Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-10
D|CKEY IS HAILED
AS BUDDING STAR
Yank Rookie Catcher Called
Conner by Moriarty.
Like 0Id.Timers.
BY GEORGE MORIARTY.
RiE TAarua TTDntre

DIG LtHBuc Umpire
THATCHER BILL DICKEY is the
newest star of the New York
I Yankees. The home fans ae-
~ knowledge him as such by
generous applause when he
S'e Tou uD 'n ot elase' is catcher who
strikes the eye because Of his smooth
vav Of handling pitchers. He Is feet
tall and doesn't carry an ounce Of
superfous weight. Besides being a
smashing batsIman, Diekey has a
throwing arm which h not the least Of
his assets.
After the ball zings into his mitt he
springs erect end shoots the pellet bull
let-like to q basenan. Regardless Of
his brief career TO date. Dickey Is
known as the Yankees head man be-
hind the bat, and he has yet TO give the
impression that he needs any heavy
advice in the busy business OF back
stopping.
Like Ola Timers.
Often a great young catcher in the
making seems 10 reflect the work OF q
particular old star behind the plate. In
this respect Dickey shapes up Ike a
combination of Johnny King and Lou
Criger two stalwsrtS Of the old DAYS.
Both were tall and slim, and accom-
plished great things with little enort:
Dickev can do all Killing and Crlger did
long ago. end this includes the essential
Of thinking between pitches. More
over. the Yankees rookie can WELD
bludseen with a deadliness foreign to
King and Criger.
Manager Higgins Of the Yankees is
enthusiastic about Dickey. Hes coming
fast" said Higgins, and I'm not sur
prised. ! liked him rs soon as I saw
him throw ball and swing bat
The Yankees boss can well afford to
pay tribute to his new backstop. For
the last Ave years Higgins has wished
fervently for such rookie. A flnd OF
the Diekey type rounds out catching
staff for at least six years.
Leaving Higgins at the bench. en-
countered Manager Lena Blackburne on
the field. The White Sox pilot pointed
at Dickey and remarked, There Is
about the greatest catcher since Ray
Schalk." Blaekburne culled Dickey
from the sand lots in the South a few
years ago.
Attracted by Wild Throw.
at was In 1925. as manager of Little
Rock. that / frst sew Dickey." said
Blackburne. Little Rock had ne Sum-
day base ball. so one Sunday went to
Hot Springs to watch a sen1i-pro game.
Dlckey was catchlng. OUT strange 70
say, paid no attention to him until I
saw him cut loose with wild throw.
And what a wild throw 1t was! There
was a runner on first, and in trying to
snap him off the bag Diekey threw
over the first baseman's head like a
shot. The ball hit the right-f1eld fence
on a bound, and then 1 began to like
Dickey. saw a catcher with an arm
Of steel and great possibilities"
After the game Blackburne signed
Dickey to an agreement drawn on the
back of an Elk's membership card, the
only available paper. The young catcher
joined Little Rock and finished the sea-
son. The following year he was farmed
out, and he again played with Little
Rock in 1927 and 1928. He went with
the Yankees in the Fall of 1928. Dickey
Is being compared favorably with
Mickey Cochrane. spark plug backstop
Of the powerful Philadelphia Athletics.
(Copyrisht, 1929. By North American News
paper Alliance)