The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-08-19
A GOOD CATCHER
IS REQUIREMENT
JackIitsch Says that the Back
stop Is Hardest Worked
Man on Team.
GOOD ONES VERY SCARCE
OWING TO DANCERS ATTACHED
TO THE POSITION MANY PASS
IT up-HEADWoRk Is NEEDED
BEHIND BAT.
No.xIx.

0y rNSO JANNA1 SNI1s
Copyright, 1910. by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
Do l consider the catcher the hard
est worker on q baseball team? My
answer Ia yes. A major league back
stop. particularly under the present
system. which In most cases requires
the first string catcher to work in FIVE
out Of seven games. has the hardest
job In baseball aside from the mana
ger. Furthermore. 1t is safe to say
most Of the present day catchers are
assistant managers and do more think.
ing than perhaps the men who are
earning their managerial salaries
There are times when the real mana
ger is idle on the field. He may be
working with bis brains. but not with
his hands. or vice versa.
There is no time when good
catcher is not employed busily. men.
tally or physically. The ball Is in his
hands oftener than any one else's save
the pitchers. and he is forced to keep
his mind working all the time. what
ever the status Of the game. In these
days Of spitball pitching a catcher has
enough to do with his mitt and hand.
let alone his brains. ..
Crack twirlers are all right. A base
ball team has to have them to win q
pennant. So also are strong batters
handy to have around. A pennant win
ner needs them IN ITS business as well
rs the players who think. Speedy base
runners. clever team play and skilled
nelders-all of these go to make cham
pionship combinations on the diamond.
Nevertheless teams that have won pen.
nants and have not had capable catch
ers, brainy catchers. are very few.
The backstop stands there inning
after inning and game after game.
taking u pounding and flling. less
spectacular figure than any other player
on the team. His work Is not snowy.
Specifically viewed. he is more Of q
dray horse than>any one Of his fellows,
but In reality he is great power in
q teams success. though often he
doesn't come In for us much credit as
the players who work more In the
open. SO to speak.
Catchers of the first class are
scarcer than occupants Of any other
position. and the records show that
the teams that have had heady back
stops to coach and steady the pitchers.
to study the weakness of batters. to
stop plays on the bases and to keep q
supervising eye on the adjustment OF
the infield and outfield az the batting
peculiar rites of the different opponents
require are the teams that have won
championships. 4
OF the long list Of pennant winning
teams dating back into the seventies
hardly one has not had Il first class
catcher who backs up mechanically,
with an alert mind that takes In all
that Is going on. and IN measure over
sees and maneuvers the plan Of battle.
Although there are many catchers
In the big leagues today. NO two work
alike. That's undoubtedly the reason
catchers who go through game after
game without hurting their hands
usually suffer the most punishment
around their legs or shoulders.
There are number Of catchcrs who
are superstitious Some won't permit
the others to touch his glove lest some
hoodoo might follow. Nearly every
catcher has his own model. the same
Al batters have their favorite stick.
The gloves are made to order. and I'll
bet there are more than hundred
different designs. which proves that
backstops have their little eccentrici-
ties. - .4