The Washington times., 1919-09-24
THOUGH WITHOUT "A SCHALK, REDS
CATCHING STAFF ISN'T OUTCLASSED

There is no stronger bulWark in a
short series than a capable catching
staff, and preferably one formidable
catcher. In a worlds series, pitch
ers and eatchers are working with
batsmen against whom they are
not familiar A quiek-witted fel-
low, like King, Archer or Schalk
can pick up a lot Of the batting
weaknesses Of his opponents after
seeing them in a game or two, and
then coach his pitchers accordingly.
Look over the past worlds cham
pions and you'll find that no team
with . poor or fair catching stan
ever captured the big honors when
Hugh Jennings lost three straight
worlds series in Detroit, his big
trouble was catehers. One need only
recall the hrst game of the 1907
series. the heart Breaker OF Bin
Donovan's career
wild Bill" had Ginger" Beau
mont struck out for the third out On
the ninth. but old Charlie Schmidt
a brother Of Walter Schmidt. NOV
with the Pirates, dropped the/third
strike and steinheldt score the ty-
ing run from third. The7 game end
ed in thinning tie. and Detroit
failed 70 win a game In the series.
sex Have FTestiEe.~
For that reason, the catchers OF the
1913 contenders deserve a lot OF study.
There Is no question that Chicago
will so into the Series with much
more prestige in the backstopping de-
partment. as, Ray schalk IS admitted
~ the star catcher OF balloon.
But the Cincinnati eatchers viii not
be optelased in the National League,
and old whoa Bill" Rariden is a
handy fellow TO have arouad As Ivy
Wingo bats Ieft-handed Pat Moran
prefers to use him against right-
handed pitchers. while Bill Rariden
usually d0ns the big mitt and breast
protector against the poftsiders. Pat
rick, however, hooks up whoa Bin"
with slim" Sallee no matter who op-
poses the Reds. The pair got aecus-
toned TO each other while both we're
members OF the Giants. The Cincln-
natl worlds Series catching probably
vii be split Up fairly even between
this pair.
Wingo is a harder hitter than Rari-
den and also is rated above Bill in
catching value. However. the two
have divided Cincinnati's catching
burden fairly even. Wingo has taken
part in sixty-nine games against six
ty-four for the older man.
Ivy has a batting average of .285
against .214 for RaFiden. Wingo b a
strong, steady hitter, who usually
fwH oil -
Of the season 70 the other. Rariden
Is q great spring hitter. he usually
goes along at a 400 clip in April and
May and then falls away to nothing
late In the season.
Rariden. however. handled himself
with great glory in the 1917 series
between the Giants and Chicago.
After McCarty injured himself in the
second game Rariden was called On to
do all OF New YorlI's catching. and Bill
connected with the ball for an aver
age Of .3s5, while he handled thirty
five fielding chances without an error.
1t remains a debatable point, how
ever, as to who was most at fault IN
the play in the sixth game Of this
series when Zimmerman chased Eddie
Collins over the plate to the mortihca-
ton Of the Giant fans. Many persons
have been inclined to blame Bill as
much as Heinie for leaving the plate
uncovered.
There also is a tendency in some
quarters to regard Rariden as a slug
gish thinker. The allegation isn't
quite fair to Bill. The writer has seen
a lot OF Rariden, both before and after
he came to the Giants, and while Bill
doesn't grasp some situations as
quickly as Killing OF. Schall-, he IS a
cagey old bird and has learned : lot