Dirk Baker - Baseball and Softball Drills: More Than 200 Games and Activities for Preschool to College Players, 3D Ed.

Also by Dirk Baker
and from McFarland

Teaching Hitting: A Guide for Coaches (2005)

Third Edition

Illustrations by Neal Portnoy
Foreword by Bill Spaceman Lee

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Jefferson, North Carolina

For those interested, the author offers a DVD companion (2008) titled 150 Baseball Drills, Games and Activities for Kids. Contact Dirk Baker at 318 Sterling Street, Unit E5, West Boylston MA 01583.

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS CATALOGUING DATA ARE AVAILABLE

BRITISH LIBRARY CATALOGUING DATA ARE AVAILABLE

e-ISBN: 978-1-4766-3315-2

2019 Dirk Baker. All rights reserved

No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.

Front cover image 2019 ronniechua/iStock

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com

It is the sport that a foreigner is least likely to take to. You have to grow up playing it. You have to accept the lore of the bubble gum card. And believe that if the answer to the Mays-Mantle-Snider question is found, then the universe will be a simpler and more ordered place.David Halberstam

My thanks to my family, Rex, Janeen and Heidi, who have always supported me in every endeavor.

A special sense of gratitude goes out to those individuals whose contributions made this book a reality. They include Neal Portnoy, Bill Lee, Tim OLeary, Dave Alexander, and Mark Giaquinto.

I want to thank the people who contributed their great baseball and softball drill ideas. In particular, I thank Dave Smith, Bob Casaceli, Rachel Economos, Mike Andrews, Ray Grady, Mike Jackson, Dave Wilbur, John Casey, Rich Gedman, Bob Berman, Leigh Hogan, Pete Wilk, John McGuirk, Greg Desto, and Joe Roberts.

A high five goes to the baseball coaches and players at Worcester State College, Boston University, Harvard University, and the folks of Auburn, Mass. You allowed me to live my dream of playing, coaching, teaching, and writing about Americas pastime.

Thanks to the people of the Human Movement Department at Boston University who have always inspired my love of writing and the teaching of Physical Education. Special mention goes to Dr. John Cheffers, Dr. Len Zaichkowsky, Dr. Stephen Ellenwood, Dr. Emily Magoon, Dr. John Yeager, Dr. Avery Faigenbaum, Dr. Eileen Sullivan, Janet Stankiewicz, Skip Farkas, Bill Reilly, Dr. Phil Kelly, Dr. Phil Tate, Jessica Hochbaum, and Dr. Steve Wright.

And in closing, I want to recognize everyone out there who listed gym as their favorite subject in school.

The majority of American males put themselves to sleep by striking out the batting order of the New York Yankees.James Thurber

by Bill Spaceman Lee

To be a superstar and advance to the highest level in the baseball world, you must do four things better than your competitor: field, hit, run and throw. Three out of four will get you a great job at your local Burger King.

Practice must be fun. We will do away with the word discipline (sounds too much like whips and chains). We shall substitute the word play. Just play. Lets eliminate pressure, also. From now on we dont care who wins and loses. We shall strive for grace, perfect form, a beautiful swing and sound fundamentals.

I learned the game from four great teachers. First among these was my grandfather, who played AAA with the Hollywood Stars. He cut a hole in the center of his glove to develop soft quick hands. I dont recommend thisat least, not until your hands are as tough as Pete Roses. Second was my aunt Annebelle, who played for the womens professional leagues of the 40s and 50s. She had a great overhand deuce, change of speed and control. Third was my father, who taught me the love of the game. He played for Scotty Drysdale, Dons dad. The credo I played by he wrote on the thumb of my first professional glove: Be smooth, throw strikes, keep the ball down, dont alibi, and hustle, hustle, hustle. My final mentor was my college coach, Rod Dedeaux. His maxim was play not to win, but to play the perfect game. We won the College World Series in Omaha, Nebraska, and still havent played that perfect game for him.

Here in Dirk Bakers handbook is a blueprint for practice. Now find an open field and lets have some fun.

Id walk through hell in a gasoline suit to keep playing baseball.Pete Rose

Several gifts to the game have made baseball and softball ever so unique and special, the likes of which include the Little League World Series, 60-feet-six-inches, Cape Cod Summer League, pine tar, 7th inning stretch, Babe Ruth, the idea of the sacrifice bunt, Boys of Summer, the movie Field of Dreams, all-day softball tournaments, and the Wiffle ball.

In some cases, kids may be experiencing baseball or softball for the very first time. Turn them onto the sports. One way to accomplish this is to communicate through the lingo. Save the big words for the thesaurus. Use the following dictionary as a way to turn key themes into catch phrases.

Its no wonder that major leaguers are sometimes called adults playing a childs game. The terminology is totally original. Words and phrases are familiar yet poignant. Learn, know, and cherish them.

The FieldDiamond, Park, Yard: Field. Band Box, Homer Dome, Launching Pad: Hitters ballpark.