The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-06
MUCH DEPENDS
on THE CATCHER
Headwork Behind the Bat
Quite Necessary to Success
of Baseball Team.

Crack pitchers are all right-a base
ball team has to have them to win
pennant. So also are strong batters
winner needs them in its business as
base runners. clever team play, and
skillful fielders.
All of these things go to make
championship combinations on the
diamond. Nevertheless, teams that
have won pennants and have not had
capable, brainy catchers are as scarce
as hens teeth. OF the long list of
pennant-winning teams dating back
into the '70s, hardly one has not had
first-class catcher, catcher who
backs up mechanical skill with an
alert mind that takes in all that is
going on; and in a measure oversees
and maneuvers the plan of battle.
The catcher stands there behind the
bat inning after inning and game
after game, taking a pounding and
filling less spectacular role than any
other member OF the nine. His work
is not as snowy. Specifically viewed,
he is more of a dray horse than any
other of his fellows. but in reality he
is a great power in teams success,
though often he doesn't come in for
as much credit as the players who
work more in the open, so to speak.
Good Catchers Scarce.
Catchers of the strictly first class
are scarcer than the occupants of any
other position, and the records show
that the teams that have had heady
catchers to coach and steady pitchers,
to study the weakness of batters. to
stop plays on the bases, and to keep
a supervising eye on the infield and
outfield as the batting peculiarities of
the different opponents require, are
the teams that have won champion
ships.
In the old National league days of
'76 the Chicagos won the pennant, and
they had for chief catcher Jim White,
a backstop who used his head. Lew
Brown, who caught for the champion
Bostons of 1877. was another thinking
catcher, as was Charley. Snyder, who
caught for the Bostons when they won
the pennant in 1878. Here is list of
the pennant winners from that day
down to the present, together with the
.aprincipal catchers. and there isn't
backstop in the list who didn't use
Ills uCdu as WCAA 40 AAo oAoAuSs
1879, Providence. Lew Brown; 80
Bosom, Myrtle Hackett and Mike
Nava; 'S5 and 'S6, Chicago. Flint; SO,
Chicago. Mike Kelly; ~. Detroit,
Bennett and Camel; 'sS and 'S9. New
York, Buck Ewing; go, Brooklyn, Doc
Bushong and Tom Daley; 81. '92 and
'93, Boston, Bennett. Camel and Kel-
ly; '94, '95 and go, Baltimore. Robin
son; 81 and '9s, Boston, Martin Ber-
gen; '99 and 1900, Brooklyn, Charlie
Farrell and Jim MCGUIRE; '01, 'O2 and
'03, Pittsburg, thinner; '04 and 'O5,
New York, Bresnahan; '06. Chicago,
King.
Receiver Controls Game.
Thus 1t will be seen that each pen
nant winner was equipped with at
least one backstop OF the first class
first class particularly in gray matter;
good generals as we'll as good re-
ceivers. The records show that In one
year Flint had sixty-four passed balls,
but the increased size of the glove
has had much to do with the improved
fielding records of the catcher. Flint
had one fielding average of $40; Ew-
ing one of 1861, with sixty-five passed
balls; Bushong one OF 1929, with only
eleven passed balls; whereas, among
more recent averages are those OF
.914 for Robinson, .942 for Farrell, and
Kings exceptional average of 1882,
made last year.
Great catchers were Bennett. Mar
tin. Bergen, Robinson and Farrell.
And great present day catchers are
Roger Bresnahan and Johnny King,
both identified strongly with pennant
winners and pronounced factors in the
success of the New York and Chicago