The sun., 1919-09-29
.SCHALK Big ASSET
TO CHICAGO TEAM
White Sox Battle Array Profits
by Presence of Quick Think
ing Catcher.
ny FREDERICK @. LIEB.

In previous articles we already have
pointed out how tho White Sox have the
edge or the Cincinnati Reds in infeeld
and outfeld play Not only do the Chi
cago players hit harder, but on the
whole the Sox regulars are a more Inn
pressive combination. Cincinnati was
awarded first place In pitchers, though
Kid Gleason. the Chicago manager. sue
cinctly points out that Moran can pitch
only one of his Ave top-notchers at
I time
The only department left to be treated
Is catching. Here Chicago also shines.
TO the credit of Ivy Wingo and Bin
Rariden, the Redland mitt artists, II
must be said they are high class play
ers, who likely will play a creditable game
for their team. But they are in the
same boat as Morris Rath, who, at sec
ond base. was pitted against Eddie Col
Inns, the best man al that position.
Ray Schalk, the White Sox backstop
is without question baseball's leadins
catcher. Rays right to the top rank
among the games best catchers is dis
puted by no one IN either league. he
earned that position shortly after he
come into the league In 1919. and no
catchers have disputed It since. There
have been many arguments as TO who Is
the next best catcher after Schalk. but
! none as 10 VINO Is Dtets
! knows No Weakness.
. 'Schallie," as his White Sox confed-
crates know him. has no weakness. De
spite his shortneEs of stature there IS
little that he cannot reach. He can
throw, run and hit. ana. besides, Is one
OF basebull's best field generals. he has
the real baseball instinct and knows how
to size UP any situation. He isn't the
kind of catcher who will tag the plate
! with runners on third and second. think
ing he has made a force play.
| Schalk also Is one Of the most agile
men In baseball. II Is this agility that
enables him to block of the plate SO
successfully and without injury to him
self SchRlk this year made a record
( by catching over 100 games for seven
successive years, and he Is still a young
man. lie is q player who seems exempt
from dhe usual injuries and ailments
which incapacitate catchers.
Ray also has been hitting much
harder this year than formerly, Rnd
ranged between .275 and .2S5 all year.
He Is a bad man in the pinch, his fav-
orite hits being short, sharp singles
over second base
In a worlds series one high class
catcher is more preferable then two
good men A Killing, Gibson, Gowdy
.
team in a short series. Playing every
day In a series such man gets bette!
line on the. weaknesses of opposing hit
ters than asman who gets in only one OF
two games.
Criger Caught Eight Games.
Most of tire worlds champion clubs
of the past have depended on only one
high-class catcher. Lew Criger caught
all eight games for the Red Sox in 1903
as did Roger Bresnahan for the Giants
OF 1905. In 1906 billy sullivan did al
of the White Sox catching. and In 190i
and 1908 Johnny Killing caught every
inning for the Cubs Pat Moran wal
second catcher OF the Cubs in thos'
DAYS. but he watched three straight
worlds series from the Chicago bench.
George Gibson caught ali seven gamei
for the Pirate worlds champions o
1903. The Athletics were the first team
10 win a worlds series which employed
more than one catcher. After Ira Thorn
as caught the first game of the 1917
series Jack Lapp hooked up will
Coombs in the fifth and last game.
Thomas and Lapp again caught 70
the AS in 1911, the latter catching
Coombs in two games. The 1912 Ret
Sox used two catchers, Cady and Car
, rigan. though the former caught six an
Wallie Schang did ali the Athletic catch
ing. and in 1914 Hank Gowdy was Stall
lAgss only baekstop
In 1915 Cady caught four OF nv
= games for the Red SoS, Bill Carrigal
catching the lone game in which Leonar
took part The 1916 Red Sox were tn
only worlds champion teams which EN-
ployed three catchers. Nearly ever
! Boston pitcher had his own catcher 1
N-A
worked with Shore. "Chat" Thomas wit
! Ruth and Mays. and Carrigan wit
: Leonard In 1917 Schalk did all of tn
White Sox catching, and In 1913 IN
Red Sox backstopping was divided bt
tween AgneW AND Sehang
Figures SuSstsB..ssS -SSS<S-
OF the fifteen modern worlds chan
pion teams ten have employed only Oh
catcher, a pretty good argument FOR tn
, team which possesses one star baclIsto
I ! and knows enough to use him.
, On the other hand. only one Of II
: fifteen world series losers has goI
through a series with only one catche
: The lone exception was 1906. whe
Johnny Killing caught the entire seriG
for the Cubs.
The catches who caught for the losln
worlds series clubs In engagements be
leagues were as follows: 1903 Phelr
and Smith of Pittsburg; 1905, Schrec
ana Powers co .he Athletics 1905. Kiln
of the Cubs; 1907, Schmidt Payne an
, Archer OF Detroit; 1908. Schmidt an
s Thomas OF Detroit: 1903, Schmidt an
Q Stanage of Detroit 1910; King an
Archer of the Cubs 1871. Meyers an
!. Wilson Of the Giants 1912, Meyers an
3 Wilson of the Giants 1919, Meyers AC
! Lean and Wilson OF the Giants; 1871
= schang and Lapp Of the Athletics; 1911
Burns and Killefer of the Phillies 191i
2 Meyers and Miller of the Dodgers; l9l
y McCarty and Rariden of the Giants
> 1918. Kinefer ana OFarrell OF the Cub
} Rather q convincing argument Tor IN
Q team with the one star catcher.
. Coming back To WlnFo and Raridel
who will divide the catching for Cir
cincinnati both are game fellows beside
= being hard and conscientious worker
/, WinEo can paste the ball and Raride
also did some fine hitting In the lsl
!, series. As q matter of fact whoa BIZ
outhit and outfelded Schalk In the lsl
= series after McCarty was injured In ii
second game. But Bill did not outthin
him. In 1917 RRriden hit .3sb In ny