Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 104, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 May 1917 — BIG LEAGUERS INCLINED NOW TO “PLAY ’EM SAFE” [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

BIG LEAGUERS INCLINED NOW TO “PLAY ’EM SAFE”

Improvement in Handling Ball Tends to Discourage “Ty Cobb Stuff** on the Bases. Is it the better plan nowadays to take the long chances on the sacks, or is it best to “play ’em safe?” Should a player (take It for granted that he is a good, fast man, up to the required average in speed) try “to stretch his Hits, or check himself at the bases where he knows he has found perfect safety? ' In short, to sum it up. should the average player try to do the Ty Cobb stuff on every possible occasion, or should he change his tactics, watch the ball, and play It safe, holding his hassock, never advancing for an extra base unless the chance seems absolutely certain? Not long ago almost every manager would have answered, without a moment’s .hesitation, “Take the chance!” Now, there’s some thinking, some hesitating. “Safety first” is gaining a firmer hold upon the wiser managers—and there's a reason. The reasons for doing the Cohb stuff, trying

always for the extra bases, taking the slimmest chance to move along, were numerous. Here was how the case was argued: If an outfielder makes even the smallest fumble of your hit, go on. To keep you from making that extra base these things must be done: The fielder must pick up the. ball. He must locate the inflelder to whom he should make the peg. He must make a perfect and unerring throw. The Infielder must make a perfect catch; must locate you as you approach, and must, without losing the smaTTest fraction of time, get the ball upon you. Chances, therefore, were mainly in favor of the nervy runner. Why, then the change? For this simple reason: Of recent years the mechanical handling of the ball, especially by the man who takes a throw, has become very skillful. The way in which the gloved hand is manipulated in tending to Infield plays, and the perfection .with "Which these things are done comes pretty near to reversing the former situation, and putting the burden of trouble on the runner. It used to be a stock joke to say that to stop Ty Cobb you had better throw two- bases ahead 'bf the one towards which you see him pointed. Nowadays (’obb Is nipped time after

time. He scores fewer runs in proportion to his hits, and so do lots of -ether daring fellows. The i nfi <-1d er< get them now. where they formerly got by. Seldom is the ball dropped or fumbled; it is handled with deadly precision, and the runner’s chance of escape has been reduced. ~.> t Of course, the daring rush still wins many and many a time- but the “safety first” idea is taking hold, and gaining ground each day.

Ty Cobb.