The third baseman should play a left hander hitter about fifteen feet from the bag and about three feet behind third base. For a right-hander he plays about four feet behind the bag and twelve feet away from it. A good third baseman must be able to cover the territory to his left and help out the shortstop.
In 1941 Joe DiMaggio was having his most sensational season. He had hit safely in fifty-six consecutive games and went to Cleveland determined to stretch the streak in the series. In that game Ken Keltner, star third baseman for the Indians, made two sensational back-handed stabs of DiMag’s drives on the base line. These smashes would ordinarily have been two-base hits, but, because of Keltners magnificent fielding, the Yankee Clipper’s hitting streak was broken. Figure 63 shows Keltners backhand play that protects the third-base line.
With a man on first and one or no outs, a third baseman plays in on the grass for a bunt. After the bunt he pounces on the ball, scoops it up with his bare hand, and fires it to first.
With a man on first and second and no outs, the team at bat usually tries to draw in the third baseman and then try a double steal. Talk this over with the pitcher and have him cover the bunt while trying to make the force out at third.
Figure 64 shows how Third Baseman Red Rolfe, former Yankee star, covers the bag. Rolfe straddles the bag as shown in Figure 64. He then faces the play and holds the ball out in front of the bag so that the incoming runner slides into the ball and puts himself out.
In keeping a man close to the base, Bob Elliott, third baseman of the Boston Graves, uses a clever trick. On a long sacrifice fly to the outfield with a man on third, Elliot stands near the base pointing to the runner’s foot, at the same time watching the catch in the field. The play keeps the runner on the bag until the ball is caught. This precious delay of a second or two has put many a would-be runner out at the plate.
