The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-03-22
TODAY'S SPORT
 PARADE
By HENRY McLEMORE United Press Stan Correspondent

St. Petersburg, Fla, March d. (UP)-IIl bet my set of draft de- pendents against yours that in all the people you know there isn't a left-handed baseball catcher in the bunch. As Q matter of fact, that isn't fair bet, because 1t Is the same as betting you that you don't have a pair of matching roks or dodo birds for book-ends in your home, or that the next Blue Point you plop into the chilli sauce will have a pearl on 1t.
 There just isn't any such thing as a left-handed catcher. Certain ly, not in any league respectable enough to come under the jurisdic- ton of that old cuss with the Mag ara Falls hair-do, Judge Kenesaw Mountain Landis.
 Why aren't there any left-handed catcters? Answer that one and you'll solve one of baseball's queer est riddles. Too, you'll bring peace of mind to Bill Dickey, star catch- CT of the New York Yankees and one of the greatest backstops in the history of the game.
 Bill has wondered why there aren't any southpaw receivers. The subject has fascinated him because he believes that left-handers would make the best catchers. He wishes that he were left-handed; says 1t would have made him a finer catcher.
 Southpaw Catchers Out
 "There is an unwritten law In baseball that left-handed fellow just mustn't try to catch" Bill told me. T wonder why. I've asked dozens of baseball people the req son for this and yet have to find one that knows the answer. All l know is that let a left-handed youngster suggest that he learn the catching bushes and he is shooed away from the plate as If he had the plague. I've had people say they suppose the reason for this Is that a left -hmanded catcher would hit a right handed batter in the head when he. made athrow to second. That's crazy, though. Why wouldn't right-handed catchers hit left handed batters when they made Q pegp"
 I asked Bill why he thought left handlers would make better catchers all things being equal.
 For & lot of reasons" answered the big Arkansas fellow who ranks with the outstanding catchers of all time. "Take the actual catching of the ball from the pitcher. Most pitchers are right -handers, rightp Okay, and what kind of ball do they throw most Of the time. A curve, and how do their curves break? Over the plate to the right of the catcher. A left-hander's mitt would be right there. He could just sit down and pick 'em of all day. No awkward shift to his right. 1t would make him surer and save him lots of effort"
 As for the handling of bunts, a left-handed catcher would again have the advantage.
 In Position
 "Take those buntS down the third base line," Dickey said. "A left handed catcher would be in position to throw to first base when he picked up the ball. No turning and getting in line to throw. The same goes for bunts in front of the plate or toward first base.
 'The southpaw would have the advantage. I'm telling you that give left-hander and right-hander the same amount of skill and the left-hander will be the best catcher. wish I were a southpaw"
 Baseball would profit if those who train the rockies would overcome their objections to left-handed catchers. The hardest thing to get in baseball is a good catcher. Crack catchers are rarer than 31sts of Feb ruary. Dickey says this shortage would be remedies If the hundreds of big, strong left-handed boys who would like to be catchers weren't given the bum's rush to the infield or outfield by managers.
 Tomorrow we'll discuss ambi- dextrous shortstops who can go to their right and to their left at the same time.