How to Win Games
Some General Rules that All Players Both on the Field
and in the Grandstand Should Understand
By Hugh S.
(Copyright, 1B18, by
Detroit lost a world's championship
by doing one little thing wrong. Chi
cago threw away two by wrong se
lecting. Pittsburgh, with the highest
honor within grasp, chose wrong Just
once and was beaten. Philadelphia's
great Athletics came near defeat at
the hands of a much weaker team by
two bits of faulty play. Not one of
these vital things that affected great
series was an error that showed in
the scores. They were examples of
how the wisest of players and man
agers will make the wrong choice
when one of two things must be done.
The plays considered here are those
that are played tver and over when
the "If club" is in session. For, given
a situation and the stage of the game,
ninety-nine out of a hundred major
league players can - tell you exactly
how that play should be made. It is
the purpose of this article not so
much to show how playB should be
made, as when. . A perfectly executed
play may be correct at one time, and
entirely wrong a moment later. I am
going on the assumption that every
boy in America knows how to play
baseball, and understands the rules,
which are the baseball primer. This
tells how the primer is interpreted
and applied by major league players.
As regards offensive baseball, the
making of runs. There are two great
types of teams; the teams that play
for one run at a time (a class now
heavily handicapped), and those that
play for runs In bunches. Inside the
last two years a change in conditions
has forced a revolution in play and
has brought a period of systematic
attack with a view of making a bunch
of runs at one time. Roughly speak
ing it may be said that for five years
the American league has been devel
oping this system while most of the
National league teams were "one run
at a time" clubs. The exceptions
were the New York Giants in the Na
tional, which played the bunched
runs game, and the Chicago White
Sox, a team that, being strong in
pitchers and weak In hitters, played
for one run.
The team that plays for one run at
a time must have supreme confidence
in its pitchers. The entire system is
based on the supposition that the
pitcher is strong enough to hold the
opposing team to a low score.
I have seen Connie Mack's Athlet
ics, three runs behind, perhaps in the
fourth or fifth inning, supreme in their
confidence In their pitcher, make the
one run safe, and crawling up run by
run, tie and then win out. The Chi
cago White Sox, under Fielder Jones,
and the Chicago Cubs during the time
that Chance possessed pitchers upon
whom he could rely, played the same
style of ball and won. But as condi
tions of the game change, the style
of play to meet them must also
change.
There are three ways of reaching
first base: A base on balls, by being
hit by a pitched ball, by hitting the
ball. The first two methods are so
closely allied as to be one, and they
form by far the most important part
of the system of attack of any club.
No team ever won a pennant that was
not a "waiting team" that is, one
that could compel the opposing pitch
er to "put 'em over in the groove." It
does not necessarily follow that to be
a "good waiting team" a team must
draw many free passes to first. The
object is not so much to force the
pitcher to serve four wide pitches as
I 1
"Robber 1"
to force him to use his full strength,
and to get him "in the hole," which
in baseball means to force him Into a
position where, to avoid giving a pass,
he must pitch the ball over the plate.
If the count Is two and no strikes, the
batter Is morally certain the next ball
will be over the plate, whether It is
straight or a curve and he also
knows that, in his anxiety to .make
certain of throwing the ball over the
plate, the pitcher will not dare "put
as much on" the ball as he would do
If there were two strikes and one or
two balls called. Therefore be Is
4 fx
Fullerton
W. a. Chapman)
practically certain that the next ball
will be a good one to hit, and he will
"set himself," "grab a toe hold," and
double his chances of a base hit.
Ordinarily both the Detroit team
and the Athletics are good waiting
teams, teams that have opposing pitch
ers In distress perhaps as often as any
clubs. Yet Detroit threw away a
World's championship - that looked
easy, and the Athletics came near the
same fate, by lapses in their system.
In the World's series between Pitts
burg and Detroit it looked as if the
Pirates did. not have curve pitchers
enough, or of sufficient quality, to pre
vent Detroit from slugging its way to
victory. Fred Clark was forced to
fall back upon 'Adams, a fairly good,
but not sensational curve ball pitcher,
who was young, and inexperienced. ,
In the opening game Adams was as
nervous and shaken as any pitcher
ever was. He was trembling and white
from nervousness and the strain. He
passed the first batter without getting
a ball over the plate, and with Bush,
one of the best waiters and one of the
hardest men in the business to pitch
to at bat, Adams Beemed in dire
straits. There Jennings made the
greatest mistake of his career. He
Manager Clark of Pittsburgh.
signaled Bush to sacrifice on the first
ball pitched. There was a groan from
a dozen baseball men who realized
that Jennings practically was refus
ing to let Adams throw away his own
game. Bush bunted, Detroit scored,
but had Bush been permitted to wait,
Detroit probably would have won that
game In the first inning, driven Adams
off the slab, and; had they done that
Adams never would have pitched
again in that Beries; as it was he
steadied, won the game, came back
stronger and again still stronger and
won the championship for Pittsburg.
In spite of that lesson Connie Mack
did exactly the same thing in the
World series in 1911, refused to let
Marquard throw away his game in the
first inning, and almost lost the game
by It
One of the mysteries of baseball for
many years has been the excessive
hitting power of every team Connie
Mack, commander of the Athletics,
leads. I believe the secret if his sue
cess lies in this Jockeying with pitch
ers, waiting persistently to get the
pitcher outguessed and puzzled and
then breaking up the game with long
drives. I believe that Mack has the
following system of upsetting oppos
ing pitchers, no matter how effective
they may be: ; His team starts to do
one thing in ; the first inning. If it
starts to wait on the pitcher it waits
consistently, evsry batter doing ex
actly the same thing. Perhaps for
three innings, every batter will wait
as - long as possible before hitting.
Then, just as the opposing pitcher be
gins to figure that the ' Athletics will
take a strike or two and begins shoot
ing the first ball over, the Athletics
change and each man swings with full
force at the first ball. Sometimes they
do this for two ' innings, until the
pitcher changes; then they will let the
first ball go and every batter will hit
the second ball. They keep at It un
til, in some inning, they get the clus
ter of drives for which they have been
playing, pound out a bunch of runs
and win.
There is no way of proving the
theory, except by the scores, as Mack
is about as communicative as a deaf
and dumb diplomat, but in the scores
I analyzed it was remarkable to see
how many of the Athletics did the
same thing, and hit the same batl in
certain innings. The idea of the sys
tem seems to be to force the pitcher
to do the guessing, rather than to try
to outguess him. And such a system,
persisted in and changed suddenly,
would explain the hitless, fruitless in
nings .during which some pitcher
seemed to have the Champions at his
mercy, and the sudden, slam-bang on
slaught brings victory.
There is science and skill in the
fli Jiff '
actual hitting of a ball, but the rea.Vb.' go past far enough to permit
value of hitting HeB in advancing ruin ring. This evidently was McGraw's
ners who already are on bases: Tto.-eVa In at least two cases during the
sacrifice bunt, the bunt and run, jjK. world's series either that or his
hit and run and hitting as the run f ,"vet 3 runners blundered most aston
starts, as differentiated from the If xAngly.
and run. No club that sim'jly , M . Itealing home Is Justifiable only un
tempts to drive the ball safe can win
consistently. iThe batter must help
the base runner and cover his moves
just as surely as, in war, the artillery
must cover a cavalry or infantry
charge.
The hit and run consists of the bat
ter giving or receiving a signal so that
both he and the runner know that on
the next pitched ball the runner is
going to start for the next base. The
duty of the batter then Is to hit the
ball and toward the spot most likely
to be vacated by the inflelder who
goes to take the throw at second base.
But the hit and run, effective as it
has proved, has been found inferior
to the run and hit. The difference is
that the enemy has no chance to dis
cover in advance what the play Is to
be. In the hit and run the passing
of signals often warns the opposing
catcher or pitcher -of the intent to
make the play. The result is that the
pitcher "pitches out" (that is, throws
the ball to the catcher so far from the
plate that the batter cannot hit it)
and the catcher, being prepared,
throws out the base runner. Besides,
either the runner or batter may miss
the signal, with disastrous results.
Still the signal is absolutely neces
sary when new players are on a team,
and often between veterans, especially
when the runner is a dashing and in
ventive player. The greatest of teams
and playershave been for a number
of years abandoning the hit and run
and playing run and hit; that is, the
runner starts when he sees the best
opportunity and the batter, seeing him
going, protects him by hitting the ball
or by hitting at it, bo as to hamper
the freedom of the catcher's move
ments. Crawford and Cobb, of the De
troit team, have used this system with
wonderful success, and Crawford sel
dom falls to cover Cobb's movements.
The "All Star" team of 1910, which
prepared the Athletics for their first
championship, was composed of about
as quick thinking a. crowd of play
ers as could be assembled. They held
a meeting before they went into the
first game against the champions and
discussed signals. The second base
man, shortstop and catcher agreed on
simple signs to notify the infield
whether the shortstop or second base
man would take the throw at second.
Then they decided not to attempt any
other signal, but to play run and hit.
Not once, during the entire series in
which they beat the Champions de
cisively, did any batter fail to see
the runner start, or neglect to pro
tect him.
The run and hit is, of course-, ex
tremely difficult for inexperienced
players. It requires a quick eye, a
quick wit and a quick swing to hit
the ball after catching a fleeting
glimpse of the runner moving.
The run and hit is the most effect
ive style of attack yet devised, and es
pecially adapted to the new conditions,
Its usefulness as a run producer and
In advancing runners being greatly
increased after the adoption of the
livelier ball, late in 1910.
There is not, nor ever can be, any fixed
rule regarding base running. It Is all
a study of the stages of the game.
When one run Is needed, any way to
get to second base from first is the
proper way. Remember that, in base
running, the more the situation seems
to call for an effort to steal the less
chance to steal is given. The oppos
ing pitcher knows that, with two out
and a run desperately needed, the run
ner on first will probably attempt to
Bteal on the ' first pitched ball;
therefore he watches the bases more
closely, the catcher is expecting the
attempt, and is fortified, the second
baseman and shortstop exchange sig
nals and decide which will receive the
throw. Therefore the runner who
steals on "the wrong ball," that is,
steals when' the best authorities de
clare a steal should not be made, is
much more likely to accomplish' the
steal than is the one who runs at the
proper instant. In other words, when
you must you seldom can, and when
you don't need to it is easy. During last
season in both the major leagues the
runners violated every previously ac
cepted rule. They stole with none
out, with one or two out, stole on the
first, second, third or fourth ball
pitched, stole even with the count one
strike and three balls. The season
was a reversion to the baseball of 15
years ago In base running.
After reaching second base the prob
lem of the steal is much more compli
cated. Most managers oppose steal
ing third, except in rare cases, on the
grounds that the risk does not justi
fy the gain, as a hit or a bad error
will score a runner from second as
easily as it will from third.
: In regard to the stealing of third.
With a runner on second and no one
out, the sacrifice bunt, even with the
new ball, seems the play If the score
is close that is, close enough for one
run to tie, or put the attacking team
in the lead. With one out the steal is
justified, especially when the fielders
around second do not hold up runners
or when the "pitcher notoriously is
weak in watching bases. In that sit
uation I would advise attempts to
steal at every opportunity provided
the team is ahead or only one run be
hind. If more than two runs behind,
stay at second and wait for hits; the
chances of scoring on short passed
balls, wild pitches, or fumbles that
would not permit scoring from second
are too small to be counted on. The
only Justification for stealing third
with two out, In my mind. Is that the
runner intends to bump or interfere
with the third baseman and strive to
fotVi him or scare him into letting the
der the most desperate conditions or
against a pitcher who palpably is so
"rattled" that he is blind to every
thing except the man at the plate and
allows the runner a flying start. Then
an instant of hesitation by the pitcher
may make the steal a success. It is
good judgment, at times, for a fleet,
daring man who is a good slider, to
steal when the batter is helpless be
fore a pitcher and when two are out.
The double steal, executed with run
ners on first and third is, according to
the closest students of the game,
proper under the following conditions:
When two men are out and a weak
batter or a slow runner is at the plate,
and when one run Is needed to win the
game the play in the latter case be
ing Justifiable with no one out, or with
two out but not with only one out.
Many judges object to the play unless
two are out but last season I saw
It worked" repeatedly by clever teams
with no one out. With runners on
first and third and a decent catcher
working, the double steal worked to
get a runner over the plate, ought
not to succeed In more than two cases
in seven.
In the defensive end of the game
every situation is a study of the bat
ter, and, going beyond the individual
batters it is a study of the stage of
the game. The great problems of the
game are: When to play the infield
close, to choose between attempting
a double play when runners are on
first and third and letting the run
count, and above all to place the out
fielders with regard to the stages of
the game.
The commonest blunders of really
great managers and players are made
In the disposition of the outfield. A
great many captains who arrange
their infield carefully pay little atten
tion to the second line of defense, and
really they rely more upon the in
dividual brain work of - the outfield
than they do of the inflelders. This
is partly because they are more close
ly In touch with the infield and partly
because of the fewer chances for the
outfield to get into a vital play. ,
The outfield problems really are
more vexing than those of the infield.
The situation mainly is forced upon
the infield. With a runner on third and
one or none out, and the run means a
tie or defeat, the infield is compelled
to come forward. In the early stages
of the game the manager Is forced to
decide whether to allow the run to
score, or to try to cut it off, and must
base his judgment on the ability of
his pitcher to hold1 the other team to
a low score, and of his own hitters to
bat in enough runs to win. Teams
such as Detroit and the Athletics,
hard-hitting and free-scoring teams,
can afford to let the other team gain
a run, rather than risk its getting two
or three, as they can score more, later.
Teams such as the old Chicago White
Sox, "the hitless wonders" of the
American league, could not allow the
opposing team a run and had to play
the closest inside game.
Many of the better major league
teams, that Is, those possessing fast
inflelders, will vary the play when
runners are on first and third, one out
and a run to be cut off from the plate
by playing the first baseman and third
baseman close, and bringing the short
stop and second baseman forward
only part of the way holding them
in position either to make a long fast
throw to the plate or to try for the
double play from second to first. I
have seen Evers and Tinker make the
double play from second to first even
when both were playing close, chang
ing their plan like a flash, covering
second and relaying the ball to first
at top speed, although they had played
In to throw to the plate.
One of the greatest variations of the
play I ever witnessed was made by
Mclnnls of the Athletics. Collins and
Barry were placing perhaps twelve
feet closer to the plate than they ordi
narily do, runners were on. first and
third, one out and a run needed to
beat the champions. CoHlns and Bar
ry Intended to try the double play If
It was possible and to throw home if
it was not. Mclnnis and Baker were
FY
Connie Mack.
drawn close with Intent to throw to
the plate. The ball was hit to Mclnnis
on the second short bound, or rather
to his right, and as he was coming for
ward and scooped the ball perfectly,
he had an easy play to the plate. In
stead of throwing there he flashed the
ball like a shot to Barry at second
base, whirled, raced for first and
caught Barry's return throw on top of
the bag, completing the double play.
It was a wonderful play both In
thought and execution, but I do not
advise any other first baseman to atr
tempt it.
f.
1
i
1-.- 4
What shall I give for, a wedding
gift? And what for a gift to the
sweet girl graduate?
- These are the questions upppermost
in the minds of most every one these
days. Christmas and birthday pres
ents are easier to select, as we are apt
to know the individual preferences of
our near and dear friends, but in ma
king a gift that is to mark two of the
most eventful occasions in life one
is often at a loss.
In days gone by teaspoons seemed
to be the accepted offering to a bride;
once a young woman received seven
dozen. Afterward in confidence she
said, "Of course, I suppose it's true
that one never can have too many
spoons, but how many other things I
would have liked!" It just happened
that she could not change any of the
spoons, as all were marked, and .all
from friends who sent personal notes,
saying 'they were just sure she would
be delighted with teaspoons."
A woman of discretion and judg
ment who has given wedding presents
to several generations says that if
the young people are going to house
keeping she gives a door knocker, for
even if the home is an apartment its
quite the thing to have a knocker
on the door; otherwise she gives
candlesticks of brass, Sheffield or sil
ver. Silver sugar tongs are a charm
ing gift not apt to be duplicated or
glass -and silver dishes for sliced
lemon with a two-pronged lemon fork,
an odd-shaped tea caddy, in Sheffield,
are good, as are all bits of Sheffield,
either old or modern.
There are lovely sugar baskets and
individual salts and almond dishes In
pierced silver, and several girls are
making collections of al sorts of little
odd-shaped boxes in silver, brass and
Sheffield. If we know the special fad
or hobby of our friends it is always
well to add to the collection as the
opportunity presents itself.
There is no great difference be
tween graduation presents and those
given for weddings, but for the former
we may find very delightful books,
with pages for class history, class
photographs and all the doings of
commencement week. Such books are
also obtainable for the bride, but one
should make sure that there are no
duplicates.
To go back to silver, there are all
sorts of tea strainers, cups in silver
holders, jelly jars, cheese jars with
silver scoops,' silver flower holders
and handkerchief chains, such as our
grandmothers carried.
,In china, who would not like bouil
lon cups, compotes or salad plates, all
of which may be odd pieces? Then
there are wonderfuly clever bowls and
jugs in Inexpensive pottery for holding
flowers; the shallow ones may be
equipped with Japanese or glass flow
er holders. Instead of the omnipres
ent cut-glass bowl, of which brides
usually have dozens, select one good
piece of rock crystal or a bit of
opalescent glass; . sherbet cups and
tumblers look well in the latter and
one does not tire of them. Nearly
every one has something of which
they make a specialty. For instance,
an industrious maiden aunt sees that
all the girls In her family are sup
plied with knitted wash clothes and
bath towels, and a goodly showing
they make, all tied with ribbon. A
box of fine toilet soap accompanies
the handiwork, all done up in tissue
paper, banded with white satin rib:
bon. A grandmother gives each
grandchild a silk quilt on the wedding
day and an adoring aunt furnishes all
her nieces with exquisite bags.
Then, who would not like four
Table Bookcase May Be
Made by
The making of the useful table
bookcase of which we give a sketch
is extremely simple, and may be un
dertaken by the amateur carpenter
without fear of failure.
It can be carried out to suit re
quirements, and is composed of four
pieces of wood, which can be dove
tailed together or fastened together
with screws.
Well-planed wood about half or
three-quarters of an inch in thickness
should be used for the upper part, and
for the base a piece of wood of at
least an inch in thickness will be re
quired, and it should be rounded at
the corners and bevelled at the edges.
At either side small brass handles
colonial glass candle sticks or a set
of coasters with lemonade or iced tea
glasses? Of trays there is no end in
shapes, prices and materials. Any' girl
would like a set of clipping scissors
and magazine opener. They come In
brass, bronze, and silver and a case,
of three or five scissors Is an always
welcome gilt, as are -jewel boxes and
work boxes in leather.
Gifts of hand work are best of all
and made from rare bits of brocade
and embroidered, picked up during
frequent trips abroad. Speaking of
bags, one can never have too many
and they are an acceptable gift to
either bride or graduate; those of
white hand embroidered or of Irish
crochet are fitting accessories to the
popular all-white costume. A set of
six hand-made towels, a pair of pil
low cases or a bedroom set in art em
brodiery are all good and stationery
of all sizes, while the die is a gift
longed for by many a girl.
When it comes to personal, gifts,
the list is too long to be given in a
limited space, but I heard an eighteen-year-old
girl Bay "she just hoped
everybody would give her things that
she could not afford herself." Silk
stockings, for instance, was there ever
a maid with too many?
A good idea is for the family or a
group of Intimate friends to combine
and each give a piece of either tur
quoise or coral, so the girl will have
a complete set. This makes the ex
pense evenly divided, and it is better
than each giving a separate article.
Desk sets may be given in this way,
for it is more harmonious to have all
pieces match in form1 and coloring.
Fans and hair ornaments must not be
forgotten, and how about a real lace
handkerchief for either bride or graduate?
Wedding Menus. 1
So many requests have reached mj
desk for suggestions for wedding re
freshments that !' slip these to.
though it is contrary to our rules to
use our valuable space for menus. I
hope these will assist the many June
brides: '"
FOR A WEDDING LUNCHEON.
Bouillon.
Lobster Cutlets, Sauce Tartare.
" j ' Rolls. , .
Glazed Sweetbreads with Peas.
Egg and Endive Salad.
Fancy Ice Cream.
Bride's Cake.
Candled Grapefruit Peel, Salted Nuts.
Coffee. '
ELABORATE AFTERNOON OR EVE
NING RECEPTION MENU. .
Chicken Croquettes, Peas. '
Lobster or Salmon Salad.
Bread-and-Butter Sandwiches.
Rolls Stuffed with Chickia Salad. But
tered Rolls.
Coffee.
Frozen Pudding. Orange Sherbet.
. Assorted Cakes. .
SIMPLE AFTERNOON OR EVENING
REFRESHMENTS.
Chicken Salad.
Strawberry Ice Cream. -Bride's
Cake.
MILITARY WEDDING RECEPTION
r MENU.
Bouillon Served in Cups.,
Creamed Lobster In Ramekins.
Cold Sliced Chicken, and Virginia Ham.
Bread-and-Butter Sandwiches.
Olives. Salted Nuts. Radishes.
Ice Cream Served in Yellow Cavalry Cups.
Wedding Cake (decorated with crossed
sabers to be cut by the bride with
her husband's saber) .
Punch. Coffee;
MME MERRI.
New Bracelets.
If your forearm is white and round
ed, it deserves the decoration of a
bracelet. Depending upon the size of
your income or of your earnings, you
may have a pretty and dainty .brace
let of filigree silver, of silver links
and crystals or in silver bands joined
by tiny chains In coral. Just a wee
bit more expensive are the beautifully
engraved bangles in sterling silver
and gold and a trifle beyond the in
come of the well-to-do wage earner
(who is thrifty) are the 'snake brace
lets in gold, set with amethysts.
Tulle Scarfs.
Pretty little scarfs are made of two
long or short lengths of tulle, knotted
at the ends or ornamented with tas
sels. They supply a little warmth and
a touch of color may be given to the
costume by them, as the two lengths
used together may combine a color
with either white or black.
Amateur Carpenter
are fastened on with screws, by which .
the case and contents may be lifted
and moved when occasion requires.
Suitable handles, with brass screws
to fit, may be obtained at any iron
monger's at a trifling cost When
complete, the case can be stained a
nice dark green and afterwards var
nished. A case of this kind will be found
extremely useful upon a writing table,
for the few books of reference that
are always necessary to have at hand,
and in a bedroom also, placed, per
haps, upon the chest of drawers, it
will be very handy for holding Just a
few of the favorite books that ona
likes to have at hand.