The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1925-02-28

OF course his great trick and
chief object was to get the batters
mind on his conversation and OF
my pitching. If he was foolish
enough to turE his head toward the
catcher my fast ball generally
whizzed past the plate before he
knew what had happened.
Sometimes laxative catchers are
humorous and sometimes serious.
Anything to distract the batter.
Gabby had certain speeches for GER
tain batters. Sorae catchers try to
get the batter peeved by ridicule,
hoping to make him start a fight
and possibly be put out OF the
game. The world series row be-
tween Snyder, the Giant catcher,
and Bob Meusel of the Yankees
really started as kidding contest.
Snyder found out he could make
Meusel sore and by his remarks
nearly start a fight.
/ never thought Of such a thing
as a wild pitch OR passed ball when
Street was catching. No matter
where I'd shoot the ball his glove
was up to stop it. And when it
came to the base runner he was
wonder. No matter how great
lead the runner got "Gabby" gen.
orally pegged his man. He had a
great arm and quick getaway.
And after all there is the secret
Of q good, throwing catcher. The
getaway is everything. A good
throwing arm is really a gift.
Either you have it or you haven't.
But getting the bali away quick.
" is something that can be con-
stantly improved.
OF course, catchers still talk to
batters but with the passing Of
"Gabby" Street, the oldtime chatter
ing type really disappeared. An
other old fashioned idea was that
wrestler. And in fact. one of tho
games best catchers, Charley
Schmidt, was a wrestler and a good
one. Not only that, he was good
boxer and fought Jim Flynn to a
six round draw, when the fighting
fireman was in his prime.
But Ray Schalk of the White Sox
came along and proved that quick
thinking, quick-moving catchers,
were an Improvement over the
heavy type. Not that weight alone
is disadvantage but weight, par
ticularly in the old days, generally
meant big feet and slow workers.
When Street passed out of fast
company. many people thought that
would be handicapped for want
Of good receiver but Eddie Ain
smith appeared and as it turned
out, he caught more games in
which / pitched than any other
catcher. Eddie developed SO rapidly
that he became my regular receiver
and for years, our names were
linked together. There wasn't real.
Iy any other Washington catcher
who could hold me when / opened
up with full speed.
One time we had a SecOnd-string
catcher who had often asked for
a chance to work with me i'm a
game. The lad was willing and de-
served the opportunity. which
finally came in a game in Phila.
delphia.
Washington tied the score in the
eighth inning and l was sent in to
pitch and hold the Athletics, if
could. In the tenth inning foul
tip cracked Ainsmith's finger and
our second-string catcher jumped
into the game. That inning rolled
by without any trouble. But in the
eleventh he let two of my fast ones
sail to the grandstand without get
ting his glove near either ball.
Billy Evans was umpiring behind
the plate. When the first ball
whizzed past he said nothing.
When the second one nearly smash
ed him, he asked the catcher what
was wrong. The poor kid was
scared himself by this time and
told Evans he couldn't see either
ball.
At the close of the inning Billy
called the game: ION account of
darkness 1t really was light
enough to play another inning, but,
stopping in our clubhouse after the
game, Umpire Evans explained.
"One more like that last one,
Walter, and I'd been a dead UNI
pire. I called the game for my
own self preservation-not for dark
ness"'
Next Chapter: Pitching and Its
Requirements.