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Baseball catcher patent, 1904. Artwork of a baseball catching device invented by James E. Bennett. A wire cage strapped across the person's chest acts as a receptacle to catch balls traveling through the air. Once a ball is caught, the cage closes automatically. A wire mesh protects the catcher's face from impact. (KEYSTONE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/US PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY)