Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-08-20
Bresnahan Has Long
Head and Uses it to
Guide the Cardinals
Learned the Inside Game Under Nc
Graw and Teaches it to His
Youngsters.

NEW YORK, Aug. 5.-Critics who have
studied the St. Louis Cardinals this year
say the remarkable success of the team
is due to heavy, consistent batting, fast
base running and steady fielding, a COM
bnaton that has more than offset an
ordinary quality of pitching. But practical
base ball men-players on other National
league teams who can speak from actual
experience-say that Bresnahan's catching.
which means the expert handling OF young
pitchers, the direction of defensive tao
tics and the breaking up Of the opponents
hit and run game, has worked wonders.
"Bresnahan is using a headful of gray
natter said prominent ball player the
other day. He learned inside base ball
when he caught for the Giants under Nc
Graw's' management and he has gradually
drummed the principles of that style OF
play into his pliable team. In the first
place Roger has impressed upon his pitch
ers the fact that they must follow his
instruction to the letter. and that they
must work in regular rotation. He has
made them practice control until at least
four of them, Sallee. Harmon, Golden and
Steele have 1t down fine Bresnahan calls
for more balls over the plate than any
other catcher. He believes in putting
batsman in the hole as quickly as possible,
for he says that If the first ball is a strike
the confidence Of the hitter is decreased
as much as the pitchers confidence Is
strengthened. Confidence is a wstchword
for the Cardinals manager and he plays
that game to the limit.
by making his pitchers work In corners
and the middle OF the plate, at the same
time wasting a ball now and then at his
direction, Bresnahan has succeeded in de-
veloping box work that is big factor in
the teams victories. AS a student OF bats
mems weak points ne has no superior and
by enabling his pitchers TO work them he
is getting results. Roger also keeps an
eye peeled for opposing base runners and
is pegging them out with some great
throwing. He has taught his men how to
play the hit and run game, not only from
first TO second base. but also from second
home. and that is why many games have
been won.
THE Cardinals have become infected
with. Bresnahans confidence and energy,
and they actually believe they can win
the pennant. Bras has pointed out TO them
that the worlds series means nearly 5000
apiece and the men are ready TO fight TO
a
team regards Roger as a fair. square
leader who asks them nothing that he
cannot do himself The discipline is per-
feet and the whole team is harmonious.
Bresnahan learned these things from Nc
GFaw"
1t is a matter Of record in professional
base ball that winning teams must have
first class catehers. Go back more than
twenty years and you'n find that the
champion Giants Of 1859 had the peerless
Buck Ewing behind the bat. Following
them were the Boston winners with Charley
Bennett the BroOklyns with Doc Bushong,
the Baltimores with Robson. the Chicagos
with King, the Giants OF 1906 with Bres-
nahsn. Take the present National league
race and you'll notice that the first five
teams are well fixed behind the bat. the
Philadelphia with the brainy Doom. tho
Giants with the improved Meyers. the
Cubs with Archer and Graham, the Car
dinals with Bresnahsn and the Pittsburgs
with Gibson.