Base Running and Sliding

The art of base running begins the moment the batter hits the ball and steps off toward first base. A right-handed hitter, after completing his swing, turns his body away from first base and shifts his weight to his left foot. Thus, with the weight on the left foot, he takes his initial step toward first base with his right foot. It follows that a left-handed hitter, after swinging, turns his body in the direction of first base, the weight shifted to his right foot. Thus his first step toward first base will be with his left foot.

The batter, after hitting the ball, should follow its direction so that he can decide what to do as he approaches first base. A right-handed batter can follow a ball hit to the left side by taking a quick glance over his shoulder. The left-handed batter has the ball in front of him no matter where it is hit.

On approaching first base the runner can streak on to second base, make his turn around first base and decide whether to go for second or stay on first,, or race straight over first base, pulling up in short right field.

Always make the turn around first base on a safe hit to the outfield. If the outfielder is slow in picking up the ball or momentarily fumbles it, you are in perfect position to streak for second. Always run down the first-base line with all your speed. If first base is occupied, the actions of that runner will give you a tip-off on whether your ball has been fielded, or has fallen safely.

Many batters know instinctively just how many bases they can make on a safe hit. A batter who knows he can get more than one base on a hit should not slacken his speed as he approaches first base. Before touching first he should take a wide turn toward the bag. He can then pick up more momentum as he goes on to second base. It is not important whether the runner touches the bases with his left foot or right foot, but he should touch the infield corner of the base.

The first-base coach will help on a drive which seems good for extra bases. He will shout instructions at the runner as he rounds first base, particularly when the ball is hit to left field and out of easy visual range to the batter-runner.

A batter-runner who approaches second base and must decide whether to go on to third base must be alert to instructions from the third-base coach. Also, the runner, whenever possible, should keep his eyes on the fielders racing for the ball. This is basic for all runners approaching second base on a ball hit from the left-field foul line to center field. The play is in front of the runner and he must then consider the game situation, the fielder's throwing arm and his own ability to beat the throw to third base.

When a base-runner is on first, waiting on the next pitch, he should have his foot on the bag until the pitcher gets into pitching position by placing his (the pitcher's) foot on the pitching slab.

The runner on first must also keep alert for instructions from his coach.

Don't take a lead off second base until the pitcher steps into pitching position. The runner on second, when taking his lead, will find it difficult to concentrate on the pitcher, shortstop and second baseman at the same time. The third-base coach may watch the movements of the two keystone infielders as the runner worries only about the pitcher. The runner then is guided off his bag by his coach's verbal instructions.

The runner on third base leads off his bag in foul territory only. Line drives whistle into this area and the runner who gets struck by one in foul territory is not out.

There are several times when a runner is forced to slide. A runner slides for two very basic reasons: to avoid being tagged by a fielder, and to halt his momentum when going into the base he's headed for.

Before sliding a runner must first learn to fall properly. Most runners fall to their left side before going into a slide. This is done by first raising the right foot a few inches from the ground, keeping the right knee bent and facing forward. The runner bends forward at the waist and bends his left knee. He then falls to the left side, taking the weight of his body on the outside of his left leg and the palm of the left hand. To maintain balance, swing the right arm upward.

To fall on the right side, merely reverse the preliminary positions.

Types of Slides. — The many slides are the straight-in, bent-leg, hook, whip, and head-first, many of which are illustrated and defined in the following pages.

The bent-leg slide is good to use when the runner feels he has the play beaten. In the bent-leg position the runner can slide into the base, contact it with his right foot, push his body up with his left palm and, with his right foot as a brace, assume an upright position. The runner is then in position to take advantage of a muff by the infielder or a wild throw, and continue on to the next base.

No. 34 (opposite page) has fallen on the left side and is headed straight for the base, in bent-leg slide position. His left knee is well bent, the instep turned so that the spikes will not catch in the ground. However, No. 34 is not keeping his body in proper balance. His body, from the waist up, should be more erect and his weight should be thrown a bit more forward. Young players make this same mistake when practicing the bent-leg slide. It will be difficult for No. 34 to get to his feet quickly once he tags the bag since he will then have to bring his weight forward upon contact with the base.

Although his right knee is slightly extended, the right leg should be in a more forward position, or the knee of the left leg should be bent a bit more under his right thigh.

No. 34 certainly knows how to execute the bent-leg slide but he's demonstrating all the common faults of the school player who is learning the art of this slide.

To get to the base by the shortest possible route, use the basic straight-in slide exactly as being executed by the runner on page 193 who is raising a cloud of dust around third base.

This runner made his take-off on his right leg. His upper leg is well above the ground, knee bent. Most runners will make their initial contact with the bag with the toe of this upper foot but the umpire tips us off that such is not the case here.

The runner has evidently beaten the throw to the third baseman by so clear a margin that the outstretched index finger of the umpire furnishes the clue that the runner is safe. Since his left leg is raised and not in contact with the base, it is reasonable to assume that his bottom foot has already contacted the bag-There are two basic differences in the straight-in slide and the bent-leg slide. In making the take-off in the straight-in slide, the weight of the upper part of the body is thrown backward. In the bent-leg slide, the take-off is made closer to the base and the weight of the upper part of the body is thrown forward. Remember, weight thrown backward for the straight-in slide, forward for the bent-leg slide. Hook Slide. — The hook slide is used to avoid being tagged. What better way to avoid a fielder than "hooking" away from his efforts?

No. 4 (top left) steams into second base, intent on stretching his hit to right field into a double. The second baseman has just snared the throw from the outfielder and knows that the runner will slide away from him and toward the pitcher's side of the base.

The runner is taking off on his left foot (opposite page, middle) so the in-fielder knows the slide will be to the left since the runner will not be able to change directions once he has committed himself. Why does the runner choose to hook from the left? Because the infielder had to go to his left for the throw. Always hook away from the direction of the play.

Into the slide goes No. 4 (opposite page, below), both knees bent, both feet turned to the side, the weight of the upper part of the body to the left and backward. Although the second baseman reaches desperately to make the tag, the runner continues away from him and over to his left.

Away goes the slider (above), safe and clear of the falling second baseman. As he slides, the runner brings his left foot forward and away from the base, with his right foot turned so that the instep faces the base, right leg bent and dragging across the ground. He hooks the inside corner of the bag with the toes of his right foot.

Notice how the upper part of his body turns to the left, his right arm thrown across his chest and away from the second baseman. The open left palm is on the ground, absorbing some of the shock of the slide, along with the left thigh and leg. The same techniques are used in making the hook slide from the right. Here is a good time to remind the slider that the direction of the hook depends upon the position of the infielder. The advantage of this slide is to carry the runner away from the direction of the throw. This type of slide is useless unless the runner can take advantage of its "carry-away" motion.

The runner (opposite page) seems to have violated the basic rule of getting to the base in the quickest way possible. Since he slid on his left side, and his extended foot was the right, therefore the one closest to the bag, why did he first touch the base with the leg under the body?

Comfort seems to be the answer for this type of slide. The runner, certain that he had the play beaten, merely continued to slide with his left leg bent under him. He saw no reason to touch the base with his right foot on this particular play. Some runners will slide into a base this way, using the instep of the upraised foot to hook the striding foot of the fielder and thus prevent him from throwing on to another base.

Kennie Boyer (below) breezes into third base in straight-in style. Boyer has made his fall to the right side, right knee bent under his left knee. Although his spikes seem headed for the third baseman's kneecap, such is not the case. Boyer is bringing his forward foot down and will touch the bag with the heel of his left foot.

This young player (below) shows how not to make the hook slide. He came racing toward second base in an effort to take an extra base on his hit to right field. The shortstop came over to the bag to take the throw on the mound side, leaving the outfield side of the base unprotected.

The runner is pictured making this back-flopping hook slide only because he did not fall to the ground with one leg below his body. Instead he flopped on his backside, faded to his right and kicked the base with the instep of his left foot.

This type of slide is definitely not recommended. Yet there are some major-leaguers who still slide in this manner only because they prefer not to have a leg bent under their body when sliding into a base.

The Washington base-runner (above) getting around the Yankee catcher was forced to make the hook slide for a very basic reason — the catcher was blocking the plate and forced the runner outside.

The runner, however, didn't give up on this play. Faced with the alternative of sliding straight into the catcher, hoping to knock the ball out of his glove, or trying to hook by him, he chose the proper course of action.

The slide was started on the right side and the take-off foot was the right. The runner kept his right foot directly beneath him and brought the weight of his body forward, almost to an erect position. At the last moment he nicked the outside portion of the plate to carry home the run.

The play at second base (below) is going to be close as No. 4 goes to his right to take the throw from an outfielder as the batter-runner, No. 20, seems about to fall to his knees while balancing on the toes of his left foot. The fingers of his left palm are outstretched to absorb some of the shock of the fall and the slide.

Into the slide he goes (above) as No. 4 has now taken the throw-in a bit to the right of the bag and the runner. The slider has now succeeded in bending his left leg below his body as he raises his right foot, but the weight of the upper part of his body is forward and almost erect.

Over to the left moves the runner (below), his palm taking some of the weight of his body as he brings his right foot up to hook the inside corner of the bag. No. 4 just misses the tag.

This is another example of the hook slide in which the runner takes off on the left foot and slides left. Always remember: Slide, or hook, away from the fielder's tag.

Leaning to his left, No. 4 is looking at the runner's leg action (above), wondering just where he can make the tag. The runner hasn't made contact with the bag as yet and No. 4 is going to lean forward and sweep down with his glove, hoping to get a piece of the slider's foot before it touches the base.

Head-on Slide. — The head-first, or head-on, slide is used mostly when the runner taking a lead off base is forced to get back to that base in a hurry. You see most of these slides when runners on first or second base retreat to the bag when the pitcher or catcher attempts to pick them off. However, there are still some players who prefer to slide head-first into a base merely because they feel they get to the base quicker. The head-first slide is exactly the opposite of the straight-in slide, with the hand, instead of the toe, being used to touch the base.

Perhaps the greatest of all head-first sliders was Pepper Martin (below), who played for the famous St. Louis Cardinals Gas House Gang of 1934. Pepper was fast and extremely colorful but his dashing manner of sliding head-first into a base was imitated by many young players of his era. Could he slide feet first? Of course, and when the hook slide was required Pepper could "hook" with the best.

Pepper's head-first slide is made on the front part of the body. Spring off your feet and throw your body forward, keeping your arms extended. The momentum will carry you straight into the bag.

Phil Rizzuto, the little fireball of the New York Yankees of years ago, was another player who made extensive use of the head-first slide. Phil (above), who always seemed to be sliding —not running — into a base, could also use the hook slide. However it's possible that he changed sliding styles on occasion to keep the infielders guessing. At least that seems to be one worthwhile reason to use this type o£ slide.

No. 36 (below) was on second base when this happened. The pitcher whirled, threw to the shortstop covering the base and the runner was forced to retreat as quickly as possible. Therefore the head-first position.

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