Show The Psychology of I. I is or f Winning Baseball BaseballS S F BY GEORGE E. E WOOD Mental attitude In II is' is coming comb to hold an important place In all athletic c games ames and contests A few Cew years years' ago trained muscles mus nitis- I des cles wore were considered tho the first and chief asset In fn winning at golf tennis billiards baseball and oth other r sports There Is now nowa a rapidly rapid growing knowledge e that while the muscles must be trained and wen veil trained the mind also Iso requires even evon discipline The Thc muscles muscle will ef effectively of- of execute only what the tho mind clearly TI and unhesitatingly wills willa and accurately accurately accurately ac ac- ac- ac directs Uncertainty and hesitancy heal hesi tancy on the part of or tho the mind as to the thc and ability to execute menus means Inaccuracy failure on tho the part pait of dT tho the muscles to perform poi per form Corm Successfully whether r It bo be In relation rein rela Lion tion to the dall delicate ate handling of or th thin tho surgeons surgeon's sur sur- goons geon's or oi- tho the accurate wielding of or orthe the blI baseball bat This principle Is not new ew as to practice tice but Is relatively elv noW rn to Its pi phy In the explanation lon o of the this reasons that underlie results For years ears athletes have recognized that the tho attitude of ot tho the mind hall hail much to do with victory or ox- defeat lefeat and to secure cur that mental con- con which would insure victory con- con In iii the the- past havo have been heen in the tho habit of pinning their faith to sl signs n and charms Tho The mascot tho the horseshoe the lucky stone stono and even o the rabbits rabbit's foot hayo been brought Into requisition Superstition Counts In bas baseball the players player's superstition ns as it has often been called d. d however foolish fool Cool I lab ish h or unreasonable It maY mav may have seemed to others has affected his Ida Game same And while tho the Intelligent public may mn have hase I e at the the- credulity of the lI hf pitcher who ho has gone Jono Into th the tho box bo with supreme confidence because he ha carried In inIda Ms Ida left pocket tho the len left hind foot root of oC a Jick rabbit killed d In a t graveYard fra on the first Friday Frida night or of the full moon the lie 11 ic- ic suits stilts would seem om to justify tho tIm confidence The first ball pitched was Wl knocked out of oC tho tim lot for fOI a home run hut but tho thin pitcher was as not flurried In Iii the least Ho simply know new that hint he could not lose hose with that rabbits rabbit's foot In his pocket In the end h ho he won on the game You say fay the rabbits rabbit's foot fact had nothing to o do hO with winning the game annie No o. o and yes The Thc pitchers pitcher's confidence lila his mental men mell- tal tat attitude won Avon the tho game sume But Dut just justas s far ns as the rabbits rabbit's foot acting as liS a charm charmin In which he had faith helped to produce his hla confident mental menial altitude attitude just that far It helped the tho pitcher to win his same game In these those days of or practical psychology wp f n arc c c beginning to understand that there Is a scientific reason for Cor such r re result suits sult and that there an arr tar for moro more re reliable ro- ro liable and consistent t nt methods of producing pro pro- lI mental confidence eno than can hE be furnished by mascots mascot cot horse slices shoes luck I stones and feet Successful athletic managers rs m aro now socking seeking tho those hose who cnn can pia play piny the lie A game lOC with II It head as well ns as with tIm the hands and I feet feet those who can maintain th he winning of oC mind without tho the use of lucKy clint charms Winning is II a n much more simple problem than th the winning mind In iii clo f I ly contested ball Ram games s Successful captains are arC now seeking to so train their players ns os to produce and J 11 rl right ht rr mental H as well as the proper physical condition Takes Mental 1 Confidence Pew Few pla t from the thin minor rumor leagues make c good gord 0 from rein the start shirt when they entee ci- ci tee tor company However fit tit the ilip newcomer Ia b be In however Or w lI versed hf hi ma may b bo be in all nil lh the tho l finer points of oC the tile game Jame he rarely lv phys his lila be belt beat t gamp rame m at the outset t. t The Tue newnes newness newness new new- ness nes' of or the situation t tile the le rl responsibility of mel measuring up un to the high standard o 0 ma lor 1 league D lIC hall ball and his own anxiety to tomake make rood good nuts nUt upon his hi too great n II tension II JIs II real fear car makes Him nervous ner He lie Is IR no lon longer er al absolutely of nl himself ctr HH as he wan vas Ill back In the minor league leau hr make a misplay Tho Time home hoax crowd ll censures s Mm hEm and the manager er criticises him He lie loses losell confluence confidence In himself II He lIe C falls in n muscular lu execution because c he hiss hns first lr t. t failed In ab absolute mental confidence In his t ov I abl ability I I ty If H. In t recognition of oC this psychological factor till homo home cl crowd d would overlook tho ho new flOW p players player's i H list filst s shIps and anil I lend lId on- on n- n I. I and amid th the would take pains to tl commend and r reassure a alro and mid restore confident e to the lie nt t lie tho u mu w iii-w ph player c ho lie v. most roost likely l meet time the hl highest eX ct Wh When n the mind Is at at- Its ItH heat best In confidence then ran con the muscles IS that lint Ic best het t in n 11 J physIcal h ex ex- The few pl who vho make mal e Sl geoul od I from tho lie shirt are who enter cuter fast company with Willi absolute confidence that z thc they can eX express res In action the full lull knowledge knowl knowl- edge o of time the game The Unexpected Hit The Tho psychological factor I is often orten seen In the tho sudden panic produced by b an un unexpected un- un expected hit lilt by br the tho opposing batter The Tho pitcher Instantly becomes flurried his lila confidence Is 11 upset impact t ho Is uncertain how how- to ta play piny the time next batter s As mental moods moo s sro are aro Instantly communicated tho the players player behind the pitcher lo loo hoso confidence and the tho team goes goen to pieces temporarIly and tho the game same is lost host If Ie the time pitcher had nee accepted the tho hit lilt as matter 1 of course had bad taken time to recover reco his own mental menial pol e so n ns as to pitch with absolute confidence conC conC- dence lence to the time next man 11 up the time players behind him would probably have o kept full Cull grip on their own mental attitude anti and the game might still have been a saved A single miscalled strike on a pitcher has hns lo lost t many ninny a n ball baH game Not be because because be- be cause tl strike In Itself decided r i he l lJ ie J game JIn In l' l hut but because the calling of it iii- iii I set tho ho mental poise polso of or both hoth the pitcher and the time players behind him amid before their mental balance could b be restored I hits followed and the tho game ame was lost I |