul" according to iX^Jinal stof- page on "fair" or "foul" ground before passing either first or third base. The appended diagram illustrates the difference above referred to. TECHNICAL TERMS IN BATTING. Bases on Hits. — A base is fairly earned by the batsman when he hits the ball in such a manner that it can neither be caught on the fly nor fielded to any base in time to put any player out. It does not follow that because the striker reaches the first base himself 48 THE ART OF BATTING. in time — and that, too, not by an error of fielding — that thereby he makes his base on a hit, as the ball may be used to better advantage in putting out the player "forced off." It must be earned by a clean hit, or he is not to be credited with a base earned. Bases on Errors. — A base is secured by errors when the striker gets safely to first base, either through the ball being "muffed" by the fielder, or thrown wildly to the base player, or not held by him when accurately thrown. A base, too, is secured by an error when an easy chance for a catch is lost, either by the poor judgment or lack of activity of the fielder, or when two fielders both hesitate to take the chance offered. Batsman. — The striker at the bat is called the batsman or "striker" until he has hit a fair ball, had three strikes called, or has been given his base on balls. Bounder. — A "bounder" is a ball from the bat which bounds out of the fair reach of the infield- ers. It is a ball which first strikes the ground in the infield. Clean Home Runs. — This is the term applied to a run obtained by a long hit to the out-field by which the ball is sent out of reach of the out-fielders so as to admit of a base-runner running round and touching all four bases before he is put out. Jf he stops on any base, thinking he cannot get liome in time, he is to be credited only with the number of bases he made before stopping. Ordi- THE ART OF BATTING. AO nary home runs are frequently made from over- throws, or dropped or muffed balls at the outer-field. These are not now counted as home-runs, as they are the result of errors in the field, and not of heavy bat- ting. Home runs at best are no criterion of skillful batting, and they are only useful in bringing men home when the bases are all occupied. Daisy Cutters. — A "daisy cutter" is a ball hit sharply and close along the ground from a ball pitched low to the bat. When sent in the right direction they are telling and pretty hits. Fair Balls. — A fair ball is one sent from the bat so as to strike the ground anywhere in front of or on the line of the in-field from home base to third base, and home base to first base, or which rolls into fair ground between these bases. Foul Balls. — These are balls sent from the bat which strike the ground back of the foul-ball lines, or which roll out from fair ground. Facing for a Hit. — The batsman is said to "face for a hit" when he stands in such position as nearly to face the part of the field he desires to send the ball. FuNGO. — This is a style of batting useful only In affording out-fielders a chance for practice In taking long high balls on^ the fly. It, however, gets the batsman out of good batting form, for he has to hit the ball as it falls jDcrpendicularly, and not as it comes to him In pitching, nearly horizontally. 50 THE ART OF BATTING. Grounder. — A ground hit is a very safe style of hitting if the ball is sent in the right direction. Sharply hit grounders sent to any position, except first base, will generally yield a base hit. High Balls. — A "high ball" is one hit high in the air, and favorably for a fielder to catch. Long high balls are much admired by spectators, but with intelligent and experienced fielders and a good, sharp captain, every such ball hit ought to lead to the striker being put out. Line Ball. — A "line ball" or "liner," is a ball sent swiftly from the bat to the field almost on a hori- zontal line. A catch from such a ball looks hand- some; but it is not as a general thing so difficult a ball to hold as a high foul ball, as the latter has great bias given to it by the bat. Long Balls — "Long balls" are balls sent either flying or bounding along the ground to the out-field- ers. If the former, they ought to be caught; if the latter, they surely give a base. Low Ball. — This Is a ball sent low to the bat. The legal reach of the batsman does not extend lower than the knee of the batsman. One, Two, Three Order. — This term is applied to the order of retirement when three batsmen are put out in succession. Players Running Bases. — The striker ceases to be considered as such the moment he strikes a fair ball, THE ART OF BATTING. ^I or when he is obhged to run to first base from faiHng to hit the ball after striking at it three times, when given his base on balls. Popping One Up. — This term is ajDplied to a ball hit up high, which readily falls into the hands of an in-fielder. It is the poorest hit made. Runs. — A player scores a run the moment he fairly touches the home base. Striker. — The batsman is the striker until he runs for the first base after hitting a ball fairly, or is given his base on balls. Safe Hits. — This term is applied to high balls sent from the bat with just force enough to carry them over the heads of the in-fields, but not far enough out for the out-fielders to catch. Striking Out. — When Ihe batsman hits at a fair ball three times and fails to hit it, and the ball be caught, or it be sent to first base in time to put the player out, he "strikes" out. Shoulder Ball. — This is a ball sent to the bat on a line with the batsman's shoulder. Some batsmen hit these balls well. Timing a Ball. — This is done when you time the swing of your bat to meet the ball so as to hit it at a right angle to the line of your bat, and to hit the ball in the center. 52 THE ART OF BATTING. THE LEADING BATTING AVERAGES OF 1885. LEAGUE. The following are the best batting averages of the players in the League championship games for 1S85, the record including only those who took part in one hundred games and over. PLAYER. Connor. . . . Sutton . . . . O'Rourke . Anson .. . . Gore Hanlon. .. Gillespie . . Kelly McKinnon. Wise Glasscock . Dairy mple. Start Dunlap. . . . Mulvey . . Andrews . . Burns Manning . . Pfeffer . . . . Lillie Radford . . . Farrar Williamson Fogarty . . . Carroll. .. Morrill . . . . Ward Manning . . Bastian. . . . Gerhardt . . CLUB. New York Boston New York Chicago Detroit New York Chicago St. Louis Boston St. Louis Chicago Providence St. Louis Philadelphia u Chicago Philadelphia ...... Chicago Buffalo Providence Philadelphia Chicago Philadelphia Providence Boston New York Boston and Detroit Philadelphia New York no 109 112 112 109 105 102 108 100 107 III lOI 106 106 103 112 107 112 112 105 III 113 III 104 III II I 105 103 112 O u ^ PhMH .382 ,310 .309 •309 .309 .309 .296 .288 .287 .283 .283 .277 .268 .265 .263 ,262 ,260 .250 .243 .243 ,241 .239 237 234 ,232 ,227 ,226 168 162 THE ART OF BATTING. 5S AMERICAN ASSOCIATION. Of the batsmen of the American Association ckibs who played in one hundred championship games and over, in 1885, the following took the lead: PLAYER. Browning Orr Stovey Larkin Jones Reilly Brown Brady Phillips Carpenter , . . Corkhill Wolf Pinckney. . . . Roseman. . . , McPhee Welch Fennelly Smith Smith Gleason . . , , Mann McClellan... Nelson Muldoon . . . Sommer Kerins Swart wood. Reccius Maskrey. . . . Kuehne . . . . McLaughlin Latham . . . . Nicol Strieker . . . . Macullar . . . CLUB. Louisville. . . Metropolitan . Athletic Cincinnati Pittsburg . . . Metropolitan Brooklyn. . . . Cincinnati , . Louisville . . . Brooklyn. . . Metropolitan. Cincinnati . . . St. Louis . . . . Cincinnati . . . Pittsburg . . . . Brooklyn St. Louis Pittsburg Brooklyn. . . . Metropolitan , Baltimore . . Louisville Brooklyn. Louisville Pittsburg. Louisville St. Louis . Athletic . . Baltimore ■B^a ^ ■>-' *-> i v>^ w B u layer. Rule 34. When a batted ball passes outside the grounds, the Umpire shall decide it fair should it dis- appear within, or foul should it dis appear outside of the range of the foul lines, and Rules 32 and 33 are to be construed accordingly. Rule 35. A Strike is ( 1 ) A ball struck at by the Batsman without its touching his bat; or (2) A ball legally delivered by the Pitcher aT; the height called for by the Batsman, and over the Home Base, but not struck at by the Batsman. Rule 36. A Foul Strike is a ball batted by the Batsman when any part of his person is upon ground outside the lines of the Batsman's position. Rule 50. The Bats7nan^ o7z taking his positioji^ must call for a " High Ball," a " Low Ball," or a "High or Low Ball," and the Umpire shall notify the Pitcher to deliver the ball as required; such call shall not be changed after the first ball delivered. The Umpire shall count and call every « Unfair Ball" THE ART OF BATTINC. 59 delivered by the Pitcher, and every " Dead Ball," if also an " Unfair Ball," as a " Ball;" and he shall also count and call every " Strike." Neither a " Ball " nor a " Strike " shall be called or counted until the ball has passed the Home Base. Rule 51. The Batsman is out^ (i) If he fails to take his position at the bat in his order of batting, unless the error be discovered, and the proper Batsman takes his position before a fair hit has been made, and in such case the balls and strikes called w^ill be counted in the time at bat of the proper batsman. (3) If he fails to take his position within one min- ute after the Umpire has called for the Batsman. (3) If he makes a Foul Hit and the ball be mo- mentarily held by a fielder before touching the ground, provided it be not caught in a fielder's hat or cap, or touch some object other than the fielder before being caught. (4) If he makes a Foul Strike. (5) If he plainly attempts to hinder the catcher from fielding the ball, evidently without eflfort to make a fair hit. Rule 52. The Bats7nan becotncs a base 7'unner (i) Instantly after he makes a Fair Hit. (3) Instantly after six balls have been called by the Umpire. (3) Instantly after three strikes have been declared by the Umpire. 6o THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. Each season's experience only shows more and more the fact that good base running is one of the most important essentials of success in winning games. Effective pitching is a great aid to success, so is skill- ful batting; but it is equally as necessary to a suc- cessful issue of a contest after a base has been ob- tained by a good hit, that other bases should be secured by skillful running of bases. It is a difficult task to get to first base safely in the face of the effect- ual fire from a first-class club " battery," backed up by good support in the field; but it is still more diffi- cult when the base is safely reached, to secure the other three bases. The fact is, a greater degree of intelligence is required in the player who would excel in base running than is needed either in fielding or in batting. Any soft-brained heavy weight can occa. sionally hit a ball for a home run, but it requires a shrewd, intelligent player, with his wits about him, to make a successful base runner. Indeed, base run- ning is the most difficult work a player has to do in the game. To cover infield positions properly, a de- gree of intelligence in the players is required which the majority do not as a general rule possess; but to excel in base running such mental qualifications are required as only a small minority are found to possess. Presence of mind, prompt action on the spur of the moment; quickness of perception, and coolness and nerve are among the requisites of a successful base runner. Players habitually accustomed to hesitate to THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 6l do this, that or the other, in attending to the varied points of a game, can never become good base run- ners. There is so little time allowed to judge of the situation that prompt action becomes a necessity with the base runner. He must "hurry up" nil the time. Then, too, he must be daring in taking risks, while at the same time avoiding recklessness in his running. Though fast running is an important aid in base run- ning, a fast runner who lacks judgment, coolness, and, in fact, "headwork" in his running, will not equal a poor runner who possesses the nerve and intelligence required for the work. The great point in the art of base running is to know when to start, and to start promptly when the favorable opportunity is offered. One difficulty a base runner, trying to steal to second, invariably encounters, is his having to watch either the pitcher or catcher closely. He cannot watch both carefully, and therefore he must make his selec- tion as to which player he will look after. If the catcher is an accurate and swift thrower to the bases, he is the man to be attended to. But if the pitcher is one who has a method of delivery which includes a number of special movements which occupy more than the ordinary time in delivering the ball, then he is the man to watch, for he will surely afford the run- ner the required opportunity to steal a base or to secure a balk, if the runner only plays his part prop- erly. A sharp base runner can bother a pitcher ex- ceedingly by skillful dodging. It requires no small amount of nerve and coolness for a pitcher to watch a runner closely, and yet to play the strategical points of his pitching with full effect. 62 THE ART OF BASE IIUNNING. For many years past, season after season, have we endeavored to impress upon the j^rofessional fraternity the importance of skillful base running in winning matches, as well as to show them the many fine points that were capable of being developed in first class base running. Judging from the fact that the finest base running ever witnessed in the professional arena was exhibited during the season of 1SS4, the indications are that the lessons that have been taught have at last yielded fruit. With all the skill shown last season in this special department of the game, there are yet some things to be learned. Experience is fre- quently a good teacher, but her lessons are costly at times. There are players, however, who will not derive their knowledge of how to play the points of the game well from any other source, and hence it is that years have been required to develop a degree of skill in base play and base running which might otherwise have been attained in a single season or two. POINTS OF PLAY IN BASE RUNNING. The moment a batsman hits a ball he should run for first base with all his speed. He has no business to stop and see if the ball wnll be caught and fielded; he should act at all times as if a chance was oflfered to reach first, and go for that base as fast as he can. Many a base has been lost by the refusal of the bats- man to run because he thought the hit ball would surely be caught, or be easily fielded to first base in time. He should never take either event as some- THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 63 thing granted, but expect errors to aid him and act accordingly. In running down to second, when a runner is on third base, he should run in such a way as to invite a throw to second to cut him off, and then try to get the attention of the infielders fixed on his own move- ments so as to give the runner on third base a chance to get home. Of course in playing this point it must be done only when there is but one man out, unless the situation is such as to make a single run decisive in ending the contest, in which case his play will be to delay the putting out of himself between first and second until the runner on third crosses the home plate, or otherwise the run will not count. In running to first base the runner should be care- ful to avoid running in front of the base line, because that alone puts him out. It is always safe, too, to turn to the right after overrunning first base, unless the hit is very sure for more than one base, as he can- not profit by the rule of exemption from being put out after overrunning the base if he turns to the left. In running bases on fly balls caught in the outfield, the moment such high ball is hit, and there is any chance of its being caught, he should hold the base he occupies, and in such a way as to be ready to start quickly for the next base the moment the ball is caught, and not run halfway down first, only to have to return and touch the base he left after the ball is caught, before he can run to the next base. When two men are out, and a runner is on third, 64 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. and the batted ball is being fielded to cut off a runner between first and second — not forced oflf — the runner on third should make the best time possible in run- ning home, so as to cross the plate before the other runner is put out, otherwise his run will not count. BASE RUNNING A SPECIAL REQUIRE- MENT. Club managers have, within the past year or two, realized very forcibly the superiority of the plan of selecting the players of their team on the basis of excellence as fielders and basemen, rather than as batsmen. In fact, marked skill as base runners has come to be a sine qua ?ion in selecting men for a first-class team. First, their fitness for their special home position in the field as fielders; next their skill as base runners; and then their ability as batsmen. In fact, the old plan of selecting men according to the figures of their batting average, as the first matter to be considered in choosing them, is completely played out. In 1886 skillful base running won the National League pennant, and especially that of the American Association, the St. Louis team excelling among pro- fessional men in the country in this respect in 1886. It was largely due to the want of skill in base run- ning that the New York team failed to reach the point in the race their relative strength in all respects warranted. The amenchTient to the rules of both Associations in regard to the recording of stolen bases is one well calculated to improve all the THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 65 nines in this essential of success this season. The new rule will give an incentive to base running, and better work will be done by all the teams in the base running department in 1886. THE BASE RUNNING OF 1885. A great deal of the base running of the season of 18S5 was the result of almost reckless in- difference to the risks of being put out, which were incurred. The risk, by the way, is not so great as one would naturally imagine. One question a base runner has to consider in taking risks, is, what are the chief obstacles to my success? These are chiefly swift and accurate throwing by the catchers to the basemen; surety in holding the ball, and activity of movement in touching a nmner on the part of the baseman. Now, all of these essentials are materi- ally affected by the degree of confidence a catcher or baseman has in his ability to catch a runner napping. Given a quick runner, who lacks judgment as to the time to start for a base, and who is apt to hesitate; and a good thrower from home to second, with a good man at second to take the ball, and the latter will catch the former napping four times, out of six. But let these same two fielders have a sharp, shrewd, and daring base runner, like Ward of New York, Kelly of Chicago, Latham of St. Louis, and a few others who could be named, to bother them, and, in four cases out of six, they will lose confidence in their work, and the result will be the safety of the reckless base runner. 66 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. Runners like the above named players, " rattle " the swiftest of throwers from home to second, and also the surest holders of balls at bases. Better to run a great risk than to take no risk at all in your running. WATCHING THE PITCHER. Runners to bases from first to second should watch the delivery of the pitcher closely, for from the peculiarity of his style of delivery will they get their cue for a good start. Some pitchers have a totally different manner of delivering the ball when a run- ner on a base to that which he has when the bases are clear. The difference should be watched closely and taken advantage of. In doing this, too, watch the pace of the delivery, for there is a point for the runner in this, inasmuch as some catchers find it im- possible to gather well for an accurate throw, unless the ball is sent on with less speed than ordinary. Watch also the position of the catcher, as to his standing right behind the center of the home plate or to the right of it, for if the latter, he is then pre- pared to throw to a base; if not, the pitcher will then mostly be sending the ball in hot for strikes, in which case the runner will have a show to take a base. FAILING TO RUN QUICK. A base runner ought to be fined by his manager every time he fails to run at his best the moment he drops his bat at the home plate, or starts from any other base, either on a hit or on a force. It simply THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 67 shows stupidity or indifference, to run slow, or to stop running, simply because an apparently sure catch or an out is before you. Nothing is sure in base ball, and, therefore, tlie plan is to play for uncertain results in the fielding all the time; that is, play to expect a ball to be muffed, or dropped, or badly thrown. This is the secret of the success of darins: ba^e runnuiof. LEAVING BASES TOO SOON. Never leave a held base until it is absolutely sure that you are out, or obliged to return from a base. Many a runner has been put out when he was safe from not being sure before he left his base to return from the diamond that he was actually out, or that the inning was ended. The importance of this point was strikingly illustrated in the Boston-New York game of August 21. Two men were out in the last part of the tenth innings, when Connor made his third called stroke at the bat, and he became at once a base runner. Ward ran home on the strike, seeing that Gunning had not held the ball on the fly. Con- nor, thinking it was a sure out, stopped running. The ball, however, was thrown wild to Morrell by Whitney, and Connor reached the base safely. Had the throw been straight, however, he would have been out, and the run would not have counted. 68 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. SLIDING IN. The sliding in business will be easier this season than ever before on account of the runners being saved from bruised hips by the use of the new^ slid- ing pad. A new reading of an old proverb comes in apropos here, and that is: "A slide in time saves an out." Practice makes perfect in doing the slide effectively. Be prompt in getting up sharply after a slide in, as the ball may be muffed in the collision. A NEW RULE FOR BASE RUNNERS. The American Code of Playing Rules contains a new clause, which reads differently to what the rule was intended to cover; and it is that which gives a runner out for interfering with, or allowing a thrown ball to touch him. The interference must be plainly apparent, however. If the thrown ball could not possibly be avoided — as in the case of a ball hitting a runner sliding in — the rule does not apply. That is the spirit of it. POINTS IN THE GAME. CHANGING THE BATTERY. A very important point for a captain of a nine to consider is that of changing his battery, when the batting side is beginning to become confident in their hitting. Too little of this change of pitching in a . game, as a strategic point to play, was done last sea- THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 69 son, and more than should have been on an errone- ous estimate of the pitcher's alleged punishment by the batting side. A strong point for a captain to play in the matter of changing pitchers in a game, is to keep a sharp lookout for the time when his batting opponents be- gin to get confidence in hitting; for, the moment they do then is the time to change your pitcher, even if he is not being punished to any serious extent. Con- fidence is a great thing in a ball match, w^hether in regard to fielding or batting, but in batting it is everything. The spurts in hitting, vs^hich so fre- quently puzzle the calculations of a pitcher, are en- tirely the result of a sudden accession of confidence in the batsmen, who follow the lead of a successful base-hitter with hit after hit, where previous innings' play had seen them retire from easy chances given the field. The moment, therefore, the captain sees this confidence attained, he should change his pitcher at once, no matter whether he is being punished or not, it being very important to nip this kind of thing in the bud. Of course, it is always proper for a cap- tain to change his pitcher when he finds that he is being badly punished; but he should be sure, before this is done, that he has been punished. And the captain should bear in mind the important fact that no pitcher can be punished by his batting opponents unless his pitching be hit for eaj-ned runs. A pitcher is never punished by batsmen so long as no runs are being earned by base-hits. If he gives chances for 70 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. outs off his pitching which his field support fails to accept, the fault is with the fielders, and not in the pitching. This changing of pitchers on the basis of base-hits scored from the delivery, without regard to the runs scored being earned or not, is a blunder, as well as an injustice to the pitcher. There is another cause for a pitcher's being punished by the batsmen which was last season too seldom taken into account, and that is the fact that a pitcher is frequently obliged to " let up " on his catcher, when the latter has either been disabled by some injury to his hands, or in some other way been prevented from playing up to his customary high mark behind the bat. In such a case a change of pitchers is comparatively use- less. In thus reducing his speed, and thereby the effectiveness of his curve, the pitcher necessarily lays himself open to punishment at the hands of his bat- ting opponents. In such a case, if there is no strong change-catcher at command, it becomes a question as to which is the more costly- — the passed-balls and missed fly-tips consequent upon the inability of the catcher to support the regular speed of his pitcher, or the chances offered for base-hits off the reduced pace, and the lessened effect of the curve necessitated by the pitcher's being obliged to " let up " on his catcher. CHANGING POSITIONS. One of the now obsolete customs of a match game of ball used to be the change of positions in the field nearly every inning. As a general thing, this is the THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. ^I merest child's play. In the early part of the season, when engaged in an unimportant match with a weaker nine, a change or two may be allowable by way of experiment; but under no circumstances, ex- cept those of illness or injury, should a position in the nine— except that of the pitcher — be changed during playing of a match, or, in fact, during the entire sea- son, unless you can substitute a palpably superior player, or in case experience proves the inability of any one man to properly play his position in a nine. The folly of taking a base player off because he fails to hold a ball or two badly thrown or swiftly batted to him, or of putting a base player in the field because the fielder happens to drop a difficult ball to hold, or even to miss an easy catch, is so apparent to any ordinary observer, that we are surprised to see it adopted by any but captains of weak judgment. What reason have you to suppose that the player committing an error in one position, and that, too, one he is familiar with, is going to do better in one he is not at home in ; and if he does not, whence the advantage of the change? For, as the game is now played, every position in the field requires to be equally well played, to insure suc- cess in a match game. HINTS TO PITCHERS. Always have an understanding with your two sets of fielders in regard to private signals, so as to be able to call them in closer, or place them out further, or nearer the foul ball lines, as occasion may require, 72 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. without giving notice to ^^our adversaries. Warn your out fielders also to watch well the batsman, so as to be ready to move in the direction he faces for bat- ting. Thus, if the left fielder is in his regular posi- tion, and he sees the batsman facing for a hit close to the first base, let him go nearer to center field, and the center fielder nearer to right, and the latter fielder close to if not beyond the foul ball line. When you find that your adversaries have in their nine two or three men fond of making showy hits, or of hitting at the first ball that comes to them as hard as they can, lay your out field in readiness for long, fly balls; ex- tend your basemen for high balls short of the out field, and then tell your pitcher to send him in a nice one where he wants it, and in nine cases out of ten, if your men are well trained, the "splendidly hit ball" will be held as nicely as you want it. Be careful, however, that you are not tempted to draw in your men too much for short hits; you should consult with your pitcher every inning so as to have the nine work according to his pitching. In fact, the pitcher should be allowed to place his men if he have any special object in view, or desires to play any particular points. It is in paying particular attention to the strategical points of a game that victories are achieved, and not in depending solely on the strength of your nine either at the bat or in the field. THE ART OP BASE RUNNING. THE CAPTAIN OF A NINE. 73 One of the rules governing the selection of an um- pire applies with equal force to the choice of a cap- tain of a nine, viz: That it does not follow that- because a man is a first-class player — the best in the nine per- haps, he is, therefore, the man to act as captain of the nine. We know of many an excellent player totally unfitted for the onerous position of a captain of a nine. In the selection of a captain two classes of players are to be avoided ; the one including those of quick temper, without self-control, dictatorial in their manner, imperious in commanding and too fond of having this or that done simply because it is their de- sire that it should be so. The other class are those easily infiue.nced, of no determination of character, afraid of censure and too desirous of pleasing their friends in the course they pursue, at the cost of the best interests of the nine they have in charge, or of the club they belong to. GETTING A TEAM TOGETHER. To get a nine into good working condition is a task requiring patience, perseverance, good humor, sound judgment and the determined spirit wiiich over- comes all ordinary obstacles. In getting your nine together for the season, first get your pitcher, and if you have any choice left you should always select the man having the most command at the ball in delivery. Never mind what his speed or twist is so long as he 74 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. can command the ball so as to deliver it within a few inches of the spot aimed at. Having this command he is good enough to be the pitcher of a good sup- porting field; without it he is but a second-class man in the position, even if he be the swiftest pitcher in the country. Next look for a good catcher, and one who is not afraid of a ball, and who can throw straight and keep his temper. Of all places in the field the catcher's position is the last for a quick tem- pered man. In fact, such a man has no place in a ball field at all, but least of all behind the bat. In choosing your basemen let the man on the first base be fearless and sure in holding the hottest kind of thrown balls, and the man on third base equally fearless in facing swiftly batted balls, and also capable of throwing swiftly and accurately to first base, and let the second baseman be the most active of the three and a good judge of a catch. In selecting your short stop let him be an ac- curate thrower to begin with, but especially should he be noted for his activity in backing up every player in the infield as occasion may require. The short stop should always be on the move and on the look out, first behind third base, then running home to help the catcher, anon playing second base and even running out to long field for a high ball. See that your out- fielders are good at long throws and sure in judg- ing and in catching fly balls, besides being active in supporting each other. It shows either poor manage- ment or a poor player to see any man of the nine standing still in his position while the ball is on the move, either in the air or along the ground. THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. BATTERY TEAMS. 75 More and more each season is the fact becoming evident that pitchers and catchers must learn to play in pairs if it be desired to develop the full strength of the attacking force. It was by their perfect work- ing together as a pair that White and Spalding did such valuable service as the champion players in their position for five successive years, four years in the Boston champion team and one year in the Chicao-o nine. We were glad to see that pitchers played with more care last season in throwing to bases to catch base runners napping, than ever before. This custom is more to be honored in the breach than in the ob- servance. More bases are given through errors re- sulting from this throwing to bases by pitchers in one game than there are players put out by it in a dozen matches. The improvement in batting each season requires a more rapid delivery from a pitcher than hitherto. We do not mean in regard to his pace in delivery, but his being quick in his movements in delivering the ball. The object of this and prompt return of the ball from the catcher — is to keep the batsman so closely confined to his work as to make ]>im nervous about striking. A slow style of move- ment In sending in the ball gives the batsman time to collect his wits about him and to judge the ball; a quicker delivery has the reverse effect. Many a bats- man, of the heavy hitting order especially, has been sent to grief in being called out on strikes, owing to 76 THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. the way the pitcher has bothered him by his quick and accurate delivery of the ball over the base. CATCHING BASE RUNNERS NAPPING. Throwing to first base from pitcher's position has become less frequent than it used to be. In fact, the success of this point of play is exceptional, errors giving unearned bases being the most frequent re- sult. If a pitcher excels in the accuracy of his throw- ing to a base it is well enough; but if he does not the risk of failure is too great to indulge in it. The av- erage loss from bases given by errors from throws to first base by pitchers exceeds the gain in outs by at least three to one. Taking low bounding balls from quick low throws has become a necessary adjunct of first-class first base playing, and when these follow the fielding of hard-hit grounders to any infielder a failure of the first-baseman to hold them — except in rare instances — becomes an error of his rather than that of the infielder, from the poor throw. When the fielder, however, has time to throw the ball in straight, and then sends in a bounding ball, the first base player is of course relieved from the responsibil- ity of an error if he fails to hold the ball. The result of Start's style of base play has been his taking the lead in the position in the average of accepted chances. THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 77 OVER-RUNNING BASES. The rule allowing the first base to be over-run was adopted in 1870, and it has become a permanent law of the game. The proposition now is to apply the same rule to the other bases, and there is everything to favor it. In the first place, there is no doubt that allowing all the bases to be over run will save many a sprained ankle and injured limb, while in no respect does it take from the interest of the game or lessen the skill required in base play. There is not the least merit in putting out a player who has over-run second or third base, the skill of the baseman alone being shown in putting him out before he touches the base. In applying the rule to all the bases, it will be best to require the player over-running second and third, if not the first, to return and retouch the over-run base. If the rule be not the same for all bases, the umpire will find it difficult to decide points on second and third bases, which would not be the case if the base runner were required to return and retouch the base. Of course no base is over-run in the case of a home-run, nor is the first or second base over-run on a three-base hit. BASEMEN TEAMS. Somehow or other the majority of club managers cannot be brought to realize the importance of form- ing their basemen teams of men who can play well together. They seem to think that, if they can get hold of first-class individual players for each of the yS THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. three base positions, that is all that is necessary. Moreover, they entertain the erroneous idea too fre- quently that, because a man can play the third base in first-class style, he can surely fill either that of sec- ond or first base equally well. It is, of course, gen- erally conceded that a j^layer may excel at first base who could not play as well at second or thu'd. But it is not so generally understood that the rule applies almost similarly, in many respects, in regard to a third baseman's playing at first base. The fact is, every season's play sees each separate position be- coming more distinct in the peculiar points of play required, while each position more and more needs home-players to fill them properly. At first base the feature of the work to be done there is to stop badly thrown balls, and to hold swiftly thrown balls. At second base, it is to cover a great deal of infield ground, to be active in putting the ball on runners in playing for doubles, and to be well up in strategic points. At third it is to look out for high-twisting fouls, and to attend to the hardest hit balls, and make the longest and quickest throws — In fact, to play third base well is to do the hardest of the infield work. But what each season's experience in base- playing shows plainly is the im23ortance of having the three basemen work as a team. This has only begun to be seen as an important essential in success- ful base play as a nine. A team of three base play- ers who have been working together in their posi- tions for two or three seasons, and who are not only THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 79 familiar with one another's strong and weak points but who work together with combined and harmoni- ous effort, are far more effective than three players who are individually superior players, but who have not worked together a single season as a team. Last season instance after instance occurred in which men were substituted as players in a basemen team for those who had become familiar with their brother basemen's play, only because the new men were con- sidered as superior players individually to those they replaced. The result of such change was of necessity demoralizing on the play of the others as a team. Then, too, men were changed from one base to an- other, as if it were an understood thing that a good base player at third or second or first could be trans- ferred to the opposite base without any depreciation in the quality of the play he would exhibit in his new position. Another mistake made last season in the make-up of base teams was that of j^lacing left- handed men on any base but the first. A left-handed first baseman finds the hand he can use with the greatest facility ready to pick up balls which come on foul ground to the left of him ; while, on the other hand, the third baseman finds his right hand most available to cover a similar class of balls at his right. At third or second base a left-hand player is unques- tionably out of position, as he is also at short-stop, though not to so great an extent. Good basemen team work develops remarkable promptitude in doubling up runners, and in preventing runners from So THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. getting ill from third on the slow running of phiyers from first to second to let other runners in. Base players who do not back up one another well, and who do not play as a team, rarely succeed in doubling up, or in playing any other strong infield ^^oint. In making up a basemen team, while you try to get a Joe Start for first base, a Farrell for second, and a Williamson for third, above all see to it that the men are such in character and disposition as to enable them to work in harmony together, or half the value of their individual skill as players will be lost. FAULT FINDING. An element of weakness, in a majority of nines, prevails in the form of "chin-music" and Ill-natured "chaffing," in which base-players pretty generally take part. Joking is all very well in Its way when it is indulged In good-naturedly, but when the so-called jokes are characterized by sarcastic allusions to a com- panion's weaknesses, or by irritating comments on your adversary's style of play, it becomes an evil which club-inanagers should suppress. In some nines of the professional arena one base player will not speak to another, w^hile a third will comment ill- naturedly on every J^lay made, good, bad, or indif- ferent. Indeed, a spirit of fault-finding prevails more or less In every nine, and it has a very damaging ef- fect on the general play of the nine in which it is permitted. While we would not care to see a nine play like a party of men devoid of speech, there is a THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 8l value in the rule of silence as far as "chaffing" or "chin-music," as it is called, is concerned, which should make it very generally enforced in the profes- sional arena. Where too much talk is permitted there is sure to be bad play. Every player in a pro- fessional nine, and especially base players, should play his game quietly^ to play it up to the best mark. The game needs all a man's wits in full force, and any talk, and especially anything in the way of fiiult- findiag or ill-natured criticism, so bothers a player as to frequently lead him into errors of play he would not otherwise have committed. One of the hardest workers and most effective players of a certain team weakens his play, and that of his companions by his habit of indulging in " chin-music," and fault-finding to an extent he little dreams of. In another well- known team this ill-natured talk largely prevails. In another nameless team at one time scarcely a man could speak in a friendly way to any other, and all this originally came from the detestable habit of "chaffing" — that is, teasing one another about their errors or mistakes of play. This has always been a weak spot in some nines, and it has grown to be a rule, and a point of play to make, to " get a nine growling together and you're sure to win." " Silence on the field " should be a standard rule of professional clubs, specially applicable to the class of players prone to indulge in ill-natured remarks on the play of their companions or adversaries. Just so long as this "chaffing" or "chin-music" is permitted in a 82 • THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. match, just so long will the nine fail to play up to the mark they would otherwise reach. INTERFERING WITH MANAGERS. A subject worthy of comment connected with pro- fessional club management is that of the interference of club directors or officials with the field duties of the appointed captain or manager. In this matter is involved a very important issue concerning the suc- cess or failure of a manager's field-work during a sea- son's play. For instance, a club engages a well- known and capable professional player to act, not only as captain of the men on the field, but as the manager of the team. For the proper discharge of the duties of these important positions he is held to a due responsibility. Of course, in common justice to the player, with this responsibility there should be the full power to carry out his season's programme in regard to the selection of his team, his placing them in position, and to their being held amenable to his authority, and his only, in order to insure proper discipline and good training habits. But just here steps in the club official, whose influence is paramount in the club he is connected with as president, direc- tor or as occupant of some other official position, who soon manifests a propensity to be the "boss" of the organization, alike over his brother officers and the club manager. The result of this is an interference with the plans and views of the club manager, and even the assumption of the duties of field captain by THE ART OF BASE RUNNING. 83 the "boss" in question; and with a club thus divided against itself the result is a sad fall. This boss system was carried out in several prominent clubs of the season of 18S5, in both the League and American teams. The worst of it is that the manager thus "bossed" over has to bear all the blame of the club's failure, when it was the boss' work that did all the mischief. Either a club manager is competent to fulfill the duties of his position, or not. If he is, give him the power to carry out his plans. If he is not, don't en- gage him; or if he is found to be a failure, dismiss him at once; but don't hold him responsible for the bad work of a team he has no power to properly control, or to discipline up to a high working stand- ard. 8| THE BASE RUNNING RULES. THE BASE RUNNING RULES. Rule 52. The Batsman becomes a Base Runner, (i) Instantly after he makes a Fair Hit. (3) Instantly after six Balls have been called by the Umpire. (3) Instantly after three Strikes have been de- clared by the Umpire. (4) Instantly after two " Foul Balks " have been declared by the Umpire. Rule 53. The Base Runner must touch each Base in regular order ^ viz : First, Second, Third and Home Bases, and when obliged to return, must do so on the run, and must retouch the base or bases in reverse order. He shall only be considered as holding a base after touching it, and shall then be entitled to hold such base until he has legally touched the next base in order; or has been legally forced to vacate it for a succeeding Base Runner. Rule ^4. The Base Runner shall be entitled^ without being ^ut out^ to take ofie Base^ provided he do so on the run^ in the following cases : (i) If, while he was Batsman, the Umpire called six Balls, THE BASE RUNNING RULES. g;- (2) If the Umpire awards a succeeding Batsman a base on six Balls and the Base Runner is thereby forced to vacate the base held by him. (3) If the Umpire calls a Balk. (4) If the Umpire calls two « Foul Balks." (5) If a ball delivered by the Pitcher pass the Catcher and touch any fence or building within ninety feet of the Home Base. (6) If he be prevented from making a base by the obstruction of an adversary. (7) If a Fielder stop or catch a batted ball with his hat or any part of his dress. ^ULE 55. The Base Runner shall return to his Base, and shall be entitled to so return without be- ing put out, provided he does so on the run. ( I ) If the Umpire declares a Foul Hit, and the ball be not legally caught by a Fielder. (2) If the Umpire declares a Foul Strike. ( 3 ) If the Umpire declares a Dead Ball, unless it be also the sixth Unfair Ball, and he be thereby forced to take the next base, as provided in Rule 54 (2). Rule 5<5. The Base Runner shall not have a substitute run for him. Rule 57. The Base Ru7tner is out : (i) If, after three strikes have been declared against him while Batsman, and the Catcher fails to catch the third-strike ball, he plainly attempts to hinder the Catcher from fielding the ball. 86 THE BASE RUNNING RULES. (3) If, having made a Fair Hit while Batsman, such fair hit ball be momentarily held by a Fielder, be- fore touching the ground or any object other than a Fielder: Provided, It be not caught in a Fielder's hat or cap. (3) If, when the Umpire has declared three Strikes on him while Batsman, the third-strike ball be momentarily held by a Fielder before touching the ground: Provided^ It be not caught in a Fielder's hat or cap, or touch some other object than a Fielder before being caught. (4) If, after three Strikes or a Fair Hit, he be touched with the ball in the hand of a Fielder be- fore such Base Runner touches First Base. (5) If, after three Strikes or a Fair Hit the ball be securely held by a Fielder, while touching First Base with any part of his person, before such Base Runner touches First Base. (6) If, in running the last half of the distance from Home Base to First Base, he runs outside the Three Feet Lines, as defined in Rule 11, except that he must do so if necessary to avoid a Fielder attempting to field a batted ball, and in such case shall not be declared out. (7) If, in running from First to Second Base, from Second to Third Base, or from Third to Home Base, he runs more than three feet from a direct line between such bases to avoid being touched by the ball in the hands of a Fielder; but in case a Fielder be occu- pying the Base Runner's proper path, attempting to THE BASE RUNNING RULES. 87 field a batted ball, then the Base Runner shall run out of the path and behind said Fielder, and shall not be declared out for so doing. (8) If he fails to avoid a Fielder attempting to field a batted ball, in the manner prescribed in (6) and (7) of this Rule, or if he, in any way, obstructs a Fielder attempting to field a batted ball: Pro- vided^ That if two or more Fielders attempt to field a batted ball, and the Base Runner comes in contact with one or more of them, the Umpire shall deter- mine which Fielder is entitled to the benefit of this Rule, and shall not decide the Base Runner out for coming in contact with any other Fielder. (9) If, at any time while the ball is in play, he be touched by the ball in the hands of a Fielder, unless some part of his person is touching a base he is entitled to occupy, provided the ball be held by the Fielder after touching him; bid (^exception as to First Base ), in running to First Base, h.e may over- run said base without being put out for being oflf said base, after first touching it, provided he returns at once and retouches the base, after which he may be put out as at any other base. If, in overrunning First Base, he also attempts to run to Second Base, he shall forfeit snch exemption from being put out. (10) If, when a Fair or Foul Hit ball is legally caught by a Fielder, such ball is legally held by a Fielder on the base occupied by the Base Runner when such ball was struck (or the Base Runner be touched with the ball in the hands of a 88 THE BASE RUNNING RULES. Fielder), before he retouches said base after such Fair or Foul Hit ball was so caught. Provided^ That the Base Runner shall not be out in such case, if, after the ball was legally caught as above, it be delivered to the bat by the Pitcher before the Fielder holds it on said base, or touches the Base Runner with it. (ii) If, when a Batsman becomes a Base Runner except as provided i?z Rule S4)i the First Base, or the First and Second Bases, or the First, Second and Third Bases, be occupied, any Base Runner so occu- pying a Base shall cease to be entitled to hold it, until any following Base Runner is put out, and may be put out at the next base or b}' being touched by the ball in the hands of a Fielder in the same manner as in running to First Base, at any time before any fol- lowing Base Runner is j^ut out. (12) If a Fair Hit ball strike him, he shall be declared out, and in such case no base shall be run unless forced, and no run be scored. (13) If when running to a base or forced to re- turn to a base, he fail to touch the intervening base or bases, if any, in the order prescribed in Rule 53, he may be put out at the base he fails to touch, or bv being touched by the ball in the hand of a Fielder, in the same manner as in running to First Base. Provided, That he shall not be declared out unless the Captain of the fielding side claim such decision before the ball is delivered to the bat by the Pitcher. (14) If, when the Umpire calls "Play" after any THE BASE RUNNING RULES. 89 suspension of a game, he fails to return to and touch the base he occupied when "Time" was called before touching the next base. Rule 58. The Umpi7'e shall declare the Bats- ma7z or Base Runner oiit^ withozit waiting for an ap- peal for such decision^ in all cases where such player is put out in accordance with these rules, except^ as provided in Rule 57, (10), (13) and (14). Rule ^g. In case of a Foul Strike^ Foul Hit not legally caught flyings Dead Ball, or Base Run- 7ter put out for being struck by a fair hit ball., the ball shall not be considered in play until it is held by the Pitcher standing in his position. Rule 60. Wheiiever a Block occurs., the Umpn*e shall declare it, and Base Runners may run the bases without being put out, until after the ball has been returned to and held by the Pitcher standing in his position. Rule 61. One Rztn shall be scored every time a Base Runner, after having legally touched the first three bases, shall touch the Home Base before three men are put out. If the third man is forced out, or is put out before reaching First Base a run shall not be scored. hmm SpDffFs ATHLETIC SERIES.— The aim of the various manuals or hand books consti- tuting- our Athletic Series will be to educate the readers in each particular game or sport in which they may be interested. A long- experience in sporting m-atters induces a belief that thorough descriptions, accompanied by the necessary illus- trations, will enable those who, by force of circumstances are deprived of the op- portunity of obtainmg practical instruction or accurate knowledge, to become pro- ficient without such instruction. Each. No. 1. SPALDING'S OFFICIAIi BASE BALL GUIDE.- The standard authority on Base Ball, and only complete IJase Ball Guide pul)- lished. 'Contains official playing- rules, and records of all cham- pionship games, the champio-iship records of the Northwestern League, East rn League, Union Association and College Associa- tion .. $ lo No. 2. SPALDING'S OFFICIAL LEAGUE BOOK.— Containing the only olhcial averages and League matter, as furnished by the Secretary of National League lo No. 3. SPALDING'S ILLUSTRATED HAND BOOK OF PITCHING AND FIELDING. — A work containing- instructive chapters on all the latest. iK)ints of playing in Base Bafl Filching, including curve pitching, special delivery, strategy, head work, speed, throwing-, balking, etc., with new rules f )r pitching and fielding, and catch- ing the ball 25 No. 4. SPALDING'S ILLUSTRATED HAND BOOK OF BATTING AND BASE RUNNING.— Containmg special chapters and illus- trations on scienliflc batting, position, placing the b;ill, sacrifice hitting, home run-, l^ase hits, new batting rules, the art of running the bases, etc. The only Ixiok of thekind published 25 No. 7. SPALDING'S ILLUSTRATED FOOT BALL KULBS AND REFEREES' BOOK. —Authorized and adopted by the American Inter-colle>iiatc Association 10 No. 8. SPALDING'S LAWN TENNIS MANUAL.— (Illustrated ) Con- taining full instructions in the popular game of Lawn Tennis. Illustrated articles for beginners, and the new rules of the National Lawn Tennis Association , 10 No. 9. SPALDING'S MANUAL OF ROLLER SKATING.— Containing over fifty illustrations, showing each movement, and has more in- formation on the snbject than all other books combined, including a list of 200 combination figures, rink rules, progi-amme for skating contest-^, Polo rules, etc 25 No. 10. SPALDING'S OFFICIAL CROQUET MANUAL.— Containing a history of the L^aine, with full instructions for proper and scientific use of the ball and mallet, as practiced by skilled players; also the "Ameriian lluks of i-oose and Tight Croquet,'' as adopted by the National Croquet Congress. Fully illustrated 10 No, 11. SPALDING'S MANCTAL OF BOXING, INDIAN CLUB SWING- ING, AND MANLY SPORTS.— The most practical instruction book ever iiublishcd; contains over 250 illustrations on Boxing, Wrestling, Fencing, Club Swinging, Dumb Bell and Gymnastic Exercises, Athletic Sports, Swimming, etc 25 No. 13. SPALDING'S HAND BOOK OF SPORTING RULES AND TRAINING,— We have collected together the rules of all sports practiced in the civilized portions of the world which are published, together with articles on the various methods of training 25 No. 14. PRACTICAL GYMNASTICS WITHOUT A TEACHER. — For the school -room, the plav ground, ;in 1 the individual. Prof. War- man, the author, has been emmently successful m all parts of the country in teaching his most valuable of all systems of physical training for the symmetrical develop nent of the body. This little manual is the result of his years of experience 50 108 Madison St., CHICAGO. 841 Broadway, NEW YORK. A. G. SPALDING & BROS., | Spalarns'S Trade-Marked Catcher's Mask. I'he fii-st Catcher's Mask brouglit out in 1875, was a very heavy, clumsy affair, and it was not until we invented our open-eyed mask in 1877 that it came into general use. Now it would be considered unsafe and even dangerous for W''IIIIIIJM a catcher to face the swift un- „, .. /J)}M&^m^ derhand throwing of the pres- 'm '^^^m^w ^"^ ^^y unless protected by a I'll s/lmaSF reliable mask. The increased demand for these goods has brought manufacturers into the field who, having no repu- I . tation to sustain, have vied / j with each other to see how cheap they could make a so- called mask, and in consequence have ignored the essential qualification, strength. A cheaply made, inferior quality of mask is much w^orse than no protection at all. for a broken wire or one that will not stand the force of the ball without caving in, is liable to disfigure a player for life. We would warn catchers not to trust their faces behind one of these cheap made masks. Our trade-marked masks are made of the very best hard wire, plated to prevent rusting, and well trimmed, and every one is a thorough face protector. We shall make them in three grades as described below, and with our increased facilities for manufacturing, are enabled to improve the quality, and at the same time reduce the price. Beware of counterfeits. None genuine without our Trade Mark statnpcd on each Mask. IJo. 00— Spalding's Special Ijeague Mask, used by all the leading- professional catchers, extra heavy wii e, well padded with g'oat kair, and the padding- faced with the best imported dogskin, which is impervious to perspiration, and retains its pliability and softness Each $3 00 " O, — Spalding's Regulation League Mask, made of heavy wire, well padded, and faced with horsehide, warranted first-class in every respect Each.. 250 " 1.— Spalding's Boys' League Mask, made of heavy wire, equal- ly as heavy in proportion to size as the No. 00 mask. It is made to fit a boy's face, and gives the saine protection as the League Mask Each 2 00 CHEAP MASKS. To meet the demand for good masks at a low price, we have manufact- ured a line of cheap masks, which are superior to any masks in the market at the same price. We do not guarantee these masks, and believe that our Trade Marked Masks are worth more than the difference in price. No. A. Amateur Mask, made the same size and general style as the League Mask, but with lighter wire, and faced with leather (we g-uarantee this Mask to be superior to so-called League or profes- sional masks sold by other manufacturers) $1 50 " B. Boys' Mask, similar to the Amateur Mask, only made small- er to fit a boy's face Each i 25 Hl^^Any of the above masks m; 41ed postpaid on receipt of price. SPALDING'S TRADE MARKED CATCHERS* GLOVES. After considerable ex- pense and many experi- ments, we have finally perfected a Catcher s' Glove that meets with g^eneral favor from pro- fessional catchers. The old style of open backed gloves introduced by lis several years ago is still adhered to, but the quality of material and workmanship has been materially improved, un- til now we are justified in claiming the best line of catchers's gloves in the market. These Gloves do not interfere with throw- ing, can be easily put on and taken off, and no plaver subject to sore hands should be without a pair. We make them in ten different grades, as follows: No. 000— Spalding's Special League Catchers' Gloves. Full left hand, back stop glove, male of the heaviest Indian- tanned Inickskm, the very best that can be procured. The full left hand glove is extra padded, and sole leath- er finger tips, to prevent the low curved balls irom breaking or otherwise injuring the fingers. The right hand glove is made with open back and fingerless, thor- oughly padded Price per Pair, No. CO.— Spalding^'s League Regvilation Catchers' Gloves, made of extra heavy Indian-tanned buck, and carefully selected with reference to the hard service required of them. This Glove has full left hand, as shown in the illustration, with fingerless right hand, well padded, and warranted Price per Pair, -Spalding's League Catchers' Gloves, made of extra heavy Indian-tanned buck, and carefully selected with special reference to the hard service required of them, open back, both hands fingerless, well padded, and fully warranted " Price per Pair, —Spalding's Professional Gloves, made of Indian-tanned buckskin, open back, well padded, but not quite as heavy material as the No. o Price per Pair 200 The above Gloves are Trade Marked and fully warranted. AMATEUR CATCHERS' GLOVES. To meet the demand for a cheaper grade of Gloves, we have added the following line: No. A. — Full Left Hand Catchers* Gloves, equal to most profes sional gloves in the market Price per Pair No. B. — Amateur Gloves, made of buckskin, open back, well pad- ded, and adapted for amateur players Per Pair No. C. — Practice Gloves, made of light material, open back, well padded Per Pair No. D.— Junior Gloves, open back, a good glove at the price *' No. E.— Cheap open back glove " No. F — " " " " " j^^Any of the above Gloves mailed postpaid on receipt of price ordering, please give size of ordinary dress gloves usually worn. A. G. SPALDING & BROS., 108 Madison St., CHICAGO. 241 Broadway, NEW YOBK No. No. 15 00 3 SO 2 50 $2 50 I SO I 00 75 50 25 In Gray's Patent Body Protector, The most useful device ever in- vented for the protection of catchers or umpires, and renders it impossi- ble for the catcher to be injured while playing close to the batter. Made very light and pliable, and does not interfere in any way with the movements of the wearer, either in 'running, stooping or throwing. No catcher should be without one of these protectors, p^-ice .each, $10.00. MORTON'S Patent Sliding Pad. A NECESSITY TO BALL PLAYERS. The Sliding Pad protects the side and hip of the player when under- taking to slide for a base. Its use increases a player's con- fidence, and renders the act of sliding free from danger. It is worn and recommended by all leading professional ball play- ,„„ ,. ers. '/// / No. o. Chamois lined, price ' // each bv mail $2 50 ,1, / No. I. AH Canvas, price each by mail i 5° a:E3Ti.M:oi:sri.A.ijS- player should have them." • J- (-j^j(,jjg.o b. B. C. ^'I have examined Morton's Sliding ''^''' ^^^^1^^^^ '" our team." ^^^^_ g^ L^^is Browns B. B. C. A. G. SPALDING & BROS., ^^^„__ 108 Madison St., CHICAGO. »41 Broadway, NEW YORK, SPALDING'S SCORE BOOK. Spalding^'s new design Pocket and Club Score Book continues to be the popular score book, and is used by all the leading- scorers and base ball reporters. They are adapted for the spectator of ball games, who scores ior his own amusement, as well as the official club scorer, who records the minutest detail. By this new system, the art of scoring can be acquired in a single game. , Full instructions, with the latest League rules, accompany each book. WHAT AUTHORITIES SAY OF IT. Messrs. A. G. Spalding & Bros., Chicago, 111. Gentlemen' — I have carefully examined the Spalding Score Book, and, without any hesitation, I cheerfully recommend it as the most complete system of scoring of which I have any knowledge. Respectfully, N. E. YOUNG, Official Scorer Nat'l League P. B. B. Clubs. The new system of score books just issued by A. G. Spalding & Uros. of Chicago, are the neatest thing of the kind we ever saw. Every lov; r of tlie game should have one. They are simple in their construction, and are easily understood.— Ctfichinaii Engui'rer. The Tribune has received from A. G. Spalding & Bros., loS Madison Street, a copy of their new score book for use this year. The book or system is feo far in advance of anything ever before brought out in the way of sim- plicity, convenience and accuracy, that it seems wonderful that it was not thought of years ago. The new style will be in universal use before the season is half through. — Chicago Tribune. A. G. Spalding, Captain of the Chicago White Stockings, has just brought out a new score book, which will meet with the unqualified indorsement of everybody who has ever undertaken to score a game of base ball. They are of various sizes, to meet the requirements both of the spectator who scores simply for his own satisfaction, and for official scores of clubs. The novel and commending feature of the book is the manner in which each of the squares opposite the name of the player is utilized by a division which originated with Mr. Spalding. Each of these squares is divided into five spaces by a diamond in its center, from the points of which lines extend to each of the four sides of the square. Each of these spaces is designed for Uie use of the scorer according to marks and signs given in the book. By thus dividing the squares into spaces he scores without the liability to make mistakes. The League rules of scoring are printed in the book, — N.T. Clipper. POCKET. EACH. No. I. Paper Cover, 7 games $ .10 No. 2. Board Cover, 22 games 21; No. 3. Board Cover, 46 games 50 Score Cards 05 CLUB BOOKS. No. 4. Large Size, 30 games $1.00 Vo. 5. Large " 60 games 1.75 Vo. 6. Large " 90 games 2.50 No. 7. Large " 120 games 3.00 Mailed upon receipt of price. A. G. SPALDING ^ BROS.« 108 Madison Street, 241 Broadway, CHICAGO. NEW YORK. Official LeagiLe Ball Spalding's League Ball is now recognized as the standard in every part of the wor d where base ball is played. It was first introduced in 1S76, and made under specifications designed by A. G, Spalding, whose long con- nection with the game had given him a knowledge of the requirements of a first-class ball not possessed by any other manufacturer. Every pains was taken with its manufacture, and it soon became very popular amongf pro- fessional players on account of its uniformity, elasticity and durability, which resulted in its being adopted as the official ball of the National League in I S7S, and has been readopted every year since by the leading associations, including 1SS6. The large sale and great demand for this ball has brought out many imitators, who would pirate on our trade and reputation by offering an in- ferior articlj at a lower pri< c, and endeavor to create the impression that these inferior low grade balls are the same, or are equal to Spalding's Official League. We would cau'ion ball plaj'ers against infringements, and urge them not to be misled by the misrepresentations of dealers whose in- cre sed profits on the cheap goods may have something to do with their statements. Our League Ball can be obtained of any first-class dealer in base ball supplies, to whom a liberal trade discount is allowed. The following base ball leagues and associations have adopted the Spalding League Ball as the official ball of their associations for 1SS6, and by their regulations, all championship games played during the season, this ball MUST be used: THE NATIONAL LEAGUE. Composed of the following Clubs: Chicago, New V'ork, Boston, Detroit, Philadelphia, St. Louis, Kansas City and Washington. THE NE"W ENGLAND LEAGUE. Composed of Boston, Haverhill, Newburyport, Lawrence, Portland, and Brockton. THE EASTERN LEAGUE. Composed of Newark, Jersey City, Waterbury, Bridgeport, Hartford, Providence and Troy. THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE. Composed of Utica, Rochester, Syracuse, Binghamton, Oswego, Buf- falo, Hamilton and Toronto, Ont. THE NOIlTH"WESTERN LEAGUE, THE WESTERN LEAGUE, THE AMERICAN COLLEGE ASS'N, THE NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE ASS'N. THE NEW YORK INTER STATE COLLEGE ASS'N. We refer with considerable pride to the following Resolution unanimous- ly adopted at the recent annual meeting of the American College Associa- tion, held at Springfield, Mass., March 12, 1SS6 '■'■Resolved, that the American College Association in unanimously adopt- ing Spalding's League Ball for 1SS6, express their great satisfaction which this ball gave the Association last year, aad also cheerfully indorse it as the best ball they have ever used." SPALDING'S TRADE MARKED BATS. Spalding-'s Trade Marked Bats were first introduced in 1S77, ^^^ they have gradually grown into popularity, until now they are used almost ex- clusively by all prominent professional and amateur players. All the tim- ber used in these bats is allowed to season from one to two years before being made up, and the resu t is we are enabled to make much lighter and stronger bats than where the timber is hastily "kiln-dried,"' as done by nearly all manufacturers of cheap goods. Each bat is turned by hand, after the most approved and varied models, and if found to answer the require • ments as to weight, size, length, etc., the Trade 3fark is stamped on each bat to insure its genuineness. The success and popularity of these bats, which is due to the very g-reat care that has been taken in their manufact- ure, have brought out many cheap imitations, and we would caution the trade to see that the Spaldine' Trade Mark is stamped on each bat. Each. To No. 00.— Spalding's Special Black Band Xicague Bat, made Clubs, out of the choicest white selected, second growth ash, on per doz. the most apj^roved models, as recommended and used by League players. Each bat is carefully weighed, and the weight stamped in ounces imder the Trade Mark. Each Bat is encased in a strong paper bag, lathe polished, and g'uaranteed to be the finest bat made. Having purcnased the patent of Wm. Gray, of Hartford, Conn., covering the use of a granulated handle, and believing it to have great merit in preventing the hand from slipi)ing, we have decid- ed to use it on this grade of bats ... $ 75 $S 00 No. O.— Spalding's Black Band League Bat, made on the most approved model, as recommended by ])rominent League players. These bats are made from the best se- lected ash, lathe polished, weighed and stamped, each bat encased in a strong paper bag 50 5 50 No. 1.— Spalding's Trade Marked Ash Bat, made on three different models, finished with two coats of the besc orange shellac, and lathe polished, 35 to 38 inches. Each bat weighed and stamped with weight in ounces under the Trade Mark 40 4 00 No. 2.— Spalding's Trade Marked Cherry Bat, made on three different models, finished with two coats of the best orange shellac, and lathe polished, 35 to 3S inches. Each bat weighed and stamped with weight in ounces under the Trade Mark 40 400 No. 3.— Spalding's Trade Marked Basswood Bats, light weiirht, clear, white selected timber, lathe polished, 36 to ^9 inches. Each bat weighed and stamped with weight in ounces under the Trade Mark 30 3 50 No. 4.— Spalding's Trade Marked "Willo-w Bat, lip;ht weight, large handles, lathe polislied, each bat encased in a strong paper bag. The best light wood bat made, 36 to 39 inch. Each bat weight d and stamped with weight in ounces under the Trade Mark 5° S oo No. IB.— Spalding's Trade Marked Boys' Ash Bat, finished same as No. i, 30 to 34 inches .. 25 a 50 No. 3B.— Spalding's Trade Marked Boys' Basswood Bats, fin- ished same as No. 3, 30 to 34 inches 25 250 No. AA.— Spalding's Trade Marked Fancy Ash Bats, finished inali^ht mahogany color, with patent granulated handle. Very highly polished, put up in strong paper cases. Each bat weighed and stamped 75 7 5° No. BB.— Spalding's Trade Marked Fancy Basswood Bats. finished in a handsome mahogany color. Each bat weighed and stamped. Very highly polished, put up in strong paper cases 75 7 S'^ PLAIN FINISHED BATS. Each. Per doz. No 6.— Men's Ash, Plain finish, ass'd length, 36 to 39 in. $ 25 $1 50 .. ■7,— " Basswood, " " " " 36 to 39 in. 20 150 .i 8.-T5oys' Ash, " " " " 28 to 32 m. 15 100 «' 0- " Basswood, " " " " 28 to 32 in. 15 i OO CHICAGO STORE. O V ^ O ^5 c ~ o •- -a c 5 S CO t« o ,2 1^ X 5' £ S < o S o'5j ^, G, SPJLLDIMG & llOSe, MADISON STREET, CHICAGO. 241 Broadway, New York, 3„ilvLa ^ NEW YORK STORE. s ^^ c ^ rt . ;-i Ch -o D. c (Tt 3 rt K ^ a 2 C Cu kS n ^ &. 4I s ii ^ (U -o ■^ Pn s ^ u 3 ^ cj ^ rn . lA •:« c ."t- 3 "0 ts (U OJ "> (U -o M c c x- a; 3 q w u C/2 a> a; rt T5 ^ (U C -o C3 t« u rt (1> C ^ X h a;. cS s u c ^ S :« 3 Tn >^ C c CO ^ 'A 4» TJ ^ fF^r, - - NEW f08 Madison Street, Chicago. ^ +J Cj YOBK. LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 006 010 953 9