Page:Spalding's Baseball Guide (1894).djvu/40

 36 success in their position than they had previously been aware of. Those of the pitching fraternity who read up on the subject of skill in pitching, were told that the primary elements of strategic work in the box included: "First, to deceive the eye of the batsman in regard to the character of the delivery of the ball, as to its being fast or slow. Second, to deceive his judgment in reference to the direction of the ball when pitched to him, as to its being high or low, or where he wants it. Third, to watch the batsman closely so as to know just when he is temporarily 'out of form' for making a good hit; and fourth, to tempt him with a ball which will be likely to go high from his bat to the outfield and be caught."

Then again they were told that "another very effective point in strategic pitching is a thoroughly disguised change of pace in delivery. This is difficult of attainment, and as a general rule it can only be played with effect on the careless class of batsmen. It is absolutely requisite that the disguise of the delivery should be complete, or otherwise the batsman will have time to prepare himself for the change of pace. The change from a very swiftly pitched ball to a medium pace or slow ball should largely depend upon the condition of preparation the batsman is in to meet the ball. If he is seen to be ready to make a quick wrist play stroke, then a swift ball over the plate would not be timely. Or if he is a 'slugger' and is ready to hit from the shoulder, a slow ball would be just what would suit him. It is extremely bothering to the general class of batsmen to have a swiftly pitched ball flash by them when they are looking for a comparatively slow ball; and, vice versa, a slow ball proves troublesome when the actions of the pitcher lead the batsman to expect a fast ball. The rule of success in strategic pitching is never to send in a ball to suit the batsman unless you are obliged by the circumstances of the case to do so. The strategist learns how to pretend to do this without actually doing it, and therein lies his art as a strategist."

But there is one thing in which but little improvement was shown in the pitching department in 1893, and that was, in pitchers learning to control their quick tempers. They were advised by the theorists in this regard that "there are certain games in which thorough control of temper is as necessary to success as special skill in any department of the game, and this is an important essential in base ball. And in no position in the diamond field is it more requisite