They Swung and They Missed

Big leaguers usually are photographed in moments of glory, but when SPORTS ILLUSTRATED's John Zimmerman used a long-lens camera to gain a pitcher's-eye view of home plate he found that even the best of them occasionally look like Little Leaguers swinging at their first curve. The pitchers in Chicago the other day were throwing inside, outside, high and wide, but it made no difference to this quartet of Cubs and Giants. They swung at everything. None looked at the ball; one stared at the ground, two gazed toward far left field, and the last seemed to have his eye fixed on a cloud. And all missed. It was enough to gladden a Little Leaguer's heart.

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JOHN G. ZIMMERMAN

OUTSIDE PITCH BAFFLES BOB SCHMIDT OF SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS, WHO GOLFS AT IT FUTILELY WHILE GLARING INTO THE DIRT

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JOHN G. ZIMMERMAN

HIGH PITCH CONFOUNDS CHICAGO SLUGGER FRANK THOMAS, WHO LOOKS UP, OVERSWINGS, NEARLY HITS CHIN WITH SHOULDER

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JOHN G. ZIMMERMAN

LOW PITCH BRINGS POWERFUL SWING FROM CHICAGO CUBS' LOU JOHNSON, BUT BALL IN GLOVE MADE IT JUST A BIG STRIKE

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JOHN G. ZIMMERMAN

WIDE PITCH IS CHASED BY CUBS' BOB WILL AS HE LEANS FORWARD FROM WAIST AND FLAILS AWKWARDLY AT THE DISTANT BALL