The Premier Pilferer

Until Maury Wills started stealing bases by the bushel for the 1962 Dodgers, everyone in baseball thought Ty Cobb's modern record of 96 thefts in a single season was untouchable. Now anyone who assumes that Wills' mark of 104 is beyond reach must count again. Last week, not quite halfway through the season, St. Louis Cardinal Leftfielder Lou Brock stole his 50th base, putting him 28 games ahead of Wills' 1962 pace. As if that were not enough, Brock has collected those steals in only 56 attempts, for an astonishing success rate of 89%.

For Brock, whose daring has helped keep the Cards in first place in the National League's Eastern Division, the assault on Wills' record is only the latest feat in his 14 years of pilfering. He already ranks fifth (after Cobb, Eddie Col lins, Max Carey and Honus Wagner) in lifetime steals (685), and holds the major league record for the most seasons (ten) with 50 or more stolen bases. Cincinnati's Superstar Catcher Johnny Bench, who has the best throwing arm in baseball, admits, "There just isn't any way to stop Brock if he gets a decent lead."

Crucial Fraction. That is quite a compliment for a man who moves on 35-year-old legs. At an age when Ty Cobb was able to steal only nine bases in a season and Wills had slowed down to 52, Brock looks as streamlined as he did a decade ago. He stands 5 ft. 11 in. and weighs a trim 170 lbs. Stop watches have clocked his dash from first to second at 3.5 sec., half a second better than the average baserunner. It is a crucial fraction. "It takes a pitcher an average of eight-tenths of a second to deliver the ball from a set position," explains the analytical Brock. "Add to that the time it takes the catcher to handle the ball and make his throw, and you've got a total of 3.5 seconds for the ball to reach second base. So the only thing that can beat me is a perfect throw."

Besides sheer speed, Brock has a gift for anticipating pitchers' moves. "Every pitcher has a body cadence and rhythm," says Brock. "Once you've learned to read it, you can tell whether he is about to make a pick-off throw, and you can know exactly when you can start toward second." When on first, Brock silently counts a cadence that is synchronized to the pitcher's delivery:

one--two--three for a hurler who pauses long in the set position or one-two-three for someone faster. On three, which should be the precise moment the pitcher has committed himself to throw home, Brock starts his dash.

Brock also takes some educated guesses before he runs. Because curve balls take a fraction of a second longer to reach the catcher than fast balls, Brock prefers to run when he thinks a curve is coming. He figures the odds by studying the habits of catchers and attempting to guess when they will call for breaking pitches.

Despite his remarkable start this season, Brock faces a major obstacle in surpassing Wills' single-season record. In 1962 Wills stole third 16 times. Brock, though he has a green light from his manager to run any tune, has stolen third only three times this year. "I'm not very good at it because I haven't practiced it much," he admits. "Unless you can be successful at least two out of three times, it's gambling instead of base stealing."

Arrogance Helps. Even if he did try to steal third more often, Brock would still face what Wills recalls as "the sleepless nights in September when the pain from the constant pounding keeps you up all night. After you hit 80, the other players gun for you. The first baseman slams you with his mitt on pick-off attempts, the pitcher concentrates on getting you instead of the batter, and the catcher isn't even behind the plate. On my last steal in 1962, the catcher was over in the batter's box waiting to throw me out."

"Arrogance," which Wills says is a requirement for stealing 100 bases or more, is not easy for the softspoken, unassuming Brock. He lives quietly in St.

Louis in the offseason, tending to a flock of lucrative endorsements and businesses, including a flower shop. With the most punishing steals ahead and an annual salary of $120,000 guaranteed, what keeps the son of a poor Louisiana family running? "Stealing is the most dramatic moment of the game," says Brock passionately. "The pitcher knows you're going, the crowd knows you're going, you know you're going. When you succeed, it's a great feeling. Nothing upsets the other team as much as a stolen base." The way he is going, the National League could learn to hate Lou Brock before this season is over.

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