Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 261, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1919 — WHEAT OF BROOKLYN IS NATURAL BATTER [ARTICLE]

WHEAT OF BROOKLYN IS NATURAL BATTER

Slugger Crouches, Shifts Feet and Kicks Up Much Dirt. ♦ - - ■ - . Has Decidedly Awkward Motions While at Bat, But Is in Position to Hit Anywhere—He Is Called a Free Swinger. What Is the difference between form and style? In other words, what is the difference between a natural propensity to do the right thing in a sport and the doing of thftt thing in an easy and graceful fashion? asks Thomas S. Rice, baseball critic on. the Brooklyn Eagle. We have discoursed upon Heinle Zimmerman as the naturally easy and graceful ball player, and have given him credit for the game. Now come we to a distinguished athlete who is. very much different. The same is Zaccheus D. Wheat, left fielder of the Brooklyn Superbas. Zimmerman would delight the golfer, because Zim keeps his feet in precisely the theoretical position for doing the best work. Zach stands well up to the plate, but has decidedly awkward motions while there. He shifts his feet, crouches a bit, kicks the dirt from behind him—and hits the ball better than Zim. How come? The experts on golf form would wag their heads at the sight of Zach, or dock their heads out of the way of One of his terrific smashes; ' ■

But'the graceful and easy stuff does not fool the old-time baseball player or manager any more than does the awkward stuff. Uncle Wilbert Robinson of the Brooklyn Superbas says Wheat is one of the most natural batters he ever beheld. “You can tell he is a batter as soon as he steps to the plate,” says Uncle Wilbert. “Zach’s every movement of the shoulders and arms is well timed. He makick up some dirt and give the groundkeeper unnecessary labor, but as soon aS the ball starts toward him you can see that his limbs are free. That is, he is in position to hit anywhere if the occasion arises. “Wheat is called a free-swinger, and, being left-handed, has a natural tendency to pull to the right.”