Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 143, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 June 1913 — VETERAN CATCHERS WATCH BATTER’S FEET [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

VETERAN CATCHERS WATCH BATTER’S FEET

Veteran catchers, like Stange of thei Tigers, Sullivan of the White Sox, Thomas of the Athletics, Archer of the Cubs, and Gibson of the Pirates, watch the batter’s feet closely. They pay more attention to the footwork of the hitter than to any other motions. The reason for this is obvious. Take the prize-fight game, for example. Battling Nelson once said he could tell from the position of his opponent’s feet what he was intending to do; “I never watched his eyes,” said the former light-weight champion. “His feet betrayed every motion he planned. This never once failed. Persons often chided me for looking down all the time Instead of watching the eyes. But there was method in my madness.” The same goes for batters. Young backstops generally have enough keeping track of the baserunners and what the pitcher is throwing. They lack the coolness, as a rule, and allaround generalship. Among the first catchers who discovered the value of watching a batter’s feet were Charles Bennett of Detroit; Buck Ewing and King Kelly. All three were experts and seldom were outguessed. Johnny Kling also was a wonder in disciphering what the batter’s Intentions were, and so was Roger Bresnahan, the deposed manager of the Cardinals. The batter generally takes a certain natural position when he plans

the hit and run game with a man on first He usually takes a different stance —as they say in golf—when, a sacrifice bunt is his intention. Some have a way of moving around that betrays their purpose. Zimmerman is one of the easiest batters in the country to watch. It is only his natural swatting ability, his knack of slugging almost wild pitches, that enables him to break even with the crafty catchers.

Ira Thomas of the Athletics.

Oscar Stange of Detroit.