Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-03-31
BEHIND THE MASK.
How the Base Ball CRtchsr's Max Wa
InJroduced-A College Mans InventioI

How the Base Ball CRtehsr's Max Was
Introduoed-A College Mans Invention.
No base ball catcher thinks OF playing
behind the bat now without having his
head encased in mask. In fact, it would
be almost suicidal to attempt to catch
the riile-shot pitching OF the present day
without wearing this greatest invention
IN the base ball world. Even the small
boys who play the game on the common
and vacant lots about the city provide
their backstOps with the regulation wire
cage. The fact that there are about
l2,OOO catchePs masks sold every year
shows the universal use of this invention.
Comparatively few people VINO are in
terested in the national game to-day
know that professionals owe this neces-
sary implement of warfare to an anna
teur. II was conceived in the ingenious
brain OF Harvard college student, who
was one OF the best players IN his day,
and probably as good a captain as the
University nine ever bad. In the winter
OF 'l6 and ~ the candidates for the Har-
ward nine were Dracticing in
the gymnasium. Although straight
arm pitching was still in
vogue, Ernst, the pitcher, had a re-
markedly swift delivery, and after
awhile Tying, the catcher, informed Capt.
mayer, who was training the team, that
be would not catch such pitching unless
he could have some cOntriYanoe to pro-
tect his face. Thayer knew that without
Tying the nine could do nothing, because
Ernst would be useless. He immediately
went to work on the matter. and for a
While he dreamed Of fencing masks and,
bent wires. Various experiments were
tried and finally he completed a crude but.
satisfactory protection Tor Tyng's
physiognomy. This was accomplished in
the spring or III, and though Thayer had
spoken Of his success to some of the pro-
fessional players in Boston, none Of them
saw the mask until one day shortly before
The season of 1877 opened, when it was
brought out.
1t was a cumbersome affair and re-
sembled fencing mask, except that it
had the chin and forehead rests. The
patent, in fact, is on these rests, which
form the essential features Of the whole
thing.
The first game in which the mask was.
seen was at Lynn, when the BarVards
played the club of that place and TYng
wore the "cage," as the spectators. called
1t. "A little later the HarVards played the
Bostons, and Tying wore bis mask. The
spectators we're universally amused, aud
wanted him to ''take of the muzZ1e - and
"try it without bird cage" TheBoston;
catcher tried 1t, but he could not see with
II, and 1t was not used during the season
OF III in Boston. Some professionals
adopted it, but it was not until the next.
season, in 1878, that.the Boston club be-
gan to use 1t. The catchers who had
laughed at it saw its value. and very soon
every backstOp in the country wore a,
mask.
The mask Of to-day is very different from.
the original one. When IL first came into
use it was very large, and the front line
was further away from the face than at
present. In front it was made like the
bow of vessel, ahd.so made that ball
striking it on either side of the ridge
would glance of.
Ali Improvements in the mask have
been to make it more compact by bring
ing the front nearer the face. The mask
as made at present is heavier than the,
original STYLE, though smaller. Ii also
has openings through which the catcher
can see. Before the mask came into use
there was many aibroken nose among the
catchers, but cow the only injury is a
slight cut from an occasional broken
wire,