El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-08-12
EVENLY BALANCED
BATTERIES ARE
NECESSARY
Good Pitchers Do Their
Best Work When They
Have Good Catchers.
(By w. S. Farnsworth.)


Dreyfuss. if you can possibly arrange
mate, James Kelly. bought by the
Pittsburg club"
This plaintive message was received
by the liberal president of the Pitts
burg Pirates soon after he had paid
the record sum Of $4,000 to the st.
Paul American association club for
the release of Martin O'Toole, the flame
haired pitcher for whom a half doz-
En- major league clubs entered into
spirited bidding match after Roger
Bresnahan offered s16,500 for O'Toole
and Kelly The plea came from O'Toole
himself II was speedily granted.
All of which once more recalls the
question of how much a catcher has
to do with the success of a pitcher The
records show that in nearly every in
stance star twirler has star
catcher as a battery mate. In some
cases, however, it is found that crack
hurler has not been assisted by a
catcher of high rank But these in
stances are few and far between.
Again, there have been cases where
pitcher goes entirely to the bad when
he is working without his star re-
ceirer- If such is the case it merely
strengthens the theory that a catcher
has much to do with the making OF a
pitcher of high standing.
Good Pitcher Needs Good Catcher.
Go down the line and ponder over
the great batteries OF the past. We
find that a good pitcher and an equal
" good catcher Invariably have been
matched and this brings success to
teams. The most notable pair in base
ball history are Cy Young and Lou
Criger. For years these two worked to-
gether as no two did before. While
Young has outlived his former battery
partner so far as big league useful
ness is concerned, it is a fact that
old Cy" had his best years while Cri-
ger was on the receiving end. Just as
soon as Criger was sold by the Red
Sox to the Yankees Young began to
lose some of his vaunted effectiveness
Though still a winning pitcher. with
out Criger catching him, Youngs work
was not up TO the standard
Walsh and Sullivan
Another combination that has lasted
years and years, and still is as good
as ever, is that of Edward Walsh and
Billy Sullivan. While Walsh would be
a winning pitcher with even tho
veriest novice catching him. the fact
remains that Sullivan has had large
share in Walsh's success.
Walter Johnson and Charley (Gabby)
Street form another formidable team.
johnson is rated as the speediest hurl-
er in the big leagues and without
Street on the other end Johnson would
be ct a loss with his terrific speed The
Coffeyville speed merchant is fearful
of letting loose with any other catcher
but Street working with him, and as
q result Street possesses as fine pair
of mangIed fins as any man in base
ball captivity.
1t is doubtful if Babe" Adams could |
have attained the success he has been
graced with il George Gibson had not |
been on the other end of the delivery |
in the worlds series against the De- |
troit Tigers. Adams was practically an |
inexperienced youngster and hardly |
knew the weaknesses of the opposing |
batters, Gibson made study of every |
player that steps up to the bat 1t was |
merely a case of Adams putting the |
ball where Gibson directed him to put |
It..
Mathewson and Bresnahan.
Christy Nathewson and Roger Bres- |
nahan basked in glory for MANY sea-
sons This crack battery had much to ]
do with the Giants winning couple |
of National league gonfalons and |
worlds championship Since Bresnahan /
was shifted to St Louis, the Giants |
have been unable to get catcher Of /
Rogers ability. Rresnahan was there |
with the head work and with Mathew
sons cunning it was an easy thing .
for Matty to win a majority of his !
games.
For several years Mordecai Brown
and JOHNNY King worked together
and three championships were the re-
suit of their efforts. Kings presence
behind the bat was essential for
Browns success in the years that the
Cubs copied the league banners In
19e6-7-s.
Many Instances.
There are any number OF combina-
nations where there are stars at both
ends of the receiving department Each
year furnishes new stars in both posi-
itions- Whenever q sensational pitcher
breaks into major league company and
he maintains a record pass. it will al
ways be found that a tried catcher
Is his mate. The shining example this
year is Grover Cleveland Alexander
the wonder acquired by the Phillies
1t took the master hand and crafty
mind of Charley Doom to place Alex
ander on the pedestal he now enjoys
Gould Alexander have been half so sue
cessful if an untried receiver had been
working with him2 Doom is acquaint-
ed with the failings of every player in
the National league, while Alexander
probably does not yet know the kind
OF a ball a certain player does not care
for.
1t will be interesting TO note how
Alexander fares with Pat Moran catch
ing him.
There must have been something
more than mutual friendship that
prompted O'Toole to ask Dreyfuss to
bring Kelly to the Pirates. 1t
would be inadvisable to place this
pair in a game together, for
they are not well versed with the
weaknesses of the batters in the Ma
tional circuit II O'Toole upholds his
American association reputation with
Kelly catching him then we will be
firmly convinced that catcher has
great deal to DO with the success of
pitcher. 4