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10 bits of baseball history I learned from "A Game of Inches"
"A Game of Inches" by Peter Morris takes present-day readers on a tour of baseball's origins. Here are 10 interesting glimpses into the game of the past – and how it impacts baseball as we know it today.
Pittsburgh catcher Jason Jaramillo shows off his standing skills. (Gregory Shaver/Milwaukee Journal Times/AP)
1. Catchers didn’t start off squatting
Standing, even if slightly stooped, made it easier to catch errant pitches and try to throw out runners attempting to steal. The main reason for going into a crouch was to conceal signals from the batter and others with prying eyes, such as those of the first base coach.
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