Herman Ward - Detroit catcher......ever heard of him?

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Posted By: Jimi

Hey folks,

I just finished a parent/teacher conference with a student and her mother, and it turns out that their family collects prewar cards. Very cool, right? Through more conversation, it turns out that her grandfather was a catcher for the Tigers back around 1918 (so she believes). His name was Herman Ward, and they have never been able to find a card of him. Does anyone out there know more about him or of his "cardboard" history? I thought maybe there was a Zeenut or something of him, but any help would be appreciated.

Who knows, it might score me some brownie points with the family!

Jimi

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Posted By: Jimi

I think I have discovered that his name may have been Hap Ward and played in 1912 for one game with the Tigers. That will make it VERY tough to find a card of him. Any ideas?

Jimi

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Posted By: Rob

neat story about Hap Ward ... if thats your guy

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hap_Ward

Rob

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Hap's real name is Joseph...so that might not be it if she said her grandfather was named Herman.

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Posted By: Matt

Awesome story!!

Joseph Nichols "Hap" Ward (November 15, 1885 - September 13, 1979) played in the outfield for the Detroit Tigers on May 18, 1912.

Three days earlier, Tigers' star Ty Cobb was taunted with racial slurs in New York by a fan named Claude Lueker. Cobb lost his cool, went into the stands, and attacked the heckler. The heckler was handicapped, having lost one complete hand and three fingers from the other hand in an industrial accident, and unable to defend himself. When fans yelled at Cobb that the man had no hands, Cobb shouted back, "I don't care if he has no feet!" American League president Ban Johnson responded by suspending Cobb indefinitely.

Cobb's teammants voted to strike in response to Cobb's suspension, declaring that they would not take the field again until Cobb was reinstated. Ban Johnson refused to back down and told Tigers owner Frank Navin that the team would be fined $5,000 for every game in which they failed to field a team.

Navin ordered manager Hughie Jennings to find players willing to take the field. The Tigers were on the road in Philadelphia, and so Jennings recruited eight "Tigers" from a neighborhood in North Philadelphia. Each man was paid $25. A 20-year-old "Hap" Ward was one of the local "sandlotters" who ended playing for the Tigers in one of the worst defeats in major league history.

"Hap" Ward played in the outfield for the replacement Tigers. He went hitless in two at bats but played flawlessly in the outfield with two putouts and no errors. In front of 20,000 Philadelphia fans, the Athletics set a club scoring record in trouncing the replacement Tigers by a score of 24-2. The Tigers' starting pitcher, Allan Travers was a college student who later confessed he had never pitched a game in his life. Travers later became a Catholic priest.

After the embarrassing display, Ban Johnson met personally with the striking Tigers and told them they would be banned for life if the strike continued. Ty Cobb urged his teammates to end the strike, and the Tigers complied. Accordingly, the major league career of "Hap" Ward and the other replacement Tigers was cut short at one game.



So - how did Cobb get reinstated?

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Posted By: Dan Bretta

Johnson lessened the ban to a 10 game suspension and $50 fine...Cobb complied with it.

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Posted By: Jimi

Yes, great story! Turns out that it is not Hap Ward who I am looking for. I just received an e-mail from her saying that she was going to call her dad to get more information. I guess you'll hear back from me soon....

Jimi

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

there is a Ward in the 1911 Obak set, with no first name, playing for Victoria of the N.W.L.

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Posted By: Bob Lemke

according to my research in contemporary sporting papers, Victoria shortstop Ward was Vincent J. Ward, said to have been a cousin of Duffy Lewis.

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

Aaron Ward, 1917-1928, is on a couple of Exhibits, E120,121,220, W501,515,572.

John M. Ward, 1878-1894 is on Old Judge cards, WG1, and some others.

Joseph Ward, 1906-1910, is on C46s and T201s.


Might not be any other Wards on old cards.

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Posted By: Rob Ray

Just looked at baseball reference.com....Oscar Stange was Det's regular catcher throughout the 'teens...and the only player named Ward who played for Det in this period was the mentioned substitute player for one game in 1912...Hap Ward....perhaps this herman played in the minor leagues only....

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Posted By: Jimi

I feel bad now for this lady now. Heck, she's probably gone her whole life thinking her grandfather was in the major leagues and now I'm finding he never was. This is a very athletic family though. Her father was drafted by the Mets, too. He never played professionally though.

When they contact me again, we'll see if there is more info. Thanks for everyone's help!

Jimi

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Posted By: Gilbert Maines

It is possible to make it to the Major Leagues!, and not get a chance to play

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Posted By: Bob Pomilla

Undoubtedly not the guy, but interesting, nonetheless.

http://content.lib.washington.edu/cdm4/item_viewer.php?CISOROOT=/nol&CISOPTR=55&REC=1