The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-10-02
.. Additional Sports .,
Needs All His Armor
900 ascrunning is the Cause

Desperate base -unning has SO in
creased the hazards of the catcher's
job that now, defensively. he must
combine the skill of the boxer, the
swordsman, and the football player.
1t is not enough that he is a skill
ed receiver; that. he ha a good head.
and knows how to steady a young
pitcher nor even that he is a smuggling
hitter.
If he cannot put the tag on base
runners there is no place for the back
stop in fast company. And to dis
charge this important duty he must
have a quick eye. be nimble on his
feet. and know how to dodge.
Also he must have all the protec-
ton afforded by the modern shin
guards and baseball armor.
Bresnahan Introduces ArmOr.
When Roger Bersnahan first intro
duced shinguards, with the idea OF
protecting himself when figuring in
close plays at tke plate, the idea was
ridiculed.
Memories were invoked of the great
catchers of the past who stood back
of the plate with nothing but fragile
tors nor s%hinguards and boasting only
AA A"o "oy VI SASSSo u AASSSS ~
with a palm, but no fingers, such as
would not even suffice for an out
fielder today.
Ewing. Kelly. Flint Snyder. Bush
nell. and a host of others stood game
ly back of the plate and took the
speed of the shorter pitching distance
of those days without pitching, and
broken fingers told at what price.
But it is a question if in those days
there were as many dangerous plays
at the home plate. For one thing.
there was o hitting and heavier
scoring. and as a rule n run did
not cut as big a figure as it does
today.
Nowadays it is a kind of supersti-
ton that the team that gets the first
run will win and it merely takes an
investigation of the figures to prove
how great a number of contests are
decided by the slender margin of one
tally.
In the old days a single run didn't
matter SO much, for a team would fig
ure on going in and making Il rally
for a half a dozen or more.
But the defense had not been per-
fected to the extent it is now. pitching
was not as good, and scoring was less
difficult.
With a run meaning what it does in
the baseball ganle today. it is small
desperate chances on all the bases.
particularly at the home plate. where
safe arrival means a run.
Runner Never is Safe.
Let a man get to first. second, or
third in safety. his circuit is by no
means completed. There is still a
chance that he will be nailed or the
side retired before he reaches the
plate.
But nee he slides. untagged. over
the piece of rubber that marks the
goal-the deed has been accomplish
ed. the run is on the way to the presi-
dent of the league for placing in he
official records.
Naturally. the runner is going to
spare no means to make the plate.
the catcher is going to 60 the limit
to keep him away. and the result is a
conflict that is dangerous for both.
but especially for the backstop, since
he Is at a %standstill and has to bear
the impact Of an onrushing body.
Moreover. the catcher cannot finch.
He has got to stand right up to the
plate and take his medicine. If he
pulls back the keen-sighted runner
is going t make a quick switch and
atteIuHt one OF the various Qe1t SllueS,
as the fall-away. which leaves
only a part of one leg exposed to the
tag. and ever gives him the chance.
if the catcher is slow. to swerve this
out of the way.
Spikes Increase Risk.
The development of spikes has in
creased the danger. Spikes. as worn
by the diamond stars Of a score Of
years ago. were nothing compared
to the deadly swords that enable the
Of today to keep his foot
ing.
The modern spike is long and keen
and cuts like a dagger. Woe to the
man who gets a cash with one. Not
does he have t o endure the suf-
but his Is deprived Of
the services of a valuable player while
his injury is mending.
The way the throw comes at a
catcher is an added difficulty. The
base runner has nothing to do but
the plate and the catcher. The
catcher. in addition to watching the
runner and seeing that he is in line
with him and in front of the plate,
also has to keep his y on the ball.
When the player and the ball ar