BASEBALL

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 124, 26 May 1923, Page 17

BASEBALL

(By "First Base.')

Baseball, which is really a summer game, is much in need of a few goodweather Saturdays. Football in mud and rain is quite possible, but a hard, fast ground is one of the first essentials for good baseball. Then, of course, there is a fair amount of standing about for the players, as in cricket, and in the rain this becomes wretched. Wet weather also means a greasy ball, which does a fair amount of damage to mitts. So the ball enthusiasts are doing a lot of hard wishing for sunny Saturdays afternoons. The question of suitable grounds is also a. burning- question with the Baseball Association—as it is with all other sports bodies. S&veral grounds have been made available at Miramar, but they have generally been to small or too many windows in the vicinity. With sluggers of Herb. M'Girr's type, a field of five acres would seem small. A fairly large ground, with a good outfield, would be a decided acquisition, for, as many of the recruits have found out, the rubbercored ball comes off the bumps with astonishing celerity. As most people know, the game was revived in Wellington by Mr. Kortlang,,. the well-known cricketer, for the purpose of improving the fielding department of the popular summer game.. The Aussie crickoters are great fielders, and as most of them go in for baseball in the winter, thqre.is no doubt that their brilliancy in the cricket field is, in no small degree, due to their winter practice on the diamond. Quite a number, of cricketers have entered the ball arena already, arid they are all emphatic, in their declarations that baseball will do wonders for cricket—not only in the field but in batting also. Although "playing the straight bat" is unknown in the ball game, a wonderfully true eye is necessary to hit the ball fairly with the round bat, especially if the pitcher is getting any work on the ball. Cricket would be almost revolutionised if players would cultivate' the "snap-throw," which is such an important part of baseball fielding. By the "snap-throw," I mean thei throw from the shoulder which is performed by a snap of the wrist without any preliminary wind up. Fractions of seconds are saved by this snap; and it is' on these fractions of seconds that games are won and loet. It is surprising how far and how accurately a good ball player can throw by this method. The games at Miramar up to the present have been more in the nature of practice than matches, for it is necessary that new players should know something of the game before taking part in a match. A lot of good work has been done in this direction already, and the new players are coming on wonderfully, although sore shoulders and hands are becoming increasingly fashionable on Mondays. ■ •

Of the boys who are taking the game up for the first time Herb. M'Girr who represented New Zealand against M.C.C. last summer, is the most outstanding. His pitching is on a par with his bowling—positively deadly. As a batter and in the field he is excellent. Another new player of outstanding promise is Bert Wakelin, who captained last summer's Kilbirnie third to victory. Wakelin kept wickets for his cftrb team and, naturally, drifted to behind the plate when he entered' the ball game. He is probably the best catcher playing in the city at present, and although perhaps a little small for the job—a big man for many reasons generally makes the best catcher—he occupies the mask and body shield admirably. He is'rather inclined to jump at the ball at present, but when he masters the art of "shapf ing 1' the, ball—the club that he catches for will have a decided asset. Of the other players, "First Baeo" will have something to say later.