Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/423

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The catcher s duty is to catch all balls pitched to the striker. He stands close to the striker s position when the pitching is slow, and some 50 feet off when it is swift. He must be a sure catch in order to catch the striker out when opportunity occurs, and a swift and accurate thrower of the ball to the basemen. The pitcher is the most responsible person on the out side. His great object is to deceive the striker as to where a ball is coming, and he must therefore have full command over the ball, besides possessing the nerve to face any catches hit straight at him. The first, second, and third basemen must all be sure catchers, swift and accurate throwers, and good judges of which bases to send the ball to in order to put an opponent out. The short-stop must be an active man, of great coolness and judgment, a general backer- up of the in-field. He is placed near the line from second to third base. The right, centre, and left fielders must all be sure catchers, good long distance throwers, and active runners. Eight short-stop is generally the captain of the side, and is available either in this position or anywhere else where an extra hand is required. Having less work to do than any other fielder, he has better opportunities of attending to his general duties of supervision. The usual positions of all the fielders are defined in the diagram. The catcher, pitcher, first and third basemen, and short-stop comprise the in-field; the remainder the out-field. The pastime requires good catching, throwing, and run ning powers, combined with courage, nerve, good judgment, and quick perception of what to do in the field. The great draw-back is so much being left to the umpire, and his decision being so frequently called for. Hardly a ball is pitched or struck, or a base run without his being called on for a decision under some rule or other, whereas the details of the game should be so plain and clear as only to call for an umpire s decision under exceptional circumstances. The attitude of the striker is not an elegant one, and the pitcher is allowed to keep the former s muscles too long on the stretch before actually delivering the ball. Base ball is a quicker and more lively pastime than the great English national game of cricket, which is the chief thing to be said in its favour.  BASEDOW,, a German author, born at Hamburg llth September 1723, was the son of a hairdresser. He was educated at the Johanneum in that town, where he came under the influence of the well-known rationalist, H. S. Reimarus, author of the Wolfcnbiittel Fragments. In 1744 he went to Leipsic to study theology, and gave himself up entirely to the instructions of Professor Crusius, and to the study of philosophy. This at first induced sceptical notions ; a more profound examination of the sacred writings, and of all that relates to them, brought him back to the Christian faith, but, in his retirement, he formed his belief after his own ideas, and it was far from orthodox. He returned to Hamburg, where in 1749, M. de Quaalen, privy-councillor of Holstein, appointed him preceptor to his son. Basedow now began to exhibit his really remarkable powers as an educator of the young, and acquired so much distinction that, in 1753, he was chosen professor of moral philosophy and belles- lettres in the academy of Soroe in Denmark. On account of his theological opinions he was removed from this post and transferred to Altona, where some of his published works brought him into great disfavour. He left off giving lessons without losing his salary ; and, towards the end of 1767, he abandoned theology to devote himself with the same ardour to education, of which he conceived the project of a general reform in Germany. He began by publishing An Address to the Friends of Humanity, and to Persons in Power, on Schools, on Education, and its Influence on Public Happiness, with the Plan of an Elemen tary Treatise on Human Knoidedye, Hamburg, 1768. He proposed the reform of schools and of the common methods of instruction, and the establishment of an institute for 