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Show I wholslhe Leading Catcher In the Big Leagues Today 1 A. By TOMMY CLARK. H 1 IRST choice of the great catch- ' , I Ivrad cra of' lne maJr leagues! H fl Quite a puzzle it la to pick H -" i he winner when all thru goes H to make a player great Is considered B from a practical standpoint and not i from the general atmosphere of local prejudice aa doped by some writers on thn sport. ; "What are the essential qualities for Hr f: ' a topnoteh catcher? First, natural V- " . ' - ability for the position, for made catch- K ' era never reach the top row: second. range, footwork and speed; third. H throwing from all angles with nccu- H racy and a knowledge of the runner; H fourfh. the ability to work with all H pitcher?, and run the game: fifth, gamc- 1 ! ' ness and the ability to stand a large B I amount of hard work under a killing H I I The great catcher must be a thinker. H 'an Inventor, a man who would make a Hl I . success of almost any business calling H ( for a head. V How many catchers now before the H I ' s public have developed all these lmpor- Hj tant points of the game? H We have sixteen major league clubs. H j Nearly ever' team has two or more H catchers. H National Leanuo Backstops. In the National league Brooklyn has H In Bergen a natural backstop and brll- H Hant thrower, who watches the bases, B but lacks what Is known as ginger. H Bresnahan of St. Louis Is the hard- H est working catcher In the National H league He In always on the alort has H a great throwing arm and Is of great H assistance to a pitcher at a critical fl . moment. But managerial duties havo H affectod htR catching to some extont. Hj The name thing applies to Charley H Dooln of Philadelphia. Hl ' Cincinnati has a good ono In Larry Hj McLean. "When In good shape Larry H can do the backstopptng as well as H t any ono In the country. New York's H I catching department is very weak. H . Myors, the Indian. Is an in and outer. H I One day ho catches a fine game, and the next day he performs Uko an amateur. ama-teur. Wilson Is btlll Inexperienced, but gives promise of developing. Tho Chicago Cubs havo two dandles In Archer and "Peaches" Graham. The latter Is a very enthusiastic worker. The pair have all the qualities that go to make up a first class wind paddlst Photos by American Press Association. Tho Boston club mado a terrible mistake mis-take when It let Graham go to the Cubs. Kllng, whom tho Chicago club traded to Boston for Graham, Is not afl good a catcher aa ho was three years ago. When at his best ho was In a class by himself. Pittsburg has a corker In Gibson. He has no apparent weakness. J-udglng by the work of the men this season, tho catchers In tho National league should rank In the order named: Gibson, Archer, Graham. Kllng, Bres-nahan, Bres-nahan, Dooln. McLean, Bergen and Myers. American League Receivers. In tho American lcaguo Philadelphia ha3 two good ones In Thomas and Lapp, When Detroit parted with Thomas his arm was bad. His arm camo back, and ho has been a big help to tho Athletics In chasing tho much sought rag. Manager Mack says he Is one of tho best In the Junior organization. organiza-tion. Lapp gives great promise Stan-ago Stan-ago of the Detroit team Is good, but not a first class catcher, Stephens of St. Louis Is a hard and willing worker, work-er, but lacks enthusiasm. Sweeney of New York gives promise of developing Into a great star with moro experience. Clarko of St Louis Is a good one. He o a good footworker and very rangy for his Inches. Washington .has a crackcrjack In Streot Ho Is Intelligent Is a fine thrower, and ho gct3 into ovcry play. Ho watches tho bases and Is a power behind the stick when the game Is going go-ing against his team. Boston has a grand backstop in Bill Carrlgan. Tho latter was cut out for a model catchor In the baseball game. In Sullivan Chicago iias one of the real gema of the profession. Ever on tho alert with a deadly throw, ho Is a catcher who coaches every pitcher., Tho way the backstops In the American Ameri-can league should range Is as follows: Street. Carrlgan, Sullivan, Sweeney, Thomas, Lapp and Clarko. Now that Street has been selected as the greatest catcher In the American league and Gibson In the National, which of tho two Is the premier backstop back-stop of the country? Many homo -. m m critics have their peta, but "when If .' comes down to cardinal principles laid kH down to Judge a catcher one will find J that tho best of 'em all today Is Georgt . m Gibson of the Pirates. The latter was !; f cut out for the modol catcher In base- J ball. Gibson is the man who can turn p back tho fleetest base runner a man ; ft who can nip the boys out at first and ' fl third unless thoy aro, ever on the alert "" C He Is tho backstop who seldom drops k a ball that he can reach. Gome to the K finger tips, he can catch the wildest C dclivory aa If it were merely play ag- , S gresslve. on to all the advanced wrln- 11 4 kles of the game, cutting the ball to jj second from all angles, with a knack J f of spreading Into position while th ' fl ball Is coming to him. w |
