Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-27
YOUNG AND CR|CER
NEED EACH OTHER
Catcher Not Very Successful
When Working Behind
Young Pitchers.

Will the departure of Lou Crtser. the
famous catcher. from Boston result III
shortening the career Of Cy Young as
pitchero
Will another OF the Boston catchers,
CarriSan Donohue or Spencer. he able
to pilot the Red Sox. with old Cy pitching,
to victory
Will old Cy be compelled to retire be
fore the day he has been pushing ever
backward and farther backward, now
that he will no longer work with his old
side partner?
These arc questions that not only Bos
ton fans but base ball followers the
country over have been asking since the
CriSer-Spcucor deal won't through and
they seem unable to find a suitable an
sHer.
There is no denying that Cy Youngs
success in a great measure was due to
the wonderful catching Of Io, C1gcr
Cy says so himself Critics all over the
American League circuit have been OF
this opinion. while the fans have never
mentioned either name without thinking
the other with it.
Cy and Lou have been bosom friends,
chums and battery pals for number of
years. They have had the greatest faith
and confidence in each others ability
and. working together, they made a bat
terry that was dreaded by opposing teams
SO long had they worked together that
during the past several wears each came
to look upon the other as part of him
self
Old Cy trusted implicitly in the judS
ment of Criger at any and all stages OF
hntt, 1Do hn,
that Lou might be in the wrong. He
recalls only one occasion where he In
sisted on pitching ball the direct oppo-
site Of what Criger had called for. The
batter hit safely. scored two runs ana
won the game. Since that time Cy say
he has never questioned Criger's signals
and he has never regretted the faith he
reposed In him.
Trade Grieves Old Cy.
When the announcement was made that
Cr,ger had caught his last game AS a
Boston Red Sox there was none who re-
GREETED it more than the big rail splitter
of Tuscarawas county. He did not learn
OF the deal that separated him from his
old pal until several days after 1t had
been consummated He was at his home
in Paoli and those who were present at
the time said that grand old Cy could not
refrain 1IOfh StS IilS. ihCS "OiS AioAiS-''
tears. wept because Of the regret and sor-
row that come with parting with a good
friend.
None realized better than Cy Young
himself how valuable Lou Crieer had
been to him. The realization was forced
home upon Young three seasons since
when Criger was out of the game practl-
cally all season because of illness. That
year was the worst in Young's glorious
career. He appeared to be lost without
hi old fn 6irocf the line of hattie
Young had very successful season In
1908 and naturally everybody attributed
it to the backstop work Of Lou Criger as
much as any one thing. Cy won twenty
one games, lost eleven and pitched a tie
Criger worked IN nineteen of the vic
tories, ten defeats and the tie game. Car
rigan worked In one victory and one DE-
feat and Donohue in a victory. In the
game won which Carr1gan Is credited
with having caught, Criger worked the
first seven innings. being relieved by Car
rigan after giving way to a batter, and
Boston won out in the eleventh inning
Criger in Low-Hit Games.
or the ten games which Young lost
with Criger catching, six were by the
narrow margin of one run and three by
scores of 1 to 0. In the thirty games in
which Criger was the man behind, Young
allowed but 200 hits, or less than seven
to a game 1t was with Criger working
with him that the veteran succeeded in
pitching a one-hit game against Wash
ington and held New York without a hit
in nine innings, only one man reaching
first on base on balls Criger throwing
him out trying to steal. 1t was with
Criger behind the bat that old Cy sue
ceeded in pitching three shut-out games,
held opposing teams to one run In four
teen other games. winning eleven and los
ing three 1t was with Criger Catching
that he pitched five four-hit games, four
Of which he won
There is no denying that Criger was
tower Of strength to the veteran Young
There Is no denying that Cy will miss
him. There Is no denying that YounGs
career as a big league pitcher may be
shortlived as a result of the deal which
separates him from his old battery part
ner.
Cy, however, Is philosophical. He has
decided to make the best of the deal. He
says Boston has couple OF brilliant
Young catchers in Carrigan and DonOhue.
to say nothing of Big Ed Spencer, and
he is confident he will do almost as we'll
with them on the receiving end as when
Criger handled his fast ones. Although
his 1906 record stares him in the face,
Young insists that his 1909 season with
out Crieer will surpass that OF three sea-
sons back. Carrgan and Peterson We're
the other Boston catchers In 1908, but
the Carrigan of today and the one of
three years ago Is like comparing Sui
q
again. Donohue and Spencer are both SUI
perior to Peterson.
Not Successful Behind Youngsters.
Strangely enough, Criger's greatest sue
cess was while lie was catching the vet
eran Young. Behind him he had win
ming percentage Of 900. His percentage
for the season was .541. Lou catching in
forty games won by Boston and in thirty
four defeats. This means that behind the
young pitchers he won twenty-one and
lost twenty-four games, d percentage of
only .466. Donohue did Just about as
well behind the kid pitchers, winning
Carrigau was close up with seventeen VIC
tories and twenty-five defeats.
While his work when catching Young
stamps him as one OF the best CatcherS
in the league. s:i1l Criger did not shine IN
catching the other Boston pitchers. He
didn't have a thing on his teammates,
and the chances arc they may display as
much class with old Cy in 1909 as old
CriGer in past seasons. They have not
had the same chance Criger TO show
just what they can do behind the veteran
In long string Of garN0.
Capt. Harry Davis is immensely pleased
with the Athletics acquisition of Catcher
Ira Thomas. Said Davis Yesterday:
Thomas is big, strong fellow, who
should develop into one of the best catch
ers in the business. He has had lots of
experience. and Is pretty nearly the FIN
stop and quick, hard. accurate thrower
He is always on his toes, ready for &C
ton. and watches the bases well. Being
an intelligent fellow, he should make