The shortstop is often led into habits which are commonly known as “grand-stand plays”; that is, he attempts to make difficult plays or one-handed stops with an unnecessary display of motions, to bring the applause of the spectators.  No ball player was ever made by playing to the audience.  Good form is not only very desirable but very necessary, but the main thing in ball playing is to play your part and to forget that there is such a thing as an audience or applause.  If your form is good so much the better, but if by paying too much attention to it you miss the ball and score an error, your team may suffer defeat on account of your pride.  The main thing is to get the ball and after that to to do it as gracefully as possible.  One-handed stops are well enough when you cannot get both hands on the ball, but an error made in this way is not only the most humiliating kind but also the most inexcusable.

It must not be inferred that grand-stand playing is confined to the shortstop.  Any member of the team can be guilty of it.  No player, no matter how good he may be, should be allowed to hold his position on a team unless he is willing to do his best at all times and unless he feels that the game is not lost nor won until the last man is out.

Many experienced players consider that the most difficult position to play well is third base.  This player has to be ready for slow bunts as well as hard drives; he must cover a lot of ground and try to get every ball that comes near him.  At the same time he must cover his base to stop the base runner from advancing home.  He will be obliged to stop hot liners with one hand and often while on the run to make an accurate throw to first base.

Out-fielders are usually chosen because of their ability to bat as well as to be quick on their feet and catch fly balls on the run.  Fielders should practise if possible to catch the ball in a throwing position, so that no unnecessary time may be lost in getting the ball back to the in-field.  Of the three fielding positions, right-field is by far the most important.  He must be sure of ground balls as well as flies and also, in common with all the fielders, be a good judge of the batsmen and try to be where the batted ball is going.  The centre-fielder must be especially quick on his feet, as he is expected to back up both shortstop and second base as well as to run in for line hits that just go over the in-fielders’ heads.  The ability to start quickly when running for a ball can be greatly developed by practice and will greatly improve the player’s game.

Very often a fly ball will fall in such a position that the out-fielders will be in doubt who is to take it.  The result is usually a collision, a missed ball and a chorus of groans from the spectators.  The remedy for this is to arrange beforehand for the second baseman to call out who in the case of a doubtful ball is to take it.  All of these things are part of the finer points of the game and will only come