The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1911-02-28
signal TIPPING
NOT DIFFICULT
HOW ATHLETICS COPIED OFF
OPPONENTS SIGNALS LAST
SEASON - FALkENBERG
FINDS OUT.

That they got the opposition teams
battery signals last season was admit
ted and even boosted by the Athletics,
but how Mack's men did it was a
mystery until after they had won the
American league pennant. This is no
signal tipping scandal. The Athletics
way of getting the catcher's signal
was on the level. Their secret was
kept SO they could get the Cubs sig
nails i'm the worlds series, which they
did.
Fred Falkenberg was the first player
To get onto the Athletics system. The
tall Nap pitcher knew. as did other
players, that the Athletic batters near
y always knew what kind OF ball was
coming. Falky spent several sleepless
nights figuring it out.
How II Worked.
Here is how they did it; The player
whose turn it was to bat next stood
waiting almost behind the catcher in
stead of in path straight from the
bench to the home plate. which was
where the next batter of every other
team waited. The player waiting t.
bat got the catcher's signals from be-
hind. Get on. Harry" meant a curve
is coming, and Touch all the bases,
Eddie" meant this is a straight fast
ball. and so on.
The catchers gave their signals
away to the player behind them I'm hid
ing them from the coachers on first
and third base. Signals are given the
pitcher by the catcher extending two,
three or four fingers. or by holding
the closed right hand against the
catching mitt. Unless the mitt was
held facing the pitcher 1t was the
easiest thing in the world for player
behind the catcher TO get the signs.
Falkenberg had Ted Easterly give
his signals so they couldn't be seen
from behind him Falky laughed at
the Athletics as they stretched their
necks to see what Ted was giving.
Athletics New Scheme.
Then the Athletics figured out an
other way. They counted on the Maps
spreading the News and set out TO get
another line on what the pitcher would |
throw, and they got a new way Chief |
Bender devised it. Chief said he
could tell from the way the pitcher
held the ball and from his first motions
In pitching what kind of ball he would |
throw. Bender was stationed on one
line and Coombs on the other
when neither was working and when
Bender or Coombs pitched Topsy Hart
sci held down one of the coaching jobs.
rhey told the batter by word I'm a
inc of coaching talk whether a
straight fast ball, a curve or a waste
)all was coming. This method was
lot so effective as reading the catch
RS signals, but it was almost as good.
In Worlds Series, Too.
The Athletics used the old system of
retting the catcher's signals in the
worlds series. 1t will be remembered
hat Johnny King wasted three balls
n the second game with Collins on
rst base and Eddie made no move TO
teal second. on the first ball over
he plate Collins stole. Johnny
King, the greatest throwing catcher.
vas stood on his head. King threw {
$ hard and accurately as he ever did
D the National league race last season.
ut he was a dub in the big series.
he answer is easy.
Lou Criger almost started a signal
piping scandal last season. Lou call !
d Umpire Bill Diheen's attention to I
he fact that Athletic base runners a
iade no attempt to steal when he $
allied for ball. ,