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Home , 1906 Chicago Cubs season, Arlie Latham, Bob Ferguson (infielder), Cap Anson, Detroit Wolverines, Ezra Sutton

The Monroe Times Saturday, April 18, 2020 Sports B1 Gratiot-born Abner Dalrymple A career nearly forgotten became 19th century star

he last time there wasn’t a professional Tbaseball game played in the U.S. in the month of April was 1883. That year, was May 1; and the White Stockings, now known as the Cubs, won the first of 59 games (out of 98). One of their top players was a homegrown local man — Abner Dalrymple; born in Gratiot and buried in Warren. Celebrating the town’s ses- quicentennial in 1993, Jim Nielson, the Warren High School , want- ed to honor the hometown hero that had been all but for- gotten. “We made replica baseball cards of him,” Nielsen said. In the time before the inter- net, Nielsen had to dig deep to find information on Dalrymple — including mak- ing the trek to baseball’s Hall Times photo: Adam Krebs of Fame in Cooperstown, By Adam Krebs Meridian Park in Warren has a memorial plaque behind the fence near home plate to honor . akrebs@ Abner Dalrymple, a local player that played 12 years in . Dalrymple, born “They let me into the back themonroetimes.net in Gratiot, began playing in Milwaukee more than 150 years ago. He played rooms to do some research. most of his career for the Chicago White Stockings. BELOW: A of Dalrymple by They have the bat he received Old Judge Cigarettes in 1887 when he was a member of the Pittsburgh Alleghenys. from the engraved with silver from the year he led baseball (1878) in est on the team. none of which still stand: In 1879, the White second with batting average,” Nielsen While the rate of inflation runs, RBIs, extra base hits, Stockings finished fourth in 25 and Anson said. would put that amount at and walks. the NL with a 46-33 record. fourth at 21. A plaque was also dedicat- about $67,000 in 2019, it was The following season, the Chicago ed to Dalrymple at Meridian nearly the amount the Dalrymple’s White White Stockings blew the top played its Park, just outside the fence league’s highest paid player Stockings in the off of the baseball world, win- games at near home plate. that year would make — Al 1880s ning 67 of 84 games. The Lakefront “That was the last time we Spalding, who played for club averaged 6.4 runs a game Park on the did anything for him,” Chicago before hanging up he White Stockings and a collected .279 — site of the old Nielsen said. his cleats in 1877 and moving were one of the pro- and that was not even the best Union into the role of team president Tlific dynasties of any season during Dalrymple’s Baseball Abner Dalrymple’s and co-owner. era. Thanks to a lack of free time in the Windy City. Grounds that backstory Dalrymple led the league in agency, the club was routinely In 1881, Chicago again had burned batting average as a rookie able to hang onto its best won the NL (56-28), this time during the alrymple was born with the Milwaukee Grays in players. Many of the team’s averaging 6.5 runs per game Great Sept. 9, 1857, near 1878. In 1885 he led baseball batting marks and winning and a .295 team batting aver- Chicago Fire DGratiot. By the time in home runs with 11 — percentage from the late age. The reign on the NL con- of 1871. The he was a teenager, he was liv- though the year before that he 1870s into the 1880s stood for tinued in 1882, as the White dimensions of ing about six miles away in hit 22. Teammate Ned years — and some still to this Stockings (55-29) took home the ballparks Warren and working as a Williamson had 27 that same day. The club’s roster had the pennant, hitting .277 with in the 19th brakeman on the year, a -season home some of the game’s best play- an eye-opening 7.1 runs per century were Central Railroad. He played record that would last 35 ers in that era, like Anson, game. Chicago played its much differ- baseball for various traveling years until a 24-year-old Williamson, , games at Lake Front Park. ent than in teams, including a hometown slugger named Babe and Hall of The second-place finish in today’s game. club from Warren, a club Ruth set a new record. Ruth Fame . 1883 still saw the team hit Many fields from Freeport, and a team would break his own record Dalrymple, a left-handed hit- .273 and average 6.9 runs a were very made up of railroad co-work- three more times. ting outfielder, was the team’s game, despite an added 14 shallow along ers. Dalrymple played 12 sea- leadoff man. games to the schedule. In the foul lines, In 1876 he joined the sons in the top tiers of profes- Chicago had the highest 1884, another 14 games were and incredibly Milwaukee Grays, then of the sional baseball, playing the team batting average five added to the schedule, but this deep in center League Alliance. Two years final three years of his career years in a row and won three time the White Stockings field. later, the club joined the with the Pittsburgh league titles from 1880-82. struggled to fifth place (62- Lakefront United States Library of Congress’ Baseball Cards National League and Alleghenys and then the The 140 team home runs hit 50) despite averaging 7.4 runs Park, howev- Collection photo Dalrymple led all hitters in of the in 112 games in 1884 was a and a .281 team batting aver- er, was shal- batting average at .354. In the American Association. He record that stood until the age. low all the opened a new park, West Side offseason, White Stockings had 43 career home runs, 407 1927 , with It was in 1884 that way around — the left field Park No. 1, which would be player- , a RBIs, 1,202 hits, 813 runs a lineup consisting of Ruth Dalrymple’s career high of 22 foul pole stood about 186 feet used until 1891. The foul baseball Hall of Famer, and just 359 in 951 and and dubbed home runs put him among the from home plate, compared to lines were 216 feet from reportedly paid $2,500 to buy games. He had a career bat- “Murderer’s Row.” The most powerful hitters of the the right field pole at 196 feet. home plate to the pole, while Dalrymple from Milwaukee, ting average of .288. At one Yankees played 154 games era. Williamson’s 27 HRs Center field was a mere 300 center field was hundreds of and then paid him $300 per point, Dalrymple held five that season, hitting 155 home paced the league, with team- feet away. month — said to be the high- major league career records, runs. mate finishing The next season, the club See REMEMBER, Page B2

OUTDOORS OVERVIEW FROM LEFT FIELD Challenging times Finding the ‘past’ in America’s favorite unveil compassion pastime a hard, worthwhile endeavor About a year ago I had an idea for a Baseball is a little bit different. The year, I learned more and more about Outside-minded people, even dances are so noteworthy that feature story: Find all the former local professional game is more than 150 that era of baseball. I already consid- when alone, are unveiling con- crane groups are sometimes players I could that played professional years old, and information on where ered myself a baseball guy — even tak- sideration, smiling to remain called dances, and also con- sports. players come from is based more on ing a baseball history class at positive, and structions, sedges and sieges. A couple of those birthplace than where they attended UW-Milwaukee. But you don’t learn marveling at A pair of Canada geese were are easy: Alex high school. the full history of a sport and all its the wonders doing their own version of Erickson of One search I had came up with just a players in a class that spends an hour of spring’s “look at me; here I am.” Again, Darlington currently handful of names, then I expanded to together twice a week for a semester. nature. the male bird was noticeably plays for the nearby towns, like Shullsburg, Back in the 1800s, the structure of A pair of larger than the female. Cincinnati Bengals Evansville, Mineral Point; and to the the sport looked different than today. sandhill The larger female bald eagle in the NFL, while south like Freeport. A few more names The National League was around, but cranes, like- was brooding her hatchlings, Ric Mathias, a for- were added, but for most, the theme was one of almost a handful of leagues ly a larger while the smaller male flew in mer Cheesemaker, was the same — when I came across a considered “major.” The American male and with a meat meal for mother played for the Adam name, they had played for a handful of Association, Western League, and slightly Jerry and child (children?). Bengals in a handful Krebs games or less, saw mediocre success Southern League were all big-named smaller Wood ducks followed one of games in the and that was that. leagues at the time, with one-year won- female, were Davis another as though they were 1990s. In basketball, Also, most of these names played ders being the and together in a corded together. Bob Anderegg left before World War II — and even more Player’s League. lowland All sightings were possible Monroe to go to State and still, most were from the Dead Ball Era Each league had around 8-12 teams habitat. The male was doing then donned a New York Knicks uni- (1900-1919) or before. his dance and calls. Crane See OUTDOORS, Page B3 form in the early days of the NBA. As I searched randomly over the past See KREBS, Page B3 B2 Sports The Monroe Times Saturday, April 18, 2020

Locally-born players that have reached Major League Baseball According to Baseball-Reference.com, there have been 14 Major League players born in the stateline region in southwestern Wisconsin and northwestern Illinois. Many played for just a handful of games at most, usually filling in for a team in need of a player while traveling from town to town. Only two were born after World War II.

Player Birthplace Born Years Active Teams Abner Dalrymple Gratiot 1857 1878-91 Mil./Chi. White Stockings/Pitt. Cal Broughton Magnolia 1860 1883-88 Cleveland/Mil./STL/NY Metropolitans Charlie Dougherty Darlington 1862 1884 Altoona Mountain City Dick Lowe Evansville 1854 1886 Wolverines Charlie Newman Juda 1868 1892 NY Giants, Chicago Colts John “Jack” Callahan Freeport 1874 1898 St. Louis Browns Homer Hillebrand Freeport 1879 1905-08 Ernie Ovitz Mineral Point 1885 1911 Tom Tennant Monroe 1882 1912 STL Browns Jack Enzenroth Mineral Point 1885 1914-15 STL Browns/KC Packers Stan Sperry Evansville 1914 1936-38 Phil. Phillies/Phil. Athletics Johnny Gerlach Shullsburg 1917 1938-39 Chi. White Sox Jason Pearson Freeport 1975 2002-03 San Diego Padres/St. Louis Cardinals Tuffy Gosewisch Freeport* 1983 2013-active Ariz. D-backs/Sea. Mariners/Mil. Brewers Times photo: Adam Krebs *Moved with family to Arizona in childhood According to Baseball-Reference.com The gravestone of Abner Dalrymple is located in the middle of Elmwood Cemetery in Warren, an earshot from the local railroad. Dalrymple was born outside of nearby Abner Dalrymple career MLB statistics Gratiot and worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad for over 30 years after retiring YEAR TEAM GP AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB SO SB CS AVG OBP SLG OPS from baseball in the 1890s. His gravestone depicts his batting stance represented 1878 MIL 61 271 52 96 10 4 0 15 6 29 -- -- .354 .368 .421 .789 on one of his two baseball cards. 1879 CHI 71 333 47 97 25 1 0 23 4 29 -- -- .291 .300 .372 .672 1880 CHI 86 382 91 126 25 12 0 36 3 18 -- -- .330 .335 .458 .793 1881 CHI 82 362 72 117 22 4 1 37 15 22 -- -- .323 .350 .414 .764 hitter to 1882 CHI 84 397 96 117 25 11 1 36 14 18 -- -- .295 .319 .421 .739 Remember move back and play 1883 CHI 80 363 78 108 24 4 2 37 11 29 -- -- .298 .318 .402 .720 deeper in the outfield. 1884 CHI 111 521 111 161 18 9 22 69 14 39 -- -- .309 .327 .505 .832 1885 CHI 113 492 109 135 27 12 11 61 46 42 -- -- .274 .336 .445 .782 From Page B1 Dalrymple instead 1886 CHI 82 331 62 77 7 12 3 26 33 44 16 -- .233 .302 .353 .656 moved in, anticipating 1887 PIT 92 358 45 76 18 5 2 31 45 43 29 -- .212 .311 .307 .618 feet deeper. The updated field, dubbed No. 2, Latham trying to dump 1888 PIT 57 227 19 50 9 2 0 14 6 28 7 -- .220 .247 .278 .524 in a soft hit. 1891 MIL 32 135 31 42 7 5 1 22 7 18 6 -- .311 .345 .459 .804 was used over the two decades until another field was built, Total 951 4172 813 1202 217 81 43 407 204 359 58 -- .288 .323 .410 .732 since renamed , which is still used today. With two outs and Season Ave. 79.0 347.7 67.8 100.2 18.1 6.8 3.6 33.9 17.0 29.9 4.8 -- .288 .323 .410 .732 two men on base, Beginning of a rivalry Latham sent a hard line drive that was mis- was launched over Dalrymple’s head, he reached into his shirt n 1885, the White Stockings won 87 games in the regular played by Dalrymple, which allowed the tying run to score. It and grabbed another baseball — one he kept in for an emergen- season — a of .776, with only the was ruled a in the scorebook. cy, he recalled years later — then put the fresh ball in his glove 1880 season mark of .798 being higher. Those marks, St. Louis won in the 10th inning and each Browns player I took home and extra $580 for the win, which was more than and stretched as if he caught it for the third out. plus the 1876 White Stockings (52-14) are the three highest In 1886, Dalrymple married a woman named Minnie and in marks by percentage in the history of the NL, with the 1906 the normal season salaries at the time. 1892 he began working for the Northern Pacific Railroad in the Cubs (116-36, .763) the highest of the modern era Dalrymple is quoted by the as saying offseason. He spent 36 years working for the railroad, starting at the turn of the 20th century. “Goodbye, boodle. Goodbye.” as a brakeman and later serving as a conductor on passenger “He was a big guy for his time and had a really good arm — While the official scorebook said the play was a triple and trains. He and Minnie lived in Morris, Minnesota, a small town he led the league in outfield assists one year,” Nielsen said. not an , Chicago players and club faithful saw it different- in the west-central part of the state for over three decades. Dalrymple is listed as 5-feet, 10-inches tall and weighing 175 ly. The Sporting News quoted several players and the owner on In the 1920s the pair split, and Abner returned to Warren pounds by one organization, and 6-feet, 1 ½-inches by another. the series. Outfielder George Gore supposedly said, “Dal did where he married Margaret Adderson Glasgow, a widow. He In 1885 and 1886, the White Stockings played the St. Louis not see that ball Latham knocked. He was asleep at that time retired from the railroad in 1928. Browns in the end-of-season championship series, the prede- and dreaming about the boodle.” Abner died in Warren on Jan. 25, 1939 at age 81 after suffer- cessor to today’s World Series. The first year, the two teams Outfielder claimed that “if that ball had come to ing from an illness. The illness began in the early months of played to a 3-3-1 series tie. The second year, St. Louis won the me instead of to Dal, I’d of chewed the hide off it.” that winter, and he traveled to Hot Springs, Arkansas for treat- best-of-seven game series in six. The rivalry between the two Spalding said that Dalrymple should have caught it. Utility ment, but found no relief according to his necrology, or obitu- ball clubs has lasted ever since, as the franchises are now player King Kelly said he didn’t know if the ball could have ary at the time. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery and has a known as the Cubs and the Cardinals. been caught. plaque dedicated in his honor at Meridian Park in Warren. His For the 1885 season, the National League and American Years later in the Dec. 31, 1898 issue of Sporting News that wife died in 1954. Association pitted their two top teams against each other at the re-told the story of the game, while leaving the field, Anson Years later, Nielsen’s son bought the Dalrymple’s house near end of the season. The Charlie Comiskey-managed St. Louis reportedly told Dalrymple “You can’t play ball for me any- the Methodist church by the high school. Browns went 79-33 in the regular season. The two teams ended more, Dal.” Anson denied the quote, and in his biography years “It turns out his wife liked hats,” Nielsen said. They uncov- the series in a tie. Dalrymple hit one of just two home runs in later said that Dalrymple was a good batter, but only “an ordi- ered a roomful of hats, some used once at most, and others that the entire series, in which Chicago outscored St. Louis 55-42. nary .” However, less than three months into the off- looked as if they had never been worn. “Between his playing In 1886, the leagues added even more games, playing 124 in season, Dalrymple was sold to Pittsburgh. Kelly and Gore also career and the railroad, he had made a good amount of money. the regular season. The White Stockings went 90-34, while the were sent out of town to Boston and New York. So he bought her hats.” Browns finished 93-46. In the World Series, St. Louis won 4-2, but not without some fireworks, according to the weekly news- After Chicago paper Sporting News. St. Louis led the 3 games to 2 headed into Game 6. Visiting alrymple played two lackluster years while suf- From White Stockings to Cubs Chicago scored a run in each the second and fourth inning, and fering from an undisclosed illness in Pittsburgh, Founded in 1876, the After a dreadful losing sea- the home crowd began getting rowdy. According to the hitting .233 and .212 with just two home runs D Chicago White Stockings son and ninth-place finish in combined for both years. He spent the 1889, 1890 and Chicago Tribune, “several thousand men jumped on the field joined the National League as 1897, Anson was released as and demanded the game be declared off. The players were sur- most of the 1891 seasons playing in the Western Association with Denver and Milwaukee. Milwaukee, then a charter member club. Owner both player and manager. The rounded, the threatened and time was called. The police brought in sev- next season, newspaper writ- then formed in line and drove the crowd back. Play was then renamed the Brewers, moved into the American eral of the game’s best play- Association in 1891 to replace the Cincinnati Porkers. ers penned the team as the resumed.” ers, including Al Spalding, a “Orphans” in direct response Chicago made it 3-0 in the sixth inning before unraveling. In Dalrymple hit .311 with a , 22 RBIs and 31 , and Cap Anson. to Anson’s departure. the eighth inning, a throwing error allowed a run to score. runs in 32 games in Milwaukee after the move to the Spalding, of Byron, Illinois, Charlie Comiskey, who man- In Alfred H. Spink’s “The National Game,” written in 1911, American Association. is widely known as the first aged the Browns over Chicago Spink recalled a story in which Dalrymple was told by Brown’s After his major league career was over, he spent four player to write down the rules in 1885 and 1886, also led more seasons traveling around the minor leagues, playing of baseball, including issuing franchises in Cincinnati and in places like Spokane (Washington), Burlington (), the rule that only Spalding- St. Paul (Minnesota). Indianapolis, Minneapolis and Macon, Georgia. made balls be used. In 1874, According to the Baseball Hall “He switched leagues a few times. “He switched leagues a few times. They didn’t have free he and his brother opened of Fame, Comiskey received their first sporting goods permission in 1900 to put a They didn’t have free agency like we agency like we do today, so he kind of demanded his store. Spalding would go on in release and shopped for the best price. It probably cost him team in Chicago, so long as do today, so he kind of demanded his his post-playing career to help he didn’t use the city’s name. some stature in the game, but it filled his wallet a little bet- develop the world of sporting release and shopped for the best ter,” Nielson said. “He was a self-promoter and did well He chose “White Stockings,” a goods, with his name branded dig at his old rival. Shortened price. It probably cost him some for himself.” on balls, gloves, clubs and to White Sox, the club won the bats. stature in the game, but it filled his His career came to and end in September 1894 while American League in 1901. Spalding’s playing career wallet a little better. He was a self- playing for Indianapolis, when he collided with Toledo Spalding sold the National Jim Connor. Dalrymple broke his leg. He attempt- lasted just eight seasons, but he accumulated 252 wins and League Chicago team in 1902 promoter and did well for himself.” ed one last comeback in 1895 at age 37 with independent to , and the Chicago club Burlington (Iowa) and played 48 games with the had a 2.14 earned run aver- age. He was elected into the Daily News nicknamed the — Jim Nielsen on Warren-native Abner Dalrymple, Evansville (Indiana) Blackbirds of the Southern League, club the “Cubs,” however the MLB outfielder in the 19th century Hall of Fame 24 years after hitting .314 before calling it quits. his death in 1939 alongside name didn’t become official Anson, Comiskey, and Gehrig. for five more years. Dalrymple and life after baseball It was just the fourth Hall of In 1906, the Cubs set the Fame class in baseball history. record for the highest modern FACTORY DIRECT Get a Houseful of alrymple had a few colorful incidents over the The team quickly grew in winning percentage, but lost to Windows for years on the diamond. During one game against popularity and prowess within Comiskey’s White Sox in the Window Blowout 1 Worcester in 1882, he asked Spalding to move the league, winning six league World Series. The Cubs finally $2,995! D reached the summit of base- down a couple of chairs while watching the game. titles in 11 seasons. Anson, SALE! According to the Chicago Herald, Dalrymple said “That baseball’s first player to 3,000 ball glory in 1907 and 1908, ZERO Down, was the seat occupied during the games we career hits, was the team’s winning the World Series over had with his club.” After Spalding moved, Chicago scored and manager, the and the New Payments, & Interest three runs in the inning, winning 5-1. and oftentimes the club was York Giants. It would be 108 2 referred to by fans and news- years until its next title, the FOR 18 MONTHS! In another game in 1880, Dalrymple robbed Boston’s longest drought in American Senior & Previous Customer Discounts! papers as either the Chicago Ezra Sutton of a grand slam, but not in the traditional way. Colts or Anson’s Colts. history. A smoke haze had settled over the field, and when the ball BONUS! Buy 7 or More Premium Windows Get a Patio Door installed for Free!3 JENSEN IS ALL IN! Are YOU? Have a class A CDL? Is helping your country and others part of who you are? 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D1-AT200320_142943 The Monroe Times Saturday, April 18, 2020 Sports B3 drove 40 miles back to the Outdoors location, waited an hour until Crossword Bonney came looking to see if From Page B1 anyone had picked up his bow and was trying to make con- from a vehicle, but equally tact with him to return it. Yes, accessible from some walking that’s exactly what Xiong did. trails on wildlife areas. While “Years earlier I had a bow many state parks are closed to stolen from my father’s truck everything, but other public and it was one of the worst and some private land is open things that happened to me. I to seasonal hunting with per- never wanted something like mission. that to happen to anyone else, Don Martin, at Martin’s and that’s why I spent time Sporting Goods in Monroe, trying to get it back to this said many sportspeople are person I didn’t know and just waiting for more spring-like met the previous day,” he said. weather, so fishing bait sales With Wisconsin hunting were slim. seasons ongoing, now is a “It’s too bad that some great time to nominate some- abused their privilege and one through the DNR to be trashed or vandalized areas considered for the 2020 within the parks, which had to Ethical Hunter Award. Watch be closed; but most respect for reminders throughout the the property,” he said. year about the process. “Maybe closing had to happen Good, ethical deeds are anyway, but it’s still a being done all the time, and it shame.” Photo supplied seems more so during this Martin did have a run on Hank Xiong, of Oshkosh, will be presented the DNR annual challenging time. Help the some special fishing licenses Eithical Hunter Award later this spring at Vortex Optics in DNR recognize an ethical for bank poles, somewhat Barneveld. Vortex is the corporate sponsor of the DNR hunter annually. unusual, but times are chang- award, now in its 24th year. Spring moves on, albeit ing. slowly, but steadily. Bluebirds Wayne Whitemarsh, at too, resulting in more fish ty; someone who gives of his are nesting. Pasque flowers McFarlanes in Sauk County, stocked in a few places than or her time to help another are blooming, as are blood- on leave to be extra cautious, in other years. hunter enjoy or be safe while roots. Skunk cabbage is has been spending time clear- A good ethical deed will be hunting. developing fruit. Asparagus is ing brush, helping farmer’s recognized later this spring at Xiong will receive the 2019 emerging. make bluebird houses, and Vortex Optics, in Barneveld. Wisconsin Ethical Hunter Rhubarb is being picked, finding a few shed antlers Hank Xiong, 29, of Oshkosh, Award for searching for the chives, watercress, and leeks while cutting buckthorns and will receive recognition and archer who forgot it. Vortex are ready to add flavor. Birch pulling garlic mustard. prizes for returning a com- is the corporate sponsor. trees are being tapped for “If you know someone pound bow to a fellow hunter Jim Bonney, of Franklin, lightly sweetened-flavored who is stuck inside, give them who drove off and left it at a met and talked to Xiong for water, which is an interesting a call and see if they need public hunting forest parking the first time when each way to brew coffee or tea. something. Or just talk fish- lot. archer headed out to hunt Help someone who needs a ing,” Whitemarsh said. “Now Twenty-three years ago during the early archery sea- bit of advice, encouragement, is a great time to help land- three sportsmen, including a son last autumn. Bonney or a helping hand during this owners with property projects. Wisconsin Department of returned to his vehicle, packed challenge so we can be ready You never know when you Natural Resources warden up and left before Xiong did. for Wisconsin’s 2020 gun deer might find a ‘morel’ tree and supervisor, initiated the DNR When Xiong returned to head season regardless of the cir- get permission to come back Ethical Hunter Award, which home he saw the crossbow, cumstances. in two weeks.” has been presented annually left a note on a nearby tree, While fishing, at least for to a public-nominated, posted a note on Facebook, — Jerry Davis is an Argyle the May opener is up in the licensed hunter who executes and checked in at the local native and a freelance writer air in state parks, be aware an ethical act in befriending a sheriff’s office before return- who lives in Barneveld. He that some fish stocking may fellow hunter or a larger seg- ing home with the bow. can be reached at sivadjam@ fall victim the COVID-19, ment of the hunting communi- The next afternoon, Xiong mhtc.net or at 608-924-1112.

1901, and much of today sin- find using the world wide web to be broken by none other Krebs gle season stat records go back — and even harder when local than the Titan of Terror, the to that era when teams started museums and libraries are Sultan of Swat, the King of From Page B1 playing a minimum of 120 locked down due to the cur- Crash, the Colossus of Clout, games in a season. Today that rent stay-at-home order. the Great Bambino himself: and seasons steadily grew year number is set at 162. One thing is for certain, a George Herman “Babe” Ruth. after year from about 60 It’s not readily available year ago when I sought out to Dalrymple, Anson & Co. set games to 112 at the turn of the why so many teams went find former local players, I all sorts of team hitting marks century. through dozens of players with never expected I would find in their time together. Their In the 1880s, the two most just a handful of games or out all the information I did, single season home run mark prominent leagues, the less. Surely some got injured especially for a player like of 140 in 1884 lasted until National League and the or left because the base pay Dalrymple — a man who Ruth, Lou Gehrig and the American Association began wasn’t as great as expected — played with Cap Anson, and “Murderer’s Row” of the playing in an end-of-season even in today’s game, minor whose team president (Al Bronx Bombers, AKA New championship series, loosely league players make slightly Spalding, the man who first York Yankees, broke the mark called the World Series, the more than minimum wage, wrote down the rules of the by playing an extra 42 games predecessor to today’s cham- which means side jobs are game in ordr for leagues and in 1927. pionship. needed to make ends meet. the game to be unified) retired The field of play was also The clubs of these “major One guess is that as teams from playing the year before much different, but the feats leagues” found their players traveled from one city to he came in. remain just as spectacular. from all over — maybe play- another — say, from Chicago Dalrymple, a leadoff hitter, And as a baseball guy, it ing at local semi-pro games or to Pittsburgh to New York and once hit 22 home runs in a made for some happy research traveling by train as rail work- Worchester, a player may fall season of just 112 games. It while the game I love so much ers. Such a case, Abner ill or miss the train after a was the third highest total that is put on extended hold. Dalrymple of Warren, Illinois. night out at a local establish- year. The most home runs in Abner caught my eye first ment. The following day that season was the 27 hit by — Adam Krebs, AKA the because his birthplace is listed (remember, no night games), Dalrymple’s teammate Ned Great Bambi (you mean that in most sources as from in order to fill out the roster, a Williamson. Williamson’s total wimpy deer?), is a reporter for Gratiot. My mother and her team likely scraped and was a record. It would take 35 the Times and can be reached siblings grew up on a farm looked for any local player years for Williamson’s record at [email protected]. just outside of Gratiot. My with baseball experience to mother-in-law is a Gratiot put on a uniform and be ready native. It’s a small town that I to pinch run or pinch hit. One never would have expected game, two games, maybe six would have produced a on a road trip — and that’s it. 12-year MLB player that led Charlie Newman of Juda baseball in a variety of statisti- logged 19 games in his career, cal categories throughout the all in 1892. He played three years. Also, upon research, I games with the New York found the man was pretty col- Giants, then went to the orful in a prankster sort of a Chicago Colts for 16 games. way and yet was deeply Was he traded (or sold)? Or human — he was the original did he simply catch on and goat of the World Series, hang around for a while. He botching a crucial fly ball in was 4 for 12 with the Giants the late innings of the deciding batting, but hit just .164 with Game 6 in the 1886 loss to the Chicago. That was it. St. Louis Browns. In 1884, Dick Lowe of In 1986, let a Evansville went 1 for 3 in his ball go through his legs — only appearance for Detroit. 100 years after Dalrymple Monroe’s Tom Tennant misjudged a ball in left field. I received two pinch-hit at bats found this fascinating and in two games for St. Louis at missing from my baseball triv- age 29 in 1912. He went hit- ia memory bank. less. By the end of the 19th cen- These men likely all played tury, the American Association at semi-pro or independent merged with the National clubs for many years. Even League, while the Western Dalrymple played multiple League was the outline of the seasons in leagues not consid- American League, which was ered “major” in his later years, founded in 1901. The first but information on those modern World Series came in leagues and stats are hard to