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On The Diamond
Value Of Baseball
Signals
By ERN. COWLEY ]
Why is it that the successful teams have plenty to say in the
coaching lines, whereas some of the clubs lower down the table neglect
giving their players the benefits of coaching when on the bases? This
is an important matter; it is part and parcel of Grade baseball.
A COACH'S duties Include trying to
get their opponents' signals and anti-
cipate plays, and passing the information
on to the runners. For instance, the battery
lias its signal to pitch or to play
the bases. If you can read these .signals,
stolen bases are easy, for you get the
sign to pitch as soon as the pitcher, with
the result that your runner is off for the
next base before the pitcher has attempted
to send the ball to the plate. Therefore,
organise your coaching.
ESSENTIAL FOR TEAMWORK
While on signals, how many of the infield
in any team know the battery's signals?
I'll wager there is not one team
A grade the members of which
conversant with the "tick-tacking" that
goes on between pitcher and catcher. Yet
this is absolutely essential for teamwork.
Baseballets are still discussing a steal
home on a pitched ball, and the following
queries arose:—
Interference by catcher. What would
the umpire call the pitched ball if catcher
takes it in front of the home plate? The
solution is that it is the "squeeze play,"
and the batter is there to hit the ball at
all costs. If the catcher steps into the
ball and takes it in front of the plate it
' ; a baulk.
Take, for instance, the occasion
when Leckey stole home against Fitzroy
and Ruddell took the ball in front of the
plate and tagged the runner but dropped
the ball. The decision should have
been "Baulk" 1—1 the runner safe home
and the batter awarded first base.
The other query is covered in the fact
that the umpire cannot "call" the ball
until it has passed the home plate.
A new man was playing second base,
and became rattled when he fielded a
ball. The runner at second had a big
lead off the bag, waiting for the fielder
to throw the ball to first Instead, the
new man had a shot at the bag itself, the
ball finally being returned to the pitcher
from leftfield. That actually occurred
A grade a few weeks ago.
It took a new man—Arthur Smith, of
North Melbourne—to get the "brainwave"
and wear smoked glasses when
fielding "against the sun"—quite a good
idea for outfield work. When he comes
in to bat he leaves his "specs" on the
scorers' table. Arthur has taken over
the secretary ship, Les Greenwood retiring
after a long term, in which he placed
North in a much improved position.
Umpire Neville called for every
"passed ball" to be returned to play,
P.B.'s in this particular game, and quite
a lot of precious time was wasted. If
this is a ruling of the Umpires' Club, it
is time some action were taken to rectify
the matter. There is no need for it.
WOODEN PLATES A DANGER
It is time A Grade clubs made it law
that pitcher's and home plates be made
of rubber. It is bad enough to see the
'three by two" chunk of wood at the
ditcher's feet, but when it comes to the
lome plate standing up 2&in. and composed
of criss-crossed slabs of timber,
it is beyond a joke; in fact, it is dangerous.
Every Saturday I join a group of baseballers
who have a table reserved for
them at a certain cafe. Wouldn't it be
a good idea if at least one member of
each League club made it a point of
having lunch at the same cafe? Much
information is gleaned from these
gatherings.
I omitted to state in a recent talk
that the best time for short-stop to take
the catcher's throw to second base is
when a left-handed batter is at the plate.
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