Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-09-04
PROSPECTIVE FOES
SPOT WEAKNESSES
Crafty Observers TO Look
Over Teams Ten Days
Before Reporting.
BY GEORGE MORIARTY,
Big League Umpire.

~ EPTEMBER brings the sleuths
The Sherlock HomeseS of base bal
are now on the job. The reason
~ Is apparent-proSpectiv world Sc
ries teams cannot afford to e
into the Fall classic blindly. Prepare
ton is half the battle, and a weakness
may be turned into a victory for thu
club that plans to take advantage of it
Consequently you may be assured thai
both the Athletics and the Cubs are
becoming deeply concerned in what
their respective players are able to dc
and not to do.
Mainly the task of gathering such
information centers around the battery
work and the batters. Usually a crafty
veteran pitcher, catcher or a smart
scout is assigned to the important job
of getting the low-down on the other
fellows. This detective" sits in the
grandstand directly behind the catcher
to see what he can see.
After observing the enemy for a
period Of 10 games, in which time he is
witness to at least two performances by
each regular pitcher, he makes conf
dental report to the manager, who In
turn conveys the valuable information
to his players at a special meeting.
All Have Their Flaws.
Every championship team has its
flaws, and many Of its weak points be-
come a matter of general knowledge
The Chicago Cubs Detroit Tigers series
of 1908 furnished an odd instance. The
Cubs became world champions by win
ming four out Of five.
Frank Chance and his slick outfit
might have won four straight games If
Catcher Ira Thomas of Detroit had
failed to make known his convictions
Thomas was regarded as a second -string
catcher that year. He knew the Cubs
had walloped Detroit in 1907, and the
first two games of the 1908 series were
defeats for the Tigers before Thomas
gave his recipe to Manager Jennings.
The Cubs had slashed the Detroit
pitchers all over the lot, and this in
cluded Wild Bill Donovan, the main
hope of the Tigers. Sitting on the
bench, Thomas had watched the Cubs
like hawk In this series. Jennings,
though not discouraged, was percepti-
bly, confused.
II know how to stop those fellows!''
exclaimed Thomas to Jennings.
How" asked the Detroit pilot.
Simply curve them to DEATH" con-
hded the backstop.
THAT will be your job tomorrow, and
Mullin will be the pitcher" stated Jen-
nings.
Mnllin Comes Through.
The rest is history. Mullin beat the
Cubs, to 3. allowing them only seven
hits, while he struck out eight men
with his beautiful bender. Almost with
out exception, each time Thomas went
through the business of suuatting to
Hash the signal to Mullin he sema-
phored two fingers. which is the curve
ball code. The Cubs stood at the plate
bewildered, looking for the fast ball to
spank to the far places, but Thomas
never called for fast one
Thomas was never regarded as a star
catcher. He came to the big leagues
with a chronic bad arm, but remained
IN the majors several years through his
ability to think. Two weeks ago at Chi
cago Eddie Collins was reminiscing
about star catchers past and present.
Go over the entire list" said Collins.
land do not believe one can be named
who was craftier than Thomas behind
the bat"
And that is praise from Caesar.
AS pointed out in this article Thomas
acquired his knowledge of the Cubs
weakness on curved balls while he sat
on the bench. apparently idle. More
curve-ball pitching in that series might
have made it a nip-and-tuck affair.
the right kind of a tip-of may prove
invaluable.
So II upon any of these lazy Septem-
Der afternoons while the Cubs or Ath-
letics are peeling off contest you hap
pen to see an intensely Observing person
disguised in green whiskers sitting next
to you in the grandstand, make up YOUR
mind that Watson Is trying to get his
man."
copyright, 1929. by North American News
paper Alliance)