Vol. 9, No. 1: “Let’s get this lumpy, licorice-stained ball rolling!” Feb. 2009

Chairman’s ’s Forgotten Champions: Column: Finally, The 1919 Reds Deserve a Second Look the Baseball Cards You’ve By Nick Buglione ([email protected]) Been Waiting For Nineteen-nineteen. To serious baseball fans, the mere mention of the year is enough to start a By John McMurray conversation, if not a heated debate. ([email protected]) Nearly 90 seasons have passed since eight members of the White One of the more challenging Sox—, Oscar Felsch, Arnold Gandil, Joe Jackson, Fred areas of Deadball Era research McMullin, Charles Risberg, George Weaver, and Claude Williams—allegedly is locating high-quality portraits conspired with gamblers to throw the . Although the scandal’s of lesser-known players. The far-reaching impact on baseball has been obscured by time and long since Pictorial History Committee’s supplanted by new controversies, questions about the story linger to this day. Player Image Index Project has While there are few definitive answers to what precise transgressions took taken a great leap forward in this place on and off the field at the end of that fateful season, one thing is clear: regard. Still, while it is relatively The 1919 are considered by few historians to be that year’s easy to locate photos of most star legitimate champions. They are all but afterthought—World Series winners players, finding sharp portraits of, with an imaginary asterisk. Continued on page 7. say, Bill Coughlin or Doc Casey, among others, can be a challenge. SABR member Matt Fulling What’s Inside... has been working since 2003 on a set which may one Bob Groom Gets His Due, by day make this task easier. Fulling, Joan Thomas who joined SABR in 2005 and is a Great Moments in Baseball, by member of both the Deadball Era Molly Lawless and Pictorial History Committees, West Side Grounds Gets Its has been collecting mostly head Due, by Richard Smiley shots of Deadball Era players and compiling player biographical information to be included on the Book reviews: backs of the cards. Since all of the • The Mascots of 1911, by Bob photos that Fulling has located are Schroeder in black-and-white, he has been • Mack, McGraw and 1913 colorizing them in the hopes of Baseball Season, by Richard bringing the Deadball Era to life Adler for a new generation. Many of • Big , by Jack Smiles the players included have never • Greatest Game in Dixie, by been pictured on cards before. It John Simpson takes a few hours for Fulling to complete each card, including Matt Fulling’s card of Frank Harter. Continued on page 11. See Chairman’s Column. The Society for American Baseball Research Copyright 2009 Bob Groom Remembered At Still living in Belleville in 1938, Groom then Field founded the Hilgards and managed the team for seven years. In its first year, the American Legion bunch captured the state and regional titles. Remarkably, by Joan M. Thomas three members of that original club attended the ([email protected]) marker dedication in June. Cal Isselhardt, Ed Dahm and Joe Roesch all made a point to be there. On the warm summer evening of June 5, 2008, Additionally, Catherine Groom Petroski’s sister, Mary a choice group of baseball devotees assembled at Ellen Groom Prine, and the Hilgards’ most successful Belleville Illinois’ Whitey Herzog Field to witness and long-term (1963-1985), Barney Elser, the unveiling of a striking black granite marker. joined in the celebration. Commemorating the accomplishments of the city’s In 2000, Elser was the first recipient of the own Bob Groom, the monument is the seventh in Hilgard’s Hall of Fame award. Bob Groom received a national series honoring individual major league the same honor posthumously on February 23, 2008. players from baseball’s “Deadball Era.” The award recognizes individuals who played an The event prefaced a scheduled game hosted integral part in the history and tradition of Belleville by Belleville’s American Legion Post 58 Hilgards’ Post 58 American Legion Baseball and have “made a Baseball Club. Bob Groom’s granddaughter, SABR positive impact on the success of the program.” And member Catherine Groom Petroski, delivered brief there is no doubting the program’s success. and informative remarks before revealing the marker During their 69-year history, with only two years inscribed with her granddad’s image and a concise blotted because of World War II travel restrictions, history of his life in baseball. Then, the entire the Hilgards have had only three losing seasons Hilgards club, dressed in crisp white uniforms with (none when Elser managed!). Through 2007, the cool royal blue stockings and trim, lined up to pat the club sported a fantastic record of 1343 wins and only oversized baseball permanently set on the marker’s 547 losses. That tradition was evident at that June 5, top. Undoubtedly each athlete hoped to absorb some 2008 contest with the Dupo, Illinois American Legion of Groom’s success in the national game. club. Although his name no longer dwells on the In the first four alone, Belleville’s starting tongues of modern sports fans, Groom pitched in the hurler Otto Roberts tallied nine , leading the major leagues for a decade, earning a lifetime ERA Hilgards to an 11- 0 victory. Yet despite the lopsided of 3.10. In 1916, when he played for the St. Louis score, spectators in the roomy blue stadium-style Browns, the St. Louis Star (one of several St. Louis seats maintained a keen interest—demonstrating the papers of the day) dubbed him one of the “greatest ardor of genuine baseball fans. A grand-slam home right handers in the game.” Beginning his big league and later, at the end of the game, a dramatic career with the Washington Senators in 1909, he collision between the batter and the first-baseman then went to the ephemeral St. Louis rewarded them for their devotion. Terriers of 1914 - 1915. His tenure with the Browns Such a scenario imparts a sense of continuity in lasted from 1916 through 1917, and the following year a kaleidoscopic world. Otto Roberts’ intensity on the he ended his major league career with the Cleveland mound unquestionably simulates that of a young Bob Indians. Groom. Despite the scandals that arise, the actual game of baseball hasn’t changed much. The other markers like Bob Groom’s are placed at pertinent locales throughout the country, each paying homage to a Deadball Era major leaguer: , Davy Jones, Billy Sullivan, , Red Kleinow Committee Chair and Charlie Faust. Building on the keen interest in the Deadball Era among SABR members, David John McMurray: [email protected] Stalker and Archie Monuments of Watertown, WI Newsletter Editor spearheaded the effort to place markers of important Charles Crawley: [email protected] Deadball Era players at places of significance to Assistant Editor their careers and lives. Stalker and Archie have Mark Dugo: [email protected] formed partnerships with local Deadball Era fans and Database Manager/Distributor Continued on page 5. Dan Desrochers: [email protected]

Page 2...The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1 The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1...Page 3 West Side Grounds Marker Dedication Ceremony

By Richard A. Smiley ([email protected])

On a peaceful sunny September Saturday morning on the West Side of Chicago, over 200 people gathered on a medical school campus to commemorate a marker to the ballpark that had once sat there. From 1893 to 1915, the played their home games on the West Side Grounds and on September 6, 2008 those memories were brought back to life through the efforts of The Way in Left Field Society. The marker sits on Wood Street, North of Taylor, near the location of the center field flag pole that appears in many old photos of the ball park. For the unveiling of the marker, Wood Street was blocked off, programs were handed out, straw hats were worn, a brass band played, and appearances were made by people portraying President (who had spoken at the park) and legendary Cubs public address announcer Pat Piper (who began his career at the park). The unveiling was preceded by short speeches from those who made the dedication possible: the local alderman; the chancellor of the University of Illinois at Chicago; a board member of the Illinois West Side Grounds Marker. Photo courtesy of State Historical Society; and most especially, Brian Richard Smiley Bernardoni and Mike Reischl of The Way Out in Left Field Society. Following the speeches, ’s elegant “Elegy Written in a West Side Ball Yard” Now fades the glimmering landscape on the sight, (, April 20, 1916) was read (Editor’s for chattering of the laboring folk Note: Reproduced in this issue). Returning to their hovels for the night. The unveiling itself was handled by none other All’s still at Taylor, Lincoln, Wood, and Polk. than “Mr. Cub,” . Ernie praised the efforts of those who had put in the effort to get the marker Beneath this aged roof, this grandstand’s shade, erected. With the Cubs clearly headed to the playoffs, Where peanut shucks lie in a mold’ring heap, Ernie invoked the memories of those who had gone Where show the stains of pop and lemonade, before and expressed the opinion that “if the Cubs The Cub bugs used to cheer and groan and weep. win the World Series, they’ll rise up like Lazarus to celebrate the feat!” u The adverse guess of Mr. William Klem, The miscalled strikes of Eason and of Orth, Elegy Written in a West No more shall rouse the fire of hate in them: Side Ball Yard They yield to their successors over north.

By Ring Lardner Where Anson used to ‘em on the pick, Where Lange was wont to grab ‘em off the grass, The whistles sound the knell of parting day, Where Dahlen used to kick and kick, The toilers travel slowly home to tea. Where Danny Friend was worked for many a I’ve got to write a parody on Gray pass. Continued on page 5. Though it be painful both to you and me. Page 4...The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1 Elegy, continued from page 4. Groom, continued from page 2. sometimes players’ families, creating a distinctive series of now-familiar markers: black granite with the Where games were won by Callahan and Griff. player’s portrait and lettering in white, topped with a Where long home runs were knocked by Danny white granite ball with black stitches. Green: Deadball Era Committee member Catherine Where, later, Bill Maloney used to whiff, Groom Petroski no longer lives in Belleville, but she Where Ruelbach used to wound ‘em in the bean. has many happy memories of her baseball-loving grandfather. Her parents moved their family into his Where Artie Hofman pulled his circus stunts, home after his wife died. Catherine came into the Where Sheckard dove and caught ‘em on his world shortly afterward, and she lived in the same brow, house with him until his death in 1948. Now a writer Where “Schlitz” was banished from the field (just and historian, she spends a lot of time researching once), more about his early years so that she can pen his biography. Perhaps in time someone will do the same Where Heine started many a healthy row. for one of today’s talented Hilgards. Otto Roberts’ tells her that the talented young Where Joe got courage to go on the stage, just completed a remarkable high school career at Where Brownie did his own and others’ toil, Belleville West High, earning him a scholarship to Where Evers used to brew his boiling rage, Creighton University. What’s more, he was recently Where Chance cussed John McGraw and Larry drafted in the 23rd round of the major draft by the Doyle. . The legacy of Bob Groom lives. Baseball lives. Far from the madding crowd’s ignoble bleats, After tallying another winning season, the The moles, untroubled, now dig up the turf, Hilgards captured the American Legion State And gnats and roaches occupy the seats Championship title for 2008 - their first since 1975. Following elimination in the Regional, their That other bugs once filled, to help out Murf. final record for the year was 41-10. By then, Otto Roberts had declined the Indians’ offer in favor of “To help out Murf? And who was he?” you say. Creighton—’s alma mater!u I answer with a melancholy sigh: “Approach and read (if you can read) the lay Graved on the door we used to enter by:”

THE EPITAFT.

He was the one real Fox of modern time; He had competitors all licked a mile. He gave to baseball all he had—a dime He gained from it (‘twas all he wished)—his pile.

No farther seek his merits to disclose, Or draw his frailties from their dread abode. Let him enjoy his well deserved repose At 6157 Sheridan Road.

(Editor’s Note: This poem originally appeared in The Chicago Tribune, April 20, 1916. It is a parody of Thomas Gray’s “Elegy in a Country From left to right, Catherine Groom Petroski and Graveyard.”) u 1938 Hilgards players Cal Isselhardt, Ed Dahm, and Joe Roesch. Photo courtesy of Joan Thomas The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1...Page 5 as Slider in Cleveland are the In his introduction the owner and the fans mascots. author writers “... I wanted the Bob Schroeder’s The baseball details to be accurate.” Mascots of 1911, a historical The book is history with a novel, deals with several types fictional twist. An unusual of mascots and describes feature of the book is twelve fine their success in helping teams photos of the managers, players win games. The novel begins and mascots described in the with and John volume. McGraw, their league’s manager The Mascots of 1911 gives for the first All Star Game in the reader an interesting and Chicago in 1933, looking back at thoughtful portrait of a bygone their mascots of the 1911 season. age when mascots were believed The Giants’ mascot Faust and able to overcome jinxes and superstitions of the players and the Athletics’ Louis Van Zelst, bring them pennants. a 15-year old hunchback, Before reading the book, made major contributions in I thought The Mascots of The Mascots of 1911: The bringing success to their teams 1911 would interest juveniles. Year God Met the Devil in in 1911. Players of this era were However, the author’s historical the World Series superstitious and thought rendering of McGraw’s profane mascots could overcome jinxes. and crude language definitely By Bob Schroeder Schroeder feels the A’s and makes the book a more adult- Giants could not have won their oriented one. u 2007. Bloomington, IN: iUniverse- pennants in 1911 without Faust Indigo [ISBN: 978-0595464241. and Van Zelst as their good luck 166 pages. $15.95, USD, softcover.] charms. Players often had mascots Reviewed by Fred Schuld ([email protected]) and the author writes about Anyone who has read Larry ’s Rastus, a nine-year Ritter’s magnificent The Glory old black boy who the of Their Times will never forget star took along on road trips, Chief Meyer’s story of Charles rubbing his head for good luck. Victory Faust, the mascot Addie Joss’s premature death of the champion New York in 1911 gave the author the Giants between 1911 and 1913. opportunity to contend that Faust was an unusual mascot Van Zelst gave the Cleveland because he wanted to for team the idea that an All-Star the Giants and lead them to a benefit game should be played pennant. for the Joss family. The author Looking at team photos in is especially interested in Louis the first twenty years of the last Van Zelst and writes of his century, you often see a young influence in bringing the idea fellow sitting in front of the of an American and National players. Today we would call League All Star Game into the him the but at that time, thinking of Mack and McGraw. he was the player’s mascot who The author drops in several famous people to enliven his would bring them good luck and plot including the Marquis of enliven their play. Dogs were Queensbury, , often team mascots, too! Today and Slavina, a showgirl. grown men in costumes such The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1...Page 6 Mack, McGraw and the book, Adler does an excellent job 1913 Baseball Season of summarizing each manager’s life up to the 1913 season. Though By Richard Adler other books go into more detail (such as Mack’s autobiography), 2008. Jefferson, NC: McFarland the summary fits well with the and Company [ISBN 918-0-7864- purpose of the book. 3675-0. 317 pages. $35 USD, Chapters 3 and 4 detail the softcover.] and National races respectively. No matter how Reviewed by John Stodola much we know about the 1913 ([email protected]) season, Adler’s dedication to detail will enhance anyone’s knowledge In a book about arguably about that season. The author also the two greatest managers ever, humanizes Snodgrass and Merkle. Richard Adler chronicles the 1913 I read chapter 5 right before season and the last of the three the began. The World Series between Connie Mack analysis of the comparison of the and John McGraw. Adler chooses Athletics vs. Giants lineups (mostly this year because he believes that from Irwin Howe of The Los the Athletics and Giants of that era Angeles Times and peaked with the . of ) was much In an excellently researched better written than what I read in Big Ed Walsh: The book, Adler devotes a chapter the 2008 newspaper accounts of Life and Times of a to each manager, each league the Phillies vs. the Rays. Spitballing Hall of race, and each game of the 1913 Chapters 6 through 10 are Famer Series. One not only gets a flavor devoted as a chapter per Series of that time period, but also how game (guess how many games the By Jack Smiles newspaper writers wrote at that Series went?). Though one could time. argue that the actual Series was 2007. Jefferson, NC: McFarland My personal favorites are the not one of baseball’s most exciting and Company. [ISBN: 978-0-7864- interesting antidotes. In a game Series ever, Adler once again 3278-3. 228 pages. $29.95 (soft between the Athletics writes in an engaging style. It is cover).] and the St Louis Browns, umpire interesting to read how Germany Charley Ferguson called an Athletic Schaefer of the Washington Reviewed by Mark Dugo out. Umpire Silk O’ Loughlin Senators was arrested for scalping ([email protected]) overruled Ferguson. After the (called speculating then) his $1 Athletics surrounded O’ Loughlin, bleacher ticket for $1! My only Big Ed Walsh is another in the he reversed his overrule! negative comment about the line of great Deadball Era players Another one is an account of Series (and book) is that I wish that got his start in a man who bet on the New York more sabermetric statistics were (along with Christy Mathewson Giants to win the 1912 Series. included in the summaries at the and among others). He tried to sue Snodgrass (for end of the Series chapters. Maybe it was all the coal in the his infamous dropped fly) as the Richard Adler (in the preface) air that generated such great skill, reason he lost several hundred makes no pretensions that this or at the very least, the desire not dollars betting on the Series and book will break any new ground in to have to make a living for a few for the reason his wife left him. the study of the Deadball Era. Few dollars a week risking life and limb These two antidotes along with books, though, are written about that propelled these athletes to several others are written in an the 1913 season. Because of the such fame and fortune. entertaining style that engages the attention to detail and the flavor Walsh started out as an reader throughout the book. I felt of the time one gets in reading the outfielder until he was coerced by drawn in to the 1913 season and book, I highly recommend this as teammates to throw his blazing series. a book to read. As Adler says “the In the first two chapters of the primary importance of the work Continued on page 8. was that it was fun!”u Page 7 The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1 Walsh. cont. from page 7. day and any other, but after rising The Greatest Game Ever to the pinnacle of his profession, Played in Dixie: The past the batters of his arm troubles (the result of having , Their day. This skill set eventually is thrown the too often?) 1908 Season, and the what caught the eyes of scouts slowed his career down to the point Championship Game and advanced him into the major of being just another pitcher of the last few years of his playing days. leagues with the Chicago White By John A. Simpson Sox, where he would eventually Smiles keeps the anecdotes and factual information interesting, evolve into an all-time great. But 2007. Jefferson, NC: McFarland never dwelling too long on any it wasn’t his repertoire with his and Company. [ISBN: 978-0-7864- specific game accounts (I have that eventually cemented 3050-5. 282 pages. $35.00 USD often written during my reviews his place among the all-time (soft cover).] greats; it was his ability with the for The Inside Game how I dread player profiles that authors call spitball. Reviewed by Mark Dugo “biographies” when they are By 1904 Walsh had advanced ([email protected]) enough to be a big league pitcher, nothing really more than recapped box scores) and perhaps when having caught the attention of Nearly forgotten by but a few realizing the biography was . But his early baseball scholars and historians, finalized over a scant 200 pages, playing days were fraught with Nashville, Tennessee was home discusses Ed’s son’s playing days below average performances and to a great Southern Association and careers—neither that could underwhelming outings. Fate team that fought valiantly over the ever hope to match that of his had it that Ed would eventually course of the 1908 season to win fathers’. hook up with . what was to be recognized in the Walsh lived long enough to Stricklett is widely recognized immediate years that followed, as realize induction into Cooperstown as having invented the spitball, one of, if not, the greatest game and relished his role as a Hall of and introduced it in previous ever played in the South. Fame player who could enjoy old years to , another Simpson introduces us to the timers’ games and remembrances early Deadball pitcher and Hall of players of this fantastic team (it is with the press. And like many of Famer. Both Chesbro and Walsh amazing how often roster changes us, Ed never really took to the exhibited inhuman tendencies to took effect over the course of a livelier ball and the increased be able to throw the pitch over season) and the quirks and abilities reliance on the to win a an advanced number of innings that made them survive a season ball game. I believe he too would throughout the course of a season that had a little bit of everything. have sat down and read Smiles’ and with exceedingly effective Through the voice of Grantland account of his playing days and results. Rice, who will eventually go on to the differences between the game Almost instantaneously after far wider and grander reporting, today and then, and enjoyed deciding to use the pitch in a major the race from start to finish comes himself immensely. u league game, Walsh discovered alive with the cheesy yet common success. The book then focuses dialogue and terms of the day. Can on the years from 1905 through you imagine a modern day reporter 1911 and the great wins that Walsh using rhymes over the course of found over this time period. his column to generate team spirit Walsh’s ability to use the spitball or derisiveness? But those indeed and eliminate or drastically reduce were different times. another team’s ability to score runs The Southern Association is a major reason why the 1906 developed many highly skilled “Hitless Wonders” Chicago White players that filled later day Major Sox trounced the heavily favored League rosters. was a cross town rival Chicago Cubs in big star during his day that went on that year’s World Series. to much fame and fortune over a Ed didn’t really have prolonged 15-year career with both Brooklyn success over a very long time and Cincinnati. One of the period. When he was good, he was very good; one of the best of his Continued on page 9. The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1...Page 8 Dixie, cont. from page 8. the final game of the season, the . Dellinger insists that “Greatest Game Ever Played in her grandfather, who went to his highlights of the book is the final Dixie.”u grave defending the honor of the chapter (Appendix C) where author championship team, never got Simpson makes a case for Daubert the impression that the Sox were 1919 Reds, cont. from page 1. to be enshrined into Cooperstown. intentionally trying to lose the His arguments are very sound and Series—with the exception of Game hold up very well. Are the voters of Because of the White One. today paying attention? Sox’ notoriety, little has been “Granddad would say, ‘OK, so also got his start written about the Reds- 1919’s maybe Cicotte tried to throw the during this time period. Playing for bridegrooms- their championship first game, but after that everything Little Rock, Spoke is a major thorn notwithstanding—a team that rose was on the up and up,’” recalls in the side of the Nashville hopes in to the top not by virtue of their Dellinger, who wrote Red Legs winning it all, and his abilities and own talent, but because of the and Black Sox: Edd Roush and the skill set are easily evident in the unscrupulous behavior of Chicago’s Untold Story of the 1919 World accounts that Simpson provides. infamous eight. Series in 2006. Chapter 10 offers viewpoints Some baseball historians, Dellinger’s book, and another on the historic legacy of not only however, maintain that the by Cincinnati native William A. the game itself, but of the Nashville statistics tell a different story— Cook (The : Vols as a team, and the entire 1908 that, fix or no fix, the Reds were the What Really Happened), are season in general. The accounts of best team in baseball in 1919. perhaps the only ones that tell the the stadium that hosted the Vols, The has story from the Reds’ perspective. Sulphur Dell, and its quirkiness been immortalized in literature “I’ve never denied there was a in design that greatly affected the and film; perhaps most notably in scandal,” Cook says, “[but] I’m outcome of numerous games that the 1988 big-screen adaptation of convinced some of that series was season, is another fascinating ’s book . played on the up.” read. When you understand the Yet some students of the game’s In fact, Cook believes the Reds conditions of the field, and know history believe that film and other would have won the Series even that it was in use until 1963, works have perpetuated a myth if there had been no fix. “It didn’t you will be astounded that such that there was a cohesive plot make any difference,” he says of obstacles as the field presented among the Chicago players to tank the Sox real or imagined efforts to would be acceptable through to in the World Series. give games away. “I’ve gone game the days that saw the participation “There was definitely bribery by game, pitch by pitch, and I’ve of young stars like into and plotting before and maybe found that the Reds would have . during the won anyway.” The story started rather slowly Series,” says Gene Carney, author Statistics seem to support for me, and I admit that the first of the 2006 book “Burying the Cook’s argument. The Reds several chapters were a chore to Black Sox: How Baseball’s Cover- finished the 1919 regular season get through while Simpson sets the Up of the 1919 World Series 96-44, outpacing two perennial stage for the eventual excitement Almost Succeeded.” “But my view powerhouses—the New York that is promised as the season is that Jackson and Weaver played Giants and the Chicago Cubs—to winds down. It has been many a every game to win. If Felsch and take the pennant. year since Nashville has been able Gandil didn’t, they were not big The White Sox won eight fewer to host a game with anywhere near factors. Who knows about Risberg? games in the American League that the significance this one game Anyway, it seems fizzled year. had on the Deadball Era and early very early.” Incidentally, the Reds .686 win . When it Carney isn’t alone in percentage that year was second comes down to it, the race really contending that the Series might best of the decade, behind only the does prove itself to be one that not have been as crooked as 1912 (.691). And deserves the accolades placed perceived through the years. it took eight seasons for a team to on it one hundred years after it Dr. Susan Dellinger is an author finally best the win percentage the happened, and as such, the pace as well as a granddaughter of Reds sported in 1919 (New York of the book picks up severely to one of the stars of the Reds that Yankees, .714). almost break neck speed as the season, Hall of Fame outfielder Continued on page 10. reader will excitedly read about The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1...Page 9 1919 Reds, cont. from page 9. So why were the Reds the underdogs going into the Series? As it happened, not everyone thought they were. The Collyer’s Eye, a gambling publication, had While the Sox featured two of the top in the Reds at even money to win—if they won the coin baseball—Cicotte and Williams—the Reds clearly had toss determining where the Series would begin and a deeper staff: , , , hosted the first game, which they did, according to , and all had solid seasons Carney. on the mound, and the Reds had a league-leading Giant’s manager John McGraw picked the Reds to combined ERA of 2.23. White Sox hurlers posted a win based on the strength and depth of their pitching, 3.04 ERA. Carney says. And after watching Cincinnati win the “Joe Jackson said that Jimmy Ring had more first two games 9-1 and 4-2, respectively, Judge smoke than ,” says Cook. “The Reds , who would later become pitching shut down the White Sox incredibly.” baseball’s first , declared the Reds “the The White Sox didn’t score an for the most formidable machine I have ever seen.” first 22 2/3 innings of the Series. Aside from Jackson, “They way you hear it now, it sounds like it Weaver, and , no one did much at would be unanimous predicting a Sox win,” says Jim the plate, Cook says. Cincinnati was also the better- Sandoval, a teacher and amateur baseball historian fielding team, having committed a league-low 152 who knows the 1919 Reds inside and out. “Lots of errors and posted a .974 , also the writers picked the Reds. I definitely think the Reds best in the National League. had a legitimate chance to win.” “The Reds were by no means a pushover team,” Dellinger and Cook maintain that only after said ErikVaron, who has managed the Web site respected sportswriter Hugh Fullerton, of the www.1919BlackSox.com since 2002. “Whereas the Chicago Herald and Examiner, picked the White Sox 1919 White Sox possessed numerous star and Hall of to win the Series did other journalists do the same. Fame players, the 1919 Reds team was mostly non- “Once he came out in favor of the Sox, all the other star players [who played] well together.” sportswriters picked it up,” Dellinger says. Having won the World Series two years earlier, As it turned out, the Reds were no less the victims the Sox certainly appeared to have a more formidable of the Black Sox Scandal than were millions of lineup than the Reds. Chicago hit .287 as a team, disappointed baseball fans. And the Reds deserved compared with Cincinnati’s .263, and boasted perhaps better. The antithesis of the constantly feuding Sox, the best hitter in baseball—Jackson. Still, the Reds Cincinnati was a close-knit club, and the players had more than enough offense, paced by Roush, who remained friends long after their careers were over. won the NL batting title that year with a .321average. “What I think was the difference was the spirit of “The Reds also don’t get enough credit for the team,” says Dellinger, who remembers many having ,” Cook says. “At the time he was teammates visiting her grandfather through the years. considered one of the greatest managers ever.” “That team, they loved each other.” u

The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1...Page 10 In obtaining images, Fulling has relied on the Hall Chairman’s Column, cont. from page 1. of Fame Library, the Bain collection at the Library of Congress, the Detroit Public Library, and private the colorization and computer enhancement of the collectors. He has recently focused on Paul Thompson original photos. photographs, which were used for the classic “What I intend to do with the cards is to introduce tobacco cards that were issued between 1909 and 1911. many of these players, even the more popular ones, as Sometimes, he uses his software to isolate photos of if you stepped back in time and saw them in their day. particularly obscure players from team photographs, Seeing a colorized portrait—I avoid profile images if I as no other images may be available. can—is to me the best way possible, if done right.” Currently, the cards are not available anywhere, Fulling’s interest in Deadball Era players was but Matt hopes they can be available one day as part inspired several years ago by a computer game called of a SABR offering. Doing so would require securing “ Baseball,” which contained great players licensing from Major League Baseball and from other from all periods. Reading The Ballplayers by Mike copyright holders before they can be offered to SABR Shatzkin and The Glory of Their Times by Lawrence members. S. Ritter deepened Fulling’s interest in the Deadball As the set expands and evolves, Fulling would Era. Playing another game, called OldTime Baseball, welcome additional help on identifying players and which allowed users to import images of vintage providing information for the card backs. He believes players ultimately motivated Fulling to begin this the set could serve a valuable role in providing the ambitious project: “I spent my time gathering images stories of players who were not including in the two for the game, and when the game got tiring, I decided Deadball Stars volumes previously published by the that creating a card set of my own would be something Committee. Anyone who would like to help with the that would outlast the computer games.” project can contact Fulling at [email protected]. Part of Fulling’s motivation in creating the cards Out of what originally a project created for himself is to appeal to generations with little connection to and his son, Fulling now has the start of a card set the Deadball Era. He believes that younger fans of which may one day become a valuable resource for the game would be more likely to gravitate towards Deadball Era researchers. “It’s been my dream for a card set of Deadball Era players than they would more than five years to get these cards out there,” be to a book. He also tries to include the story of the says Fulling. “For some time, I’ve wondered what it player on the back of each card so that readers may was like to watch a game 100 years ago and see the answer the question: “Who was this guy, other than players. Using computerized technology, I am able to the numbers he posted?” achieve it as closely as possible.”u Fulling, who works in Information Systems for UPS as a project coordinator, has been collaborating with some SABR members as a part of creating these cards. Steve Steinberg has provided feedback and Hall of Fame bio clips for a number of the cards and has helped Fulling to obtain photos from the Detroit Public Library and private collectors, while Mark Fimoff has been helping with the player identifications. Fulling also had relied on Marc Okkonen’s Baseball Uniforms of the 20th Century in order to ensure that he has the uniform colors correct. Player identification can be a real challenge, as Fulling found when the Spalding Guide happened to have confused the photos of Cy Morgan and Benny Bowcock, an which Fulling was able to correct with the help of Fimoff as well as Bill Hickman of the Pictorial History Committee. The project potentially includes more than the Deadball Era. Fulling would like ultimately to create colorized cards of all players from the 1880s through the 1940s. “I don’t know what a full set would entail,” Fulling says. “It is an ongoing project with no end in sight.” Fulling has completed more than 500 colorized card to this point. Back of Frank Harter Card, by Matt Fulling. The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1...Page 11 The Inside Game...Volume 9, Number 1...Page 12