' Day ▁at ▁To led o ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 4 . ▁ ▁Mc Gu ire ▁said ▁that ▁O ' Day ▁" th rew ▁the ▁heav iest ▁and ▁hard est ▁ball ▁I ▁ever ▁caught ", ▁and ▁that ▁O ' Day ' s ▁ ▁pitch es ▁" c ame ▁like ▁a ▁shell ▁from ▁a ▁can non ." ▁ ▁Mc Gu ire ▁re called : ▁" The ▁rein for ced ▁full - f inger ed ▁catch er ' s ▁glo ve ▁had ▁just ▁come ▁into ▁use ▁the ▁year ▁before . ▁ ▁One ▁day ▁on ▁my ▁way ▁to ▁that ▁old ▁To led o ▁park ▁on ▁Mon roe ▁Street , ▁I ▁passed ▁a ▁but cher ▁p ounding ▁round ▁ste ak . ▁It ▁gave ▁me ▁an ▁idea , ▁and ▁I ▁went ▁in ▁and ▁bought ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁it . ▁I ▁put ▁a ▁piece ▁of ▁it ▁in ▁my ▁glo ve ▁at ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁every ▁in ning , ▁and ▁H ank ' s ▁pitch es ▁beat ▁that ▁ste ak ▁into ▁a ▁pul p ." ▁ ▁Mc Gu ire ' s ▁wife ▁re called ▁her ▁husband ▁using ▁" a ▁piece ▁of ▁be ef ste ak " ▁and ▁noted : ▁" At ▁game ' s ▁end ▁it ▁would ▁be ▁h amb urger ." ▁ ▁G nar led ▁hands ▁ ▁Mc Gu ire ▁played ▁before ▁the ▁advent ▁of ▁most ▁modern ▁protect ive ▁equipment , ▁and ▁his ▁fingers ▁were ▁reported ly ▁" gn ar led , ▁broken , ▁bent , ▁split ▁and ▁cro oked " ▁by ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁his ▁career .