The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-08-19
lackIitSCh Says Catcher Is
Hardest Worker on Team.
GOOD ONES ARE VERY SCARCE
Owing to Dangers Attached to Posi-
ton, Many Pass it Up-Headwork
Behind the Bat Essential--Some
Baekstops Are Superstitious.
No. XIX.
BY FRED JACKLITSCH.


copyright, 1910 by American Press Asso.
ciation.l
Do | consider the catcher the hard.
est worker on baseball team? My
answer is 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, it 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 his brains, but not with
his hands. or vice versa.
There is no time when a good
catcher is not employed busily, men
tally or physically. The ball is in his
hands oftener than any one elses 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
pennant. So also are strong batters
handy to have around A pennant win.
ner needs them in its business as well
as the players who think. Speedy base
runners. clever team play and skilled
fielders-all of these go to make cham.
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 a pounding and filing, less
spectacular figure than any other player
on the team. His work is not snowy.
Specifically viewed, he is more OF
dray horse than any one of his fellows,
but in reality he is a great power in
teams success, though often he
doesn't come in for as 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
supervising eye on the adjustment of
the infeld and outfield as the batting
peculiarities of the different opponents
require are the teams that have won
championships.
OF the long list of pennant winning
teams dating back into the seventies
hardly one has not had a 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 a number of catchers 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
as batters have their favorite stick.
| The gloves are made to order, and I'll
bet there are more than a hundred
different designs, which proves that
backstops have their little eccentrici-