Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 10-25-2012

Toledo News-Bee, October 25, 1912:

Vinnie Ward is a busher. He lives in Alameda, Cal. He had some experience in the Northwestern league, but not enough to get out of the low bush class. He climbed into an Oakland uniform the other day and begged the manager of Oakland to give him a chance. The manager couldn’t see him, but when Vinnie announced that he was a cousin of Duffy Lewis, the manager gave the matter a second thought. Vinnie…cracked a double over first in the eighth inning when runners rested on second and third. Now he is the hero of Oakland.

At first I thought being related to a star player from the same organization was a really bizarre reason to give an obviously overmatched ballplayer playing time, but then I remembered Stephen Larkin, Pete Rose Jr., Mike Glavine, and Ozzie Canseco.

Ward went 1-for-10 in his brief PCL career. He hit .257 with decent doubles power in three recorded seasons in Class B ball.