Healthful Sports for Boys

by A. R. Calhoun

The bags can be homemade, from old carpets, or old mattresses, or even from shavings or hay, stuffed into little calico or canvas pillows. A piece of stout clothes line will answer for more expensive straps.

The pitcher's box must be permanently marked. This is done by sinking into the ground an iron plate, stone or a wooden post, four or six inches square.

If there is thick grass in the infield it must be cut from the pitcher's box to the back-stop, nine feet in width, or better still remove the sod and fill in the space with hard-packed earth. The players will soon make the batting-crease and base lines marked on the field.

To make a fair division of labor in laying out a field, let three boys agree to furnish the iron staples, and posts for the bases and pitcher's position, seven in all. The four for the pitcher's box may be anywhere from three to six inches square at the top, and two feet long; those for the bases being three inches in diameter; and all of these sharpened to drive in like stakes. The staples, three in number, should be two inches wide. Let three others agree to furnish the bases; one boy to provide the six pieces of stuff—about sixteen inches square, another boy to furnish three two inch straps with buckles, or else sufficient rope. The straps must not be less than a yard long. The third boy can see that the bags are looped for the straps, stuffed and properly sewn. Three other boys can agree to furnish the home plate, and to bring to the ground implements for marking and laying out, viz.: a tape line two hundred feet long, a supply of cord, a sharp spade, a sledge hammer to drive stakes, a small hammer to drive in staples, some lime to mark out the lines, and a pail to wet it in. A tennis marker will save much work. The best ball to purchase is the regular "league" ball. These balls are the most uniform in manufacture and quality, and give the best satisfaction in the long run. It is worth while to purchase more than one, because it often happens that wet grass ruins the cover of the ball. When a base ball has been used in wet weather it should be put aside, and the next time the nine wish to practice on a wet day this ball, which will be very hard, should be used. As soon as it is wet it softens again, and it is just as useful as a new one would be after wetting. Constant wetting rots the covers, but a harness-maker will re-cover the balls, and they can be used for practice.

In bats there is more variety. A special bat is said to be made of wagon-tongue, but the more commonly favored is of ash, second growth, thoroughly seasoned. These can be bought for from twenty-five cents to one dollar each, according to quality. Lighter bats are made of willow; and the cheapest of basswood. These do not last so well as ash, however.

The rules specify that the bat shall not be over two and a half inches in diameter, nor more than forty-two inches in length. In selecting a bat, individual taste is the best guide as to matters of weight and balance, but the grain should be examined carefully. If a bat is varnished, the handle should be scraped, so that it will not turn easily in the hands.

The first baseman and catcher should each wear gloves to protect the hands from the pounding which playing these positions involves.

You can make a pair of baseball gloves out of a stout pair of buckskins. The fingers and thumbs should be cut off at the first joint for the baseman, and if any extra padding is needed, pieces of felt can be sewn on. The catcher's gloves can be made in a similar way, except that the left-hand glove is kept whole and the ends of the fingers reinforced by heavy leather tips. A shoemaker can put on these tips which should be about an inch and a half long. Both gloves should have padding in the palm and over the ball of the thumb. This padding can be made of as many layers of felt as are desired, sewn in when the glove is turned wrong side out. The pads should be so cut that they run up into the finger a little way, and thus form a protection for the base of the fingers. Every man who catches should wear a mask. A body protector will also save many a bruise.

Individual uniforms should be considered where clubs are formed, and let me say it is better to start with a club. Uniforms for boys need not be expensive; shirts of one color will do with the addition of a home cap. Pads on the knees and along the thighs, as well as rough mitts are of use in sliding.

Any number of players may belong to a club, but only nine can play on a side. Each side must have a captain, who must be a good leader as well as a good player.