The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-08-19
- THEY PLAYED THE GAME - Kling, Baseball Con Man, Called SmarteSt Receiver Of All Time
Fifty-second of a series By HARRY CRIMSON
 NEA Shorts Editor

Many od-timers consider John G. King the smartest catcher of all time Johnny Kng caught for the Chicago Cubs during the glorious of Tinker to Evers to Chance.
 Kling called the shots of such famous pitchers as Three Fingered Brown, Big Ed Reulbach, Orvie Over | all and the left-handed Jack Pfester Noisy John Kling the brain of an immortal outfit that swept to four National League pennants and two world championships in five years. In 1906, the Cubs set record that still stands in the senior wheel-116 victories
 Kling baSeballs No 1 con man. His chatter disconcerted many a hitter. Like Jimmy Archer, who followed him, he threw from a squat and had powerful arm. He of the first to stress the pitch out as means of breaking up the hit-and-run, was whiz at picking men off base. King work horse, in the thick of the fierce rivalry between the Cubs of Frank Chance and the | Giants of John McCraw.
 WHEN MERKLE PULLED BONER
 King caught many games that are still remem- bered In 1908 he behind the stick in the contest at the Polo Grounds in which Fred Merke pulled his renowned boner in negectng to touch second base
 Noisy John also handled Pfeister and Miner Brown in the play-of of that historic contest which sent the Bruins into their third straight World Series This one was also played at the Polo Grounds and Noisy John once more reminded the Giants to behave on the paths when he caught Buck Herzog off first in the opening round after Roger Bresnahan has struck out.
 | In the eighth, Kling captured a foul ball raised by Larry Doyle, who pnched-hit for Chrsty Matthew son. In storm of hats and pop bottles The headWear and glassware were not heaved at Noisy John. It tossed in the air as despairing gesture as a home guard rally faded but that made Noisy Johns picking the ball out of the shower the less remarkable. That the last regular scheduled National League game caught by Kling until he returned to help the Cubs to another flag in TO Like Tyrus Ray mond Cobb, Kling grew rich playing baseball. Charles Webb Murphy found 1t harder each year to sign Klng, so prosperous was the billiard parlor conducted in Kansas City by Noisy John and his part ner, Benny Allen the old pocket billiard champion and three-cushon shark. c. Webb Murphy did not go high enough with his bid, Filings baseball in O9 confined to few games with Jimmy Calahans Logan Squares.
 President Murphy prepared for Kings retirement by obtaining Jimmy Archer, catcher called by not few the nearest approach to Noisy John since the lat ter called it Kng traded to the Boston Nationals in July, II. He managed the Beaneaters in 12, finished in full stride with the Cincinnati Reds in '13.
 KLING COULD HIT AND RUN Kling, who stood five feet nine and -a-half and weighed 175 pounds, exceptionally fast for back stop, stole g bases in 02 and the number in '03 right-hand hitter he left 12-year major league average of .271, very good for the period AS accomplished and versatile he as youngster, Kling experienced difficulty breaking into professional ball. Veterans didn't welcome newcomers then, remained on the job Klng could get in than 16 games at shortstop and 28 in the outed for Houston in 96, jumped the club for lack of oppor- tunty.
 The Cubs obtained Noisy John from St. Joseph of the Western League in the fall of 1900. Kling did all the Cubs backstopping in the World