Evening star., 1915-01-31

1t was in 1875 that gloves were frst
recognized as necessary accessories TO
catcher's kit. Frank McGunnigle, ia
nous ball player and manager, was
then catching for Fail River in game
against Harvard College. Macs hands
were very sore, but II was necessary
that he should catch. He sent out for
a pair of bricklayer's gloves, thick,
strong things OF hard leather. In prac-
tice he found that, while they protect
ed the palms, there was not liberty
enough for the fingers to throw. An
idea struck him. He whipped out
jackknife (ball players went armed
those days) and cut off the fingers Of
the right hand glove. Fine" said
Frank, fine. I have discovered some
thing" But an inventor. real one, was
In the game Tying of Harvard, the real
inventor Of the catcher's mask. was be-
hind the bat for his college. Tying had
his eagle eye on Mac. ever watching
how the bricklayer's gloves worked IN
a ball game. catching base balls in
stead Of bricks.
Tying Got Busy.
After the game Tying got busy. He
bought q pair, and as drst improve
ment had the palms lined with thin
sheet lead. and this glove was used TOR
some time In that section Of the coun'
try. but when another genius appeared
on the ficld, bearing the name OF GUM
uasso, with an Improvement. his sug-
ecstion was adopted. and this improve,
ment was the real origin OF the paddeo
glove. Csuinnasso was q player on the
Lowell team and had used the NC
ironclad mitt. he az
mitted that the glove was better tnan
lead pipe in SCRAP; or hut 20 !, nane was o toe
much of a handicap In playing ball. 80
Guinnasso bought a soft pair OF walk
ing gloves with a good thick lining.
gloves and wore them under pair OF
bricklayer'e, and the combination
worked like a charm.
shortly after this the makers OF base
tali paraphernalia turned their attention
to gloves IT was hard to convince the
manufacturers that the glove. or mitt,
for the left hand should be thicker than
the one for tine right. but they finally
reached the point after the most promi.
nent catchers OF the period demonstrated
that the left hand had to bear tho brunt
of the shock consequent on the pitchers
delivery. The manufacturers thought
| they had reached the acme of perfection
| when they placed on the market pair
!
buckskin, lined with thick padding. the
| fingers Of the left.hand glove reinforced
ty stiff leather tips, and the glove for the
right paw devoid Of fingers and some
| what lighter.
Gloves Were Popular.
| These gloves were popular for num-
Der OF years However. many catchers
had the glove padded TO suit their indi'
v1dual IDEAS DOC Bushong, the
famous catcher OF the old st. Loui,
Browns, was very careful about hi,
fingers. as he intended practicing den
tistry after his days as q ball playe,
were over He wore the largest glow
he could md. and had added pads unit
IL looked like u pillow. The doctor wa
proud Of this affair, and would no
| allow any one to use II. Out Of Bush
| ong's idea grew the idea Of the mitt. anc
when the famous Buck Ewing prancet
on the Held one day with something oI
his left hand that looked like hug
pillow he was greeted with roars o
laughter. mixed With jeers and catcalls
II only needed a few demonstration
from Buck to prove that the much.needet