The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-03-31
SAYS COBB IS
A BONEHEAD

Lou Criger does not seem to be over
afflicted with modesty. and when In
terviewed recently at Houston, Texas,
did not overlook many chances to pat
one L. Criger on the back. Neither did
he neglect to hand out a few knocks,
Ty Cobb and Freddie Parent being re-
membered by the famous catcher.
Here is what he says:
"A catcher is the most important
man on the team, and when McGraw
told you different he knew better. Why,
they tell me that Ty Cobb is a great
baserunner. Maybe he is. but / never
had any trouble with him. Why, he
only got away with me twice in two
years that have been playing against
him. Most of his good base running
call bone-headed work. And one OF
these two times he tried the delayed
steal; that is, started when he thought
was going to return the ball to the
pitcher, and then had him by twenty
feet, but the second baseman was
away behind the bag and waited for
him and Cobb slid away around and
stuck his foot on the bag. Ty is fast
''No, I've got his goat and I'VE got
the rest of the tiger bunch, too. Cobb
tried to lock me last summer and /
went after him and have been after
him ever since. used to say to him.
Look out, Ty, this fellow is as wild
as a hawk and he's liable to crack
you on the head And then I'D signal
for one right at his head. Bling! Down
he'd drop and when he'd get up the
fight was all out of him and he couldn't
hit a stationary balloon.
you know you can kid a batter I'M
til he won't know where he's at
pestered that crowd so much that they
came around and begged me to let up.
They said we had nothing to gain and
they might lose the pennant.
you see, we made the tigers look
like thirty cents last fall in Detroit
when we beat 'em three straight. Jen-
nings wouldn't even get off the bench.
Where catcher is extremely val
liable is in coaching the kid pitchers.
Look how Morgan, Cicotie, Arellanes
and Steele developed last year. and
watch and see where they finish this
year.
Fl worked hard with those boys. and
used to say to them, Now try and
remember, so l won't have to tell you
SO often
They talk about throwing arms.
Why, my arm is as good as it ever
was. It's an ossified arm, like 'Cy'
Youngs," said Lou with a wink.
Then / throw with the thumb under
the ball and two fingers above.
Nov, the way / throw the ball, it
rotates backward and has an upward
tendency, with the thumb exposed, and
that gives 1t the downward effect, like
the billiard draw shot, ball that hurts
to catch.
But there's something else besides
the throwing of the ball; that's the
man at the other end, who catches it.
In Hobe Ferris, Bobby Wallace and
Jimmy Williams we ave hree great
men on thrown ball. Why, when
Hobe played second for the Bostons
and Parent was at short, I'll bet Par
ent let fifty runners away from him,
and don't remember 'Hobe' losing one
OF them. And 1t was the same way in
1908, with Wagner at short and Nc
Connell at second. Mcdonnell simply
wasn't there at putting it on the run
ner.
Gee, I'd like to have caught those
worlds championship games for De-
troit. can't understand what was the
matter with Smith, unless he was
scared.
He did some nice work last year.
Why, those cubs just played hide and
seek on the bases with him, and that's
another instance of how important a
catcher is to a team.
Il wanted to get with the Browns
last summer, and If / had 1 think we