The Art of Batting - 1885

^^s?
9i|iiili
ifflm
i
)i
........111 5
I
Class.
Book.
COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT
3>Jo. <k.
t 3
PALDINGB
AniiEric ipoRTs
THE ART OF BA'pC
PUBLISHED BY
i.t. s
CHICAGO
-a.:ltx)
NEW YORK.
•:eA9e«
COPYRIGHTED 1886.
I
THE LARGEST SPORTING GOODS HOUSE IN
AMERICA.
MANUFACTURERS, IMPORTERS, AND DEALERS IN
General Sporting Goods,
GDNS AND GUN AGGOUTREMENTS,
BASE BALL SUPPLIES,

Tennis, Cricket, Croquet, Ice aad Roller Skates,
Foot
Lawn
Balls, Lacrosse, Polo, Cutlery,
Gymnasium, Theatri cal, and Gen eral Sporting Goods.

Bend for niustrated Catalogue, desiematiner kind of Goods wonte*.
Address,
A. G. SPALDING & BROS.,

241 Broadway, NEW YORK, 108 Madison St., CHICAGO.
OUR PUBLICATIONS.
The popular encouragement given to the pursuit of Athletic Sports,
Recreative Amusements, Gymnastic Exercises, etc., and the comparative
jcarcity of mediums of instruction on these subjects, suggested the publi-
:;ation of our Library of Athletic Sports. The benefits of Athletic and
other manly exercises, from an educational as well as from a moral and
recreative point of view, are now so generally recognized that the right
nethod of promoting man's physical welfare should be readily accessible.
The aim of the various manuals or hand -books constituting our Athletic
'Series will be to educate the readers in each particular game or sport in
.vhich they may be interested. A
long experience in sporting matters in-
luces a belief that thorough descriptions accompanied by the necessary
[lustrations, will enable those who by force of circumstances are deprived
of the opportunity of obtaining practical instruction or accurate knowl-
idge, to become proficient without such instruction.
The following list includes those already published as well as those
that are under way. Those unfinished will be rapidly completed and
alaced on sale at all news stands throughout the country.
No. I. Spalding's Official Base Ball Guide Price, loc

" 3.
" " League Book «'
loc.
" 3.
" Hand Book of Pitching «« loc.
" 4.
" " " Batting ««
IOC.
" 5- " " " Base Running and Fielding " loc.
" " Cricket Guide "
6. In Press, loc.
'*
7.
" Lacrosse and Football Rules *' ««
loc.
" 8.
" Lawn Tennis Manual " ««
iqc.
" " Manual of Roller Skating
9- Completed " 2Sc.
" 10.
'« ««
Croquet '« loc.
" II. " '*
Manly Sports " 25c.
'* 12.
" •«
Bicycling "
In Press, 25c.
" 13- " Hand Book of Sporting Rules and Training, " 2Sc.
Any of the above books mailed upon receipt of price. Orders for the
books now in press will be received, and the books mailed as soon as issued.
OUR JOURNALS.
To meeta general want in the sporting world, we have issued a series
of Journals, which are replete with information in regard to the
various sports; the utensils used, their description, cost, etc., are fully set
forth. With the aid of these Journals those interested in any particular
line of sporting, games or pastimes, can readily inform themselves in al'i
the particulars of each amusement.

We shall be pleased to mail a sample copy free to any address upon
application.
Spalding's Journal of Summer Sports.
" " Field Sports.
^
" Angler.
**
Bicycle Journal.
•• nil«-I#»rv lonrnnl
THE ART OF
BASE B^LL B^niNG,
CONTAINING INSTRUCTIVE CHAPTERS ON
SCIENTIFIC BATTING, SKILLFUL HANDLING OF THE BAT,

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 POSI-
TION IN BATTING, THE TRUE CRITERION
OF EFFECTIVE HITTING, SACRIFICE
HITTING, THE NEW RULES OF
BATTING, ETC., ETC.
HENRY CHADWICK,
ILLUSTRATED BY
GEO. H. BENEDICT.
'^- ^ /^ /
(Copyrighted.) ,/'<*^' C^ '
PUBLISHED BY

241 BROADWAY, 108 MADISON ST.
HEW YORK. CHICAGO.
Q:>
Entered According to Act of Congress in the Year 1885

— BY
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C.
)i,ii^
PREFACE.
The great sale following the publication of No. i
of Spalding's Hand Book on " The Art of

Series
Pitching^'' has led to the prompt issue of No. 2 of
the series, which is a companion work on " The Art
of Battinq^'^ in which are presented interesting chap-
ters on what may be termed the science of the art,
which are accompanied by explanatory diagrams, and
engravings illustrative of the different positions taken
in batting. This second work will shortly be fol-
lowed by a third book, on " Base Ru7ining and
Fielding^'' which will complete a very interesting
and instructive series of handbooks on the four de-
partments of the national game. While all of these
books are especially adapted for the use of the profes-
sional class of the exemplars of base ball, they will be
found equally useful and interesting to the amateur
branch of the fraternity, who form the large majority
of the votaries of the game. The low price of each
work places them at the command of all, and the
result cannot but be greatly advantageous to the
growth of the game toward the point of perfect play
in its several departments,
(5)
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 difTerence 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 jDaid 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 wdiich is
offered to "record playing" at the bat by the injudi-
ciousmethod 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 true
art of skillfully handling the ash.
(6)
INTRODUCTION. 7
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, thev 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 jDet 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 batsman Is to make home-runs. This
a
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
8 INTRODUgriON.
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 j^roper 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 up to within a year or two past, been but
has,
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 tl'Jte 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.
tion 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. 9
much in vogue for any marked progress in scientific

batting. This, and the paying of too much attention
to tlie playing for a record — tiie record in question
being one which gives no criterion of skillful play ^t
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
lO INTRODUCTION.
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 "plajîng 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
successful 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, covering as
large a space as a four or fiê 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 "point" pretty skillfully.
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
pitcher, and find himself retiring from a tip, a poorly

(II)
13 THE ART OF BATTING.
hit ball, or from called strikes, instead of taking a

well earned baae. 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 must be done in order to secure
it
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 his 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 meet the as to
ball at the proper angle is to bring it down from the

shoulder; lie 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, forward
step to give direction to the hit, as an additional
impetus to the stroke.
THE ART OF BATTING. 13
THE FORWARD SWING OF THE BAT.

The batsman who would excel in scientific hitting
must study up well the theory 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 There are many points to learn before a
hit.
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 forming
—
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 above diagram.

in the
The slow stroke would send the ball toward the

right field; the medium stroke toward the center,
and the quick stroke to the left. So much for the
of the forward swing of the bat against the ordi-
.lines
nary speed of the delivery of the ball to the bat. In

addition, however, the varying speed of the pitched
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
what is technically called "facing for position"
tRat is, taking your stand at the bat in such a manner
—
THE ART OF BATTING. I5
as to lead to the control of the regular swing of the

bat, causing meet the ball so as to send it in the
it to
direction 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 regu-

lar 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 delivered ball. But the general direction of
the ball, from a regular and proportioned swing of
the bat, is governed by the manner in which the
batsman stands when prepared to strike at the ball
that is, in proportion 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 pitcli the ball to him,

and not the pitcher. The three in-fielders, therefore,
to faceany one of whom the batsman should stand
when about to strike at the ball, are the first-base-
man, 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 on third base, with but one man out, and
is
the batsman goes to the bat. Without regarding

anything but his making a long hit to the outer field,
l6 THE ART OF BATTING.
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 honae base or in front of it, and the

result is that the ball is hit either to pitcher, second
baseman or short-stop, thereby 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, inwhich case the rurmer would have been
enabled to score his run even if the batsman had sac-
rificed himself by his hit. This is but one phase of
the rule governing facing for- position in batting, but
it suffices to show the importance 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 regular forward swing of the bat so as to meet
the ball in front of the home base, the diagram show-
ing the lines of the forward swing of the bat, and
also that of the direction given the ball, as follows.
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 diagram.
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 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 medium paced he would do better to face the
pitcher or short stop.
The appended cuts illustrate the three positions
taken by the batsman when facing for left, center and
right field.
FACING FOR LEFT FIELD.

The dotted lines show not only the position of the
batwhen the swing is made, but also the direction
i8 THE ART OF BATTING.
of the forward swing, and of the ball as it leaves the

bat.
FACING FOR CENTER FIELD.

Of course in thus meeting the ball the position of the
pitcher as to his standing to the extreme right or left
of his position in delivering the ball, should be taken
into consideration, as it materially affects the angle of
the ball on its return from the bat.
FACING FOR RIGHT FIELD.
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, viz. First
: baseman and second baseman
at right short, 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,
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 sue-
THE ART OF BATTING.
cess or failure in hittino^. When once a batsman gets

into a bad habit, either in his manner of holdinof 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 with-
drawal 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 page 20.
STANDING IN GOOD FORM.

Confidence is ever3'thing 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 ni properly holding your

bat so as to use it with the best effect. It is hardly
possible for abatsman 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
possible. Here is another faulty method of holding
the bat, as shown in the cuton page 3i.
In the first cut the batsman is shown in the act ot
preparing to meet the ball with his bat poked out
straight in front of him. Of course, in order to strike
the ball, he must withdraw it so as to make the for-
ward swing, and thereby he has to make an un-
necessary motion, the effect of which is to disturb his
aim in hitting. In the second cut he is shown as
standing with his bat held horizontally, and though it
is not as bad a position as the other, it is still a faulty

one. The cut on page 23 shows a correct position in
standing ready for an effective hit. It is that of the
late Gen. Thos. vS. Dakin, the old pitcher of the Put-
nam Club Brooklyn of i860. George Wright
of
holds the bat a little further back over the^ shoulder
than the General did. The important point is to get
the best balance of the bat so that its weight should
not trouble the wrists too much.
The correct position for a batsman is to stand well
on his right foot, having his left foot touching the
ground lightly, thereby making his right the pivot
foot. By this means he will gain a body swing to
24 THE ART OP^ BATTIXG.
give aaditional force to the swing of his arms in bat-

ting. In holding the bat, he should keep it poised so
as to have it ready for the regular forward swing, as
shovs^n in the cut on page 23.
Being ready to hit and standing in " good form''

until the bail is sent in which you want, is an im-
portant element of success in batting.
THE ART OF BATTING. 2^
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 delivery. 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 pitcher 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
and fully prepared to meet every ball
in his position,
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
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 catchyou 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
baseman to play up closer to
this, will signal the first
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 forward 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 " faced for the hit," the result will be a safe hit
to an unguarded quarter, and a pretty display of skilful
batting. 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 eflfective batting,
and earned runs oflf 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 OF BATTING. 2^
many and competent scorers who have

intelligent
had upon the questions of base-hits scored
to decide
and runs earned during the base-ball campaign of
1884 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, as hitherto, solely by
our promote the best interests of the game in
efforts to
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:
Fii'stly. — 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.
— When
Thi7'dly. a high fly-ball is hit fairly over
the heads and out of fair reach of the out-fielders.
i
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 diflicult 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 clearl}^ 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 tiiangle formed by the pitcher, striker,
and first baseman's positions. In regard 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 efforts made to put
the striker out, and then it was chiefly the result of

slow running to the first base. The difliculty 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
;
first base and take such ball In time if fielded by the

first baseman, even if the two players 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
giving 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 fly, or the failure
to field a ground ball, there will doubtless
hard hit
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
difficulty 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 There
are entitled to the credit of base-hits.
are bounds to the ability of fielders to stop
certain
and catch balls, and these bounds are exceeded in
the special cases we refer to.
go 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 which is hit so as
ball to admit of
its being fairly caught on the fly can earn a base.
Secondly. —No any of the in-fielders in
ball hit to
such a way as admit of their picking it up and

to
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 yvide 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

— 1
exception is when the hall 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. " hot" ball A
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 average 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
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 catchy a muffed ball; a fumbled ball; or a
wide throw ; while those used for direct battery errors
viz: Errors on which bases are run or runs scored but
not on lines 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 oflfered 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 eflfort 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
—
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 failing to field ordinary balls from the bat.
A base-player failing to hold a ball not thrown wide
tohim, 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 "muflf," more frequently accidental tlian the re-
sult of unskillful play.
Wideor "wild" throws are made in two ways
by inaccuracy of aim and unskilful throwing;
first,
and secondly, by the difficulty 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 thrown over the head of a base-
ball
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
swild pitch or a passed ball unless a base is run on it.
3
"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 onwhich a base is run. In the
which the catcher
case of a very swiftly-pitched ball
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 a 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 in called balls should be included in the
estimate of runs earned off the pitching. In the first
place, the giving ot 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 playing
a point to get out of a dangerous hitter; and, as some-
times neither is at fiiult, 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 fornor against the earning
of a run, and consequently we leave It out altogether.
Runs earned from the pitcher include the following:
— When four
Firstly. each giving only
base-hits,
one base, are made succession.

in
Secondly. — When the makes clean home-

striker a
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 off, 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 off; "and if he fails to do this he is to be
:
36 THE ART OP^ 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 we will quote
the difference,
from actual play
In the Chicago New York game at the Polo
grounds on Sept. 25, 1884, in the fifth innings Keli\'
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 ofT
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 had been finely caught out
after PfefFer
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
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 this 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
38 THE. ART OF BATTING.
years, have neglectectso valuable an adjunct of really

effective and successful battino:. To hear the gêneral
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" halls — 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, 1884, "^^

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 purpose. 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
pitching. 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
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 eflforts 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 eflFective when it is done at
the time a runner is at third base and only one man

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 vyhich affords a plain chance for an
out, either in theform 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 are 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 effort 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.
THE BATSMAN'S POSITION.

Under the new rules of the League code, the bats-
man's position has been materially improved, as will
be seen by the appended diagrams, the one showing
the League lines of the position, and the other those

of the American Association's code.
The advantage possessed by the League position
lies in the fact that it affords more space to the bats-
man for facing for right field, owing to the increase

in width from three to four feet and by placing the
;
position nearer to home base by six inches, the bats-

man is enabled to reach out that much further for
out curve balls.
UNDER THE LEAGUE RULE.

At the December convention of the National League
in 1884, an important amendment was made to the
rule defining the batsman's position, first in widening
the position from three to four feet, and second. In
placing the line of the position nearest the home base

at six inches from the corner of the base instead of one
foot as before. This was done to afford the batsman

greater freedom of movement in facing for a hit to
right field, and also to enable him to stand nearer the
base in reaching for out curve balls. The new lines
are shown in the diagram on page 41.
It will be seen that the home base line is now ex-
actly nine feet in length from the outside lines of the
two positions; the batsman can step three feet forward
of the base line or three feet back of it; and he can
stand four feet distant from the home base or within
six inches of it.
UNDER THE AMERICAN RULE.

The lines of the batsman's position under the
American code of rules were not changed at the De-
cember convention of 1884, and they remain as shown
in the appended diagram.
Ift.
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 well 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 match 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 effect, 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 which 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
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 scientifichitting 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 ruiniing

bases. Suppose, on the other hand, that the first five
men of the other side had made and

clean home runs,
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 vsôuld 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, v/ould be free from fatigue in running bases, and
ready for active field work at once; while the home
run hitters would be partially exhausted with their
*
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 tlie
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
occupied, 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
ofiicial 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 interests 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
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
laudatory 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
most effective service.
for players to render a club the
Were the recording of two and three base-hits and
home-runs alândoned 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 !-ecord," 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,
ruid 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

—
play in the face of a battery of swift curved balls

and he can thus drive the pitcher into giving him his
base on balls, the batsman is playing a good point.
Asa 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 by having
for his skilful policy
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 1884 there was not one out of

twenty professional batsmen whoever 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
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 phiy 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 anJ 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 bcttting as well as
fielding makes his own special record of secondary

importance 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 yearly averages of a club team,it apparently pays
a batsmau 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
team in a
against nine men who are known

good to excel in
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 average in
batting and what do we see; simply the Athletic Club
at the head of the list in batting average, 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 mafches than it now is. In the
meantime sharp base running and good field support
of effective 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
;
for an individual record. The publishing of weekly

and monthly averages at the bat also tends strongly
to induce the batsmen togo 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 with
effect is half the battle in batting. To go up to the
bat with a feeling of expectancy of ftiilure 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 your 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, dependii:g 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 pitched 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, VN^hich leads a batsman skilled in
scientific hitting to punish pitching when the slugging
THE ART OF BATTING. 5I
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, wlien 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 hopes 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 the bat with degree of con-
to a
fidencewhich 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
asFrank 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 frequently happens that they will then
it
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 they 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
pitcher 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.
FOUL AND FAIR BALLS.

The important difference between balls hit high
from the bat and those hit almost directly to the
o-round, 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 hit direct to the ground^

it becomes "fair" or "foul" according to \X.%Jinal
stop-
pao-e on "fair" or "f ml" ground before passing either
first or third base. The appended diagram illustrates
the difference above referred to.
^m»^c^&^^
THE BATTING RULES.

Rule io. The Batsman'' s Lines must be straight
lines forming the boundaries of a space on the right,

and of a similar space on the left of the Home Base,
six feet long by four feet wide, extending three feet
in front of and three feet behind the center of the
54 THE ART OP^ BATTING.
Home Base, and with its nearest line distant one foot
from the Home Base.
Rule 14. The Bat.
( I ) Must be made wholly of wood, except that the
handle may be wound with twine not to exceed
eighteen inches from the end.
(3) must be round, except that a portion of the
It
Surface may
be flat on one side, and it must not ex-
ceed two and one-half inches in diameter in the
thickest part, and must not exceed forty-two inches in
length.
Rule 33. A Fair Hit is a ball batted by the
Batsman, standing in his position, that first touches
the ground, the First Base, the Third Base, the part
of the person of a pla^'er, or any other object that is
in front of or on either of the Foul Lines, or {excep-

tion^ batted directly to the ground by the Batsman,
standing in his position, that (whether it first touches
Foul or Fair Ground) bounds or rolls within the
Foul Lines, between Home and First, or Home and
Third Bases, without first touching the person of a
player.
Rule 33. A Foul Hit is a ball batted by the
Batsman, standing in his position, that first touches
the ground, the part of the person of a player, or any
other object that is behind either of the Foul Lines,
or that strikes the person of such Batsman, while
standing in his position, or {êxceptio7z) batted directly
to the ground by the Batsman, standing in his posi-
tion, that(whether it first touches Foul or Fair
THT2 ART OF BATTING. 55
Ground) bounds or rolls outside the Foul Lines, be-

tween Home and First, or Home and Third Bases,
without first touching the person of a player.
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 disappear outside of

the range of the foul lines, and Rules 33 and 33 are
to be construed accordingly.
Rule 35. A Strike is
( I ) A ball struck at by the Batsman without its
touching his bat; or

(3) 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 Batsman^ ojt taking his position^
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 " by the Pitcher, and every " Dead
delivered
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 will be counted in the time at bat of the
proper Batsman.
(3) If he foils to take his position within one
minute 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 effort to
make a fair hit.
Rule 52. 1 he Batsman beco7nes a base runnier

( I ) Instantly after he makes a Fair Hit.
(2) Instantly after six Balls have been called by
the Umpire.
(3) Instantly after three strikes have been de-
clared by the Umpire.
BASS BAIiIi SHIRTS.
FANCY SHIELD SHIRT, LACED SHIRT FRONT.

No.
o. Extra quality Shirt, of extra heavy flannel,
made expressly for our League Club trade, Each. PerDoz
any style, White, Blue or Gray $5 oo $54 00
T. Firstquality twilled flanneljWhite, Blue or Red 400 42 <X)
2. Second quality twilled flannel, White, Blue or
Gray..., 325 3600
3. Third quality, Shaker flannel, White only. ... 2 25 24 00
4. Boys' size only, of fourth quality 150 1800
—
To Measure for Shirt. Size Collar worn. Length of
Sleeve, bent, from center of back. Size around Chest. Length
of Yoke from shoulder to shoulder.
BASE BAIili PANTS.

No. Each. Dozen.
O. Extra quality flannel Pants,
Wh'te, Blue or Gray $5 00 $54 00
First quality twilled flannel,
White, Blue or Red 400 4200
Second quality twilled flannel.
White, Blue or Gray 325 3600
Third quality Shaker flannel.
,
White only 225 2400

To Measure for Pants. — Size around
waist. Length of outside seam from waist to
eight inches below the knee (for full length
pants measure to the foot). Length of inside
seam. Size around hips.

108 Madison Street, 241 Broadway,
CHICAGO. NEW YORK,
SPALDING'S BASE BALL BELTS—Worsted Web Belts.
Our No. o, or League Club Belt is made of best Worsted Webbing-, 2%
inches wide, mounted in best manner, with large nickel plated buckle, the
finest belt made. Our No. i belt is made of same webbing, leather mounted.
We use the following colors of webbing. In ordering, please state the
color wanted, and size around waist.
7-«?-yj5^,
Style A. Red. Style G. Red, White Edge.

" B. Blue. •' H. Blue,
" C. Navy Blue.
No. o. League Club Belt, of any of the above colors, nickel plated
buckle as shown in above cut. Per Dozen $6.00
No. I. Worsted Web Belt, same colors as above, mounted in leather,

with two broad straps and buckles as shown in above cut.
Per doz St-SO
SPALDING'S COTTON WEB BELTS.
Our Cotton Web Belts are made of best quality Cotton Webbing, in the
following fast colors. In ordering please state color, and size around waist.
Style L. Red. Style O. Blue, White Style R. Red and White,
Edge. Narrow Stripe.
" M. Blue. " P. Red, ^Vhite " S. Blue and White,
and Blue. Narrow Stripe.
" N. Red, White " Q. White. " T. Yellow & Black,
Edge. Wide Stripe.
No. 3. Cotton Web any of above colors, large patent nickel.
Belts,
plated buckle. Per dozen $4.00
No. 4. Cotton Web, Leather Mounted Per doz.$2.50
SPALDING'S BASE BALL STOCKINGS, p^k iôz.
No. o. League Regulation, made of the worsted

finest j-arn. The
following colors can be obtained: White, Light Blue, Navy Blue,
Scarlet, Grav, Green, Old Gold, Brown $18.00
No. I. Fine Quality Woolen Stockings, Scarlet, Blue or Brown 12.00
No. 2. Good " " " " " " 9.00
No. 3. Second *' " " " or Blue, with "White
or drab cotton feet 6.00

CHICAGO. NEW YORK.
IBase Ball Sli.oe3.
No. I. No. 2.
No, I. League Club Shoe. Sameas used by J. eague Clubs. Made

Horsehide in the best manner. Price per pair $6.00
No. 2. Chicago Club Shoe. Hxtra quality canvas, foxed with French
calf. The Standard Screw Fastener is used. Price per pair. 4.00
No. 3. No. 4.
No. 3. Amateur, or Practice Shoe. Good quality canvas, strap
over instep.Price per pair $200
No. 3X. Amateur Base Ball Shoe for Boys. Second quality canvas.
Price per pair. , i 50
*S«, 4. Oxford Tie Base Ball Shoe. Low cut, canvas. Price per pair 2 00
SPALDING'S SHOE PLATES.

Our new^ desig^n League Steel Shoe
Plate has become the favorite plate
among League players during the past
season, and we have this year added it to
our regular line of shoe plates. It is
made by hand of the best quality English
steel, and so tempered that it will not
^^ bend or break. The peculiar shape of
^J:^^=/
\
\. ==;s>^ '^the plate is shown in the adjoining cut.
'The majority of Leap-ue players use this
plate on the toe, ana our No. i,or Pro-
fessional Plate, on the heel. Each pair
of plates — —
right and left are put up with
screws. Per p^r
Pair. Doz.
No. o. Spalding's League Shoe Plate, $ 50 $5 00
No. I. Spalding's Professional Shoe
Plate, as shown in the adjoining
cut, is made of first quality steel.
It is lighter and smaller than the
No. o plate, but will render good
service. Each pair put up with
screws, complete 25 2 c;o
No. 2. Spalding's Malleable Iron Shoe

Plate, light and durable, with
screws 15 15°
Any of the above Shoe Plates mailed upon receipt of price. Address
A. G. SPALDING 8c BROS.,
CHICAGO. NEW YOKK.
BASE BALL CAPS AND HATS.
No. II No. 13. No. 19. No. 21.
St. qual. 2d qual. 3d qual.

No. Leag'ue Parti 'colored Cap $ 13 00
No. Base Ball Hat, any color iS 00 [5 00
No. Base Ball Cap, Chicago style, any color,
with or v/ithout stripes 9 00
No. Base Ball Cap, Boston shape, without star,
any colors 9 00 6 00
No. Ditto, all white only "..,',
...... 9 00 6 00
No. 1 1. Base Ball Cap, Jockey shape, any color.. 9 00 6 CO
No. n. Ditto, all white only , 9 00 6 00
No. 13. Base Ball Cap, Boston shape, with star.. 9 00 6 00
No 19. Base Ball Skull Cap, any color 9 00 6 00
No. 19. Ditto, white only 9 00 6 00
No. 21. College Base Ball Cap, any color 9 00 6 00
No. 21. Ditto,white only. 6
9 00 00
Boys' Flannel Caps, p'ir dozen $4 00
" Cotton Caps, Red, White, or Blue 3 00
In addition to the styles above mentioned, we are preparad to make any
style of Cap known, and will furnish at prices cor'-e; iponding to above.
BAT BAGS.
No. o. League
Club Bat Bag, made
of sole leather, with
name outside, to hold
two dozen bats. Each
$iS CO
No. 1. Canvas Bat Bag, leather ends, Iwo dozen bats
lo hold $5 00
No. 2. Canvas Bat Bag, leather ends, one dozen bats
to hold 4 00
No. 01. Spalding's new design, individual, sole leather Bat Bag for
two bats, as used by the players of the Chicago club each, 4 00
No. 02. Same size and style as aoove, made of strong canvas. " i . . 50
BASES.
No. League Club Bases, made of extra
canvas, stuffed and quilted com-
plete,with straps and spikes, with-
out homeplate Per set of three $7 50
No. Canvas Bases, \vith straps and
spikes, complete ^vithout home
plate 5 c»
Marble Home plate 3 00
Iron " " I 00

CHICAGO. NEW YORK.
:
Spalding's Trade-Marked Catcher's Cloves^

After considerable ex-
pense and many experi-
ments we have finally
perfected Catcher s
a
Glove that meets with
general favor from pro-
"^fessional catchers.
The olu ot/ie of open
backed gloves intro-
duced bj us several
years ago is still adhered
to, but the quality of
material and workman-
ship has been materially
improved, until now we can lay claim to having the best line
of catcher's gloves on the market. These gloves do not inter-
fere with throwing, can be easily put on and taken oft", and no
player subject to sore hands should be without a pair of these
gloves. We make these gloves in four difterent grades, as
follows
Price per Pair.
No. oo. Spalding's Full Left-Hand Catcher's
Gloves, made of extra heavy Indian tanned
buck, with full left-hand, usual style right
hand, open backs and well padded, fully war-
ranted. Best catcher's glove made .$3 50
No o. Spalding's League Club Catcher's Gloves,
made of extra heavy Indian tanned buck, and
carefully selected with special reference to the
hard service required of them, open back, well
padded, and fully warranted 2 50
No. Spalding's Professional Gloves, made of
I.
Indian tanned buckskin, open back, well
padded, but not quite as heavy material as the
-
No. o 2 00
No. 2. Spalding's Amateur Gloves, made of lighter
buckskin, open back, well padded and adapted
for amateur players i 5°
No. 3. Spalding's Practice Gloves, made of light
material, open back, well padded i 00
No. 4. Spalding's Boy's Gloves, open back, well
padded, and made only in boy's sizes i 00
i^^ Any of the above Gloves mailed postpaid on receipt of
price. In ordering, please give size of ordinary dress gloves
usually worn.

CHICAGO. NEW YORK.
Spaldins's Trade-Marked Catcher's Mask.
The first Catcher's Mask
brought 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 dangerovis for
a catcher to face the swift un-
derhand throwing of the pres-
ent day unless protected by a
mask. The increased
reliable
demand for these goods has
brought manufacturers into
the field who, having no repu-
tation to sustain, have vied
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 worse 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 withotct our Trade
Mark stamped on each Mask.
No. o. Spalding's Special League Mask, used by Each,
all the leading professional catchers, extra
heavy wire, well padded with goat hair and the
padding faced with the best imported dogskin,
which is impervious to perspiration and retains
its pliability and softness $3 00
No. 2. Spalding's Amateur Mask, made the same
size and general style as the League Mask,
but with lighter wire and faced with leather,
(we guarantee this mask to be superior to so-
called professional Masks sold by other manu-
facturers) „ 2 00
No. 3. Spalding's Boy's Mask, similar to the Ama-
teur Mask, only made smaller to fit a boy's
face I
75
It^* Any of these Masks mailed postpaid on receipt of price.
.
SPALDING'S T RADE-M ARKED BATS.

These celebrated bats were first introduced in 1877, and they have
e-radually grown into popularity, until now they are used almost
exclusively by ail prominent professional and amateur players.
AUthetimber used in these bats is allowed to season from one to
two yeurs'in the sim before being made up, and the result is we are
enabled to make much lip hter and stronger bats than ^\ here the limber
is hastily "kiln-dried." as done bv nearly all manufacturers
of ch. ap
L'oods. Each but is turned by hand, after the most approved and
varied models, and if found to answer the requirements as to
weight, size, length, etc. the trade-mark is stamped on each bat to
insure its genuineness. We
point with much pride to the handsome
testimonials given these bats bv the leading batters of the country,
as shown by their universal and continued use.
PRICES.
SPALDING'S TRADE MAE-KED BATS.
To Clubs.
Each. Per doz.
No. GO. Spalding's 2d Growth Ash, Black Band
League Bat, Patent Granulated Han-
dle. 7SC $8 o
" o. Spalding^s 2dGrowth Ash, Black Band,
League Handle
Bat, Plain 7Sc 750
" I Spalding's Trade Marked Ash Bat 40c 400
j< 2 " " " Cherry Bat.. 40c 400
« * << " " Bass " .. 30c 3 SO
„ ^' « " «< Willow *' .. Soc 5 00
Tb " Boy's " " Ash " .. 30c 3 00
^g' << '' " «' Bass •' .. 2SC 2 go
SPALDING'S TRADE MARKED FANCY BATS.

Spalding's Fancy Ash, Full Polished. 6oc $600
No. A. " "
p^p^
' It ^^ «' and
Patent Granulated Handle 75^ 650
Spalding's Fancy Bass, Full Polished 60c 600
B. " "
.
JJJ3
<i << and
75c 6 §0
Patent Granulated Handle
PLAIN FINISHED BATS.
Men's Ash Bats, plain finish, 36 to 40 in. 25c $250
No. " 2 00
" Bass " 361040 m.. 20c
" " 28 to 34 in.. ISC 150
Boy's Ash "
" Bass " 28 to 34 in.. ISC ISO
FANCY BATS.
oiled, selected timber
Cherry Bats, $250
No. 10.
30c 3 00
Ash Bats, one-half polished
" 12. Bass Bats, one-half polished.
.,.,.,, 200 300
" 13. Ash Bats, full polished 50C
^ S 00
Soc S 00
«' 14, Bass Bats, full polished
50c 500
«« 15. Aeh Bals, wound handles, plain Soo
Soc
No. 16. Buss Bats, v/ou:ul handles, plain 6oc
.
.
•
600
" 17. Ash Bats, wound handles, hi-hly olished ]
coc 600
" 18 Bass Bats, wound handles, highly polished
order, that we may send
Save express Charges by sending money with
by freight.
A. G. SPALDING & BROS..
io8 Madison Street,
.41 Broadway,
NEW YORK. CHICAtÛ.
Spalding's Trade Marked Base Balls.
No. 1. Spalding's Official League Ball.—As adopted by the Per

National League and other prominent professional and Each. Doz.
amateur associations for 1SS5, each ball wrapped in tin
foil and put up in a separate box, and sealed in accord-
ance with the latest League regulations $I $0 $15 OO
—
No. lA. Spalding's Associatii^n Ball. Made in accordance
with tlie specifications of the American Association,
each ball wrajipcd in tin foil and put up in a separate
box and sealed. ^^ arr anted to last a full game without
ripping or losing its shape i 25 13 5°
No. 2. Spalding's Professi nal Dead Ball, white.—The best
dead ball made, covered with selected horsehide.
Every ball warranted to last a game of nine innings ... i 25 12 00
No. 2R. Spalding's Professional Dead Ball, red.— Same as
No. 2, only colored red 1 25 12 OO
No. 3. Spalding's Amateur Dead Ball, white.— Covered
with horsehide, and especially adapted for practice
games. Every ball wrrranted I 00 9 00
No. 3 B. Spalding's Amatevir Dead Ball, red.— Same as
No. 3, only colored red I 00 9 00
No. XX. Spalding's Amateur Iiively Ball, w^hite.— Cov-
ered with horsehide. To meet the growing demand for
a good lively ball, at a medium price, we have this sea-
son added this grade I 00 9 00
No. 4. Spalding's American Club Ball, white. Covered —
with horsehide. A
good serviceable ball, and especially
adapted for boys' match games 75 750
No. 5. Spalding's King of the Diamond Ball, white. -Cov-
ered with horsehide, regulation size and weight. A
good bail for catching and throwing 50 500
—
No. 6. Spalding's Grand Duke Ball, white. Covered with
horsehide, ngnlation size and weight 35 3 S^
—
No. 7. Spalding's Boys* Favorite, white. Regulation size
and weight. A
good boys' ball 25 250
No. 8. Spalding's Eureka Ball, white. —Atrifle under the,
regulation size and weight. The best cheap ball for
the money on the market 20 200
No. 9. Spalding's Rattler Ball, white.— Size, S^ inches;
weight, 4^ oz. Thebestandlargestioc. ball made... 10 I OO
No. 11. Spalding's Nickel Ball.— Size, "]% in. weight, 30Z.
;
Packed one dozen in a box, half all red, half all white.
The best juvenile 5c. ballon the market 5 5°
Spalding's Sample Case of Balls.— Containing one each of the above balls,
packed in a handsome partition case, suitable for traveling salesmen
or shov/- windows. Special prices mtjde to dealers.
Any of the above balls mailed postpaid upon receipt of price.
Address, A. G. SPALDING & BROS.,
108 Madison St., CHICAGO. 241 Broadway, NEW YORK.
,9 Q<
CHICAGO STORE.
. o
o a>
8:2
'«>
%-i
»: OS
a>
CO
(i>
beg
»-
C:S
^*
w o 2
bO'O c
>3 C <u
-"^ c
3 O i^
s o
cS
^-
.
rtcS'O
|M
i o jr^r-^^y^-^
C/30
A. Ge SPALDIMG & BEOS.,

108 MADISON STREET, CHICAGO
241 Broadway, New York.
NEW YORK STORE.
f^
?
'iirn
% 6 9Z9 006 900
ss3dONoodo AdVbian

The Art of Batting - 1885

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Art of Batting - 1885

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

The Art of Batting - 1885

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

^^s?

THE ART OF BA'pC

MANUFACTURERS, IMPORTERS, AND DEALERS IN

General Sporting Goods,

GDNS AND GUN AGGOUTREMENTS,

BASE BALL SUPPLIES,

Gymnasium, Theatri cal, and Gen eral Sporting Goods.

A. G. SPALDING & BROS.,

No. I. Spalding's Official Base Ball Guide Price, loc

the particulars of each amusement.

SCIENTIFIC BATTING, SKILLFUL HANDLING OF THE BAT,

A. G. SPALDING & BROS.,

Entered According to Act of Congress in the Year 1885

The great sale following the publication of No. i

of Spalding's Hand Book on " The Art of

A noteworthy feature of the improvement which

offered to "record playing" at the bat by the injudi-

ciousmethod of scoring the game, and the promi-

Up to within the past year or two a great deal of

class of batsmen average a home-run hit to about

plification in strategic play are even more important.

single-base hit is worth two of your home-run class of

run, though the latter may excel in cutting a dash or

man's general play. First comes the rule which

ner in which he stands has an important bearing.

neglected, is the rule governing what is technically

much in vogue for any marked progress in scientific

of the sporting papers, and in the columns of the

the fraternity in the field, to total base hits. Some of

to sacrifice his record of total bases and a high aver-

offered for strategic play than in batting; but it re-

pitcher, and find himself retiring from a tip, a poorly

hit ball, or from called strikes, instead of taking a

chances for hitting the ball you want when it does

find the batsman "out of form," and not prepared to

the loose," he is sure to send him a good ball, and the

ball at the proper angle is to bring it down from the

THE FORWARD SWING OF THE BAT.

point, and with a special object in

batsman can arrive at any marked degree of skill in

these bearings. Measuring the semi-circular line of

will be seen that the swiftness of the stroke has a

strokes are shown above diagram.

The slow stroke would send the ball toward the

nary speed of the delivery of the ball to the bat. In

a slow pitched ball would meet the slow stroke on

FACING FOR POSITION.

as to lead to the control of the regular swing of the

Just as a man stands at the bat, just so will the regu-

things, of course, being equal, viz., the rapidity of

the first baseman was going to pitcli the ball to him,

the batsman goes to the bat. Without regarding

he takes his position so that the regular forward

at the line of the honae base or in front of it, and the

baseman or short-stop, thereby preventing the runner

to the pitcher, should stand in the ordinary position,

face for right field hitting if the pitching

FACING FOR LEFT FIELD.

of the forward swing, and of the ball as it leaves the