Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1911 — TOO MUCH THROWING IS BAD [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

TOO MUCH THROWING IS BAD

John Kling, Premier Catcher for Chicago Cube, Telle How to Win— Lot Umpires Alone.

- f BY JOHN KLING. (Copyright. 810. by Joseph B. Bowles.) When I was a pitcher in semi-profes-sional teams around Kansas City I lost many games by trying to do too much, by throwing too often, and by wearing myself out by wasted efforts. 1 was a failure as a ball player in several towns before experience taught me that one play at the right instant is worth ten at any other time. It was the old "stitch in time saves nine” idea, but it did more for me than anything else to "Win games and tp bring me up in the profession. • * When I began catching, one of the first things I learned was that the catcher ean break up a team quicker than any one else can. He need not even make an error to do it. One! of the easiest ways to lose a game is for the catcher to throw too much. He may throw perfectly, and yet by keeping the infield moving and out of position, expecting his throws and studying him instead of watching the batter, he may cause the game to be lost. My idea has been to make plays when they count and not to use too mapy signals. The infielders have a lot to watch, and if the catcher keeps them watching him all the time he takes their minds off their other duties and causes them to make blunders. First and foremost in importance In winning is that the catcher never shall make or attempt to make any play, especially a throw, unless absolutely certain that the other men in the play have caught the signal, understand what is to be attempted, and are prepared to make the play with him. There comes a time in almost every ball game when the opposing team has a good chance to win by scoring .a lot of runs in a bunch. The inning in which that happens is the one in which the catcher ought to pull oft his play. In such a situation, when a team is having a batting rally, it is twice as easy for a catcher to catch

men off bases by fast throws than it is at any other stage of the contest The team that is rallying and sees victory almost in hand always 1b excited, and the base runners take more liberties, longer leads and lose their heads quicker than at any other time. Excitement robs them of their natural caution catcher who keeps cool and keeps thinking can catch runners off their bases frequently, and perhaps break up a winning rally and save the game. The Cubs have done that many times, and it helped them win pennants. I am not claiming I won those games. Confidence in each other is one of the big elements in winning games. The catcher who does not have confidence in his infield is afraid to throw, and even when he does throw he throws timidly. A bad first baseman or one in whom the others have no confidence makes bad throwers of a{L I believe in helping umpires and doing all I can to make their work easier. If they are let alone and not nagged at their work is much more satisfactory.

John Kling.