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Silent Language Veils Schemes of Ball Teams
Signal System Is Used on Offense and Defense
By “Rube” Marquard.
IN any game or competition where
more than one person is involved
on each side harmony will prote
one of the principal points of strength.
The college crew pulls together on its
stroke, so that every ounce of power
may be put to the very best advan
tage.
So with a baseball nine. All must
"pull" together, which involves a lot
more than appears on the surface.
Every man must be not only willing
to bear his personal share of the work
, but eager, as well, to lend every pos
sible assistance to his fellow players.
A chain is no stronger than its
weakest link. A baseball team may
be stronger than its weakest player,
but not unless the inferior athlete is
given the support and co-operation of
that superior skill' about him. A span
of light, spirited horses can accom
plish more in one day than two bulky
teams in a day and a half. A "bush
league." team, welded together in
common interest and -single purpose,
will outplay a galaxy of the greatest
major league stars working only for
individual aims. It is simply a matter
united.
The successful manager maintains
perfect working harmony among his
charges The individual pales into
insignificance before the cause. Petty
spites and prejudices that often crop
out among players of the best known
teams must all be laid aside when the
athletes are in uniform.
Few Know Signal System.
Because of the fact that it is abso
lutely necessary to have thorough un
derstanding on plans of attack and
defense, as well as to hide the same
from the opposing side, it has been
found necessary to employ a secret,
silent language for baseball purposes.
Random believes itself reasonably
familiar with the "signal" system of
baseball. Yet very few outside the
profession have more than a hazy
idea of what it implies.
I think a great deal of charm would
be added if the spectator knew what
was being attempted in every case.
How often the unsophisticated judge
plays wrongly.
"What kind of baseball is that, you
bonehead," they rave, mistaking a
hit and run for an attempted
steal. The poor catcher is roasted for
pegging to center field when it is the
fault of the second baseman or short
stop in "muffing” the sign to coyer.
The pitcher is execrated for an “al
leged" wild pitch when probably the
catcher has "crossed" him on signals.
There would be less misplaced criti
cism If it were possible for the crowd
to be in on the "inside stuff " That,
of course, is impossible, for a signal
system has to be so mysterious as to
fool an opposing team wel' versed in
the art of the sign language. it
wouldn't go very far to doing this if it
didn't fool the fans.
There is nothing terribly compli
cated in major league baseball signals.
Os course a great deal of responsibil
ity for thels proper application tests
with the battery. The signals are
divided into two general classes- de
fensive and offensive. The pitcher
and catcher are most personally con
cerned in the defensive signs.
Catcher Must Direct Play.
The catcher shoulders the gravest
responsibility on the team when his
is on the defensive. He not only
supports the pitcher, hut the entire
< ast as well. He has the field of play
laid out right before him and he has
to watch that entire field for himself,
and for the pitcher, too. ,ls three men
• U . P on base, say, the catcher has to
watch every base, so that if a fielder
can -neak in behind some one napping
a ‘throw may be made in time to catch
him off his guard.
We'll talk first about the battery
signals. '>n them depends the de
fensive strength of a team. They mask
battery efficiency and at the same
lime coach the supporting east in
proper defensive formation.
For instance. I am pitching to a
left-handed battery. If 1 throw my fast
ball to him he will naturally hit late
at it. Consequently, if it goes to fair
territory, it will go to the left field
side. Now every one knows that the
general tendency of a left-handed hit
ter to “pull" the ball into right field.
Consequently, to cross this fellow we
give him the "smoke" bally in the
pinch. If we give him something he
likes and trust to luck when nothing
is at stake the fielders all know what
the pitch will be and they plant thern
seves accordingly.
It is as natural for a right-handed
hitter to hit toward left field and for
a left-handed hitter to hit toward right
field a? Il is for a duck to take to the
water.
There are some few notable excep
tions, of course Hans Wagner, a
right-handed swatter, is as likely to
pull it to left. Cobb, a left-handed
J. J. Brown has adopted
The Albany Herald’s slogan
“Hog, hominy and hay,” as
one of his planks in his race
for commissioner of agri
culture.
$2.50 Chattanooga and
return via Southern Rail
way, Saturday, August 24.
Tickets on sale for 3 p. m.
and 5:10 p. m. trains. Good
to return from Chattanooga
any train following date of
sale or morning trains leav
ing Chattanooga Monday,
August 26.
SOUTHERN RAILWAY.
hitter, can place his hits on most any
sort of delivery.
Knowing the general laws of hitting
ethics the fielders station themselves
accordingly. Every man on the team
knows just what sort of ball is going
to be served the batsman. When the
battery agrees one of the infieldets
down around second catches the sign
from the backstop. He flashes it to
the rest of the infield and to the out
field. Sometimes you will see the in
field or outfield switch suddenly after
the pitcher assumes a pitching po
sition. It is because such a pitch is
forthcoming that if the player con
nects the ball is almost bound to
travel in a certain direction. In other
words, the pitcher is playing for a
batter's weakness.
The pitcher and catcher must have
absolute confidence in one another.
Each depends upon the other like a
building on its foundation. The catch
er, having the play always before hi£
eyes, must keep the pitcher posted as
to the situations of base runners. , If
the catcher thinks a runner has strayed
too far from his ba*e he signals the
pitcher. The particular baseman guard
ing the territory involved must get that
sign at the same time. He rushes to
ward the bag: the pitcher, after a cer
tain specified wait—while he counts
three, for instance—whips the ball
blindly' to that cushion. If all three —
catcher, pitcher and baseman —have
calculated to a fine mathematical pre
cision, the base runner, may' be caught
napping. If any one falls down a most
damaging error is likely to resuit.
Pitcher at Fault Sometimes.
Unless one fully appreciates the play
contemplated, it is impossible to fix re
sponsibility of many a "bone." The
backstop always is charged with bases
stolen by rival clubs, when maybe half
the time it is the pitcher’s fault in not
holding the men to their stations. The
greatest catcher in the world can not
stop a fast man who gets a jfood start
on a slow delivery.
Directly upon the cunning of signals
depends in a great measure the sue-’
cess of "inside" baseball. 11l illustrate
with a few examples.
A fast man is on third base with one
‘or none out and one run needed badly.
A scientific hitter is up. Naturally, the
infield is drawn in for a play’ at the
plate. The batter takes a swing at the
ball as If trying for a long fly. That
"Moriarity" may be only a ruse to catch
the infield napping. Perhaps the bat
ter intentionally missed his swing with
the idea of attempting the “squeeze"
pla.v on the next pitch. And he may
get away' with It. too. *
i
The hit and run play is one that de
pends for success upon the clever exe
cution of some fixed idea. In this play
the runner starts with the pitch and
the batter is supposed to hit through
the infield. When the runner starts one
of the guardians of second base natur
ally races over to take the throw from
the catcher. The batter's plan is to bit
through the place wh»re that base
guardian should be.
It's simple enough if the battery
guesses out the hit and run properly.
All that is necessary then is ‘a pitch
out that the hatter can not possibly
molest, and the runner is'flagged. But
on the other hand, if ft proves a bluff
and the runner does not really go. a
pitch-out puts the boxman in a bad way .
Ihe real good catchers are the ones
that do not ask for too many pitch-
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“If It’s Correct, It’s at Hartman's''
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FORSYTH
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Vaudeville k A
THE ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS. WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 21. 1912.
outs, the ones who are game enough
to take a chance of handling a "groove"
r ball with all the stuff the pitcher can
! put on it.
i The team on offense has its strategy
; to offset the defensive side. No hit and
‘ run pla.v is ever attempted without the
! batter and base runner being in per
i feet accord. If the batter is a right
> field hitter he knows that the opposing
shortstop will doubtless move over for
the throw when the runner breaks for
second. He gives the opposition credit
for enough sense to believe that the
second baseman will remain where the
ball is likely to be hit.
’ Now. the hatter will try to pull or
push his grounder through short, the
1 unprotected territory. If the battery
happens to cross him with a pitch-out.
. the barter must always protect the base
runner, If possible, by fouling the ball,
even if he has to throw his bat at it.
provided the runner has not such a
break in his favor as to merit belief
i that he will be able to steal successfully.
I 'ATHLETICS PUT OUT OF
RACE BY LOSING BRACE
PHILADELPHIA. Aug. 21.—The Ath.
. letics are out of the race for the Amer
ican league pennant. At least that is
the way local fans feel this morning
! after the double defeat at the hands of
I the White Sox yesterday .
Connie Mack's men will have to win
, practically every game from now on to
the end of the season to cop the "rag."
Even then it is unlikely if they would
: be able to land ahead of the Boston Red
Sox, as the Hub team is going better
now than ever.
AUSTRALIAN TO BATTLE
McGOORTY IN GAY GOTHAM
’ NEW YORK. Aug. 21—Dave Smith,
' who claims the middleweight and
■ heavyweight titles of Australia, has
> been signed to box ten rounds with Ed
t die McGoorty at Madison Square Gar
den next Monday night.
I At the St. Nicholas Athletic club to
night Leach Cross will meet Tommy
s O'Keefe, a Philadelphia lightweight, In
• a ten-round contest.
JEANNETTE KNOCKS OUT
2 NEGROES IN 4 ROUNDS
NEWARK, N. J.. Aug. 21.—Joe Jean
nette, who is matched to meet Jack
' Johnson, made an appearance in the ring
. I on the second consecutive night last night
at Morris park and defeated two negro
t | opponents. Bill Tate, of Tennessee, and
i i Battling Brooks, of Michigan, knocking
: each out in the second round.
BALDWIN ABLE TO GET
ONLY DRAW WITH GINTY
BOSTON. Aug. 21. —Tommy Ginty, of
i Scranton. Pa., held Matty Baldwin, of
. Boston, to a draw in a slow bout of
| twelve rounds here, last night.
PELKY OUTPOINTS KERNS.
, I NEW YORK. Aug. 2f. -Arthur Pelky,
iof Chicopee. Mass., outpointed “Soldier"
J I Kerns, a New York heavyweight, in a
. • ten-round contest in Brooklyn last night.
II ■ •
J. J. Brown is a practical,
progressive farmer. Vote
for him for commissioner of
agriculture.
I wear no man’s collar.
Vote for me for commis
sioner of agriculture. J. J.
Brown.
MARTIN
' 191/2 PEACHTREE STREET
UPSTAIRS
STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL
UNREDEEMED PLEDGES ,
FOR SALE
You must not get the idea that the
signal system involves any great com
plication of signs. It is simplicity it
self. There are just four battery signs
—one for a curve ball, one for a fast
ball, one for a pitch-out and another for
a toss to a baseman to catch a
"sleeper."
All the signals the stands ever no
tice are those employed by the battery,
and they don't get those, for the catcher
conceals them always. The offensive
signs are given by m inager. eoacher,
batter or base runner in such a clever
fashion that no one but his team mates
are a bit the wiser. A player wipes his
shirt breast with his knuckles. That
may be the sign for a hit and run or
any one of half a dozer, other plays.
The same with scratching his head, ut
tering some phrase, squatting in a cer
tain position, shifting the hands or feet.
The batter taps the plate with his bat a
couple of times, putsnlust on his hands
or draws a line in the dirt. These ac
tions may or may not be signals. The
clever players are the ones that so
mask their signs as to keep the oppo
sition always in doubt.
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91 Peachtree St.
Fefween Montgomery and Alcazar Theaters
SIO
ATLANTA TO PENSACOLA
ANO RETURN via
The WEST POINT ROUTE
Tickets on sale every Thursday up to
and including August 22. 1912. Return
limit ten days.
Sleepl ng cars, di pi ng cars, coaches
Call at Ticket Offices: Fourth Nations 1
Terminal Station.
SANTALMIDYI
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Catarrh of the Bladder
All Druggists Beware nj Count*‘fAls
ISANTAbMIBYI
HOTELS ANL RESORTS
Ocean View Hotel
Pablo Beach, Florida.
After August 18, Until Close of the Season
Will Put On th** Following Special Rates
.'*•» Ih.-iiahl' Rnuins, Kuroi'* n Plan.
Daily iai« . SI.OO, one person. ?) "•”, iw«
l>< i >< ns
\\ • ' kl.v ratn $5 mi, >n* j>» rs«m. on
two poisons.
Lower rnt« . in tw • !><•<! rooms for throe
or mor< p is
Special rates in young la<h» <ho-milorv ,
fore» end, or • ki\ par ii» \\ th I
cll.i pel olh
It'lleni ''ale ill I < n). I >a H< <•
’l’m, Thur>'kij an<i Saturn (
nii'hiD,
THE BASEBALL CARD.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Atlanta in Birmingham.
Memphis in Mobile.
Chattanooga in Montgomery.
Nashville in New Orleans.
Standing of the Clubs. .
W. L. PC. | W. L. P.C.
H ham .70 45 .610 1 Mont. 55 59 .4X2
Mobile .65 51 .560 M'ntphis 53 58 .177
N. Or 58 53 .523 ; Nash. 52 60 .464
C'nooga 52 55 .486 , Atlanta .43 67 .391
Yesterday's Results.
Birmingham 11, Atlanta 3.
Mobile 2. Memphis 0
Montgomery I. Chattanooga I.
Nashville 2, New Orleans 0.
SOUTH ATLANTIC LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Albany in Columbus
Savannah in Columbia.
Maeon in Jacksonville.
Standing of the Clubs.
... 'V. 1., P.<'. I W. L. P.C.
Svnh 28 17 .622 1 Maeon 22 25 I6S
C'mbns 28 17 .622 Albarn 17 29 370
J'nville 27 20 .574 C'mhi'a 17 111 .354
Yesterday's Results.
Savannah 3. Columbia 0.
Jacksonville 8. Maeon I.
Columbus 4. Albany 2.
Western League.
Denver 10. Des Moines 0.
Topeka-Sl. Joseph; rain.
Wichita 2. Omaha (1.
Lincoln 4, Sioux City 3.
■■■SB—a—M
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Correct Proverb Solutions
Picture No. 33 Picture No. 34
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AMERICAN LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Chicago in Philadelphia.
St. Louis in New York.'
Detroit in Washington.
Cleveland in Boston
Standing of the Clubs.
o , W. L. PC. I \v L. P.C.
KoMnn H 93 Detroit .55 62 .170
i\ a f h '1 11 ’’ l '' '"land. 51 6.". .147
Plukc 6, 46 .563 ; X York 39 73 .318
.•>« 56 .;>O4 S. Louis 37 77 325
Yesterday’s Results.
Boston 6. Detroit 2
I‘OUis 4, Now York 3 (first game.)
•>e\v v ork 2. St. Louis 1 (second game, i
< hicaßo H. Philadelphia 1 «first game »
Chicago 3. Philadelphia 2 (second game)
Washington 4. Cleveland 2 (first game.)
Washington 2. Cleveland 0 (second
game.»
NATIONAL LEAGUE.
Games Today.
Brooklyn in Pittsburg.
Standing of the Clubs
\V. L. P.C. | \V. L p.c
N ork 77 31 .713 C’nati. .53 GO .409
Chicago .73 38 .HSB iS. Lnuls 50 63 142
P’burg. .66 43 .606 | B'klyn . 40 72 .357
Phila. . 53 57 .182 | Boston . 31 79 .282
' Yesterday’s Results.
.\pw York 5, St. Louis 1.
Pittsburg 3. Brooklyn 2 (first game.)
Brooklyn Pittsburg 1 (second game. >
(’iminnati I, Boston 0 (first game.)
Boston 4. Cincinnati 1 (second game.)
Chicago 6. Philadelphia 1 (first game.)
Chicago 10. f’hiladelphia 3 (second
game.)
WALTER JOHNSON WINS
15TH STRAIGHT BATTLE
Walter Johnson, the one best bet of the
Washington Senators, yesterday got away
with his fifteenth straight win. setting a
new record for the American league and
coming to within four victories of the
great winning streak of Rube Marquard
earlier in the season.
The previous American league record
was fourteen in a row and was made back
about 1904 by Jack Chesbro. then the star
flinger of the New’ York club Chesbro
was able to make his great spurt bv
means of his celebrated spit ball, at
which time it was at its height and was
quite an innovation in tho American
league. Johnson's great streak is by dint
of his great speed, curves and headwork.
SHERIDAN ILL: UNABLE
TO MEET INDIAN THORPE
NIIW YORK. Aug. 21. Martin Sheri
dan. who holds the world's all-round ath
letic championship, is under the care of
surgeons at his home here. He was
operated on two days ago for an abscess
on his hack, and is doing well.
Sheridan had intended to meet Janies
Thorpe, the Carlisle Indian, at Celtic park
next week in a contest for the all-round
championship. The meeting will be post
, poned until Sheridan has recovered.
TOMMY SIMPSON DIES.
ALBANY. N. Y . Aug. 31 -Tommy Simp
son. formerly secretary of the Brooklyn
National league baseball club, and later
connected with racing on the Grand cir
cuit tracks, is dead at his home in Win
terton, N Y.. from a complication of dis
eases. He retired from actual business
several years ago with a comfortable
fortune.
11