Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 166, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 July 1913 — The Baseball Primer [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Baseball Primer

By Hugh S. Fullerton

, (Ooprrtght, ISlt, br W. a. Cbapmu)

Baseball needs a Webster and a stan ding-revision board to keep the dictionary of the game up to date. The sport is building its own language so steadily that, unless some step soon Is taken to check, the inventive young men who coin the words that attach themselves to the* pastime; interpreters will have to be mainlined in every grand stand to translate for the benefit of those who merely love the game and (do not care to master it thoroughly.' Joe Campbell, the Chaucer of baseball literature, was sitting in his office one evening, lamenting to me that his paper (The Washington Post) would not permit him to write as he pleased, but Insisted that he confine his writings to straight English. 1 reached over and took the sheet he Just had finished. “And Amie -Rusie” it ran, “made a Svengali pass in* front of Charlie Reilly’s lamps and he carved three nicks in the weather." What could be plafher or more expressive of the fact that Rusie had hypnotized Reilly into striking out? Or what could be more graphic than Lennie Washburn’s description of l ball that was hit hard and instead of bounding, “hugged the dirt," as the players say, and tore its way through the grass. « The following does not pretent to be a complete dictionary of the baseball language. It merely is the primer, containing some of the commonest words and phases, with an explanation of their meaning: Air (up in) —Excited, unnerved. A term used to describe the condition of a pitcher who loses his courage or presence of mind at critical stages of a contest. Beau (N) —The head of a player (V) to bean—to pitch or throw and hit the batter in the head (see Lima). Bean Ball —I fast ball pitched at or near the head of a player who is standing too close to the plate with Intent to drive him back. Often used to drive timid batters away from the plate, after which the pitcher usually throws a fast curve. Big One (The) —The third strike. After two strikes are called the “big one" is left. The percentage of safe hits made by batters after two strikes are called is extremely high, and the term probably results from that fact. Bingle—A clean base hit, the ball being driven clean over or past the fielder without presenting a chance for any possible play. Bite—A tenp applied to batters who are weak in that they cannot resist the temptation to strike at a curve ball, especially at 3 slow curve. The message “He will bite’* passed through a league among the players generally means the end of the usefulness of that player. Bleachers —Uncovered field seats on baseball parka Term originated in the south where the colored spectators were forced to sit in the sun, and were “bleached." f Boner —A stupid play; a blunder in the science of the game. Term adapted from the idea that a player making a stupid play has a head composed entirely of osseous tissue. Bone-head —A player noted for making stupid plays; one adapter spoke of a player's head as his “armored turret.” Bcfot —An error, in the making of which the player fumbles with his

hands and allows the ball to bound off his feet or legs, kicking or “booting” it. Why does he waste his efforts booting baseballs” Inquired Boze Bulger of a new inflelder, “when Yale is mourning the lack of a punter?” Break (The) —The turning point of a game of ball; the critical play which starts a stampede of the defeated team and a fusillade of hits by the atacking club. Also “the breaks” are used to expose the luck of the game. “The breaks were all against us” means that in every Instance in which luck entered into the play, it favored the opposing team. Bunt—A ball, struck with the bat with the intention of dropping or rolling it onto fair ground and only a short distance, forcing the inflaidars to

hurry the play to throw out the runner. It is used chiefly to advance runners who already are on bases Bunt and run—The term used to designate a play much used In the more finished teams. The batters and base runners exchange signals as the pitcher starts to’ deliver the ball to tha batter, the runner or runners start for, the next base at full speed. The batter bunts an they go, and if he pushes the ball fair the play obviates the chance to force the other runners. The play is extremely dangerous to bad hunters, as a double play is almost certain if they bunt a fly into the air. Coacher —A player or manager who, from the coacher’s boxes back of first and third bases, endeavors to guide and advise batters and base runners, warning them .of the move-, ments of the enemy and flashing the manager's signals to players, as orders for certain plays. In the early days of the game the duties of coachers were to play clown, make noise and strive to excite or anger opposing players. The coacher in the modern game Usually is quiet, studying the movements of the opposing pitcher and catcher and assisting base runners. Control —Ability to throw a baseball, where it is directed to be thrown,

and to pitch it over the plate between the batter's knees and shoulders when necessary. Control is the pitcher’s principal stock in trade, as a pitcher who can throw the ball near where he wants it to go needs few curves and not much speed. Crab —A crabbed player, a "grouch.” The verb to crab means to show a quarrelsome or complaining spirit. Many of the worst “crabs” in baseball are the pleasantest and most genial when off the field, their crabbedness evidently being the result of the nervous strain of playing. Crash —Verb used in baseball, not to signify a single sound,' but a series of hard hits. A team “starts crashing," when three or four batters *in succession make hits. Crowd (Verb) —To stand close to the home plate when batting, the purpose being to hamper the pitcher and sometimes to force him to hit the batter. The team that “crowds” persistently is a hard team to beat, as in many cases batters will be hit, and many times pitchers, over anxiouß through fear of hitting them, will pitch outside the plate and give them bases on balls. Curve —In professional baseball the only curve spoken of as such is the fast breaking ball, pitched overhand, that darts down and out from a righthanded batter. All other curves are qualified as sidearm, out, barrel hook, slow, drop. No one Bpeaks of ai_ incurve among major leaguers. See Putting Something on It, and The Jump. ; * Dirt (Hit the) Slide—Usually in connection with an order to a player. Managers always reprove players who “stop standing up,” and order them to “hit the dirt,” partly because standing up is a risky way of going into a base, and partly because sq many players are injured by not sliding. Double—A two base hit, or “two bagger." Double PlaV —A play in which two runners are retired or put out, before the ball ceases to move, or in one continuous play. The commonest double play is from the short stop to the second baseman to the first baseman. Double Steal—A steal of bases by two runners simultaneously. The steal when made with runners on first and second is seldom called a double steal, as the runner on second steals third and the other runner merely "trails." The double steal, as meant by the expression, is made with runners on first and ffttlrd. The runner starts from first and, as the catcher throws to catch him, the runner on third trlec to score before the ball can be returned to the catcher. The jpjay is used chiefly when two are out and the chance of scoring in any other way is small. Double Steal (Delayed)—With run-

ners on firat and third bases the runner op first pretends to start for second. About 30 feet from first he stops quickly and turns as if to-go back. If the catcher relaxes from the throwing position, he starts for second It top speed and, as the ball is thrown, the runner at third starts for the plate. The success of the play depends upon the element ,pf surprise and except against experienced and cdol-headed catchers it is likely to be more effective than the double steal made in the ordinary manner. Fadeaway—A slow curve ball that I loses speed suddenly as it approaches tire batter and falls, or “fades" awjiy at an unnatural angle. The fadeaway is accomplished by a Jerking and holding motion of the fingers upon the ball at the moment of releasing it from the hand. Christy Mathewson developed the “fader" into its highest state of perfection. Groove—An imaginary passage from the pitcher’s hand over the center of the home plate. When a ball comes “down the groove” it is pitched at the natural angle (that is, “without anything on It”) over the plate and therefore is easy to hit. Grooves also are the spaces between the fielders and between the flelderß and the foul lines through which batted balls usually pass out of'the possible reach of the players. Hit and Run —One of the most effective styles of attack devised ip baseball. The object is concerted action on the part of the batter and base runner, and the runner on the bases may take two bases instead of one on a hit, or reach the next 'base before he can be forced. Hold Up—Perhaps the most important part of the inside work of the pitcher, catcher and batsmen is to “hold up” runners, or prevent them from "getting a lead” off the bases. Hole (In the) —In difficulties; in dire straits. Either the pitcher or batter may be “in the hole” as the batter is “in the hole” with one or two strikes and no balls called,* and the pitcher when he has pitched two or three wide balls, and has none or one strike on the batter. The object, of every good batter is to get the pitcher “in the hole" so that he, in fear of giving a base on balls, will pitch a straight fast ball over the plate, giving the batter much better chance of making a safe hit. Hook—A fast overhand curve that breaks downward and outward at an unusually sharp angle. The hook curve is accomplished by a sharp snap of the wrist at the finish of a wide swing of the arm, which accentuates the sharpness of the curve. The hook curves of Brown and Overall, Joe Corbett, Tom Ramsey, Bill Donovan, Bill Terry, Walter Johnson, and others have become famous for their width. Hook Slide —Also called the “Chicago slide” —A method of sliding to bases which was perfected by Mike Kelly of Anson’s White Stockings, and taught to all the Chicago players. Inßide —A pitched ball that passeß between the plate and the batter is “inside” whether the batter is right or left-handed, but the “dut” corner of the plate is the corner toward first base, and vice versa, when there is no batter up. Knuckle Ball —A slow ball pitched with the knuckles of the three middle fingers turned under and pressed into the ball, which is gripped with the thumb and little finger only. The knuckle ball is extremely deceptive, as it is delivered with a show of great speed and comes with extraordinary slowness. Summers of the Detroit team, perhaps, Is its greatest master. Lead —The distance from any base that a base runner can gain before the ball is pitched. To “get a long lead” is the object of every runner. Liner —A hard driven ball that is hit on a straight line to or past the infield before it touches the ground. Mound —The pitcher’s toot plate, or slab. Derived from the fact that on most grounds the plate is higher than the rest of the infield, to give the pitcher an advantage through pitch* , lng downward at the batter. The “mound" is elevated or depressed by some clubs, high plated being used for tall overhand pitchers while low ones are preferred for sidearm or underhand pitchers. Outlaw —The club, league or player who offends against baseball law is punished by being “outlawed” or blacklisted. The alleged benefits of “protection” are withdrawn aa punishment to offending leagues dr ’clubs while players are blacklisted. There are several hundred players on the blacklist at present who cannot play In any club belonging trf the national agreement until reinstated by the commission. Outside —The side of the home plate opposite to that occupied by the batter. If the term is used without regard to the batter the first base side of the plate Is outside. Pass—A base on balls. Pitchout The most effective method of meeting and breaking up the hit and. run play. The ball is pitched rather high and on the outside of the plate, to prevent the batter from hitting it and ai the same time to permit the catcher to receive it in perfect position for- a throw. When a signal is detected, or when the catcher and pitcher suspect that either a steal or the hit and run is to be attempted, the pitcher pitches out to balk the play. Putting Something On It —’Manipulating the ball so that it will curve, break, float or revolve in the air, rather than throwing it naturally. Reserve—“ Organized baseball” depends upon a clause in the players* contracts whereby the club “reserves" their services for the following season. The reserve clause really acts as a perpetual contract and the legal advisers of players declare the con-

tracts would not hold in law. The. reserve clause was placed in contracts to prevent the wrecking of leagues by competitive bidding for the services of the best playerswhereby the richest clubs always could win. “ Scout —A supposed Judge of ball players employed by the larger clubs to watch ’ae playing of men in small » leagues, colleges and in Independent clubs to recruit good players. Slider —An injury to a player caused by Bcraping a segment of skin off the leg or thigh in sliding to bases. Many players suffer much from these injuries, often having the skin torn off their limbs in patches four or five inches square. South Paw —A left-handed pitcher. ’ The term is derived from the fact that most baseball grounds are laid out-so the pitcher faces west, and a left-handed pitcher’s arm is to the south. Spikes (To Sharpen)—The pretense ~ of a player to sharpen the triangular toe and heel plates he wears on hit shoes, is a threat to “cut his way around,” or to spike certain antagonists if they attempt to stop or touch him. Chiefly a form of braggadocio, and seldom carried into effect. Spit Ball (The Spltter)—The most effective ball in the pitcher’s repertoire. It is executed by putting heavy friction on the under side or the ball by griming the thumb into the seams, while the friction on the upper part is lessened by the use of saliva, slippery elm or some such oily substance. The spit ball is used most effectively by Walsh and Ford and its modern development was due to Elmer Stricklett, who reintroduced it into the major leagues. The discovery of the spit ball is a matter of much argument. Some claim the honor for Al Orth, who used it In underhand pitching twenty years ago. It is claimed that Tom Bond, the famous old time pitcher, pitched the ball in New Bedford in 1876, and used glycerine, which he carried in his pocket. Stuff —The “English,” twist or reverse which causes the ball to curve or perform other unnatural movements in the air. When a pitcher “has a lot of stuff” he is making the ball curve or break more than he ordinarily can do. Swinger.—A batter who strikes at a ball with a full, long, sweep of the bat and arms, instead of “choking up” or shortening his grip and “Just meeting it.” The “swinger” is a type of player not wanted in finished ball clubs. They usually are long distance hitters, but uncertain and usually finish with low averages. Texas Leaguer—A short, weak fly that drops safe Just over the infield and too close in for the outfielders tc reach it. Usually an accident, but sometimes accomplished purposely by good batters who merely tap the ball and float it safe. The term originated from the fact that Ted Sullivan, the veteran player-manager-magnate, had a team in the Texas league that was noted for that kind of batting. Triple—A hit which enables the batter to reach third base before the ball returns to ,the infield. Also called Three Bagger. Triple Play—A play which retires three runners before the ball oeases to move, or in one consecutive play. There are records of eight triple plays made by one man unassisted, and about twenty triple plays are made In each league every season. Waste —Pitching high or wide to batterb purposely. The pitcher often

will, wheg he has the advantage of the batter in the matter of balls and strikes, waste a ball, either trying to tempt the batter into striking wildly, or striving to allow tbe catcher to make a play to catch a base runner. Water Bu<*et (Spiking)—Drawing away from the plate as' the ball is pitched. Many batters draw back the foot an entire step, out of timidity of through nervous habit, and those who step far back are said to spike the water bucket. Whip—The throwing arm. Also called Wing ani Soup-bone,

Joe Tinker.

John J. McGraw.

“Rube” Marquard.