e this play plain and simple, and
the advantage of doing it in this way will easily be seen.

There are times when, with runners on the bases, the play will not be to
first, but to second, third, or home. With a runner on first, many
batters try to hit into right field, because with the second baseman
forced to cover second for a throw from the catcher, the space between
first and second is left almost unguarded. But if the first baseman will
be on the alert for such a hit, and throw the runner out at second, he
not only balks the play but frightens following batters from attempting
the same hit. With a runner on third and not more than one man out, all
the in-fielders will play closer to the bat, so as to throw the runner
out at home on an in-field hit; in such case if the batter should strike
out, and the third strike be dropped, the first baseman should not go to
his base to receive the throw from the catcher, but meet it on the line
as near as possible to the plate. He is then able to touch the runner on
his way to first and to throw home if the man on third attempts to score
on the throw to first. It may be possible to make a double play by first
touching the runner to first and then throwing home; but if the runner
to first holds back and there is danger of the man from third scoring,
it is obviously best to throw home and cut him off, ignoring entirely
the runner to first.

Another point in which many basemen are remiss is in backing up. On all
throws from left or left-centre field to second base he should get in
line with the throw, and on all throws from the same fields to the plate
he should also assist in backing up, unless there is some special
necessity for guarding his own base.

There is a prevalent belief that it matters little whether a first
baseman can throw well or not, but a moment's consideration will show
the fallacy of this. There are some plays in which he needs to be a hard
and accurate thrower; with a runner on second and a ball hit to the in-
field the runner will sometimes wait until it is thrown to first, and
then start for third. In such case only the best kind of a return by the
first baseman will head him off. So also in long hits to extreme right
field he may have to assist the fielder by a throw to third or home.

It will thus be seen that there are points of play at first base which,
in the hands of an ambitious fielder, may be developed into very
considerable importance.

CHAPTE