Atlanta Georgian. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, August 03, 1913, Image 40

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

4 D TTU.ATIST’R RUNT)AT AMERICAN, BASEBALL AND OTHER SPORTS. —SUNDAY. AUGUST 3, IJH3. • ] Batter A1 [ways m ] Duel [. oi w;t s w; ti i ] Pitcl ler—Zim TAD SHOWS HOW EASY JIMMY SHECKARD TAKES IT WHILE WAITING A PITCHER OUT TO GET TIE -n M N HOLE Hurlers More Aggressive Than] Ever, Says Heine—Step Out and Meet the Ball. <0 / MvC* 0 Ot.fr^O V. rv -veer -'Oij c T HIP it the riotin'! article on "How to Hit 11w Ball“ by the “Great 7.im." In it hr iirclarrt there it (i great ileal of fiction about the batter't ability to place hit hit*. He alto hat tome interesting things to lay about the mental duel that it al- trayt being fought by the pitcher and batter. 6AW5 TVWiT fit OATTrn SudJl-Q SftT f"0 fl-\AJ *< (L 0 VO Mb.LT TUB. 8 r>t£ coR-^6 BKEa.kj Fiction of Placing Hits Exploded by Heine I DO not behove that any bat ter can stand up there and awing and drive a base hit into any field that he chooses. Plac ing base hits is a nice thing to talk about, and when a man does place one it is so apparent that he receives a great hand; but it has always been my be lief that there is more fiction than fact connected with this subject. When I wallop I give thanks every time I get a base hit, and am not disappointed if the ball doos not go where I ex pected it to go.—HEINE ZIM MERMAN. ooooooooooooooooooo By HENRY ZIMMERMAN. “Is the pitching getting better or ■worse?" is a question asked of me many times. “Better,” Is always my answer. I will explain. I do not believe that the pitchers of to-day have any more on the ball than did the twlrlers of five years ago. They have no more speed. They have no better curves and their change of pace Is no more ef fective. But they take more chances in the pinches. A few years ago there were very few pitchers who would curve a ball when the count was two and three. If a batter got a pitcher in the hole by that count the batter knew that the pitcher was going to sacrifice every thing he possessed In an effort to get that deciding ball over the plate. There was no concealment ultout it. The pitcher simply took a chance on the bat ter hitting the bail where a fielder was. Only the very great stars would take a chance on curving the ball. Now almost all of them do It 1 do not lielleve there Is a pitcher on the Brooklyn staff who won’t curve the ball with two and three. If they don't get it over all good and well. They li 'ure that tlie chances of scoring are no greater if they pitch a curve and waik a man than If they put it square over the pun and allowed a man to hit. ONLY A FEW BATTERS CAN “PLACE A HIT.” There Is little to choose between the pitchers of this year and those of five years ago so far us headwork and mechanical ability are concerned. But the greater frequency with which the hit and run is played, the greater chances taken by the batter, have resulted in the pitcher taking longer chances. Ever since I can remember there has been a controversy ns to whether there was such a thing as placing a hit. Some players have contended that they could do it. The pitchers have always made the claim that the hat ters had all they could do to connect with the ball and that It was nonsense to believe that any hatter could drop a bull where he willed. I can’t do It. But I believe there are some batters who can occasionally rml under certain conditions. One of these is Johnny Evers. I have seen the manager drop a base hit In short right or left field, but he did this when the infield was In and when he could poke the ball over their heads. I do not believe any batter can stand up there and swing and drive a base hit i.d any field that he chooses. I know when 1 wallop 1 give thanks every time I get a base hit and I’m never disappoint,.' 1 if I happen to hit Into left when I might have got more bases by driving into right. MORE FICTION THAN TRUTH IN THE CASE. 1’lucing base lilts Is a libs' thing to talk about, and when a man does place one It is so apparent that he receives a great hand; but It has al ways been my lielief that there was more fiction than fact connected with tills subject. Sluggers arc of two types—the fellows who put their bodies Into the swing and the men who swing with the arms and shoulders. 1 believe the latter have the liest of the argument. Maybe 1 am prejudiced In their favor for the reason that 1 belong to that class. You have seen fellows up there who were crouched. They seemed to be a bit stiff of arm and when it came to swinging they seemed to try to throw their body into the punch as well as their shoulders. With the result that the power of the muscles and arms was "lost and there was something strained about their posi tion. Meets the Ball Cuming. It’s my belief that a man should be swinging his bat freely, that he shouldn’t be set, that he should take a step as he meets the ball. In a word, that he should do all of Ills swinging with his arms and shoul ders. 1 have always tried to meet the ball before It reached the plate in stead of waiting until It was sailing over or had passed. To tell Just when to hit Is so tech nical and so involved that I do not like to start a discussion. Men like Jifnmy Sheckard seldom lilt at the first ball. They like to wait out the twirler, make him pitch for the plate “very moment In the hope of secur ing bases on balls. That’s all right for a man like Sheckard. He is one ol the best In the world when it comes to waiting out a pitcher. But It won’t do for another. First Ball Suits Zim. If the pitcher gets the ordinary bat ter In the hole by shooting the first one across then he has the hitter under a handicap. It doesn’t make a great deal of difference to me. I’d just as soon hit the first ball pitched as any other. That is merely a general statement. If the pitcher happens to be going wild I’ll wait in the hope of sending him further into the air. Very fre quently 1 hit with two balls and no strikes. That is. If there are men on base, because you know the pitcher is going to put one In the groove in the hope of slipping it over and getting out of the hole. 1 do not believe that I ever hit with three balls and no strikes. SCOUTS QUOTED LOW. Quotations on scouts are rated low Cincinnati paid but $100 for the re lease of Tom O’Hara. However, some club owners may figure that scouts cost them enough before they get done BACHRACH HAS DEVELOPED MANY GOOD SWIMMERS CHICAGO, Augr. 2.—The remarka ble success achieved tills season in water sports by Perry McGillivray, Harry Hebner, A. C. R&lthel, Michael McDermott and other representatives of the Illinois Athletic Club has awak ened great Interest In the methods of William Bachrach, aquatic coach of the Windy City organization, for it is realized what an important factor is good handling in the development of any athlete. Bachrach has learned one of the great truths of life—that no man knows everything on any subject, and therein lies the chief secret of his suc cess. “When I was instructor at the Chi cago Y. M. C. A.“ he said, “my horizon was limited, and I felt there was lit tle I could he taught, but no sooner did I take hold of the Illinois boys than I found out how much 1 had to h am. Then 1 undertook to broaden myself. I looked into tlie system of « \ *‘i y instructor whom 1 thought had ability. 1 sought the opinion of every swimmer I came in touch with. 1 in vestigated every theory of past and present, and I used ordinary common sense in deciding what was promising and what was not. 1 am more than ever convinced to-day that anything new is worth glancing into. No pu pil comes to me with ideas of his own that, unless they are palpably wrong, 1 give him a chance to try them out. Practical tests often prove valuable to the seeker for knowledge. I am now experimenting with a dozen and one things, and results will dictate which to adopt and which to discard.” CHANCE WANTS SOX TO PAY ZEIDER’S BILLS AND SALARY NEW YORK, Aug. 2.—Frank Chance doesn't want the White Sox to swap back with him as a result of his charge that he was deceived in the Chase-Zelder-Borton deal. The Yankee leader declared to-day that all he asked was that the Chicago management pay Rollie's salary and hospital bill until his foot is In good shape and he Is able to resume play ing. “Nothing Is more absurd than the statement that 1 want to get Chase back to use him In another trade," said Chance. "Right now Zeider, in the hospital, is worth three Hai Chases. Hut I have learned that Callahan deceived me as to Zeider’s condition. When he is able to rejoin the team, however, ha will he a big help.- m ( (S> CHATTS^-'W(r ABOUT - PLAOmCt Meoue SA-di 7 eyew 00£5MT 6uT its HARO VdORK,J»8. MA0D . rwl' > H u .t \ 2/M ADDS THAT- V 7/MA/vV JHEtlCAIUS 15 THE VO A, I reft- ltd THE quO R-t-O ME CAM G€T Balls opte^ajertb-am « any eirneft leag-l'£ « UNUSUAL RULES AND PLAYS IN BASEBALL (No. 4) Bv <T. W. Heisman. W JEN a batter hits the ball over the fence within the foul lines, so that it was a fair ball at the time It waa last in sight, he is entitled to a home run and can not be put out even if the ball should be re turned to the field of play before he completes the circuit; provided, that fence was not less than 235 feet away from home plate. Hitting the ball down a steep em bankment that was 235 feet distant would not entitle a batter to a home run; It’s the fence that counts. In the case of an embankment special ground rules should always be made. In the absence of special ground rules to the contrary, it is the rule In baseball that when a batted ball goes through a hole in the fence, or into spectators’ boxes, or anywhere out of sight of the umpire the same shall go for a home run. • • • We often see a man take a hefty swing at the ball, but miss It for the simple reason that he so misjudged its location as to find himself being Jilt by the ball. And then because the ball hit him he wants to take his base. Hut this is one instance where he is not entitled to take first, for the mix- up counts as a strike against him. He should not have struck at sucli a bad ball. • • • T N high class ball the batter always * does what he can to block the catcher’s throw to bases whenever a runner is trying to steal. This can often be done quite legitimately, and then again the rule is often violated; but the average spectator has little oi no idea Just w hat action on the part of the batter constitutes a rule vio lation in this connection, and what is perfectly permissible. The matter is worth an explanation. Let us remember that the batter’s box—one on either side of the plate, according to whether a batter is right- handed or left-handed—is 6 feet by 4 feet wide. Now, within the lines ot this box the batter may stand where he pleases. He may step to any side or any corner of it to hit at the ball, and even if he fails to hit at it he has the right to take up his station in any spot so as to be where he wants to be in case the ball is to his liking, if he happens to take up a position within this box rather close to where the catcher is squatting to receive the ball no one can object, for no one can tell whether he fully means to take a whack at this particular ball, especially if it is going to come over the plate. And even if it doesn’t happen to come over he may still have to go after It, for the “hit and run” signal may be on. In this position of close proximity to the opposing catcher he may be able to interfere very con siderably with the catcher’s throw to base simply through the latter being crowded too closely—not having “el bow” room enough. This would be the catcher’s own fault, for had he ob served how close he was to the bat ter—the latter standing where he has a full right to stand—he should have backed away from that batter and made sure not to be crowded too closely by the other in the event that he found it necessary to throw to a base right after receiving the ball. • • * MOW, if, in addition to taking up a position in the box which will crowd the catcher after the latter has received the ball, the batter raises his bat and swings it out more or less to ward the plate as the ball approaches no one can object to that mere act either, for that is what every batter XT! 11 lift mhonavar -ha KUlinAo a * * Ka ball. In case, though, he decides not to swing hist bat through at the ball It remains, of course, more or less sus pended out in the air for an instant or two after the ball has passed, and in this position it may very seriously in terfere with the force or accuracy of the catcher's throw. But this thing of making a fake swing at the ball can be overdone. The batter may extend his* bat back to ward the catcher such an unreason able distance as to poke it right in the latter’s face or Jostle his mask. The question of whether he intentionally hampered the catcher is one strictly for the umpire to decide under all the circumstances of the case. Sometimes, perhaps, an umpire Is misled by the fact that the batter prove** himself a very good actor. Generally, I w ould say. an umpire will form his opinion of whether a batter purposely put his bat in the way of the catcher’s throw from noting whether the batter turns around and looks to see exactly where the catcher is at the instant of thrusting out the bit Of course, the catcher is not obliged to stand close to the plate or batter so that the latter will be able to interfere with him. As a fact good catchers will very quickly catch on when a “block aad steal” play is on. Under such clrcumctances the catcher should Jump away from the plate and the batter as he receives the ball, and if he will do this the bat ter will find it difficult to bother him without violating rules. So if the batter keeps his face and eyes turned out to the diamond an umpire will argue that he made no effort to defi nitely locate the catcher, and there fore he could not have intended to in terfere with the latter’s throw. But if the batter turns around to ward the catcher as the ball skips by him, and then steps either out or backward toward the catcher after locating him—especially if he steps at all out over the plate. It will be clear to anyone that he fully intended to break up the catcher’s throw’. Under such circumstances he should be called out and the runner sent back to the base he started from. • • • P ROFESSIONAL players become very expert in getting in the way of the catcher whenever the latter Is called upon to throw to bases, and they accomplish their purpose so cleverlv that no one could swear they meant to do it. As a consequence the umpire very rarely calls* them for it. nor does the opposition catcher even register a kick—with them it is alj good baseball. Of course, when the catcher antici pates the runner is going to steal on the next pitched ball he should signal COAST LEAGUE OWNERS WANT NO OPPOSITION SAN FRANCISCO. Aug. 2.—Trou- ble among the minor baseball leagues of the Pacific Coast is promised in an announcement made here yester day that after this season no outside league will be allowed to play In the Coast League territory. Portland, Oreg., which has both Coast League and Northwestern League teams, is the only point af fected. “It was the consensus of opinion that the fans of Portland are getting too much baseball,” said President Baum of the Coast League, in an nouncing the decision. his pitcher for a "waste” ball—that is. one thrown wide of the plate so that the batter can not get out after It far enough to interfere in any way with the throw down. If he made a wrong guess or was outguessed by the batter and runner, so that he did not expect the runner to go down that time, he perhaps called for a ball close in to the batter. Such a ball gives the batter all the opportunity in the world for easy and legitimate in terference, and the wise catcher blames nobody but himself. (To Be Continued Next Sunday.) HARRY FORBES HAS NEW WELTERWEIGHT SCRAPPER CHICAGO, Aug. 2.—Harry Forbes has dug up a new star. The former bantam champion believes he has the real groods in a young welterweight named Cole Lenzl, who hails from Gary. Ind. Though little known, the young boxer has a record of twenty victories. Forbes has been boxing with Lenzi for a week now and says he is one of the most promising young men he ever handled. Forbes intend? to proceed carefully with him, but at the same time will not bar any of them w’hen it comes to making matches. RECORD-SMASHER ADMITS HE IS A PROFESSIONAL RALEIGH, N. C., August 2.—Rich- ard Little, the Cornell student whose mile run about a month ago at Hick ory', N. C.. gave him the world's rec ord. will run no more as an amateur. He has confessed that he received $6,000 for his recent exploit. Little broke the world’s amateur and professional record for one mile on his privately constructed track at Hickory. Norman Taber, the miler from Brown University, competed against him. Little's time was 4:12 1-5. He is a graduate of Lenoir College, South Carolina, and is 19 years old. His confession ends the Cornell- Harvard controversy over him, and he has attached his signature to a con tract as principal of the Newton Graded School. Four New York clubs subscribed the money foi 1 the race at Hickory, ac cording to the man who held some of it. Little’s admission was volun tary and followed Cornell’s declina tion to yield him to Harvard. DAVIS HELPS THE ATHLETICS. Harry Davis Is credited by Phila delphians with much of this year’s success of the Athletics*. When he was away last year they slumped Now he is back again. He is consid ered one of the best then in the busi ness on the coaching lines, excelled only by McGraw. Chance and possi bly Jennings. FLYNN-SMITH CONTEST SHOULD BE LIVELY AFFAIR NEW YORK, Aug. 2.—New York fight fans expect to see fireworks a plenty on August 8, for that Is the date on which Gunboat Smith, the strongest "white hope” thus far de veloped, and "Pueblo Jim” Flynn, the most dangerous veteran in the heavy class, have agreed to mingle for ten rounds before the Garden A. C. mem bers in the arena of Madison Square Garden. Both of these scrappers have made their reputations via the knockout route, and as each Is aware tiat pugi listic oblivion will be the certain fate of the loser, the battle shculd be a desperate struggle from be.l to bell. ONEY LOANED TO SAIARID MEN AT LAWFUL RATES ON PROMISSORY fOTCS Without Endorsenent Without Collateral Security Without Real Estate heurlty NATIONAL DISCOUIT GO. 1211-12 Fourth National Bnk BMg. To Cure Corns, Callouses Bunions and Aching Feet Thf Toll owing 1* Mid to t* the surest snd quickest cure known to science for all foot ailments: "Dinsolv® two tablespoonfuls of Cslo- I’lde compound In s basin of warm water. Soak tbe feet In thi* for fully fifteen minutes, gently rubbing the sore parts." The effect Is really wonderful. All soreness goes instantly: flu* feet feel delightful. Corns and cal louses can be peeled rl*lit off. It glees immediate relief for sore bunions. sweaty, smelly and aching feet. A twenty five cent box of Calocide Is said to lie i sufficient, to cure the worst feet. / It works through the porta and ) removes the cause of the trou- ? ble Don't waste time on uncertain remedies. ( Any druggist lias Calocide comjxmnd In stock { or he can get it in a few hours from his whole- ) sale bouse. ) BRANNIGAN AND CHAVEZ TO CLASH IN LONG BOUT TRINIDAD, COLO., Aug. 2.—Benny Chavez, the local bantamweight boxer who recently knocked opt Kid Pep pers In Denver has been matched for a twenty-round contest with Patsy Brannigan, of Pittsburg, to take place in an open-air ring at Central Park on Labor Day. Chavez is still anxious to get a match with the champion. Johnnie Coulon. The fight with Brannigan will be staged by the Santa Fe Athletic Club. /MILWAUKEE-571 IHICAG0-33\ \WAUKEGAN-5 I ■msm-zo/ \SJ PM.* mar J X|§| Goodrich Route Book for your tour Fro* X The Best Beverage under the Sun~ Maps and cor rect instructions in handiest form Goodrich rf-'A- A welcome addition to any party— any time—any place. Sparkling with life and wholcsomeness. At Soda Fountains or Carbonated in Bottles. 1 A THE COCA-COLA COMPANY, Atlanta, ga. Goodrich Guide Posts are as dependable as Tires —Best in the Long Run Over fifty thousand miles of American high ways are marked by Goodrich guide posts, and more are being put up right along. Goodrich guide posts tell the motorist how to go where he wants to go. Goodrich Tires take him there. You can depend upon the exact knowledge of rubber which comes from our forty-three years experience in manufacturing all kinds of rubber products — which is crystalized in the Goodrich principle of Unit Molding. Every Goodrich Tire is made and molded as a unit. The layers of fine, strong fabric, strips of pure rubber, side strips, bead, and the thick tough tread are literally molded into a unit la our single vulcanization. The result is aunit tire which gives resistance and resiliency,as both tire usersand automobile manufacturers testify by their choice. Your tire dealer will supply you with the particular Goodrich Tire which best meets the requirements of your car, whether It Is the Goodrich American Clincher, Goodrich Quick Detachable, Goodrich Straight Bead, Goodrich Cord for electrics, Goodrich Metal Stud, Goodrich Pneumatic Truck, Goodrich Bailey Tread or Goodrich Safety Tread. Write for our free folders telling how to avoid common tire injuries and how to get the most tire service. The B. F. Goodrich Co. Atlanta Branch. 25 Houston St. Factories: Akron, Ohio Benches and Sep’lre Station. In All Princinal Cities Dealer. Everywhere. There is nothing in Goodrich Advertising that isn’t in Goodrich Goods Write for Goodrich Route Book, covering the auto tour you select. These books are sent free on request