Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-17

N YEW YORK, July 17.-'Gabby"
N Street, one of the great catch
VI ers of base ball 20 years ago,
l. can hardly believe his eyes as
he sits on the bench of the st.
Louis Cardinals and sees base hits rain
from National League bats.
The man who marched to fame as
the battery mate Of Walter johnson re-
turned to the majors this year as
Cardinal coach after many years as
a minor league manager.
Street, whose real name is Charles.
although he has heard only "Gabby"
since he was boy, broke into base
balls big time with Cincinnati in 1904.
He played, too, with Boston in the
National League, but his star reached
its zenith while he was catching john
sons cannon-ball service and Gliding
batters as they swung and missed.
This was from 1908 to 1911. He was
on mis- way out when he was with the
New York Americans in 1912.
There is more hitting now than
when you were an active player" was
suggestion designed to draw out the
veteran on the subject of base ball
then and now.
More hitting snorted the old
runs in one game than we did in
week.
Only 10 Runs a Week.
cat Washington in 1909 we had such
pitchers as Walter Johnson, Tom
Hughes. Bob Groom. Bill Burns and
Dixie Walker. Our pitchers didn't
allow but about IS runs week. We
finished last, even with that pitching,
because We could only score about 10
runs a week We didn't have much
offense. We lost a lot of games 2 to
and to 2.
ITS not altogether the ball, either.
I think one of the biggest differences
is the size of the ball parks. So many
people want to get in now they have
to have some place to put them, so the
stands are built where the playing
fields used to be. In the old days we
had plenty of room. All our playing
fields We're like this big park in boston.
"A pitcher then could work on a
batter and let him hit high fly. He
didn't have to worry about 1t dropping
over the infield into some stand for a
home run. don't believe the younger
crop of pitchers can show the stuff the
old fellows had. How could they? Now
adays all pitcher can throw, is fast
one, curve and slow ball, they are
so bound down by the rules.
Now there is no chance to play
smart base BALL Why resort to
strategy to get in position to score one
run when by swinging from the heels
you can score a half dozen or maybe
even a dozen?
IT don't want to seem to be eating
sour grapes, but we older fellows GER
tainly lEed too soon in base ball. The
big money is paid now for less work.
More Players Than Jobs.
Twenty and twenty-five years ago
there were far more players than jobs
and everybody had to hustle to be kept
in the game. Now the demand exceeds
the supply and it is much less
strenuous.
Another thing: the old boys did not
know thing about saving their money,
and a month or so after the season was
over they were broke. That placed
them in a tough spot. They had to
have an advance, and when they were
paid something on account before they
earned it they couldn't do much talking
back to q club. Today you never hear
Of major league player being broke"
The catcher of yesterday was asked
home runs with Walter johnson pitch
ing as in his prime.
"Oh, yes, the fellows would hit home
runs of Walter with this ball-if they
could hit It.
'tBut the old recipe for cooking a
rabbit would go for the rabbit ball. too.
First they would have to catch the
rabbit