on first, he
is forced to run to third. This is called being "forced off his base." In
such a situation the forced runner can be put out if the ball is thrown to
the baseman at the next base before the runner gets there. He does not
require to be touched with the ball. The runner on first is entitled,
however, to advance to second without risk of being put out if the batsman
becomes similarly entitled to first-base (_e.g._ on being unavoidably
struck by the ball, or on four balls). Frequently, if the ball is batted to
the infield while a runner is on first-base, the fielder tosses it to
second-baseman, putting out the runner, and the second-baseman has still
time to throw the ball to first-base ahead of the batsman, thus completing
a "double play." Triple plays are sometimes made when there are runners on
two or on all of the bases. Base-running is one of the important arts of
base-ball play. A good base-runner takes as long a lead off the base as he
dares, starts to run the moment the pitcher makes the first movement to
deliver the ball, and if necessary throws himself with a slide, either feet
or head first, on to the objective base, the reason for the slide being to
make it more difficult for the baseman to touch the runner, having to stoop
in order to do so, thus losing time. A base-runner is out if he interferes
with an opponent while the latter is fielding a ball or if he is hit by a
batted ball. An example of modern base-running is offered by the "double
steal," carried out, _e.g._, when there is a runner on first-base and a
runner on third-base. The runner on first starts for second leisurely in
order to draw a throw to second by the catcher. If the catcher throws, the
runner on third runs for the home-plate, the second-baseman returning the
ball to the catcher in order to put the runner out. The play often results
in a score, but the runner is frequently caught if the throws are quick and
accurate, or when the catcher deceives the runner by throwing, not to the
player at second-base, but to a man stationed for the purpose much nearer
the home-plate, this man intercepting the ball and returning it to the
catcher if the runner on third is attempting to score, or letting it pass
to the player on second-base, if the runner on third does not make the
attempt.

Team batting is the co-operation of batsman and base-runner. The commonest
example is the "hit and run" play, _e.g._ when a runner is on first-base.
After the