The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1939-03-24

strange viewed according TO to-
days rules. A struck ball If
caught on the first bounce put the
batter out. There were others Just
as ludicrous.
The sport, when Mccarthy and
Mack were callow striplings, was
played with bare hands. except the
catcher. He was allowed, be-
grudgingly enough, to wear a fin
gerless. almost paddingless glove
on each hand.
BOTH WERE CATCHERS
Mccarthy and Mack. as 1t hap
pens, were catchers. The receiv-
ers Of those halcyon days. McCar-
thy remembers, didn't stand di-
rectly behind the batter unless
men were on bases or the batter
had two strikes on him. The third
strike had to be caught to COM
plete the out.
II has been more than a half
century since Carthy has
clapped eyes on Mack. He has
never forgotten him. Those were
the times in the early sos when
the two men played on opposing
teams in the Massachusetts Cen
trial league.
"Mack was a tall, very slender
young fellow" Mccarthy recalls.
Thin face and quite pale. Al
ways minded his own business,
hardly ever saying word during
a game. He was a gentleman, hut
ne got results somehow. as the
team ran smoothly with him in
there behind the plate"
Newspaper stories of the cele-
bration of baseball's Tooth birth
day. as well as one ON Mack's
10th anniversary, inspired McCar-
thy to correspond with the Phila-
delphia manager. He'd been put
ting II off for years :. but here's
his letter:
Dear Mr.. Mack: Encl osed
please find newspaper clippings
from The Tacoma Times of Dec.
20, 1888, which have furnished the
urge to extend my belated con-
on your 10th birth
day. ] perhaps am one of the very
few left today who remember how
you looked at the age of 20 or 10 |
years of age. / was aboua Is or |
10 myself at that time and was the
Youngest player on the Ware,
Mass. team, possibly the youngest
IN the Massachusetts Central
eague, which l believe it was call
ed. sponsored by Mr.. Parson of
West Warren. Mass.
The pennant. or trophy, was a
Silver Bat. presented also, think,
by Mr.. Parson. We played you at
East Brookfield, Mass, and lost.
The battery of Hogan and Mack |
was too much for us. especially the
outcurve of Hogan's. ! do not re-
member If our pitcher had any
hting but straight ball. The
'nly players on the East Broolfield
1ine / seem to remember now are
Doyle and Fitzpatrick. l believe
we met for the second time at
Palmer, Mass, and were again de-
feated
Later on In the season we had
4 pitcher by the name of Arthur
Cummings, who claimed to be the
man who first discovered the
curve ball. He spent the summer
DR.. John Gale of Ware.
He had all the curves-in, out and |
trop-and fine control, but not |
much speed at that time. / re- /
member this as l was the only
change catcher we had to substi-
lutte for Tom Haley. our first
string catcher, who was laid up
'or few weeks with boils on his
neck. So acted as battery mate
% Mr.. Cummings in three games
one at Chickapee Falls and two
It our home grounds at Ware.
IL would appreciate IL very much
you could enlighten me whether
his WINS the real Arthur Cum
nings. He was about 50 years old
Il that time.
Il left Ware for the West when
was about 10 and have never
eturned for visit in all this
ime. l will be 70 this Oct. 8. Still
'oing under my own power-still
njoy attending ball games now
nd then. and hope to stick around
Iere at least long enough to see
'ou land another pennant. / will I
e pulling for you.
Sincerely yours,
tSigned) "R. J. MCCARTHY"
And here is Mack's reply, writ ,
en- March 3, from Lake Charles,
a training Cnmp of the philn- I