Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-09-10
TRAINING rHE cAroHER.
How He Should Begin work-Toushen-
 ing the Hands.

ing the Hands.
 The training of the catcher has in it less Eariety, and is in consequence far more edious than that of the pitcher. The work of strengthening the muscles of he shoulder and arm is the same as that described for the pitchers; but in the throwing practice the catcher should ievote his attention to the short-arm throw. He should begin at the short distance of perhaps fifty feet and in- crease that distance very gradually. In fact, he ought, even when he can readi- ly 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 any thing 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 con- dition.
 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 his 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 low ceiling Is the best thing possible for him, as 1t forces hum to throw hard and on line. A point of Catcher's prac- tice, which does not enter into the work of the pitcher, is that of toughening the hands. Rowing oH the machines, climb ing the rope, swinging on the flying rings, and hand-ball, if there be any court for that excellent game, will all tend toward thls end. He should con- sider, however, that it is not merely topgbcning the Sk of the hands that is desirable, but also hardening the flesh so that it is not easily bruised. For this reason hs 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 any thing beyond moderate tingling of the palms. His hands should receive their full preparatory hardening before he goes out into the field, for ordinary IHdG ne SnOulu no catching behind the bat after the season commences except with hands thoroughly protected by well-padded gloves. What is commonly called ''stone bruise" Is one of the tenderest and most lasting mementoes of careless ness in this respect.
 In his gymnasium practice he should year the mask. This seems to most catchers a useless bore; but the captain or coach should insist upon it, and the mask should become almost a part of the catcher himself. All his throwing and passing should be performed with his eyes behind its wires, in order that, from becoming thoroughly accustomed to it, it may add no inconvenience to his work. The breastplate need not be so vigorously insisted upon, but even this should be worn frequently. The right hand glove must always be worn when practicing throwing, in order that this also shall offer no unusual difficulty in the later work. Many a catcher may think that it looks silly to stand up with a mask and glove on to throw at a mark; but there is every reason for do- ing this, and he will himself appreciate the value of such practice when he stands accoutered on the field behind the batsmap and with a runner on first.
 As often as it is convenient. the catcher, particularly if a novice, should have some one to swing the bat before him while he is passing ball" in the gymnasium. By the time he gets out of-doors, he should be thoroughly accus- toned to the close proximity of the bats man.-Walter Camp. in St. Nicholas.