[Rome2000]

I got suckered by the Hidden Ball Trick at a tournament once, the same one Ron Fraser used in the College World series where the pitcher fakes a pickoff throw and the first baseman acts like he missed it and starts running towards the dugout.

Those SOB's put on a really good act, I told the kid to run to second and the pitcher tossed the ball to the second baseman for the tag out.

The other play in a close game that was used a lot in the late innings was the fake steal of home balk trick.

Since most kid pitchers don't have the experience to realize they have to complete the delivery to the plate or its a balk, you tell the kid on third to take an extra step and then yell GO, HES STEALING HOME at the top of your lungs .

95 out of 100 times the pitcher stops his delivery to the plate and looks at third and then you yell BALK! and the kid is awarded home plate.

They play for keeps in Miami.

[yarddog]

Until they caught on, Gil Hodges used to make his glove sound just like a ball hit it. The umps typically look at the base and listen for the sound of the ball hitting the mitt.