Goldsboro semi-weekly argus., 1909-05-22
FEW GOOD CATCHERS
Classy Backstops Are In Great
Demand Now.
BUSIEST POSITION OF ALL

SOs.Os -
Work of Receiver Hardest of Any on
Team-But Four Men Now In Major
Leagues Are Considered Real Stars. |
is the Spitball the Cause?
It is a remarkable fact that, while
there are hundreds Of young men play
Ing ball today as against dozens twen-
ty years ago. there has been a marked
decrease in the number Of really first
class catchers-catchers Of the class of
Ewing, Bennett Clements and others
Of twenty-five years ago. Just why
there should be such pronounced lack
of good backstops no one familiar with
the game can understand In the old
days the boys on the lots thought the
greatest honor was behind the bat,
then in the pitchers box, then the in
field and after that the outfield.
There are those whot maintain that
the Introduction Of the spitball has
much to do with the decadence Of the
catchers. Undoubtedly the moist de-
livery has initiated against the back
stop, just as 1t sometimes makes an
infelder look foolish after having made
a particularly brilliant stop. That
would be persuasive at least were 1t
not for the fact that the decline In the
collective skill Of the men behind the
bat had not been noted and comment
ed upon before Jack Chesbro had per-
fected the offensive but effective spit
bah. It canAot be due to any differ
ence In the matter Of speed, for many
of the old timers named did their best
work receiving when the pitchers were
privileged to take a hop, skip and a
| jump and fire the ball from any angle
from the forty-dve foot line. Nor can
1t be due to any decline in the physical
conformation Of the men who are now
doing the backstopping, for, II any
thing, they seem to be running bigger
and stronger than the old timers.
There are but four truly high class
receivers at present in the game, and
two Of these, Sullivan Of the Chicago
Americans and Criger of the st. Louis
Browns, are either at their prime or
| going back, while the two others, Bres-
nahan of the St. Louis Nationals and
King Of the Cubs. are far from young
sters. When looking back it is remark
able to note how long since a high
class receiver has developed. At the
present rate of supply the crop will
soon die out. Charley Doom Of the
Philadelphia Nationals Is the one ca
pabIe receiver OF recent development.
and there is hardly another one who
can be thought of that ranks with
stars Of the King, Bresnahan, Sullf-
van or Cr1ger style.
Here is Criger, an old man as base
ball goes, not overstrong, a man &c
skinny he appears In imminent dan.
ger, Of breaking In two every time
he throws to second base, a man with
not more than three or four years OF
baseball service in him at the most
commanding $1,000 and a young per
son in trade. Why? Because he Is rea
catcher. Every ball club IN either ma
| jor league has at least one topnotcl
pitcher who can NOW down the oppo
sition with considerable ease and
whose services would command many
dollars If he were put on the market
How many good catchers are there
that is, just catchers. with no refer
ence to hitting or base running ability
The classy catcher is a rare bird. Il
often looks as though the maGnates
spend too much time and money try
ing to build up great pitching staff
| without seeking good receivers. O.
course these same good receivers are
| few and far between Probably the
chances of INJURY and the thankless
, ness of the job make youthful base
ball aspirants steer clear of the catch
ing positions. Go out and catch a goo(
4 game and you are credited with doint
what you were paid for. Have a few
passed balls and make a wild throw o.
two and the populace rises up ant
howls it's shame such a good pitches
can't get little support. The catches
rather than the pitcher, however, Il
) the handspring of the baseball ma
: chine Being stationed behind th'
batsman, he has greater opportunftie
than the pitcher for observing what ,
certain batter cap and cannot hft
Knowing the man with whom b.
works, he can tell If his curves ar
breaking right, can make him worl
slowly If inclined to hurry, and max
him hustle If inclined to slowness.
The catcher is the chief watcher O
the bases when occupied, passes tn
| signals for the pitcher throwing t
| catch runners too far from the bag
and signals the proper time for deliy
| ering the bail to the bat.
Aside from all this mental effort. b
: must snatch off any sort of curve tn
pitcher let's loose, must dig up will
r pitches that go into the ground an,
r must chase the elusive foul fly. III
D must block runners who slide into th
plate and must take his turn at bat
D These few things are calculated
j keep man Of average intellect an
t physical ability quite busy. Yet th
catcher, so the fanatic thinks. is
q mere machine to stop the curves tn
- pitcher throws and the batter misses
Catching is a difficult job In NOR
ways than one, and good catchers ar
scarce. How often has It been ol
= :, served that many young pitchers 6
alang as only ordinary performers III
til some smooth, heady catcher cor
8 mences to work with them, and the