Norwich bulletin., 1913-05-01
KING OF THE BAoKsToPs.
Charlie Bennett Has Honor of Catch ing First Bali Every Year at De- troit's Opening.

The record made by Charles Bennett
 in his 19 years as a catcher marks
 him as the king of all backstops in
 the history of the national game. In
 reply to the question of who was the
 greatest catcher the game ever had
 seven out of ten will answer Charlie
 Bennett, according to 8, Detroit writer
 For a period of ten years he stood at
 the head of the National league catch
 CTS in fielding, and the names of the
 other great men behind the bat in the
 early days of baseball fade when that
 of Bennett is introduced. The catch
 CTS of today go into the game arrayed with all sorts of protective devices,
 --~ ,.,- lu ,,-.>A they -Gcz-22r
 on the diamond look as ii they --4
 been sent to stop d freight train in- stead of 8 baseball. Things were diff ferent when Bennett began to work
 behind the bat All he wore was a t1insy ball suit and a pair of kid gloves with the fingers cut off. The power of the pitcher was not any less then than now. and there were just as many speed pitchers then as put
 smoke on the ball today. As the chest protector, mask and big mitt inn proved, the work of Bennett and the other catchers improved in regard to fielding, but under all conditions and in all periods Bennett, was the king of the backsops-the peerless one.
 Toward the latter part of 1876 Ben nett joined the famous old Aetnas of Detroit, the sworn rivals of the his toric Cass club. Great rivalry existed it was for gore and glory that they fought many hard battles. In 1877 Bennett signed his first real contract to play professional ball. He placed his John Hancock to a Milwaukee club contract at a salary somewhere about A {I1 0AoV- lioBcy fofh heard about this he got the idea that 1t must be $150 per year, so he called Charles to one side and told him in fatEerly way to call on him for assist ance financially any time, for he knew he never could live on that amount. When Charlie convinced his dad that he was to receive that amount month ly Father Bennett was completely nonplussed. never dreaming that they could or would pay that enormous amount for merely playing baseball. The great Bennett was with Milwaukee two seasons. 1S77-1878. In 1879 he sig,ed his first big league contract with the Worcester club, then member of the National league. The famous Doc BuShong was the star backstop of the country at that time, and he was on the Worcester lineup, so Bennett had to show class to be even considered in the same breath with Bushong, for the Worcester fans considered that no catcher in the country was fit even to unbuckle the latchet of Doc Bushong's shoes. Before long Charlie had the op- portunity to show his real ability. He gave such an exhibition of all around ball playing that he supplanted the wonderful Doc as the star of the team and league.
 The phenomenal throwing powers that Bennett possessed and his ability to hit the ball hard and often brought him into the foremost ranks of all great ball players. During the early sos Bennett was such consistent Slugger that he won for himself the sobriquet of Home Run Charlie. Ben nett performed some wonderful featS with the bat in his day. The old fans tell of the terrific swats he admins tered to the ball.
 In 1885 Bennett had a wonderful sea- son with the stick. He hit for GA bases in 91 games, generally getting double or better in the majority of his games; 1887 was his banner year with the stick. His hitting was right in keeping with his slugging teammates-the greatest hitting aggregation.
 As thrower Bennett had all great catchers exceIled-the almost perfect thrower was c. w. Bennett. His power accuracy was nothing short of mar Veleus. Charlie Bennett was man, and his record as a player is a grand model for all young players to emu late. His conduct as ball player Is clean, his record is clean-eut, and, by the way, how many of that grand old guard who brought fame to old Detroit and Michigan from 1886 to 1858 were men of sterling qualities. Charlie Ben- nett today is a highly respected citizen of Detroit, a hero in the eyes of all young ball players and fans. He gets in the opening game every year, and has the honor of catching the first ball hurled through by the many famous mayors of Detroit, and it IS no easy task to capture some of the filings sent through by these men holding the highest office the city can honor them with They may be able to control the destinies of a great city, but as a gen. eral rule they cannot control the little white ball that c. Bennett, the games most famous catcher, is supposed to ] catch. Time has dealt lightly with 1 Charles Bennett save for a graying of his thick locks.