Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1907-10-13
BALL PLAYERS
MAY Use ARMOR
HEADGEAR LATEST INVENTION
TO PROTECT BATTER FROM
WILD PITCHERS.

idea to the amusement OF the ian
and small boy who attend the game.
The pad is about three inches thick
and plastered on the side of the head
from the shoulder to the top of the
coco.
Most of the pitchers take shot at
the new mask and have Freddie
ducking like deer hit with an ak,
and while the whole thing makes it
plain that Parent has grown coward
ly when facing the shoots of the wild
pitchers, yet it will be matter of
only short time until large num-
Der of players will be wearing pro-
tectors for the head when facing the
speedy pitchers of the present time.
The remarkable part of the game
is the way the batsmen can avoid
being badly injured by pitched balls
thrown from all angles and with
variety Of curves and shoots that
would puzzle a shadow With the
number of players receiving serious
injuries from sharp spikes and play
ers forced to wear armor plate it
looks very much as If the game was
growing to be a dangerous PROPOSE
ton. Spikes must be done away
with, new and lighter protection
| for the head must be invented for the
safety of the valuable players who
have become valuable assets for the
clubs
Years ago the players faced the
music without pads, masks or gloves
and were usually sight after hard
game, remember paragraph from
the Danbury News that hit the nail
! on the head: "A local baseball en-
thusiast is getting up ball of iron
filled with nitro-glycerine which will
explode on being caught and tear the
hands to ribbons. This will be more
wearing on the players than the pres
ent ball in use, but will be more hui
NAME"
The introduction of mitts, pads
and masks reduced the necessity for
arnica and bandages, but helped the
men with the sporting goods to dis
pose of all his wares until the time
will come when ball players will be
covered with protectors.
Up to 1877 all the catchers
thought of for projection was hunk
of rubber to hold between the teeth.
Dug Allison about this time introduc-
ed a glove with the fingers cut out.
Then came the introduction of the
mask. The Harvard boys had 4
strong team with the exception of
catcher. Jim Tying was doing the
| backstopping for DR.. Harold Ernst,
and together with Fred Thayer they
rugged up an old fencing mask and
after several weeks practice Tying
was in trim to appear at the South
End grounds against the profession
ais. Later the mask was improved
on and became of general use. The
pad was invented by Hartford man
and first worn by professional at
the South End grounds at Boston by
James H. O'Rourke in II the year
after the mask was introduced. 1t
took the catchers some time to grow
! accustomed to wires, but all were in
praise Of the chest protector from
the start. The big NIT came by
natural evolution from the kid glove
until now one wonders how the catch
ers can carry the clumsy things
about. First basemen, too, must
now wear big mitts and often ham,
mer holes in them until 1t would be
about as fair to play with scoop
net. Take away the big mitts from
all but the catchers and the game
| would show more science, but 1t
would kill off two-thirds of the pro-
fession, and this would not be relish
ed by the fans who must have their
baseball from the Everglades of
| Florida to the icy peaks of the north.
The appliance now being tested by
Fred Parent was invented by Bob
Reach of Philadelphia about four
years ago and has not caught on, it
being altogether too clumsy. The
cricket pads were first used in a ball
game by James H. O'Rourke of
Bridgeport. Connecticut, two years
ago, and will surely become fashion
able with the catchers, who must
necessarily protect their limbs from
the murderous spikes. At first it
looked all out of order, but the more
see of the shin pads the better I
like them. only that shin pads and
not padded leggins should be used.
The time was when the players would
polish up their long sharp spikes and
then dazzle the catcher with the sight
before they started for the home
base. No player should be put in po-
sition to fear the runner while taken
/ a fhvou,r ~ haffod ha1f Thu foIdo.p