Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-12-19
BY JOHN n. GRuBER.

For fifteen years, from 1896 to 1911
two of the best catchers in the Nationa
League were the Bergen brothers, Mar
tin and William. Martin is UNIVERSAL,
recognized to have been one of tn,
most finished artists the game has eve
seen, and William was not far behind
Both played the position with remark
able case and grace. and threw the bal
with wonderful accuracy and speed
They f1ourished in two different periods
of base ball history. Martin belonged
to the old school, and was one of it,
last representatives, while William be
longed to tho modern school, which
dates from 1901, when the catcher, TO!
the first time, was compelled to stan6
behind the plate during the entire
game.
William was an exclusively TWEEN
tieth century representative, ant
broke into the National League at the
birth of the new epoch. Martin, whe
was seven years the elder, began will
Boston In 1895, and was in the zenitl
of a brilliant career when he committed
suicide January 10, 1900. The very mex,
year William entered the league as :;
member of the Cincinnati team, and sc
continued the succession Of the Der
William Bergen was born June IL
1878, at North Brookfleld, Mass. AS 4
schoolboy he began playing ball. and
having the advantage of being coacheo
by Martin, soon eXcelled as catcher
In 1898 he became u professional By
joining the Pawtucket team of the New
England League. In 1899 he was witt
Taunton of the same league, and will
Fort Wayne of the Interstate League
From the last named team he was OBJ
Phee then being the manager of the
Reds
When Bergen joined the Reds. Hein'
Peitz and Mike Kahoe were the regular
catchers But II was not long before
he proved his worth and became th'
star backstop. Kahoe, In May, was re
lea sed to the Chicago Cubs as Il super
fluffy. and Bergen did the most worl
ehjnd the bat, PETIT being frequentl!
used in the infield.
Bereen's First Big Game.
Bergen caught his first game in the
| big league May 6 at Cincinnati agains
list. Louis 1t was turbulent en-
counter. the Cardinals winning by 8
score of 10 to s.. Cincinnati used three
pitchers, Bill Phillips. Barney McFad
den and Il. John Newton, while st
Louis worked Burt Jones and William
Sudhoff. This was really Il baptism
of fire for the young Sn casensr, ,o ana al
Two days later, May 8, he watched
| the fast shoots of Amos Rusie. The
once great pitcher was then at the enc
i of his string. During the previous
the New York club, and did not pitcf
u single game. Early in 1901 he was
turned over by the Giants to the Reds
for whom he pitched only two games
The Cardinals won the game May BY
score of IA to 3. getting nineteen
hits for "a total Of twenty-seven bases
off Rusie. The pitcher for the Cardi'
nails was Charles w. (Jack) Harper
who was with Bergen at Fort wayne.
The next game pitched by Rusie. a
the last he ever pitched in or out i
the National League. took place June
| S at Cincinnati against the Brooklyns
| It lasted but eight innings and result
ed in a tie, each side scoring one run
Peitz began to work behind the pat
| but soon gave way to Bergen, who
handled the swift delivery, under the
ne " rule, too, with skill and dextcrity
He therefore has the distinction of be
| ing the last catcher to support a pitch
| err whose name will go down in his
weakest twirlers of the game. Fol
violating club rules. Rusie was. june
rs, suspended without pay. and Jul.
IL was Internationally released. The
ldSL pltCueT " opPooo NM " 90 Il ! dhf
Kitson, who pitched for Brooklyn II
the game of June 5
Shifted to Brooklyn.
| After serving the Cincinnati club for
| three years under the management OF
McPhee and Joe Kelley, Bergen was
shifted to the Brooklyn team. together
with Pitcher Eddie Poole. At Brook
Ign. Bergen began u strenuous period
| of eight years. Poole, his fellow suf.