Stealing home: a lost art in major league baseball: swiping a run was once a common offensive tool that created excitement for fans, but today it is rarity

"I was glad he challenged me the way he did," said Reiser, "because that really made up my mind for me. No sooner did Bill give me that gesture than I took off for home and stole it. It was a big kick for me, to win a one-run ball game with a steal home."

Reiser insisted that his success at stealing home was attributable as much to confidence as speed.

"You've got to think you're going to make it," he said. "You have to know in your mind that when you take off to steal you're going to make it. If you have any doubt, you're going to be out."

Ironically, it was Reiser's reputation for daring base running that dealt the Dodgers a disheartening blow in 1946. On September 27, he took a long lead at first,. When the pitcher threw to pick him off, Reiser caught his spikes on the bag, snapping the ankle. The injury ended his season, and conceivably cost the Dodgers a clear-cut pennant rather than the tie with St. Louis.

Like Reiser, Carew two decades later emphasized the importance of confidence, as well as speed and surprise, in enabling a player to steal home. He credited Martin with working on him for hours to perfect his technique. Martin thought it important to get what he called a "walking lead" off third instead of coming to a stop as most runners do. Communicating with the batter also is essential. Then there's the need for nerve.

"And you can't be afraid of being thrown out," Martin told Carew, "because that's going to happen occasionally. You have to do it recklessly."

Carew was reckless to good purpose in 1969, stealing home seven times (of 19 thefts total). He stole home eight more times during his long career (1967-1985). Oddly perhaps, he never led the league in stolen bases, but won the A.L. batting title seven times to cement Hall of Fame status with a career average of .328.

Since it takes recklessness and nerve to make a habit of stealing home, it should not surprise that the most aggressive of all players set the career record at 50. Of course, much of Cobb's career came during the "dead ball" era when stolen bases were a greater factor than between the mid-1920s and mid-1950s. (In 1950, Dom DiMaggio topped the A.L. with 15, and Stan Hack led the N.L. with 16 in 1936, low points for league leaders.)

A Cobb steal of home came in his first full season (1906) With the Detroit Tigers, and set the pattern. It was described in a Sporting News account by New York Highlanders (Yankees) catcher Fred Mitchell, and reproduced in the biography of Cobb by Al Stump.

"Cobb was the runner at third base," said Mitchell. "I was catching. Frank LaPorte was our third baseman. Cobb made a sudden move to the plate. I shot the ball to LaPorte, but Cobb got back safely.

"LaPorte took a few steps toward the pitcher. The pitcher walked toward LaPorte. Cobb slightly sauntered off the bag. As players often do, LaPorte tossed the ball a foot or two in the air and caught it while talking to the pitcher. Cobb apparently was paying no attention. He was looking toward his own dugout