Evening journal., 1910-08-22
CATCHERS FEAR
THE FOUL TIPS
Unexpected Balls From the
Bat Prove Bane Of Many
Players
BROKEN FINGERS
COMMON COMMON AMONG MEN

Some catchers must have been
born under lucky stars. Certainly I
wasn't" says Tom Needham. a veteran
big league catcher. when baseball
fans discuss the various players with
perfect hands few stop to consider the
backstops who have been in the game
year after year without sustaining in
juries other than slight dislocations.
But the doctors and surgeons have
been busy lot of men affixing finger
splints and binding up the tape since
baseball was adopted as the national
pastime. Speaking OF the disabled
catchers, it happens to be my lot TO
register among the badly bent species.
Ten years ago I had two perfect
hands. Save for a few scars which
bore mute testimony to my greenness
as tanner Of white rats and a group
of freckles there wasn't a blemish to
look at them.
Foul tips, the bane of all catchers,
have altered the general appearance
of my paws. The fingers OF my right
hand have been manned or splinte ed
so often l can scarcely cite all the
instances. II was one of George Null
Inns fast balls, accompanied by a
foul tip, that smashed the little finger
of the pegging hand years ago, when
I was connected with the Grand Rap
ids, of the Interstate League. Charles
Pittinger. now dead. broke the first
finger of the same hand in 1904. The
gnarled effect of my index finger
speaks for the speed of Oscar Street.
That happened while / was catching
with the Wheeling club.
"Oftentimes catchers. though Sc
verely hurt, are asked to work daily
under fearful conditions. That hap
pened to me after Vic Willis. now OF
the St Louis Cardinals. had smashed
the little finger of my throwing hand
in 1900. While playing on the Fort
Wayne club, Of the Interstate League,
under Manager Miller. I had the mis-
fortune TO break one finger. The club
was up in the pennant race and Miller
refused to give me a lay-off until the
finger recovered. Instead he COM
PEELED me to work IA games under
penalty Of a discharge.
Catching at all time is the most
dangerous position on the ball field.
Take the case Of Jack ONeill, the old
Chicago player His hands we're all
shot to pieces in years OF service, but
the hardest blow came when a foul
tip crashed through his mask. blind
ing him in one eye. This accident
drove O'Neill from the diamond.
Among the catchers who have been
more or less fortunate. I would men
tion the names of Roger Bresnahan
Of the Cardinals; Pat Moran of the
/ Cubs; Charley Doom. of Philadelphia
/ Nationals; Gibson. of Pittsburg; Ad
miral Schlei. of the Giants; Billy Ber
gen. of Brooklyn, and Johnny King
None of those catchers has been seri
ously hurt behind the bat. Larry Nc
Lean. Jimmy Archer. Billy Sullivan
Joe Sugden, Frank Bowerman belon
in my class as regards hard lucl
Chance, of the Cubs, who held dow
a catcher's Job for ten years prior {
going to first base, is another of tn
unlucky players.
mo two catchers work alike. That
undoubtedly the reason catchers VIII
60 through game after game withoil
hurting their hands usually suffer in
juries about the legs. yet my hand
are always getting in the way OF fou
tips.
"Catchers also are a superstition
lot One won't permit another II
touch his glove lest some hOodOI
\ might follow. Each catcher has hi
own particular model. the same a.
batters have their favorite stick
These gloves are made per order II
glove factories. There must be mor'
than 100 different designs, which goei
to show the little eccentricities O
1 the catchers. One backstop will catcl
the ball high up on his glove, anothel
will receive it right in the middle o
the NIT and others have different spot
we'll worn into the leather and par
ding showing clearly where the bal
lands "