The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1911-05-05
LOSS OF CATCHER
WORKS HARDSHIP
Famous Pitchers Prefer to Work
With Certain BaCkStOps.
CY YOUNG MISSES LOU CRIGER
Without Old Side Partner Veteran
Twirler Has Lost Much of His Ef-
fectiveness-Smith, Marquard, Plank,
Howell, Mathewson Others.
BY TOMMY CLARK.

By TOMMY CLARK.
Many baseball critics contend the
loss of star catchers often spoils the
effectiveness of crack pitchers.
glance back into history reveals some
very interesting dope on this point.
Take, for instance, Cy Young, the
veteran pitcher of the Cleveland team.
He will admit to you that much of
his effectiveness was due to the work
of Lou Criger behind the bat. Old Cy
was never much at holding the base
runner on, but with that wonderful
throwing arm that Criger possessed
Cy had no need to worry in that direc-
ton. With other men catching ii was
different. With Crger back in his old
form and handling Cy's slants the bat
tery would still be famous.
In 1906 Pitcher Frank Smith, now
of the Boston team, but then n mem
ber OF the Chicago White SOX, was
one of the stars of the American
league Whenever Smith pitched for
Chicago Mcfarland did the catching.
The pair was well nigh invincible.
Lack of condition proved McFarlands
undoing. His passing from the club
put a big dent in Smiths effective
ness. While Billy Sullivan is one of
the best catchers in the game, he was
never able to make Smith show his
true form.
When Harry Howell was right he
was one of the best spitball twirlers
in the country Harry was always
paired with Hack" Spencer The bat
terry was very effective. When Spen-
Ger was traded to Boston and later
sent to the minors Howell lost his one
best bet. No other catcher seemed to
handle him as well as Spencer, and he
Immediately went on the toboggan
and passed out of the majors.
With Bemis doing the receiving,
Heine Berger of Cleveland looked like
a sure enough star. Illness put Bemis
out of the running, and no other back
stop seemed to know how to work Ber,
ger, and his pitching fell off badly.
Four years ago the battery of Liy
ingston and Marquard was the most
feared in the American association.
The indianapolis team won many a
victory through the individual work of
these two men. Livingston is now
with the Athletics and doing WELL but
Rube Marquard has yet to show form.
1t looks as If Marquard lost his cum
ming when Livingston was taken away
from him The New York catchers
don't seem TO understand the eccentric
Southpaw.
No hanlyStnn will no O alla tO ont
the work out of Ed Plank, the Athlet-
les southpaw, that the late Doc Pow
erS did. Plank, a most difficult man
to handle because of his crossfire, was
like picking cherries for Powers. Since
Powers death many catchers have
handled the stants of the veteran, but
he does not seem to be as effective as
of old.
When Connie Mack split the battery
of Waddell and Shreck he broke up
the most unusual pair that ever drew
salary in the big leagues. Waddell
was never the same nor as effective
after he lost his old receiver. 1t was
the starting of the Rube on the down
grade.
With Roger Bresnahan behind the
bat, Mathewson was almost invincible.
Matty always preferred Bowerman,
but with the latter doing the receiving
he was not nearly as effective as when
the fiery Roger was the windpaddist.
The work of the pair in the worlds
series in 1905 will never be forgotten.
When the club parted with the serv-
ices of BreSnahan the club lost a bic
asset. With Roger on the team now
the club would win the 1911 pennant
Matty is still good, but there is no
catcher on the Giants payroll that can
handle him like Bresnahan.
These are but few of baseball's
peculiar combinations that may have
been badly shattered because of some
act that causes the breaking up of the
famed teams.