Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 238, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 October 1919 — STUDYING NIGHTS [ARTICLE]

STUDYING NIGHTS

When the Cardinals were doing their spring training Branch Rickey noticed that Austin Mell Ary, in stealing a base, was the wrong foot, and thus slide three feet further than necessary. Calling McHenry to him Rickey asked: “Austin, what is the first rule of plane geometry?” °I don’t know nothing about geometry, sir,” was the --reply. - “Well, then, TH tell you,” Rejoined Rickey, “it is that the shortest distance between two points may be accomplished by "~fl~stralght line. You ignore that rule in sliding to bases and travel ah~excess~ distance of throe feet on every slide. so that when you have stolen 30 Bases you real 1 y will have stolen 31, though you won’t get credit for the extra base. Just apply a little geometry to your base stealing and you will get better results with less effort,” “Yes, sir,” answered McHenry, too dazed to say anything else.