Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 January 1911 — TRICKS IN CATCHINGBASE-RUNNERS [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TRICKS IN CATCHINGBASE-RUNNERS

_ Catching runners off first base is an art few pitchers have developed. Jimmy CoUlns, at one time the greatest third baseman in the game, is an authority on baseball. He says in discussing the art of nailing runners: f Ed- Walsh of the Chicago White Sox,’’ says Collins, “is the hardest pitcher I have ever played against when it comes to getting a lead off first. Let me tell you right now that Walsh has the most baffling motion of any pitcher in the country, bar none. I, myself, think it is a clear case of balk when Walsh winds up and then slaps the ball over to first. But no umpires have called him for it, except in one or two cases, where the offense was palpable. “There are only a few runners, men like Eddie Collins and Ty Cobb, who dare to take more than a couple of feet lead off first when Walsh is in the box. They depend on excessive speed to beat the bail to first, but sometimes even they are fooled. You never can tell what Walsh is going to do until you actually see the batsman swing at the ball. Then you. know that Walsh has pitched to the plate. v.

“Next to Walsh I place that crafty Indian, Bender of the champion Athletics. You simply have to keep your eyes on Bender all the time while you are loafing around first base or he will outguess you. For that matter, he often outwits you even when you are watching him. I think that’s one of the reasons Bender has developed into a leading pitcher.

"Then there is Addle Joss of Cleveland—a regular pitching fox. Clark Griffith never bad anything on Addle when it comes to being a pitching fox. Why, I’ve stood up by the bag and thought that Joss had thrown to the plate when really I was being tagged out at first. You have to keep your eyes peeled on Addle. Johnson of the Nationals and Donovan erf the Tigers are two pitchers hard to take a lead on.

“In the National league I consider Mathewson of the Giants, Brown of the Cubs and possibly Phillippl of the Pirates leaders in this particular phase of the game. Of course Philllppi is growing old and has slowed up some, but when he was at his best nobody had anything on him. I have played against him and know pretty well what I’m talking about “While we are on this subject let me say that the third baseman has a lot to do in catching runners off first It is generally his part to give the signal to the pitcher when the man is far enough off first to shoot the ball over. There are some teams where the catcher gives the signal, but the third baseman can do it best Next time you are at a game when Walsh is pitching and there is a runner on first just watch Harry Lord’s actions. Walsh will be standing moistening the ball and keeping one eye glued on Lord. Suddenly Lord will shift one of his hands or will reach up to grab at his hat At'that second you wilLsee Walsh whip the ball over to first and frequently there’s a dead runner.’’

Pitcher Ed Walsh.