The catching position in baseball can be brutal. No doubt the crooked pinky finger on Roger Bresnahan’s hand is evidence to that fact. Bresnahan, one of baseball’s greatest catchers, is credited with innovations to ease that grief. He introduced the use of shin guards to professional baseball, despite the razzing from fellow players. He added padding to the catchers mask for further comfort and protection. After a serious beaning, Bresnahan experimented with a protective batting helmet fashioned after football headgear.