The Sunday Oregonian., February 25, 1912, SECTION SIX, Page 5, Image 69

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WHEN" the Philadelphia Athletic
Br.expectedly defeated the Chi
cago Cuhs In the world's series
of 1510. I ho National league plar"
cried that their signals had been
atolen hr the AmerL-an Umu team
and that. because "Connie" Mark's bat
irrn knew what to expect, tney had
won the chamrlonshlp.
Hut were tre owner or any mem
ber of the Philadelphia team arrested
charged with grand larceny In steal
th baseball championship of the
world? No. Vii there any murmur
acainat the methods - of Tono
Mack's men? No. asaln. By a strange
kink In the ethics of baseball. John
King, the Chicago catcher, waa blamed
by the other members of the defeated
team for the signs belnjr stolen. They
charred that he had been careless In
coTcrinc his signals and that the ene
my's coachera. particularly Topsy
tiartsell. a clerer man at it. had seen
them from the lines. This was really
the cause of Kilns; leaving the Cubs
and tolnc to Boston la.it year.
After the last (came was over and the
series lost, many of the players
and especially the pitchers. would
hardly speak to Kllng. the man who
had as much as any one else to do
with the Cubs winning; four champlon
shlpa and the man who by his frreat
throwing; had made the reputations of
a lot of their pitchers. Hut the play
ers were sore because they h:d lost the
series and lost the extra money which
many of them had counted as their
own before the games started, and they
looked around for some one to blame
and found Kilns. One of the pitchers
complained after he had lost a game:
"Can't expect a guy to win with your
catcher giving the slims so the
coachera can read "em and tip the
batters."
"And you can't expect a catcher to
win a game for you If you haven't
irot anything; on the ball. replied
Kllna;. for he Is quick tempered and
can't stand reflections on his ability.
But the pitcher's chance remark had
riven the other players an excuse for
fixing; the blame, and It was pasted
on John Kllna;. The scandal was
started and they gossiped worse than
a lot of members of a sewing; circle.
I honestly do not believe that Kilns;
waa in any way responsible for the
rout of the proud Cubs. The Chlcairo
pitchers were away cff form In the
aeries and couldn't control the ball,
thus setting; themselves "Into the
hole" all the time. Shrewd "Connie"
Mack soon realized this and ordered his
batters to wait everything out. to
make the twlrlers throw every ball
possible. The result was that, with the
Ditcher chronically in tne noie. ine
batters were frequently guesslnc and
guessing right what was coming, as
ut smart hitter could under the cir
eumatancea. This made It look as If
the Athletic were setting- the Cubs'
als-nala.
-Why. I changed slams every three
IrninriL Matty" Kllnx told me one
dav last seasoa In discussing. the
charge. "Some ef the boys said that
I save the old bended knee Sign for a
ram fca.lL WelL did you ever ono
anything to Improve on the old ones
That's why they are old."
But ths Cubs still point the finger
of scorn at Kllng. for It hurts to lose.
I know It. I've lost myself. Even
ihmirh the Athletics are charged with
. rt!in the alrna whether they did
or not. It Is no smirch on the charac
ter of the club, for they stole honestly
which sounds l!ke a paradox.
-Too have such Jolly funny morals In
this bally country." declared an Eng
lishman I once met. "Tou steal and
rob In baseball and yet you call It fair.
Now. In cricket we give our opponents
every advantage, don't cher know, and
after the game we are all Jolly good
fellows at tea together."
Heaeei and Dlskeaeet aisaa.
Which brings us down to the ethics
of signal stealing. Each game has Its
own recognlxed standards of fairness.
For Instance, no tricks are telerated
In tennis, yet the baseball manager who
Jan devise some scheme by which be
llsconcerts his opponents Is considered
a great leader. 1 was about to say that
ill Is fair In love, war and baseball,
but will modify that too comprehen
sive statement by saying all Is fair In
love, war and baseball except stealing
tlgnais dishonestly which listens like
another paradox. Therefore. I shall di
vide the subject of signal stealing Into
half portions the he-nest and the dis
honest halves and. since we are deal
ing In paradoxes, take up the latter
first.
Dishonest signal stealing might be
defined as obtaining Information by
artificial aids. The honest methods are
those requiring cleverness of eye. mind,
and hand without outside assistance.
One of the most flagrant and. for a
time, successful pieces of signal steal
ing occurred In Philadelphia several
years ago.
Opposing players can usually tell when
the batsman Is getting the signs be
cause be steps up and sets himself for
a curve with so much confidence. Dur
ing the season of 1399 the report went
around the circuit that the Philadelphia
club waa stealing signals because the
batters were popping them all on the
nose, but no one was able to discover
the transmitter. The coachera were
closely watched and It was evident that
these sentinels were not getting the
signs.
It was while the Washington club,
then In the National League, was play
ing Philadelphia that there came a
rainy morning which made the field
very wet and for a long time It was
doubtful whether a game could be
played In the afternoon, but the Wash
ington club Insisted on It and overruled
the protests of the Phillies. "Arlle"
Latham, now the coacher on the Giants,
was playing third base for the Senators
at the time, lie has told me often since
how he discovered the device by which
the signs were being stolen. He re
peated It to me only the other day
when I asked him for the facts to use
In this story.
-There was a big puddle In the third
base coaching box that day." aald La
tham. He always begins at the begin
ning; aa a good raconteur should. "And
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It was In the third Inning that I no-
Iced -Cupid' Chilis, the Philadelphia
second baseman, coachlnir. He stood
with one foot In the puddle and never
budged It. althouKh the water came up
to his shoe laces. He usually Jumped
round when on the lines, and this still
ness surprised me.
"'Better go get your rubbers If you
are goln to keep that trilby there,' I
said to him. 'Charley horse and the
rheumatism have no terrors for you.
"Hut he kept his foot planted In the
puddle Just the same, and first thing
the batter cracked out a base hit.
""So that's where you're gettln' the
slgnsT I aald to him. not guessing that
It really was. Then he started to Jump
around and we got the next two bat
ters out right quirk, there being a big
slump in the Philadelphia hitting aa
soon as he took his foot out of that
puddle.
"When the Washington club went to
bat, I hiked eut to the third base Una
and started to coach, putting my foot
Into the puddle and as near the place
where Chllds had had his as I could.
" 'Here's where we get a few signs.'
I yelled, 'and I ain't afraid of Charley
horse, either.'
"I looked over at the Philadelphia
bench, and there were all the players
sitting with their caps pulled down over
their eyes, so that I couldn't aee their
faces. The fielders all looked the other
way. Then I knew I was on a warm
scent.
"When the Washington players start
ed back for the field. I told Tommy Cor
coran that I thought they must be get
ting the signs from the third base
coaching box, although I hadn't been
able to feel anything there. He went
over and atarted pawing around In the
dirt and water with his spikes and
with his fingers. Pretty .soon be dug
up a square chunk of wood with a bus
ter on the under side of It.
"'That ought to help their hitting a
little. he remarked aa he kept on pull
ing. Up came a wire, and. when he
atarted to pull on It. he found that it
waa burled about an Inch under the
soil and ran across the outfield. He
kept right on colling It up and follow
ing It, like a hound on a scent, the
Philadelphia players being very busy
all this time and nervous like a busher
at his debut into big league society.
One of the substitutes started to run
for the clubhouse, but I stopped him.
I Ciaea Yve iet the Ceveda.
"Tommy was galloping by this time
across the outfield, and all the time
pulling up this wire. It led straight
to the clubhouse, and there, sitting
where he could get a good view of the
catcher's signs with a pair of field
glasses, waa Morgan Murphy. The wire
led right to him.
"'What cher doln'T asked Tommy.
"'Watchln' the game,' replied Mur
phy.
-Couldn't you see It easier from the
bench than lookln' through those peep
ers from here. And why are you con
UNCLE SAM'S VOICE WILL CIRCLE THE GLOBE
(Contained from Page roor.)
ton station. New Orleans. Key Meat,
Guantanamo and Porto Rico and with
ships of the navy within 1000 miles of
the station. This means communication
both ways. The station will be able to
send greater distances and 1000 miles
Is figured as a safe distance at all times.
Of course. It Is understood that night
ranges all neariy. double those expected
by day, on account of the absorption of
energy by daylight. This station will
be In addition to and independent oz
any smaller stations necessary for com.
municatlng with ships approacning uie
canal In either direction, and required
for Its local defense.
A station on the California Coast.
primarily for communicating with the
Sandwich Islands, will be the next In
order. ThU Important station will
probably be located In the city of San
Francisco, for several good reason.
San Francisco Is as near Honolulu as
any point on the Pacific Coast. It Is
at the principal harbor of the coast,
easily supplied and within easy reach
of the Navy Yard at Mare Island, which
may be charged with Its administra
tion. It would be at or near the sea
level, and within the defenses of the
city. A difficulty In obtaining a suit
able site Is anticipated, and It would
be unfortunate If the department should
find It neoesaanr to build this station
TTTE SUNDAY OREGOXIAN, TORTLAXD,
HRISTlfMEHEWSONS
t: honest nd dtshosesx
Christy
UJAJM.13'
STAR jRETCHER
nected up with this machine inquired
Tommy, showln' him the chunk of wood
with the buzzer attached.
" 1 guess you've got the goods. Mur
phy answered with a laugh, and all the
newspapers laughed at It then, too. But
the batting average of the Philadelphia
players took an awful slump after that.
"Why dldnt they tip mer asked
Murphy as he put aside his field
glasses and went to the bench and
watched the rest of the game from
there. And wa later won that contest,
our first victory of the series, which
was no discredit to us. since It waa like
gamblln against loaded dice," con
cluded "Arlle."
The newspapers may have laughed at
the Incident In those days, but since
that time the National Commission has
Intimated that If there was ever a re
currence of such actlcs. the club caught
using them would be subjected to a
heavy fine and possibly expulsion from
the league. So much has baseball Im
proved In IS years.
The system employed was simplicity
Itself. The Philadelphia Club had
planted a buzzer under the third base
coaching box. and Murphy In the club
house which was located In center field.
got the catcher's signs with his glasses.
Then he pressed a button which buzzed
the machine, and this tapped on the
coacher's foot. I don't know what the
code was, but that required no genius
to produce. Two buzzes might have
meant' a curve and one a fast ball. The
only cleverness. Indeed, was on the part
of the coacher, who must pass the sign
to the batter so that the fielders would
not see him do It. Men with sensitive
soles to their feet were sent out there
to coach.
They tell me that tha system worked
splendidly until Latham discovered It
and broke up a long winning streak
of the Philadelphia team on its own
grounds. The only other game the
club had lost during Its stay at home
was due to an unfortunate callous spot
that "Cupid" Chllds developed on the
sole of his salary foot.' It was found
that his foot was more susceptible to
the touch of the buzzer than that of
any other man on the team and he
was usually stationed at the receiver.
But this day he kept tipping the bat
ters wrong- and It was discovered that
a callous place had affected his se'nse
of signals and he had to take a corn
cure for a few days while a substitute
worked for him. Then his sensitive
ness of foot returned and be went
back to his old Job.
The Incident Is a great Illustration
of the unfair methods of obtaining
signs. Since men there nave come
from time to time reports of teams tak
ing signals by mechanical devices.
The Athletics once declared that tne
American League team In New York
had a man stationed behind the fence
In eenterfleld with a pair of glasses
and that h shifted a line in the score
board slightly so as to tip off the bat
ters, but this rumor was never con
firmed. It was said two seasons back
on one of the sites already In use on
the Pacific Coast, such as Cape Blanco
or Table "Bluff. Point Agruello or Point
Loma, near Kan Diego. CaL. for In
stance. . Mare Island would not be very
undesirable, except for the fact that It
Is not on the sea coast.
"In this connection. It
that the Panama-Pacific
Is probable j
Exposition
may furnish a suitable site, especially
If a site can be found near the very
high memorial tower proposed. Tha
memorial tower could be used to sup
port one end of the aerial wires, and
the additional height Obtained would
give this station a range far In ex
cess of any other wireless station In
the world. The memorial tower pro
posed Is 860 feet high. The wireless
station would not be In the tower, and
would have no connection with It. ex
cept by the wires supported from the
top of the tower, which would In no
way detract from its appearance or Its
use for any purpose whatever. The
wireless station proper could be built
about a block away, and here we could
erect two auxiliary steel towers, of
comparatively low height, for support
ing the lower ends of the aerial wires.
"In addition to this an extremely ef
fective exhibit would result from the
establishment of a high-powered naval
station. In connection with the exposi
tion. Certain hours- could be set aside,
during which the public would be per
mitted to send greetings to .their
5TORIES OF THE
BIG LEAGUERS'
f !J -),:
p-:.w-."'-" all
that the Athletics themselves had a
spy located In a house outside the park
and that he tipped the batters by rais
in? and lowering an awning a trifle.
When the Giants, last season, went to
Philadelphia for the first frame of
the world's series In the enemy's camp,
I kept watching the windows of the
houses Just outside of the park for sus
picious movements, but could discover
none. Once. In Pittsburg, I thouKht
that the Pirates were getting the
Giants' signals, and I kept my eyes
glued to the score board in center field
throughout one whole series to see if
any of the figures moved or changed
positions, as that seemed to be the only
place from which a batter could be
tipped. But I never discovered any
thing.
Fair Ways to Steal the Sigma.
There are many fair ways to steal
the signs of the enemy so many that
the smart ball player Is always kept on
the alert by them. Baseball grenluses,
some almost magicians, are constant
ly looking for new schemes to find out
what the catcher Is telling the pitcher,
what the batter Is tipping the base-
runner to, or what the coacher's in
structions are. The Athletics have a
great reputation as being a club able
to get the other team's signs if they
are obtainable. This Is their record all
around the American League Circuit.
Personally, I don't believe that "Con
nie" Mack's - players steal as much
Information as they are given credit
for, but the reputation In itself. If they
never got a sign. Is valuable. If a
prize fighter Is supposed to have a bay
making punch In his left hand, the
other fellow Is going to be looking out
for that left. If the players on a club
have great reputations aa signal steal
ers, their opponents are going I to be
on their guard all the time, which gives
the team wih the reputation Just that
much advantage. If a pitcher has a
reputation, he has the percentage on
the batter. Therefore, this gossip about
the signal stealing ability of the Ath
letics has added to their natural
strength.
"BUL" I said to Dahlen, the Brooklyn
manager one day toward the end of
last season when the Giants were play
ing their schedule out. after the pennant
waa sure, "see if you can get th
Chief's signs."
Dahlen coached on first base and then
went to third, always looking for Meyers-
signals. Pretty soon he came to
me.
"I can see them a little bit. Matty,"
he reported.
"Chief." I said to Meyers that night
as I buttonholed him in the clubhouse,
"you've got to be careful to cover up
your signs in the big series. They've
a reputation as being pretty slick at
getting them. And to make sure, we will
arrange a set of signs so that I can
give them if we think that they are hep
to yours."
So right there Meyers and I fixed up
a set of signals that I could give to
friends on the Atlantic Coast, In the
Canal Zone, in the -Hawaiian Islands,
or in Alaska, and these messages could
be made a source of revenue to the Ex
position. Other wireless sets, of less
power, and other apparatus, of dif
ferent designs, would be set up. to
make an attractive exhibit. Distances
over which orders could he sent to
ships of the Pacific fleet from this
station are problematical, but they
would be very great.
Talking Across Pacific.
"Night communication with stations
on the coast of Japan, and with other
high-powered stations would not be
unlikely. This station Is of very great
Importance to the Government. Its
possibilities are tremendous. So im
portant Is It that It Is believed that
sentiment, and other considerations,
which might point to Its erection on
high dry ground, unfavorable for wire
less work, should give way to consid
erations of utility In connection with
wireless telegraphy; that Is, It should
be located within 600 or 700 feet of a
plot of ground where moist earth may
be found a few feet beneath the sur
face and the ground deeded to the Navy
Department for the purposes of a per
manent station.
"The Hawaiian Islands are termed
the key of the Pacific A powerful
naval base In in course of construction J
FEBRUARY 25, 1912.
nim. the "Chief" always to use some
himself, which would be phoney of
course and might have the desirable ef
fect of "crossing them."
In the first championship game at the
Polo Grounds, "Topsy" Hartsell was out
there on the coaching lines looking for
signals, and the "Chief" started giving
the real ones until Davis stepped into
a curve ball and cracked it to left field
for a single, scoring the only run made
by the Athletics. Right here Meyers
stopped, and I began transmitting the
private Information, although the
"Chief" continued to pass out signals
that meant nothing. The Athletics were
getting the Indian's and couldn't under
stand why the answers seemed In
variably to be wrong, for a couple of
them struck out swinging at bad balls
and one batter narrowly avoided being
hit by a fast one when apparently he
had been tipped off to a curve and was
set ready to swing at it. They dldn t
discover that I waa behind the signals.
although to make this method success
ful, the catcher must be a clever man
If he makes it too obvious that his sig
nals are phoney and are meant to be
seen, then the other club will look
around for the source of the real ones.
Meyers carefully concealed his mislead,
ing wigwags beneath his chest pro
tector, under his glove, and behind his
knee, as any good catcher will his real
signs, so they wouldn't look at my
head.
After Signs Are Stolen.
Many persons argue If a man sees the
signs, what good does It do him If he
doesn't know what they mean? It is
easy for a smart ball player to deduce
the meaning, because there are only
three real signs passed between a pitch,
er and catcher, the sign for the fast
one, for the curve ball, and for the
pltchout. If a coacher sees a catcher
open his hand behind his glove and
then watches the pitcher throw a fast
one. he Is likely to guess that the open
palm says, "fast one."
After a coacher has stolen the desired
Information, he must be clever to pass
It along to the batter without the other
club being aware that he la doing lt
He may straighten up to tell the batter
a curve ball Is coming and bend over to
forecast a fast one and turn his back
as a neutral signal, meaning that bs
doesn't know what Is coming. If a
coacher is clever enough to pass the
meanings to the batter without the
other team getting on, be may go
through the entire season as a trans
mitter of information. To steal signs
fairly requires quickness of mind, eye
and action. Few players can do it suc
cessively. Perhaps that is why it Is
considered fair.
If a team Is going to make a success
of signal stealing, it must get every one
that is given, for an occasional crumb
of information picked up at random is
worse than none at all. First, it is
dangerous. A batter tipped off that a
curved ball Is coming, steps up to the
plate and is surprised to meet a fast
one which often he hasn't time to
dodge. Many a good ball player has
been Injured In this way, and an accl-
at Pearl Harbor, within a few miles of
Honolulu. A wireless station, to give
this naval station direct communica
tion with the California coast Is nee
essary. It would act as a link between
the Island of Tutuila and the United
States and between Guam and the
United States.
"Guam is another stepping stone in
the Pacific between San Francisco and
Manila. A powerful station will act as
a link In the chain connecting the two.
It Is Important on account of its being
a station on the Trans-Pacific cable.
The future may also see a wireless sta
tion on Midway Island, which Is also a
station on this cable. Such a station,
although entirely unprotected, would be
a great asset, from a Government and
commercial point of view, since a
breakdown of the cable between Hono.
lulu and Midway or between Midway
and Guam could be temporarily covered
by wireless, preventing total interrup
tion of business or the necessity for
sending cable messages to the Far
East, by way of Europe and foreign
cables.
"A High powered station, well placed,
on the Island of Luzon, for communi
cation with Guam and with ships of
the Asiatic fleet in Chinese or Japanese
waters, would mark the end of the
chain across the Pacific. This station
would be connected with the telegraph
and wireless system of the Philippine
la'p, iv , with, special arransTatnants tor
gn stemihg
KJasBasasBasaBBssHsHBH
aent to a star has cost more than one
pennant.
"Joe'ii Kelley, formerly manager of
the Reds, was coaching in Cincinnati
one day several years ago, ami "Eagle
Eye Jake" Beckley, the old firstbase
man and a chronic .300 hitter was at
the bat. I had been feeding him low
drops, and Kelley, on the third base
line, thought lie was getting the sig
nals that "Jack" Warner, the old catch,
er in a former cast of characters, was
giving. I saw Kelley apparently pass
some information to Beckley, and the
latter stepped almost across the plate
ready for a curve. He encountered a
high, fast one, close in, and he en
countered it with that part of him be
tween his neck and hat bands. "Eagle
Eye" was uncons ous for two days
after that and In the hospital several
weeks.
When he got back into the game, he
said to me one day:
"Why didn't you throw me that curve,
Matty, that Joe tipped me to?"
Were you tipped off?" I asked. "Then
It waa Joe's error, not mine."
"Say," he answered, "if I ever take
another sign from a coacher, I hope the
ball kills me."
"It probably will," I replied. "That
one nearly dldv"
That is one of the risks of signal
stealing. Beckley had received the
wrong Information and I felt no qualms
at hitting him, for It was not a wild
pitch, but a misinterpreted signal which
had put him out of the game. His
manager, not I, was to blame. For this
reason many nervous players refuse to
accept any information from a coacher
even if he thinks he knows what is
going to be pitched, because they don't
dare take the risk of getting hit by a
fast one a grain at which they have little
protection if set for a curve. On this ac.
count few National League clubs at
tempt to steal signs, as a part of the
regular team work, but many individ
uals make a practice of it for their own
benefit and for the benefit of the batter
If he Is not of the timid type.
One of Wagner's Tricks.
As soon as a runner gets on second
base, he is in an excellent position to
see the hands of the catcher, and It Is
then that the man behind the bat is do
ing all that he can to cover up. "Jack"
Warner, the old Giant, used to some
times give his signals with his mouth
in this emergency because they were
visible from the pitcher's box, but not
from second base. The thieves were
looking at bis hands for them. In the
National League, Leach. Clarke. Wag
ner, Breshnahan, Evers, Tinker and a
few more of the sort, are dangerous
to have on second. Wagner will get on
the middle sack and watch the catcher
until he thinks that he has discovered
the pltchout sign, which means a ball
Is to be wasted in the hope that a oase
runner can be caught. Wagner takes a
big lead, and the catcher, tempted, gives
the "office" to waste one, thinking to
nail "Hans" off second. The Dutchman
sees It, and, instead of running back to
second, dashes for third. He starts as
the catcher lets go of the ball to throw
to second and can usually make the
extra base.
Many coachera who do not attempt to
direct communication with the prlncl
pal stations of the Army and Navy, In
the vicinity of Manila Bay, which is on
the western side of the Island of Luzon,
unfavorably situated for communica
tion in the direction of Guam,
"Tutuila, the island of American Sa
moa, Is at present without communica
tion, except by steamers. It has no
cable and the high powered wireless
station which would connect this isl
and with Pearl Harbor would take the
place of a far more expensive cable. The
nearest cable runs from British Colum
bia to New Zealand, by way of Fanning
Island and the Fiji Islands, both Brit
ish possessions, and while it would be
comparatively easy to get communica
tion with Suva in the Fiji Islands by
wireless, all further communication
would have to be done by an entirely
British cable.
"Early steps will be taken In the
matter of the control of ships as far as
the North Pacific Is concerned, by
erecting on the island of Unalga of the
Aleutian chain, off the coast of Alaska,
during the coming Summer, a 10 kilo
watt station; and also the installation
of a 10 kilowatt set with high masts, at
the North Head station, Washington,
near the mouth of the Columbia River.
Wireless communication in the North
Pacific being so favorable, it is ex
pected that communication with ships
in that region will be vastly Improved.
(Copyright, 13U. by W. JL. Aitdorfer.) ,
5
V-' J:
"-'- - -
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get the signs ror fast and curved balls,
study the catcher to get his pltchout
sign because, once this is recognized, it
gives the team at the bat a great ad
vantage. If a coacher sees the catcher
give the pitchout signal, he can stop the
runner from trying- to steal, and the
pitcher has wasted a ball and is "in the
hole." Then, if his control is uncertain,
the result is likely to be disastrous.
Several players in the National
League are always trying to get the
Matter's sifrns. Bresnahan. the manager
and catcher of 'the St. Louis club, de
votes half his time and energy to look
ing for the wireless code employed by
batter and base runner. If he can dis
cover the hit-and-run sign, then he is
able to order a pitchout and catch the
man who has started to run in response
to it, several feet at second base. He Ic
a genius at getting this information.
Once late last season when the New
York club was in St. Louis on the last
t-ip West, I came up to the bat with
Fletcher on the flrst base. I rubbed the
end of my stick with my hand, and
Rojrer exclaimed:
"Why, that's your old hit-and-run.
Matty! What are you trying- to do, kid
me?"
"I forg-ot you knew it, Rop;," I an
swered, "but it goes."
He thoupht I was attempting: to cross
him and didn't order a pitchout. Th
sign had been intentional. I hit the
ball and had the laugh on him. If a
catcher can get a pitchout on a hit and
run sign, he upsets the other team
greatly. Take a fast man on the first
base, and the batter signs him that he
is going to hit the next ball. The run
ner gets his start, and the ball comes
up so wide that the batter could not
half reach it with a ten-foot bat. The
runner is caught easily at second base,
and it makes him look foolish. That is
why so many catchers devote time to
looking for this signal. It is a great
fruit bearer.
Signs From the Bench.
Many of the extra players on the
bench are always on the alert for the
hit and run sign. This is a typical sit
uation: The Giants were playing the Pitts
burg club one day last season. Byrne
was on first base. Fred Clarke was at
bat, and Byrne started for second while
Clarke hit the ball to right field. Byrne
reaching third base on the play.
"What did he do?" asked Ames.
"Did you get it, Matty?" inquired
Wlltse.
"No," I answered. "Did you?"
"I think he tapped his bat on the
plate." replied Wlltse. The next time
Clarke came up we were all looking
to see if he tapped his bat on the plate.
Byrne was again on first base. The
Pirates' manager fixed his cap, he
stepped back out of the box and
knocked the dirt out of his cleats, and
he did two or three other natural
things before the pitch, but nothing
happened. Then he tapped his bat on
the plate.
"Make him put them over, Chief,"
yelled Wiltse, which, translated, meant,
"Order a pltchout. He Just gave Byrne
the hit and run sign."
Meyers signed for a pitchout, and
Byrne was caught ten feet from sec
ond. Wlltse on the bench had really
nailed the base runner. As soon as a
sign is discovered, then it is communi
cated to the other players, and they
are always watching for It, but try to
conceal the fact that they recognize It
because, as soon as a batter discovers
that his messages are being read he
chnnrps his inHp
From these few facts about signals
and sign stealing some idea of the bat
tle of wits that is going on between
two ball clubs In a game may be ob
tained. That is why so few men with
out brains last in the big leagues now
adays. A young fellow broke in with
the Giants a few years ago and was
very anxious to make good. Ho waa
playing shortstop.
"Watch for the catcher's signs and
then shift," McGraw told him one day.
It is well known in baseball that a right
handed hitter will naturally push a
curve over the outside corner of the
plate toward right field and over the
inside he will pull it around toward
third base. But this youngster was
over-anxious and would shift before the
pitcher started to deliver the ball. Some
smart player on another club noticed
this and tipped the batters off to watch
the youngster for the signs. When he
shifted toward second base, the batter
set himself for a ball over the outside
corner. For a long time, McGraw
couldn't understand from where the
other teams were getting the Giants'
signs, especially as It was on the home
ground. At last he saw the new lnfleld
er shift one day, and the batter prepare
for an inside ball.
"Say," he said to the player, rushing
on the field after he had stopped the
pitcher, "do you know you are tele
graphing the signs to the batters by
moving around before the pitcher
throws the ball?"
Bill" Dahlen, one of the shortstops
on the Giants, used to shift, but he was
clever enough to wait until the pitcher
had started his motion, when it was
too late for the batter to look at him.
Ball players are always looking to
steal some sign so that they mav
cross" the enemy. In the language
of the big leagues, it is "signs," never
signals. And in conclusion I reiter
ate my former sentiments that all is
fair in love, war. and baseball, except
stealing signs dishonestly.
(Copyright 1912, by Christy Mathewson.)
Title of next Sunday's article by
Christy Mathewson: "Umpires and
Calling' Them Right. "
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