Brenham weekly banner. [volume] (Brenham, Tex.) 1877-1907, 1890-10-16
A PROFESSIONAL eAcKsToP.
How Baseball Catcher Should Train
for His Seasons Work.

for His Seasons Work.
The training of the catcher has in il
less variety, and is in consequence fal
more tedious than that of the pitcher.
The work of strengthening the muscles
of the shoulder and arm is the same as
that described for the pitcher; but in
the throwing practice the catcher
should devote his attention to the
shortarm throw. He should begin at
the short distance of perhaps fifty feet,
and increase that distance very gradu-
ally. In fact, he ought, even when he
can readily throw the full distance
from home to second with comparative
ease, to do most of his throwing at two
thirds that distance. After the nine
has begun to work in the field it is not
advisable for the catcher to throw to
second anything like the number of
times the majority of amateurs attempt
daily. Only after the nine has been
out of doors for two or three weeks Is
so much of the full distance throwing
safe for any catcher who wishes to have
his arm in good condition
The position of the feet in throwing
is all important. If he be a strong man
of moderate weight he can and should
throw without changing the position of
the feet. To this object his gymnasium
practice should be devoted. Standing
steadily upon his feet in the exact po-
sition assumed at the moment of catch
ing the ball, he should, with slight
swing at the hips, be able to send the
ball down. Throwing in a cage with
a low ceiling is the best thing possible
for him, as it forces him to throw hard
and on a line.
APPOINT of catcher's practice, which
does not enter into the work of the
pitcher, is that of toughening the
hands. Rowing on the machines, climb
ing the rope, swinging on the flying
rings and handball, if there are any
courts for that excellent game, will all
tend toward this end. He should con-
slider, however, that it is not merely
toughening the skin of the hands that
is desirable, but also hardening the
flesh SO that it is not easily bruised. For
this reason he should pass ball" with
out gloves regularly every day.
AT the outset he should receive no
swift balls, and should stop at the first
feeling of anything beyond a moderate
tingling of the palms. His hands should
receive their full preparatory hardening
before he goes out into the field, for
carefulness demands that he
should, do no catching behind the bat
after the season commences except with
hands thoroughly protected by well
padded gloves. What is called a stone
oruise Is one of the tenderest and most
asting mementoes of carelessness h this
aspect. In his gymnasium practice he
hould wear the mask. This seems to
most catchers useless bore, but the cap
ain or coach should insist upon it, and
he mask should become almost part of
he catcher himself All his throwing
nd catching should be performed with
is eyes behind its wires, in order that,
rom becoming thoroughly accustomed
0 it, it may add no inconvenience to
is work.
The breastplate need not be so rigor-
Isly insisted upon, but even this I
hould be worn frequently. The right
and glove must always be worn when !
racticing throwing, in order that this
lso shall offer no unusual difficulty in .
he later work. Many catcher may
link that it looks silly to stand I'D
18th a mask and glove on TO throw
mark; but there is every reason .
Or doing this, and he Will himself ap-
rebate the value of such practice =
hen he stands accoutered on the field I
ehind the batsman and with a runner
4 first Il
AS often as it is convenient the
ltcher, particularly if novice, should v
ave some one swing the bat before IL
m while he is passing ball" in the a
By the time he gets out
doors he should be thoroughly &C.
STONED to the close proximity of the Il
ltsman--Walter Camp in st. Nicho- a
8. II