Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-03-28
LEAGUE TRIES OUT
MANY BACKSTOPS
Veteran Catchers Are Very
Scarce in the American
Circuit.

In their scramble to develop classy
backstops the American League managers
| have tried out almost 100 catchers in
seven seasons. or the receivers who were
| in the league in 1902. which was the first
| season that the circuit assumed really big
| league proportions, there are only five left
today. the quintet being composed Of Be
mis- and Mcclure of the Maps. Sullivan OF
| the White Sox. Criger of the Browns and
Powers Of the Athletics-Powers. Sullivan
and Benis being the only ones who will
| catch for the same clubs in 1893 as in
1862
| The others who were catching for the
American League clubs seven years ago
were Mcfarland for Chicago, Bobby
Wood for Cleveland. Buelow for Detroit,
Mike Kahoe, Joe Sugden and "Jiges''
Donohue for st. Louis. Schreck for Phil
| adelphia. Warner for Boston. Bill Clarke
and Lew Drill for Washington and Rob
inson. Smith. and Bresnahan for Balti-
more.
With White Sox.
| Since then Chicago has tried ont Stat
terry, Roth. Hart. Armbruster (secured
from Boston, Shaw (who came the same
| route). Weaver. Payne and Schreck.
| Bobby Wood has had as successors
Fred Abbott. Mig" Clarke. Buelow, Kilt
| redge, Wakefield. Davidson and Land.
Davidson, however caught SO few innings
that he can scarcely be counted.
Detroit started out with Mcclure and
Buelow in 1862 and has since used Nc
Allister, Wood. Beville. Warner. Drill.
| Doran. Payne. Schmidt. Archer and
Thomas. Now Beckentiorf and Stanage
are added TO the list for 1909.
McAleer has used twelve or so in his
anxiety to get a winner Kahoe. Sugden
and DonOhue were his first backstops at
st. Louis They were succeeded by Spen-
Stephens, Blue and Smith. with Criger as
the mainstay for the approaching season.
Connie Mack managed to get along with
fewer receivers than any OF his rivals.
For years Schreck and Powers did all the
catching, with occasional assistance from
\ooman in 1904 and Smith Blue. Lapp
and Egan last season.
Boston Uses Many Catchers.
| Boston had a long string OF catchers.
Warner and Criger were the backstops in
1902. Jake Stahl caught a few games the
next year. while Duke Farrell helped
out in 1oo3 and 1904 Then came a long
list Of youngsters. McGovern. Armbrus-
ter. Graham. Carrigan. Peterson and
Donohue, with one veteran Shaw. thrown
in for good measure. In addition to Car
rigan and Donohue. Manager Lake will
have Spencer and Madden on his roster
this year
New York did not break into the lea que
until 1903 O'Connor and Reville were
Slated to do the catching. Nineteen hun
dred and four, however. found Mcclure
and kleinow the job. Ira Thomas
Hickey. Blair and Sweeney being added
later.
Washington had quite a bunch of
catchers in seven years. Clarke and
Drill being followed by Kittredge Hey
don. Warner. Wakefield. Blankensfip and
Street
The above list has included about all
the catchers that caught enough games
to get their names into the records. Of
course, there were others who were tried
| oct but who failed to participate In many
games.
1t shows that only five catchers have
had seven years experience in the league
with Klenow being five-year man and
Spencer and Mig Clarke four-year men.
Schmidt Thomas and Payne have been
in the league three years. but most of the
others have been in the circuit but one
or two years. while several. touted as
classy receivers. have yet to catch an
American League game.