Where the
ladies congregate as spectators of sports a refining influence is brought
to bear which is valuable to the welfare of the game. Besides which, the
patronage of ladies improves the character of the assemblages and helps to
preserve the order without which first-class patronage cannot be obtained.
THE VALUE OF TEAM WORK.
Nothing has been more gratifying to the admirers of the game in the
practical experience of improved points of play realized during the season
of 1888, than the growing appreciation, by the most intelligent patrons of
the game, of the value of team work at the bat, and its great superiority
as an element of success in winning pennants, to the old school plan of
record batting as shown in the efforts to excel solely in home run hitting
and the slugging style of batting.
So intent have been the general class of batsmen on making big batting
averages that the science of batting and the advantages to be derived from
"playing for the side of the bat" have been entirely lost sight of until
within the past year. Now, however, the best judges of play in the game
have begun to "tumble to" the benefits and to the attractions of team work
at the bat, as illustrated by skillful sacrifice hits, batting to help
base-runners around and to bring runs in, and not that of going to the bat
with the sole idea of trying to "hit the ball out of the lot," or "knock
the stuffing out of it," in the effort to get in the coveted home run.
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