From the home plate along the runways to and past first and third bases, are drawn two chalk lines. These are known as foul lines, and any ball batted outside these lines is called a foul ball, and does not count against either the pitcher or batsman unless it should be caught by a fielder before touching the ground, in which case the batsman is out. Very frequently a swiftly pitched ball is struck at by the batsman, who fails to correctly judge it, and the ball being just grazed by the bat, shoots into the catcher’s hand. This is called a “foul tip,” and puts the batsman out.
When the innings begins, and there are no base-runners on bases, the catcher usually stands well back from the plate and takes the ball on the bound, so as to save his hands as much as possible. When three balls or two strikes have been called by the umpire, however, or when a batsman has succeeded in reaching first base on a hit, or by other means, the catcher puts on his protecting mask and pad and stands close up behind the batsman, taking the balls as they come over the plate. This is done that he may more quickly take advantage of any opportunity that may offer to put the batsman out, or retire the base-runner, who may already have reached first base.
There are many terms applied to the different plays in a game of baseball, which, as a rule, are but imperfectly understood. The writer has known a spectator who, though familiar with the make-up of every ball team in the League and Association, was so ignorant of baseball parlance as to call a “foul tip” a “fly,” an “out” from second to first baseman a “sacrifice,” and a “wild pitch” a “wild throw.” An understanding of all the terms used in connection with the game is, of course, not requisite to a reasonably clear conception of the points therein, yet ability to designate a play and a player’s position correctly, is positively necessary in scoring.
A careful perusal of the following terms and their meaning will greatly help the uninitiated to follow the playing and grasp its significance:
A Batsman is the player who stands at the plate for the purpose of hitting the ball. A Base-runner is what the batsman becomes after he has batted the ball. A Fielder is any one of the nine players opposing the side at bat. A Coacher is one of the players belonging to the side at bat, who takes up his position near first or third base, and advises, or coaches, the base-runner. The Battery—A term usually applied to the catcher and pitcher. The Back-stop—A term sometimes applied to the catcher. The Infield—A term applied to the first, second, third baseman and short-stop. The Outfield—A term applied to the right, centre, and left fielders. A Strike—A strike is called when the ball has passed over the home plate, between the knee and shoulder of the batsman, whether he has struck at it or not; three strikes send the batsman to his seat. A Ball—“Ball” is called by the umpire when the ball delivered by the pitcher has passed above the shoulder or below the knee of the batsman, or has gone wide of the plate; five balls so delivered entitle the batsman to take his base. A Foul Hit—Any hit which sends the ball outside of the foul lines. A Fair Hit—Any hit which sends the ball across the diamond so that it will land inside the foul lines. A Fly-ball—A ball hit into the air and caught by a fielder before it touches the ground; such a catch retires the batsman. A Liner—A ball batted straight across the diamond toward any infielder. A Grounder—A batted ball which strikes the ground inside the diamond. A Wild Pitch—An unsteady delivery of the ball by the pitcher which passes the catcher, and permits a base-runner to advance a base. A Passed Ball—A ball which bounds from the catcher’s hands on coming from the pitcher, and permits a base-runner to advance a base; each base-runner may start for the base ahead of him on a passed ball or wild pitch, and hold it, provided he reaches it before the catcher recovers the ball, and sends it to the fielder at the bag for which the base-runner is making. A Muff—The failure of a fielder to hold a fly or thrown ball after it has fairly struck his hands. A Fumble—The failure of a fielder to quickly handle and throw a batted ball to the base for which the base-runner is making. A Steal—Frequently a base-runner will start for the base ahead of him immediately upon the pitcher’s delivering the ball, and depending upon his sprinting ability for success; if he succeeds he may be said to have stolen a base; if he fails, through the catcher’s receiving the ball and throwing it to the fielder at the base for which the base-runner is making, the latter may be said to have been put out on an attempted steal. An Error—When a fielder fumbles or muffs a ball, or fails to stop a batted ball which it may be fairly presumed he could have stopped, or when he in any way fails to make the play he might and should have made, he has been guilty of an error, and is charged with the same in the score. A Wild Throw is a ball thrown over the head or out of reach of the fielder to whom it is directed, thus permitting a base-runner to gain a base. A Base Hit—A base hit is a ball so batted toward fair ground that the opposing fielders cannot reach it before it strikes the ground, or so that they cannot recover it in time to throw it to the base before the base-runner reaches there; a base hit may be for one, two, three, or four bases, according to the distance to which the ball is batted. A Single is a base hit upon which the batsman reaches first base, usually referred to as a safe hit. A Double is a hit upon which the batsman reaches second base. A Triple is a hit upon which the batsman reaches third base. A Home Run is a hit upon which the base-runner makes the entire circuit of the bases. A Double Play is a play by the fielders which retires two men simultaneously. A Triple is a play that retires three men simultaneously; for instance, a double play may be made thus: with a base-runner on first base, the batsman sends a grounder to the second baseman; immediately the ball is hit, the base-runner on first starts for second and is touched out by the second baseman as he passes him, and then the second baseman quickly throws to first base, the first baseman receiving the ball before the base-runner gets there, thus two men are retired; should the first baseman, after putting his man out at first, then throw to the home plate in time to shut off a base-runner running in from third base, it would be a triple play. A Slide—When a base-runner sees that there is a chance of the fielders getting the ball to the base for which he is making before he gets there himself, he will plunge head first, or feet first, for the bag, sliding over the ground upon his stomach or back, a distance of ten feet or more to the base; this is called base-sliding, and is a reckless and daring feature of the game that invariably arouses much enthusiasm in America. A Balk is any motion made by the pitcher as though he intended to deliver the ball, but made for the purpose of deceiving the base-runner; a balk advances a base-runner a base. A Blocked Ball is a ball batted or thrown into the crowd; in case of a “block” the base-runner may continue on around the bases without being put out until the ball has been returned to the pitcher’s box. Hit by Pitched Ball—When a batsman is hit by a pitched ball he is entitled to his base then and there. A Sacrifice Hit—A fly-ball (usually to the outfield) so batted as to retire the batsman but assist a base-runner on first, second, or third base to reach the base ahead of him.
To return, however, to the Australian expedition. The tour is now begun, and the party of ball players is this month en route to the Pacific coast by slow stages, in order that the teams may play exhibition games in the more populous cities between Chicago and San Francisco. There are among them twenty-two ball players—including Captains Ward and Anson—half a dozen representatives of the leading newspapers of the country, OUTING’S special correspondent, and quite a number of tourists who have taken advantage of the opportunity and the reduced rates to make the trip. In addition to these there are: President Spalding and family, Mrs. John M. Ward, née Helen Douvray, the well-known actress, and Mrs. Anson. The journey is performed in two special cars, with hotel and sleeping accommodations, these cars going through to San Francisco. As to the program of the party from the time of leaving Salt Lake City, it was admirably outlined to the writer by Leigh Lynch before his departure for Australia in September to prepare the way for the teams at points between Chicago and San Francisco, at Honolulu, Auckland, Sydney, Melbourne, and other points in New Zealand and Australia which the teams will visit. Mr. Lynch’s present trip is the fourth he has made, and his knowledge upon every point of interest connected with the present tour is complete.
This was his plan of campaign: “Our design is that the teams shall separate at Salt Lake City, the All-American team, under Ward’s management, proceeding direct to San Francisco, where a series of games will be played with the San Francisco ball clubs. The Chicago team, under Anson’s management, will, on the other hand, go up through Oregon and Washington Territories to Portland, Seattle, Spokane Falls, and other points, afterwards going south from Portland, where it will join the All-American team. Two exhibition games will be played by the combined teams in San Francisco before sailing. The sailing hour is fixed for two P. M., November 17; but I shall endeavor to arrange with the steamship company to defer it till eight o’clock, so that we may play our farewell game the day we leave. Many of the players have already visited San Francisco, consequently they will not care to do much sight-seeing.
“After leaving San Francisco, the trip will, however, be replete with interest for the party. From the time the Alameda passes through the Golden Gate, we shall have a continuous voyage of seven days before we strike land. These seven days will constitute a sort of preparatory period for what is to follow, and every member of the party will want to get his sea-legs as soon as possible. Our steamer, the Alameda, is the best equipped boat in the line, of 3,200 tons measurement, and provided with electric lights, baths, and every convenience of a modern house. The table is excellent, and the officers considerate and kind in every way.
“A voyage across the Pacific is rarely attended by such rough weather as one encounters upon the Atlantic, and as a rule the great ocean is true to its name. On board ship every possible method is adopted to pass the time. There is music and dancing on the deck, and the ordinary ship’s games, while nothing is more delightful than to lie back in a blanket-covered steamer-chair and gaze at the seemingly boundless ocean stretching away on every side. The fragrant breezes of the South Pacific fan the brow, and the light from a gorgeous moon and a million stars flood the deck and sails of the ship which is steadily plowing along through the billows of the mightiest stretch of water upon the globe. Nowhere can one so truly realize the grandeur and the immensity of nature as on the Pacific Ocean.