Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-20-2021

Pittsburgh Press, January 20, 1921:

Buck Weaver, brilliant third baseman who was indicted with seven other Whitesox players for alleged conspiracy to “throw” the 1919 world’s series to Cincinnati, is certain he will play major league baseball next season and with the Whitesox.

Weaver, according to friends, has offered to bet $500 that he will be back with Kid Gleason’s crew when the 1921 season opens.

Dude. Buck. Stop with the betting. It isn’t helping.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-13-2021

New York Tribune, January 13, 1921:

The two major leagues [yesterday] signed the new national agreement making Kenesaw M. Landis baseball commissioner with supreme powers as their ruler…

Besides signing the national agreement, the individual major league club owners affixed their signatures to a contract in which they agreed not to publicly criticize each other or talk about one another and to accept any decision made by Judge Landis regardless of their personal opinion of it.

Getting this done was a heck of an accomplishment. Trying to get these owners to agree on anything was like herding cats.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-12-2021

Pittsburgh Gazette Times, January 12, 1921:

A three-cornered conference involving John McGraw of the Giants, George Gibson of the Pirates and Fred Mitchell of the Braves, with Rabbit Maranville as the main topic of discussion, was sidetracked early [yesterday] evening after it had been scheduled by the three managers. The pilots were in earnest about the matter, but McGraw was rushed by several of his friends, who insisted upon a fraternal gathering…

Both Gibson and [Pirates President Barney] Dreyfuss were peeved over the outcome of what was supposed to be an important business meeting.
...
[The Braves] say they will give [Maranville] for Carey, Whitted, a shortstop, and a sum of money said to be $40,000.

Yes, I’m sure they would have. Maranville was a good player, a bit of a stretch as a Hall of Famer, but one of the best shortstops in baseball at this point.

All the Braves were asking for was prime Max Carey, an everyday 3B/OF (Whitted), a starting shortstop, and the salaries of Ty Cobb and Babe Ruth combined.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-11-2021

Barre [Vermont] Daily Times, January 11, 1921:

Differences of opinion concerning rules under which baseball is to be governed were expected to disappear at the meeting to-day of the minor league drafting committee with the committees of the two major leagues.

Approval of the new national agreement drawn up in New York recently with the appointment of Federal Judge Landis as commissioner for seven years, was voted by the major league committee yesterday. Formal endorsement by the two leagues was expected to-day.

It was kind of a big deal.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-8-2021

Toledo News-Bee, January 8, 1921:

Babe Ruth, the demon home-run king of professional baseball, who was razzed out of the game last Sunday night when his all-star team played the Celtics, will seek revenge tomorrow night on the basketball court of the Twenty-second Regiment Armory, when his All-Stars line up against the New York Whirlwinds.
...
Babe had 24 shots at the basket last week and missed—24 of them. He promises to do better tomorrow.

I looked it up because I was curious: Hall of Famer Joe Fulks owns the NBA record with 42 missed shots in one game. I guess it makes sense that they don’t let bad players miss 42 shots.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-6-2021

Pittsburgh Gazette Times, January 6, 1921:

The New York Giants [yesterday] bottled up the baseball situation on Manhattan Island. If the newly organized Colonial [sic] League or the American League desires to get playing grounds on the island, they will have to see Messrs. Stoneham, McGraw, and Judge McQuade of the National Exhibition Company.

The formal transfer yesterday of two lots in the block on the north side of One Hundred and Fifty-fifth street, 225 feet east of Eighth avenue, between the Polo Grounds Manhattan Field tract controlled by the Giants, and the Harlem River, blocks the last chance of a baseball club to find grounds on the island unless on the site of the Highlanders park.

This land is essentially right across the Macombs Dam Bridge from Yankee Stadium was built, so if the Continental League had been serious, they could have just bought land in the Bronx on the other side of the river.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-5-2021

Wheeling Intelligencer, January 5, 1921:

The Continental Baseball League, Incorporated, which its promoters say will put baseball teams into several major league cities, held its first meeting [yesterday] and elected Andrew F. Lawson, of [Boston], as president.

Franchises were assigned by states as follows:
Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and possibly the Province of Ontario, with a team at Toronto.

Mr. Lawson announced that it has been agreed to have no salary limit, and that “in the event of the Red Sox not accepting the offer to sell, a park would be built in Boston.”

The franchise for the Boston team was awarded to Fred Lundy as agent for certain interests. The Indiana franchise was awarded to Donald Jones, of Indianapolis, and Charles H. Mack, of Philadelphia, was given the franchise for New Jersey.

I confess I haven’t spent more than 10 or 15 minutes looking into these guys, but I have no clue who any of them are and Google didn’t help much. There was a constable in Boston around this time named Fred Lundy, but I don’t know if it’s the same guy.

Presumably the teams would have been in Boston, New York, Baltimore, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Toronto, and either Newark or maybe Camden. For the investors’ sake, I hope they pulled the plug quickly.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 1-4-2021

Pittsburgh Press, January 4, 1921:

[Babe] Ruth took on some weight during his trip to Cuba. He accumulated quite a girth, in fact, and he wants to remove it though he says he is not worried about the weight he has picked up.

“I don’t believe in being at my lowest weight when the season starts,” said Ruth. “A few extra pounds gives a fellow a reserve that guards against staleness later on in the season.”

You don’t see a lot of “worst shape of his life” stories as Spring Training approaches.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-31-2020

Ogden Standard-Examiner, December 31, 1920:

Swede Risberg…one of the indicted players on the Chicago White Sox team, sends word from the Pacific coast that he will be back in the American league during the 1921 season.

Narrator: “He wasn’t.”

Risberg spent the next 10-15 years making a living playing in outlaw and semipro leagues.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-30-2020

New York Tribune, December 30, 1920:

Samuel Breadon, president of the St. Louis National League Club, gave New York its prize laugh of the season yesterday afternoon…To an offer of $200,000 and four players for Rogers Hornsby, the heavy hitting infielder of the Cardinals, Breadon flashed [the Giants front office] this laconic wire in reply.

“If you will throw in Frisch for good measure I shall be pleased to call Manager Branch Rickey’s attention to your offer.”

Rogers Hornsby was really, really, really good. Unless you’re dealing with Harry Frazee, you just don’t get players like that without giving up a ton.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-28-2020

Washington Times, December 28, 1920:

In this season of Santa Claus celebrations one is perforce brought face to face with many manifestations of the old fellow with the long whiskers and the reindeer, the sound of whose bells has sent shuddering to bed so many kids through all these long past generations. Baseball fans with any memory whatever must recognize in the trim figure of Harry H. Frazee, president of the Boston American League Club, the private Santa Claus for the New York Yankees.
...
First and foremost, of course, stands the deal that sent Babe Ruth to the New York Club.
...
Now for the latest trade, one which has quite broken the camel’s back with Boston fans. Wally Schang, one of the three best catchers in baseball; Waite Hoyt, a young and promising pitcher; Mike McNally, a first class utility man, and Harry Harper, a fair left-hand pitcher have been turned over to the Yankees in exchange for “Muddy” Ruel, another second string receiver, Del Pratt, a creaking veteran infielder who is supposed to have retired with the recent season; Sam Vick, a “bust” as a major league outfielder, and Herb Thormahlen, a fair southpaw pitcher. Also, according to Boston writers, Frazee received a check for $25,000.

That’s some bad trade, Harry.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-22-2020

Wilmington [Delaware] Evening Journal, December 22, 1920:

There’s something a wee bit queer in the case of Charley Herzog, Chicago Cub infielder.

Charged openly by Rube Benton of offering him a sum of money to throw a ball game, Herzog has been resting under a cloud. At the gathering of the wise men in the east, [National League President] John Heydler completely exonerated the Cub infielder.

Thie sort of halfway clears the matter up, but President Veeck, of the Chicago club, says that waivers have been asked on Charley, and if he is released “we will tell him why when the tine comes.”

That was a weird thing for Veeck to have said, particularly when he could have said tactfully that Herzog is 35 years old and was terrible this past season.

Elsewhere in the news 100 years ago today, the New York Herald reports that the Black Sox prosecutions are going to be difficult and that Charlie Comiskey is likely to sell the club. (The Sox stayed in the Comiskey family for another 38 years.)

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-21-2020

Bridgeport Times, December 21, 1920:

From St. Louis comes word that the Cardinals have put Rogers Hornsby on the market after two or more years of turning down fabulous offers for the player. Hornsby, it is said, can be had today for $150,000 or the equivalent in playing talent.

Time was when the New York Giants would have jumped at the offer. Manager McGraw is said to have offered nearly a quarter of a million dollars for Hornsby at one time last summer.

Hornsby spent another six seasons with the Cardinals, so I imagine he wasn’t on the trading block at this point. The Cardinals were smart to keep him around; Hornsby led the league in batting average, OBP, and slugging every year between 1920-1925, not to mention hitting .400 three times during that span, leading the majors in home runs twice, leading the league in hits four times, leading the majors in hits twice, leading the league in doubles four times, averaging 14 triples per season, and leading the majors in WAR four times.

tl;dr: Rogers Hornsby was good at baseball.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-17-2020

El Paso Herald, December 17, 1920:

Selection of managers for the Detroit and St. Louis teams was expected to be formally announced. It was considered a certainty that Ty Cobb would be chosen to manager the Tigers, and Lee Fohl was generally mentioned as St. Louis’s selection.
...
The only objection to the appointment of Cobb has been his peculiar temperament which has made him unpopular with a large number of players. Cobb’s sensational fights upon the diamond have proven considerably unpopular with the baseball fans and it is not known just how his appointment will be received.
...
Cobb and [former manager Hughie] Jennings, it is understood, were firm friends, but the latter allowed the eccentric star to do whatever he chose and there was never friction between them.

Seems like if you’re Ty Cobb’s boss, you have two choices: Let him do whatever he wants or unsuccessfully try to prevent him from doing whatever he wants.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-14-2020

New York Tribune, December 14, 1920:

Our neighboring borough of the Bronx is very anxious for the advertising of organized baseball and is anxious to “jimmy” its way into the National Association of Professional Baseball Clubs.
...
A delegation from the Bronx announced yesterday it would pay $150,000 for any franchise of the (then) New International League, would expend another $150,000 on grounds and guarantee to split up more money with visiting clubs than any rival could give.

Just hang on a bit, Bronx. You’ll get your baseball team.

Elsewhere in the news 100 years ago today, Notre Dame football player George Gipp has passed away after a short illness.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-11-2020

Memphis News Scimitar, December 11, 1920:

Arrest and arraignment were expected [in Los Angeles] today in the case of at least one of the four men indicted on charges of criminal conspiracy late yesterday by the Los Angeles county grand jury, after an inquiry of two months’ duration into charges of corruption in Pacific Coast league baseball games in 1919.

That one was W. Baker (“Babe”) Borton, former Vernon first baseman. The other three indicted were Harl V. Magert [sic] and W.G. Rumler, former Salt Lake outfielders, and Nathan Raymond, alleged gambler of Seattle, Wash.

Borton didn’t go to prison, but unsurprisingly his baseball career was over. Maggert was done too, though he was 37 years old at the time. Somehow Bill Rumler escaped with an eight-year suspension instead of a lifetime ban.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-8-2020

Washington Herald, December 8, 1920:

Federal Judge K.M. Landis, head of organized baseball, would make no comment for publication [last night] on the charge that copies of all the evidence presented to the grand jury in its inquiry into the baseball gambling conspiracy and scandal had been removed from the State Attorney’s office.

The complaint was made to Landis by Ban B. Johnson, president of the American League.

“This is one of the biggest explosions in baseball and will develop into one of the worst scandals yet exposed,” Johnson said just before he was the judge [yesterday] afternoon.

I understand and agree with the need for grand jury testimony to remain sealed, but it seems weird and a bit suspicious that Ban Johnson is so upset. It’s like he’s trying to hide something over and above just wanting the legal system to work as intended.

For what it’s worth, the outgoing State’s Attorney, Maclay Hoyne, says he had copies made in order to add them to the files of relevant cases.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-7-2020

Washington Herald, December 7, 1920:

Baseball is sport, not commerce.

As played and conducted by organized baseball clubs it is not subject to the restrictions and penalties carried by the Sherman anti-trust law. The District Court of Appeals said so yesterday in declaring that the Federal Baseball Club of Baltimore, Md., an alleged “outlaw” organization, was not entitled to recover $264,000 damages from organized baseball because the latter, it was alleged, “squeezed” them out of business by monopolistic methods.

Welp.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-3-2020

New York Herald, December 3, 1920:

[Jim] Thorpe and his Canton Bulldogs are here for their game at the Polo Grounds to-morrow. The noted Indian played the outfield in the International League last season. The writer asked him yesterday how much he hit. “About .367,” was the answer.

“Why didn’t you hit that way in the big league?”
“I hit over .300 in the big league the last year I was in it,” Thorpe replied, “and rapped right handers and left handers both. I can hit ‘em all.”
“Why didn’t they keep you in the big leagues, then?”
“Can’t prove it by me. You’ll have to ask them that.”

Thorpe hit .360 as an everyday outfielder for Akron in 1920, a year after hitting .327 for the Giants and Braves. He hit .358 for Toledo in 1921.

I’m not saying Thorpe could have been a star big leaguer, but it sure seems like he was a better player than a lot of people thought. Certainly a better player than a lot of guys who were given more than 698 MLB at-bats.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 12-2-2020

Bridgeport Times, December 2, 1920:

George “Buck” Weaver, former Chicago American baseball league club infielder, implicated by the confession of three White Sox players in the world series exposures before the Cook county grand jury recently, plans to appear in the various Chicago vaudeville houses in a monologue designed to prove his innocence of complicity in the alleged conspiracy to “throw” the 1919 series, it was said in sporting circles today.

Seems like a more interesting way to make money than working at a pharmacy.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 11-30-2020

Washington Times, November 30, 1920:

The handling of Babe Ruth’s mail has forced a vexing problem upon the management of the Yankees. It isn’t good business to hire additional office help in this day of high prices, but the inrushing stream of letters, pamphlets, circulars, and postal cards almost forces it upon the Yankees. None of the fans seems to know Babe’s Cuban address, and all the communications continue to shower upon the Yankee office.

This seems like a decent problem to have.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 11-25-2020

Chattanooga News, November 25, 1920:

Police today were investigating the death of an unidentified women beneath the wheels of an automobile, driven by Jesse Hassell, president of the Dallas Baseball club. Hassell faces a charge of criminal negligence, in causing the woman’s death.

This is the first time I’ve run across Jesse Hassell but I think he may be about to become a Dugout regular. I’ve found stories about him getting drunk and running over four people, having his wife throw acid all over him after she found him with another woman, buying the baseball stadium in Dallas while he was trying to sell the team, injuring two women when he drove into their car, having a restraining order preventing him from driving a car in Dallas County, and having the KKK come out in support of his wife.

He’s the opposite of good-natured drunkard and Dugout regular Tubby Spencer. He’s Evil Tubby.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 11-24-2020

Bismarck Tribune, November 24, 1920:

Jim (Hippo) Vaughn a pitcher for the Chicago cubs, was stabbed by his father-in-law at midnight during an argument at the Vaughn home [in Kenosha]. He is in a serious condition at the city hospital.

Hippo recovered and pitched in 1921, but he wasn’t the same and was out of the big leagues for good by July. I can’t seem to find out where on his body he was stabbed, so it’s tough to tell if the stabbing ended his career or if his career was ended by being an out-of-shape 33-year-old who had thrown 900 innings in the past three years.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 11-23-2020

Pittsburgh Press, November 23, 1920:

A dispatch from Washington says that Eddie Cicotte must pay to the United States government $2,200 of the $10,000 he received as his share for throwing games to the Cincinnati Reds in the world’s series of 1919.

The internal revenue department with a view to collecting income taxes took up the cases of the ball players who admitted before a Chicago grand jury that they accepted bribe money.

In addition to the regular income tax the dispatch announced, the players were assessed an added amount as a fine for delinquent payment and false returns.

This wouldn’t be the last time the IRS came calling for a crook from Chicago.

Primer Dugout (and link of the day) 11-20-2020

Chicago Eagle, November 20, 1920:

George Whitted of the Pittsburgh Pirates says there is just as much reason in a pitcher throwing a baseball to frighten a batter as there would be in a batter taking a bat and breaking the arm of a pitcher whom he could not hit—same theory in each case. And Whitted hints that if he finds any pitcher trying to dust him off he’ll do just that trick of equalizing things by busting the offending pitcher’s arm.

Jeez, George, dial it back a bit. You’re a .270 hitter with no power. Nobody’s throwing at you because they can’t get you out.