Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 210, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 4 September 1915 — “PITCH-OUF" IS WRONG [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

“PITCH-OUF" IS WRONG

Opinion of Manager Hughey Jennings of Detroit Tigers. Duka Farrell and Wilbert Robineon Seldom Called for Waste Ball— American League Batters Do Not Practice Hlt-and-Run. When should a catcher call for a pitch-out ? Is the waste ball a good defense? These two questions were shot at Hugh Jennings. His reply was: “There Is only one out-and-out reliable hit-and-run batter In the Amer' lean league. That is Eddie Foster of the Washington club. With only one such consistent hit and runner why should catchers be so prone to call tor pitch-outs? “Two of the best catchers who ever lived were Duke Farrell and Wilbert Robinson. Seldom did either call for a pitch-out except when Willie Keeler was at bat, tor. he could hit to any field. “My belief is that the waste ball should be called for but rarely, and never if the pitcher shows a tendency

to be wild. There is an opposite rule to be followed as well, which is never hit and run when the pitcher is wild, as a base on balls is much more to be desired than the chance of poking a ball through vacated territory. "I have known instances where there was a wild pitcher in the box, and the team at bat hung out the ‘hit-and-run sign so that it could be read by a blind man. Why? They wanted the catcher to see the sign and to call for pitch-outs, knowing it was a hard Job for the pitcher to get it over as it was. and that a few waste balls would have him up in the air completely, and either passing the batters or grooving the ball for them. "Of course, I do not know much about the National league batters, so I cannot speak tor the old league.

But I do know that the batters in our league do not practice hit and running. Ty Cobb is the greatest hitter the world has known, but he is no hit-and-run batter, for the reason he has not given it any attention to speak of. The tendency of all the would-be hit-and-run batters is to hit the ball as hard as they can, and trust to luck to It going safely. The true hit and runner like Foster, however, has the' knack of just meeting the ball and mmirfng a real effort to hit It through the territory vacated by the fielder who goes to cover the base. “But, up to date, the hit-and-run play, as it is attempted In the American league, is little to be feared.”

Duke Farrell.

Wilbert Robinson.