Practical hints on base ball practice

Chapter I. Pitching

Distance for throwing.

Developing the arm.

Accuracy in throwing.

How to hold the ball. * Pitcher's swing.

. CURVES.

How thrown.

KINDS.

Straight raise.

In shoot.

In straight drop curve.

Straight dsop curve.

Straight out curve.

Out raise curve,

Straight raise curve.

A new curve.

How to use curves or brainy pitching.

Pitchers taking rest.

Caution against pitchers drinking while warm.

Over confidence reverses.

Text book as an aid.

FIELDING.

How to catch a fly.

Long flies.

Backing up the infield.

Chapter VII. Training System

Developing muscles.

When and how to take a bath.

Proper food while training.

What to eat.

What not to eat.

Fast practicing.

INTRODUCTION,

This is not a book of rules. It is an arrangement of the fine points of the game in what is believed to be a systematic and progressive order. Most base ball books are written on such general principles that no one but a professional can understand them.

This book is written to instruct the small boys, as well as the amateur and professional base ball players. The main object is to present good, practical points that are not found in other base ball books, making them so plain that a boy of ten will understand. This makes it so much plainer for the amateur or professional player to understand.

J. M. F.

STRAIGHT RAISE JUMP BALL.

Position to throw the straight raise jump ball with the high long arm swing. The short swing straight raise jump ball is thrown the same way, except the hand does not go as high. The jump ball should be thrown as near as possible like the drop ball, the in shoot like the out curve and have no swing for one curve without having practically the same swing for the opposite curve.

DROP CURVE BALL

Position to throw the drop curve ball with the high long arm swing. The short arm swing drop ball is thrown the same way, except the hand does not go as high.

CHAPTEE I.

PITCHING.

Pitching is difficult and hard work, but if you have the needful qualifications, stick to it through thick and thin, even though at times discouraged. By hard and regular training you may succeed in two or three years. (If you are not sure that you are especially qualified for it, drop it at once and play some other position.) It happens quite frequently that promising young amateur pitchers, after several years' work, are obliged to resign in favor of some young upstart, who is a better pitcher. There must be some reason for this. During their youth they throw nearly all the year around, thus keeping the muscles of the arm solid and in good shape to start pitching in the spring. The older a man gets the less he exercises himself. The same is true with the pitcher who has been through a season or two of hard work. As a consequence he is not in as good trim as the young pitcher who has a well developed arm. Too much practice is practically impossible in base ball, as in billiards, chess and other games of skill. Ask a successful musician how much time he devotes to practice ? He will tell you that for years he has devoted ten hours a day to it, and that he is still practicing much every day and expects to continue doing so as long as he is actively engaged in the profession. The best base ball players would rather play than eat. They are gluttons for practice. The more practice, the more skillful the man. To keep the arm in condition it is necessary that it should be regularly exercised, even during the time that elapses between the seasons of actual work. During that time the practice need not be as often nor as rigid as at the beginning of the base ball season. Once out of practice means that the arm is out of condition and must have the same careful treatment that a beginner has to bestow upon his arm. To keep the arm in condition, it is necessary to practice at least twice a week, making each period about an hour long. Increase the practice gradually as the season approaches, so that the arm may become stronger and the control more certain. The necessity of practice is best shown by the saying of the venerable Mr. Gladstone: "Excellence in any department of life is obtained only by patient and persistent effort." It is especially true of the profession of pitching.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE ARM.

The beginner should remember that the arm may easily be hurt or the shoulder thrown out of place during the first season of practice. It is necessary that special care should be taken in the gradual development of the arm.

ACCURACY IN THROWING.

The first principal to accomplish is accuracy. Accuracy first and speed next. The two combined mean a great stride in the right direction. In learning to throw accurately, make this the rule: "Each time you throw the ball, aim at some particular ob* ject; 1 ' the catcher's glove, knee, elbow, or any other spot. Never throw carelessly.

DISTANCE TO PRACTICE THROWING.

When you practice pitching only a short distance, say forty feet for a month, then go into a regular game, the batter will seem far away. Your speed will be less and you will have poor control. Practice throwing five to ten feet more than pitcher's distance for a month, then go into a regular game. The batter will seem very close, your control will be excellent, and you will be surprised to see how much your speed has increased. Always practice throwing at a distance of five to ten feet more than pitcher's distance. Practice regularly at this distance until you have enough control to throw an average of 15 out ot

17 over the plate; then and not until then begin the practice of curve pitching.

HOW TO HOLD THE BALL.

The first essential of all pitching lies in the true

grasp of the hand on the ball. To throw a curve or

a straight ball, always use the same grip. In order

{ to get an intelligent grasp upon the ball, first notice

; that the cover is composed of two equal parts.

j Blacken one of these parts and naime one end "A,"

J the other "B," then the middle or narrow part "C,"

;]SText take the ball in the left haud with U A" on top,

pB" on the bottom and "C" pointing towards you;

then place the first two fingers of the right hand on

"A" half an inch from the end of the blackened por-

!tion, with the first finger on the seam to the left, and the second finger on the seam to the right of U A," still keeping them half an inch from the end of the blackened portion; then place the thumb and third finger on a B" half an inch from the other end of the blackened part, with the thumb on the seam to the left of "B," exactly under the first finger, and the Jhird finger on the seam to the right of "B," directly under the second finger, still keeping them half an inch from the end of the blackened part. This gives a firm hold. It is the most natural and reasonable way to hold a balL This firm hold prevents the ball from slipping, more than any other hold, so it is well to make the grip exactly as given.

pitcher's swing.

Always have the gloved hand on the ball between it and the batter, so that he cannot detect just what kind of a twist is to be given. As the ball is drawn back lift up the forward foot, which is already two feet ahead of the rubber, and bring it up to the other knee by the time the ball is even with the shoulder. Then take the foot that is up, together with the free elbow, and fling both forward, placing the foot about three feet six inches ahead of the other. The free elbow merely raises up and forward, and as the ball starts ahead, fling the free elbow down. As the ball starts forward, spring towards the batter, and just before releasing the ball, throw the right leg forward as quick and as far as possible, not less than four feet. At the same time throw the right shoulder ahead rapidly. In fact, the whole object is to throw the right shoulder ahead with a terrific movement, even if you wish to throw a slow ball. Exertion is apparent, but it is necessary in this case. This is a natural scientific swing; natural because it is easy, scientific because the movement not only hides the intended curve, but it also gives better speed than any other.

CURVES — HOW THROWN.

Hold a ball out in your hand; the farthest point of the ball from you is called the guiding point. When you throw, if that point goes up fast, the ball will curve up, called an up shoot; or it may be thrown in such a way that it will be an up curve (not up shoot). If the point goes down fast, the ball will curve down. If the point goes to the left fast, the ball will curve to the left, an out curve. There are the variations between the points called out drop, out raise, in drop, straight raise and in raise.

STRAIGHT RAISE.

To throw a straight raise shoot (not curve), take the regular grip on the ball as before stated. Throw over-hand and as you let the ball go, have the back of your hand horizontal. Let the ball roll under the first and second fingers, pull back and twist the hand up to make the guiding point twist up faster. This curve will take time to learn. The point will twist upwards, not a little to the right. If you can make it twist the right way, even if it does not shoot, you can be encouraged, for it will soon come to you. Practice throwing the up shoot at some mark as high as a man's head. A good way is to have some person hold his glove directly behind the plate, about 4 feet 6 inches high, with his little finger pointing over your head at an angle of 45 degrees, his thumb pointing perpendicular, and holding the glove so you can just see a little of the palm. He should also hold his other hand still at his side. This makes the best kind of a mark. He must hold his glove still until after you have let go the ball. After you have mastered the up shoot, then you can try the in shoot. (Not in curve).

IN SHOOT.

Grasp the ball the same way and when you let loose your first finger will be directly over the second. Make a backward pull and twist to the right. This will make the guiding point twist fast to the right, making the desired in shoot. Practice this in shoot, as well as all other shoots and curves, until you are able to throw twelve strikes out of fifteen throws — not only strikes, but they must be at a certain height.

IN STRAIGHT DROP.

You ought now to be in condition to try the in straight drop (not curve) . Before you try this, learn to throw straight balls directly under-handed with accuracy. To throw the in straight drop, grasp the ball the same way, but throw straight under-handed, (almost straight under-handed will not do). When you let loose of the ball the back of your hand will be horizontal. Let the ball roll out on the inside of the first and second fingers, pull back and twist the guiding point down. This will give the desired shoot.

STRAIGHT DROP CURVE.

This curves the same way as the in straight drop, only it is a curve and not a shoot. Grasp the ball the same way, throw over handed and when you let loose of the ball have the back of your hand perpendicular. Eoll the ball over the side of the first finger, near the end for a quick -curve, and as far from the end as possible for a slow curve. In this straight drop curve, the guiding point turns directly downward.

STRAIGHT OUT CURVE.

Hold the ball in the regular grasp. Take the regular pitcher's swing, only instead of the over hand, take the long horizontal swing. Twist the wrist so that when you get the ball in a line with the plate ready to roll around the middle of the first linger, the back of the hand will be nearly down and the first two fingers will be nearly perpendicular, leaning a trifle to the right. This would naturally make an out curve with a little raise, but gravitation pulls it down a trifle so it will be a straight out curve, not shoot. Any curve will curve more by turning well around and taking the regular pitcher's swing, than if you only take a short swing.

OUT RAISE CURVE.

Throw it like the straight out, only throw more under handed and twist the guiding point up more.

STRAIGHT RAISE CURVE.

This is a straight raise that is thrown by using the out curve method. Grasp the ball the same as for all other curves. Throw under handed. You should master the in drop shoot before trying the straight raise curve. When you let loose the back of your hand will be flat towards your forward knee, the back of your first and second fingers will be towards the ground. Twist the guiding point up very fast or the ball will not raise. The earth's gravitation has a tendency to pull it down. You must be able to throw directly under handed or you cannot throw this straight raise curve, not shoot. Most pitchers cannot throw it. After you have practiced for one mouth, you should be able to mix up the curves (always mix up the curves in practicing for control and always practice for control) and put 15 out of 18 throws over the plate. You can then consider yourself on the road to success and not until then.

A NEW CURVE.

This new curve should be mentioned now. But for your own sake do not try to throw it until you have mastered all the other curves and shoots. This new curve at first curves out with only a little drop, then it takes a quick drop. A young pitcher once threw a stratght raise curve. The batter struck it shoulder high about 2 inches from the end of his bat. The ball went directly over the pitcher's head. As it came nearer he saw it was an out curve, but when it was nearly upon him, to his great surprise, it suddenly took a quick drop. For the hext week that qucik drop was on his mind day and night. It even haunted him in his dreams. He tried every day to reason it out. One day he experimented with an apple with a string running through its centre. He would turn the apple and hold the string and study how the ball had to turn to throw the different kinds of curves and shoots. Once he held the string with his right hand up, and his left hand down, while the apple was turning fast. He swung his right hand down and his left hand up, and the apple kept turning. But it had been turning to the right, now it was turning to the left. Heat once concluded that the man who had batted the drop curve had turned the axis of the ball part way around, just like he, himself, had turned the apple around on its axis, and as the ball, which the man struck had been turning out, by some way the bat had caused the sudden drop curve to occur. Then for weeks he tried to throw an out curve in such a way that as it was going the axis would change ends, or nearly change ends.

This led him to try all kinds of twists of his fingers, wrist, arm and shoulder. In time he threw an out curve under handed, but just as the ball was leaving his hand he would with all his might tiy to turn his hand to throw a drop curve. The underhand throw had been changed as he released the ball to a side overhand throw. This, if thrown right, will curve out as you first start it, but if you have been skillful in the effort to change it to a drop just in the nick of time, you will be pleased to see that it quite suddenly changes from an out drop to a straight quick drop curve, not shoot. Any good pitcher can throw an underhand out curve, or straight drop curve. It is easy for you to see the advantage of being able to throw all curves and shoots, underhand as well as overhand. Even if you do fail when you practice this new curve, it will be a benefit because you will be able to throw a much better drop curve than you could before. An Indian club swinger, after he has drilled for a long time on difficult movements, finds, when he goes back to the simple circles, he can do them much easier and better than before he practiced the more advanced work.

HOW TO USE CURVES, OR BRAINY PITCHING.

If you have good outfield and poor infield players, keep the jump balls high, and the batters will be more apt to bat flies to the outfielders. If you have poor outfielders and good infield players, keep the in drops low, and the batters will be more apt to bat grounders. Always have some particular spot or place to try to throw to. You may decide to throw an inshoot close to the batter's neck, or a drop curve that will nearly hit the plate, or an out drop that looks as if it would strike the batter in the neck, but it curves down and out until it passes over the plate a good strike. It is best to keep mixing up the curves. Never throw a common straight ball. It is the worse thing you can do. A straight ball that is

Position for a long, hard drive. Bad form. Hands too far from the body. Otherwise, correct position for a long, hard drive.

LONG SWING.

Position to pitch when no men are on bases. The ball is held well in front and the body leans well forward. This gives a free, long swing, which is a great rest from the short arm throw which is necessary when men are on bases thrown waist high, a good strike, is a wild pitch. A concealed change of pace is necessary, but that does not necessitate or allow you to throw a straight ball. It is poor policy to ever throw an inshoot so that it looks as if it would be a ball, and then have it carve over the plate a good strike, because when a batter does strike at such a ball, he is almost sure to make a good safe hit. It is much better to throw an in shoot even with the batter's neck as if it would be a strike, then have it curve in close to his neck. It is proper to sometimes throw the in drop as if it would be a strike, as high as the batter's knee, then have it curve in near his ankle. It is not as successful as the neck inshoot. It is a very good plan to keep all curves and shoots high, but it is better to mix the curves up and throw them high, low, close or wide. A golden rule: u Keep the in raise close and high, and keep the out drop and straight drop low; also keep the in drop low and close, and above all, always keep the straight in raise high."

PITCHERS TAKING RKST.

Train very careful. Never throw over 15 minutes without a few minutes rest, even if you do not feel tired. Train only enough each day to make you stronger on the following day, because if you throw too long without rest, it will weaken instead of making you stronger. If you should ever happen to overtrain, do not throw any on the following day. You would weaken your arm, even if you did not ruin it for life. A young pitcher, who was in good training, pitched a strong game on Saturday, then he pitched a much better and stronger game on Monday. (He pitched only the last five innings). He had fine control and twice as much speed as usual, but his elbow pained to bend it. He finished the game, his arm did not trouble him at all after the game, but he did not recover his speed for more than two months, just because he pitched hard before his arm recovered from the first game. It may not hurt you the first time, or perhaps uot the second time you overtrain, but a pitcher that goes to the well once too often gets broken. It may not hurt yon as bad as it hurt hirn, but it may cripple you for life. Always throw slowly until you are warmed up. It is a good plau if you have not taken your short run, to throw with the other hand until you are warm. It is in warming up where the pitcher is in danger of hurting his arm. After you are all warmed up, it is not always necessary to throw with all your might, ft is not the great things we do that make us strong and scientific, but it is the little things w^e do well.

CAUTION AGAINST SELF PRAISE.

When you play well do not tell about it. That is considered bragging by most people. Your friends Avill surely tell about your fast playing, and the least yon say about your own playing the better it will be for you. You can praise other players, but never praise yourself. Leave that for other people.

CAUTION AGAINST PITCHERS DRINKING WHILE WARM.

You know that it is natural for a pitcher when all heated up by the hot sun and the great exertion caused by pitching, to drink large quantities of water. Never while very warm swallow more than an ounce at a time. Never' drink ice water (oatmeal water is better) when warm, only rinse out the mouth. It you must drink, never swallow more than a mouth full between innings. A young man feeling extra well, started one beautiful warm summer day to ride his bicycle 15 miles home. He rode quite fast, as he felt fine, for about five miles, then he took a long drink of cool, pure spring water, and before he started on, five minutes later, he took another pleasant drink. He had only ridden a short distance before he felt weary and was still thirsty. He hurried to a spring a half mile, and after taking a good, long drink, he again started for home. He soon felt more weary, tired and very drowsy, and rested every half mile. He was now obliged to exert all his muscle to keep going on a smooth, level road. He now realized that it was the effect of his drinking water when warm. His skin was no longer covered with beads of prespiration as it had been. It was now dry and he felt more drowsy and chilly. He tried to get warmer by riding faster. It took him five hours to ride home that 15 miles. It was a long time of careful training before he fully recovered. Experience is a good but hard teacher. He will never forget that experience. Many games are lost because one team, and especially their pitcher, drink water while they are warm. Only allow a team to rinse their mouths.

OVER-CONFIDENCE REVERSES.

Even the very best pitchers are sure to have a day off. Just as a pitcher thinks he is dandy, then perhaps, some poor players, or even some boys, will bat him all over the field. When you lose a game, whether to blame or not, you will be blamed by everybody, even your friends will think you cannot pitch as well as they thought. You will get discouraged a great many times. If you want to succeed as a pitcher, or anything else, you must be patient and stick to it for years and years. Keep up practice the whole year. Never play ball on Sunday, because this is God's Holy Day. See all the good games you can and profit by their mistakes.

TEXT BOOKS AS AN AID.

Get all the books on base ball you can buy or borrow, no matter who the author is, because you may learn a valuable point from a poor author, or even from poor players, that may help you very much. Give all the information you can, then other players will be more apt to give you pointers. If you never help others you will never get much help.

CHAPTER II.

CATCHER HOW TO CATCH THE BALL WITH THE GLOVE.

A great catcher may make an indifferent pitcher fairly effective. The greatest pitcher that ever lived could not make a good catcher out of a poor one. The star catchers are used in every game possible, therefore, they have a better chance to study batters than a pitcher, because a pitcher could not stand to pitch a game or two every day. The catcher must have a strong arm and get his arm in front of the ball. He must not reach to either side of it unless absolutely necessary. He must lose no chance to compel base runners to hug their bases. The most important thing for the catcher to remember is not only to throw to bases with all his might, but he must lose no time in returning the ball to the desired point. When anyone throws to the base, unless close, he should throw with all his might, that he can put in a quick throw. A foxy catcher can often catch a man leading off first base if as soon as he gets the ball he either makes a quick, hard throw to first, or slips the ball quietly under his arm, and as the man leading off may be only a foot from the base, turns his head away, then makes a quick, hard throw. The first baseman must not move to catch the ball until it is close, then he should snatch it and touch the man all at one movement. One catcher caught a great many fairly good amateur players napping at first base, because they would be so close to the base that they thought of no clauger. It cannot be repeated too often that the catcher must lose no time to throw quick and hard to bases.

He must like his position or he cannot make it a success. Above all, he must be cool in any and all excitement. He must try to keep the pitcher from seeing the crowd and hearing the tumult, because the pitcher must be cheered up to keep his composure. The catcher must never insist upon the pitcher throwing a straight ball. The catcher should, give the signal that he thinks should be thrown, but if the pitcher wants to throw something else, the pitcher should rule, because if the pitcher does only what the catcher says, he would have no chance to use his own head work, and if he is batted all over the field the pitcher is blamed, when the catcher is really to blame. A good many pitchers lose not only games, but they lose their own positions in this way. But if the pitcher rules and he throws what he thinks best, and he is batted all over the field, he is the only one to blame, and he is the only one blamed. This is a very important point, because this is where the pitcher can use his head work. A pitcher can sometimes tell better where to throw the ball by the batter's expression, by seeing him face to face, than the catcher can by only seeing his back. The catcher has the most dangerous position on the team. He should use every precaution to make it less dangerous. Always see that your spikes are clean and that you have a good glove and breast protector, also wear an elastic suspensory. Work in harmony with your pitcher, because you may worry and make him pitch poor, or he may throw a contrary curve, which might cripple you. You know that most foul tips go over the bat and not under it, therefore, always take the precaution to hold the glove, when the ball is over a foot high, above the right hand. Never hold (this is for the catcher only) the right hand above the glove as many do, without thinking that nearly all fouls pass over the bat and not under. It may seem awkward to hold the glove correctly at first. It will soon come natural and you can catch better, besides you will save many a broken finger.

HOW TO CATCH A RUNNER BY THE COMBINATION PLAY.

When your opponents have a man on first and third, the following is a good play. Pitcher will watch the man on first base, then he will throw a straight hard ball over the catcher's right shoulder, where the batter cannot reach it. The centre fielder backs up the second base. The catcher makes a quick low throw to sesond base. The second baseman comes in between the pitcher and second base, the shortstop .covers second base. If the man on third makes a dash for home, the second baseman catches the ball, above his head, and because he is half way to the X>itcher, he has plenty of time to throw the man out at home. If the man on third does not mahe a dash for home, the second baseman steps to one side and lets the ball pass on to the shortstop, who has plenty of time to catch the man at second base. In this play the pitcher must be sure that the batter cannot hit the ball, for nine times out of ten it would be a safe hit, because your infield players are all out of their positions. If the other team ever tries to play this combination on you when you have a man on first and third, have your man try to steal second just as if there were no runner on third base. He should have a good lead, then dash for second and slide if necessary. The man on third should make a bluff to steal home and yet be able, if the catcher should throw quick and hard to third base, to get back to third base safely. As the man starts to steal second base, have the batter, if possible, make a hit through the infield, because your opponent's infield are out of their natural positions.