Josh Bard (CLE) tags out Magglio Ordonez (CWS) at home plate in 2003 action.

Tom Needham, Chicago Cubs catcher, warming up before the game on May 10, 1913 versus the New York Giants.

Hall Of Fame catcher (inducted 1984 Veterans Committee) Rick Ferrell [left] with his brother Wes [right] with the Boston Red Sox in 1936. This was a true brother battery having connected as a starting pair in over thirty games, winning twenty of them.

Gabby Street in 1909 (Washington Senators). He was Walter Johnson's personal catcher. Street became famous for catching a ball dropped from the top of the Washington Monument in 1908. He later became Manager of the St. Louis Cardinals ( 1930-31) taking them to back-to-back pennants. After baseball he was a Cardinals' announcer along with a young Harry Carey.

Future Hall of Famer, Mike Piazza, while with the New York Mets in 2002 easily tags out the Cubs' first baseman, Fred McGriff, and readies to throw out the batter, Mark Bellhorn at second base.

Los Angeles Dodgers' sophomore catcher, Russell Martin, congratulates pitcher Takashi Saito on his victory over Toronto in 2007. Russell Martin led all National League catchers in 2007 All-Star voting in his first year on the ballot.

Boston Red Sox catcher, Jason Varitek, tags out Scott Hatteberg (Oakland catcher) in 2002 action. Varitek has caught over 1,050 games and passed HOF catcher Carlton Fisk for the most RBI's by a Red Sox catcher (569).

Hall Of Fame Manager Connie Mack with his beloved Philadelphia Athletics (at left in the dugout seated beside catcher Ira Thomas and at right first baseman Stuffy McInnis). Connie managed for 53 years amassing a total of 3,731 Wins in 7,755 games including winning 5 World Series.

Twenty-year veteran catcher Luke Sewell posing in 1931 in Cleveland's Spring Training camp. Luke led all A.L. catchers in Assists four years. His brother Joe is in the Hall Of Fame.

Photo provided by Tony Walls

Perhaps the Greatest Catcher Ever Hall-of-Famer Bill Dickey getting under a foul pop-up in 1936 in a year in which he was a 300-400-500 batting leader (Average .362, On-Base .428, and Slugging .617). He accomplished this rare catcher feat four straight years (1936-39) [See 300-400-500 Catchers. Dickey also set a record catching 100+ games 13 years in a row.

Unknown player, Catchers Chester "Pinch" Thomas (center) & Forrest "Hick" Cady (right)
PHOTO PROVIDED BY LEN LEVINE (SABR Member)

Hall-Of-Fame catcher Gary Carter with the 1981 Montreal Expos, one of his All-Star MVP years. Carter holds the Catcher Career Record with 11,785 Putouts and is 3rd all-time in Games Caught (2,056).

George "Admiral" Schlei catching batting practice for his 1908 Cincinnati Reds, his last year with the club before being traded to the New York Giants. At bat is 1st baseman (and Manager), John Ganzel.

Joe Mauer (Minnesota Twins) American League Batting Champion 2006

Yogi Berra and Manager Casey Stengel conferring on the mound in 1951 while waiting for relief pitcher Allie Reynolds to come in from the bullpen.

Chicago White Sox catcher Walt Kuhn (catching) with team mate Larry Chappell (batting) in pre-game warm-up in 1913.

Ernie Krueger (Cleveland Indians 1913) wearing the latest Tools of Ignorance in this pre-game pose.

Catcher Harry Chiti in 1956, his last year with the Chicago Cubs.

Catcher Lou Criger [left] with Hall Of Fame pitcher Cy Young [right] playing for the Boston Red Sox in the 1903 World Series.

Hall Of Fame catcher Johnny Bench prepares to put the tag on a runner attempting to score against him. Blocking the plate was one of Bench's defensive specialties.

Kenji Johjima (Seattle Mariners) in 2006 Spring Training as the very first Japanese to be a full-time Major League catcher. He is a seven-time All-Star for the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks in the Pacific League with seven straight Gold Gloves and a career 37.6% caught stealing rate (222-for-591).

Brian Schneider collides with TV cameraman while going after a pop foul ball. In 2005 Schneider, playing for WAS-NL, led the league in catching base stealers with 37.7%.

Hall Of Fame Catcher (inducted 1955) Charles Leo "Gabby" Hartnett strikes a pose in his Most Valuable Player (MVP) year (1935)

Hall Of Fame Manager (inducted 1945) Wilbert "Uncle Robbie" Robinson as a young catcher for the Philadelphia A's in 1887 (left) and as the Manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1916 (right) greeting Yankees Manager Wild Bill Donovan.

Rick Dempsey (Bal-A) tagging out a Texas Ranger baserunner attempting to steal home in 1986 action.

Manager/Catcher Bill Carrigan (Boston American League) at bat in Game 4 of the 1916 World Series played at Brooklyn's Ebbets Field. Chief Meyers is the catcher.

Mike Matheny (STL-N) tags out Jeff Kent (SF-N) to save the game in 2001 action.

Roy Campanella (Brooklyn Dodgers) tagging out a runner at home in the Hall of Famer's first Most Valuable Player (MVP) year of 1951

Tommy Clarke shown in his debut game on August 26, 1909 while playing for the Cincinnati Reds. Tommy would go on to catch 576 games in his career.

[Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Reds.]

William Bedford Bill Rariden grabbing a pop fly in pre-game warmup in 1919 while playing for the Cincinnati Reds.

[Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Reds.]

Mike Piazza (NY Mets) applying the tag to Bernard Gilkey (ATL) trying to score in 2001

Hall of Fame catcher Roger Bresnahan in 1906 with the New York Giants.

Catching a foul ball by the backstop is Ray Lamanno of the Cincinnati Reds in 1941.

[Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Reds.]

Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez (FLA) tags J.T. Snow (SF) during the 2003 NLDS to save a run and preserve the victory.

One of the last photos taken of Thurman Munson (NY-A) before his tragic death on 8/2/1979 as a result of a plane crash in Ohio.

Yogi Berra (NY-A) nears the plate after hitting a homer in 1951 during his first MVP year. Catcher Joe Ginsberg (Det-A) kneels with head down in frustration.

Jorge Posada (NY-A) holds up the ball to the umpire after tagging out Dimitri Young (Det) in 2003 collision at the plate action.

Bill Baker in Spring Training 1940 with the Reds, his first major league season.

[Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Reds.]

Spring Training 1936 in Lakeland, Florida posing are: Outfielder Al Simmons (left), Manager/Catcher Mickey Cochrane (Center) and Backup Catcher Cy Perkins (Right)

[Photo courtesy of Mickey Cochrane's Family.]

Ivey Wingo 1915 Cincinnati Reds

[Photo courtesy of Michelle Morgan, great grand-daughter of Ivey Wingo.]

Benito Santiago 1995 Cincinnati Reds

[Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Reds.]

Ed Bailey 1953 Cincinnati Reds in his first major league season

[Photo courtesy of Cincinnati Reds.]

Mickey Cochrane (left) with Ray Hayworth (right) in 1934

[Photo courtesy of Congressman Hayworth.]

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