"Dead-ball" era Characters wanted....tell us of your favorites ?

[tedzan]

My favorite is "Turkey Mike" Donlin. Donlin grew up in Erie (Pennsylvania is one of the leading areas in providing many BB players and stars throughout the years).
A lifetime .333 hitter, one wonders what his numbers would have been, if he devoted more time to playing the game, instead of dabbling in Vaudeville. He played
from 1899 - 1912, and his BA was over .300 in 11 of the 12 years. It fell to .287 in 1902 in which he was in only 34 games. Since he spent several months in jail.
The highlights of his career were in 1903 (BA = .351) and in 1905 (BA = .356....with 216 Hits).
Mike was a very colorful character and quite the show man on and off the field. He was considered "the idol of New York City", especially after he married Mabel
Hite (a popular Broadway actress) and started appearing with his wife in shows. After his wife died in 1912 his Major League career came to an end by 1914.

During WWI, Mike was in France teaching baseball to the US soldiers. When he returned, he moved to Hollywood and became friends with John Barrymore. Barry-
more was instrumental in getting Mike into the movies. You can catch Mike Donlin on late nite TCM movies....circa 1918 - 1930's.

In my book....if you can hit a baseball safely 1-out-of-3 times at bat over a 12 year Major League career....you belong in the Hall of Fame.












TED Z

[MooseWithFleas]

Donlin would go under the "What Could Have Been" category for me along with Joe Wood, Dick Allen, Darryl Strawberry, Bo Jackson, and Doc Gooden. It would be a great debate, but one could suggest the HoF begin to induct those who's career were cut short. Longevity takes too much stake in HoF candidacy. For instance, Joe Wood had amassed 117 wins by age 25 with an ERA+ near 150. He only started in one more game after that point though because of a freak thumb injury when bunting. There is no doubt that he was one of the most talented pitchers of his time. Isn't that what the HoF is for? Recognizing the best talents of specific generations?

Anyway, I don't want to stray too far off-topic.

"Ee-Yah" Hughie Jenkins has to be mentioned! Known for his "Ee-Yah!" shouts when something went well on the field. Dancing on the field and taunting the opponents (to the point of suspension) are some of his more famous shticks.

It's actually a miracle the guy lived til age 58 considering he jumped head first into an empty pool in the middle of the night, broken both of his legs, overturning his car and breaking his arm and fracturing his skull a second time. He also got hit by a pitch to the head and finished out the game. Shortly after he collapsed and remained unconscious for 3 days.

[mcgwirecom]

George Edward "Rube" Waddell. One of the great characters of that era. Another one of those "what if" players. Just happened to be an awesome southpaw but probably didn't really even care that much about the game. First guy to strike out over 300 batters in a season (349 the record until 1973!) But was a huge pain to his managers. Needed to be watched 24-7 and even during the off season! Was an alcoholic, an actor (bad), engaged in very risky behavior most of the time. Loved to fight fires and had to be restrained from leaving games when the fire brigade went by. I read a good book about him by a guy named Levy. A lot of great stories about him were embellished, but still a lot of true ones! Was gone from baseball at 33. He ended up getting tuberculosis after helping out in a flood. Died at the age of 37. 193 Wins, 143 Losses, 2316 Ks, 2.16 ERA. My grandfather told me he saw him play and that he was the best pitcher he ever saw...

[ethicsprof]

It's well past midnight, but i'm remembering an old story about Ray Chapman,I believe, when he was facing the train speed fastball of Walter Johnson.
He too quickly leaves the batter's box, hustling back to his teammates, when
the umpire yells "you've got another strike left." Ray, not missing a step,
yells back astutely(word choice for you,ted)--"you can have it; i don't want it."
In 1920, Ray dies when hit by Carl Mays fastball.

Not deadball but a great anecdote that i remember from listening to dizzy dean with Pee Wee call the baseball games between falstaffs, when i was a kid.
Asked how great Bill Terry was, Diz simply tells us that Terry hit a ball so hard once that it went through the pitcher's legs and then soared and sailed over the fence for a homerun. Great falstaff methinks.

all the best, ole buddy
barry

[Brian Van Horn]

Nominated for racing a horse around the bases:

[bh3443]

What a great assembly of Donlin's cards and awesome story, Ted!
Barry, nice one on Champan!
Lobert racing a horse? Great one!

A fun thread, Ted. Thanks, my friends for these gems! Keep them coming!

You are all the best friends ever and I love you guys like brothers~~~~
Bill Hedin
Proud member of Net54!

[terjung]

Originally Posted by mcgwirecom

My grandfather told me he saw him play and that he was the best pitcher he ever saw...

Now THAT is what it is all about! Getting a firsthand account about the play of this deadball-era, weird bird had to be incredible. Consider me jealous of that conversation.

Anybody else talk to someone who told firsthand stories of early 20th century players?

[Rob D.]

Originally Posted by terjung

Anybody else talk to someone who told firsthand stories of early 20th century players?

Johnny Neun, who played for the Tigers during the 1925-28 seasons, was a special instructor for the Brewers when I played in their organization in the mid-1980s. Although he didn't reach the majors until after the deadball era, he shared incredible stories. I can remember sitting on the bleachers and chatting with him one-on-one at the end of workouts and thinking, "I'm talking to someone who was a teammate of Ty Cobb."

It was surreal.

[Touch'EmAll]

At St. Mary's, Brother Mathias wanted the kids to learn a marketable skill to later help them through life.

Babe had a tailoring and heming job for which he was paid. Babe used the money to buy candy for all the kids. Even as a kid, Babe was a loveable teddy bear type and very popular. Dude taking his own hard earned money to buy candy for the less priviledged.

I have a 4 year old, and his fondness of candy takes me back to my own youth when my sister and I would walk down to the 7-11, use our allowance to buy candy (and packs of baseball cards).

Story goes even when Babe was all grown up, big and famous, he still tailored his own clothes.