1 The SABR UK Number 10

Examiner July 1998

THE JOURNAL OF THE BOBBY THOMSON CHAPTER OF THE SOCIETY FOR AMERICAN RESEARCH (UK) 1998 SABR UK AGM by Martin Hoerchner from Honourary President Norman Minnesota Twins. Clark is an Macht, and then a message from attorney and the Major League The Seventh Annual So- the big enchilada, SABR Presi- representative for the owners in ciety for American Baseball dent Larry Gerlach, who expressed labour negotiations, and was a his regret at being unable attend negotiator in the strikes of 1980 Research UK Annual Gen- and his appreciation for SABR and ‘81. eral Meeting took place at its UK’s accomplishments. Mike then That was the subject of his spiritual home, the Kings main presentation, the history of Clerkenwell Public of labour negotiations in base- House, on Saturday April ball, which he presented with insight and humour. Clark noted 25. That’s a mouthful, so that the constant conflict of play- I’ll just say that the ‘98 ers vs. owners is as old as the SABR UK AGM was held at game itself, or at least the pro- the “Kings”. fessional game, which game into I think it was our best meet- play in 1869. He noted the im- ing yet, not only in the numbers plementation of the reserve rule attending, but in the quality of in 1879 as a major point of con- the presentations given. flict with the players, but one Hugh Robinson opened the that the owners felt was neces- meeting, explaining that we were sary to avoid plunging the game going to do things backwards. into chaos. The first counterat- We would have the presenta- tack by the players was the for- tions first, and the Chapter busi- mation of the Players’ League in ness second. He introduced 1890, which split baseball at- Graham Winterbone the Secre- tendance three ways and was tary, Patrick Morley the Chair of bound to failure. the British Baseball Historical The next players’ union was Clark Griffith regales the crowd the League Protective Players’ Committee, Harvey Sahker the with his Assistant Chair of the BBHC, Association, which lasted from Andy Parkes the Treasurer, and labour relations. 1900-1902. Clark noted with Martin Hoerchner the Examiner dismay that his grandfather and Editor, who was suffering from read apologies from SABR UK namesake was a players’ repre- the worst non-fatal case of laryn- members scattered around the sentative in that union. Then the gitis in history. island. American League was formed, He then introduced Chapter which also had a reserve rule, but Chairman Mike Ross. Mike started Mike then introduced our fea- the inter-league competition and off by reading messages of greet- tured speaker, Clark Griffith, the contract-jumping opened up a new ing from Major League Baseball namesake of his great-uncle and era of freedom for the players on International, who donated two Hall of Fame pitcher, and the son the job market, until the two baseball jackets to auction for the of Calvin Griffith, former owner of leagues made peace and agreed to continued on page 12 Chapter coffers. Then a greeting the Washington Senators and www.sabr.org.uk 2 VIEW FROM THE CHAIR by Mike Ross

Martin the editor says I got to Ted as my first hero, not for his states, and certainly bigger than do this, even though I am rushing home runs so much as that he the membership of some states. off to catch a jet plane to the refused to wear a necktie. And he North Dakota is one we beat out promised land to attend my first got away with it; up until now that for sure. ever main SABR event. This is the is. symposium for Joe Jackson in- Leaving town with the SABR Clark Griffith was entertain- spired by Ted Williams. UK AGM in the bank is a joy, ing and enlightening as we knew knowing that I don’t have to help he would be. Allen Synge, a mad Ted is appealing for organise another such event for fan and a writer, managed Jackson’s entry into the Hall of the foreseeable future. Six years to entertain as well despite his Fame. It is about time. While there we have been going and we are passion for that other bat and ball I will attend an 80th birthday party still standing. We’ve battled with game. for Williams at Crystal River, the Philistines and held ground. Florida. His birthday is in August, Well, that cricket crowd can get Our host John Eichler and so I say “an 80th” because it is mighty rough. Let me thank eve- his son in law have joined the certain the queue to honour him ryone who attended and all the membership. is a long one. ones who couldn’t who wrote in

This photograph was discovered by Chairman Mike Ross, in a photo shop in . It is dated 1936. On the back of the photograph are two handwritten titles. The first, confusingly, reads “Streatham Mitcham Team leaving for their match with Hull Kingston Rovers on Saturday”. The second, more appropriately, reads “The Streatham Mitcham team (with Napier at Captain, centre) going out for baseball practice”. Is there anyone out there that can shed more light on this photograph?

with their hello’s and regrets. It Actually they came in after I am bringing along the sculp- was nice hearing from Cliff the fifth meeting; that shows what ture of Ted swinging the bat which Kachline, one of the original found- attrition can do. I am heading out I made with British artist Tim ers of the great society. He signed now, and will leave the density of Taylor. I am told it is to be placed me up in a St Louis bar, as I often the meeting to the other scrib- atop his birthday cake. As it is in mention, mainly because it shows blers herein contained. bronze, I fear it will sink into the the kind of dedication and enthu- cake up to the bat handle. I have siasm possessed by the early Mike Ross nightmares about it. One such SABR-ites. nightmare had the sculpture go- PS We have pretty much ing through the cake, the table, There were around 1200 promised to have an interim meet- the floor into the basement func- members in ’82 and now we have ing before the next AGM, so that tion rooms of the Ramada Inn nearly 7,000. I venture to say that we can offer more opportunities where the do is being done. our Chapter will never reach that for other members to make pres- amount but I believe we are the entations. Nonetheless, I grew up with largest Chapter outside the 50 US 3

THIS SABR’D ISLE by Martin Hoerchner In my darkest moments, the countries. But I will find out. ally being late with this Examiner. Four European families moved to Last October I started out not hav- I sit alone in my room and America, and here I am! Why did stare into the void and ask ing a great passion for either team. they move? What dream were But as the series went on, I started myself, “Are we really just they following? I won’t be satis- getting more and more angry. We eggheads?” Isn’t what we call fied until I find out why. Will it have on one side a team from a “research” just a cold collection of help me understand myself? Like working class town next to a flam- facts, neatly arranged and col- them, I emigrated, searching a mable lake, with some of the most lated to make some sort of story or dream. long-suffering fans in history. Only argument? My own personal area Not that understanding the three teams have won their last is the origins and ancestry of base- 1904 Giants will help me with my World Series before the Indians’ ball. Does it really matter? Isn’t neuroses. But comparing the last win in 1948. The TV coverage collecting these facts a mere men- 1904 Giants with the 1998 Gi- showed grandfathers with grand- tal exercise, maybe along the lines ants, and the 1888 team, and sons, hoping for their last chance of trainspotting? 1921, 1951, 1985 is a reflection of to see a World Series champion The answer comes back. No. the changes in society through- together. The team, the city, the What we’re doing here is more a out those years. But with a lot people, have known what suffer- spiritual journey than an aca- more detail. ing means. demic exercise. It’s the search for I think the bottom line is that So against them we have the the past, the search for your ori- I’ve always felt that understand- upstart Florida team. One put gins, a social family tree. It’s no ing the past can help you under- together with a chequebook. The coincidence that the beginning of stand the present. In a world only suffering the residents of baseball is like the beginning of searching for answers, following Miami know is when they don’t the Bible - Genesis, Exodus and the progression from the past to squirt enough suntan oil on their Numbers. the present and discovering how bodies. The team’s five years old. It’s a question of “how did we styles, ideas and attitudes have If they lose, you’ve always got the get here from there”? This what evolved is a good key to under- sun and the beach and baseball the spiritual journey means. It’s standing the present. We don’t fades into the distance. In Cleve- no coincidence that another one know it all in 1998, just as we land, the team means much more. of my interests is genealogy. My didn’t know it all in 1967 or 1491. It was a great series, coming four grandparents were descended down to extra in the sev- and/or emigrated from four Euro- Maybe that last essay should enth game. Cleveland started with pean countries - Germany, Aus- have been a separate article, be- Jared Wright, a young pitcher with tria, Sweden, and Spain. My fa- cause I don’t quite know how to a very old baseball name. But in ther’s father was born in a tiny make the transition to my usual the ninth a blown save took the village at the foot of the moun- light banter. If you want, you can game into extra innings, to be tains in what used to be East go make a cup of tea now, and finally won by Florida with a sac- Germany. He emigrated in 1911 when you get back, I’ll be in a rifice fly in the bottom of the 10th. and immigrated in 1912, so I can’t different style. So the hard-working residents of be blamed for either war. I’ve Cleveland have to wait at least visited his birthplace. It’s a beau- I’ve been whingeing for two one more year for that elusive tiful setting. I saw the record of years plus about this horrible com- championship. There is no jus- his birth in 1888, the year the mute I’ve been doing daily, from tice in the world. Giants first won the National Land’s End to John O’Groats. So That’s one thing about base- League pennant, recorded in ink it ends last April Fool’s Eve, and ball, and you’d better get used to in the church register. This is immediately I come down with the it. It’s essentially amoral. The guy what the spiritual journey means. worst case of flu turning into the in white doesn’t always win, and Last year I went to Austria, and worst laryngitis in history. I’m might doesn’t always make right. visited the village where my fa- sure it was a delayed reaction to The guy that’s beating you might ther’s mother was born. She was Snodgrass’ muff in the last game be Ty Cobb, Hal Chase, or Chick born in Austria but the area was of the 1912 World Series. I hope Gandil. Then again he might be transferred to Italy after the Treaty all of you who heard me croak at Christy Mathewson, Walter of Versailles. Her family’s house the last AGM have as much pity Johnson or Lou Gehrig. I believe would have been right underneath for me as I did for myself. Actually, there is a levelling factor, and that a rocky ridge of the Alps. It was I’m still a Shetland Pony - “only a injustices even out in time. At gorgeous. It’s hard to explain how little hoarse”... least, I’d like to think so. moving these discoveries can be. All this is meant to be a lame It’s just longer for others than The birthplace of my moth- excuse for being late for writing for some. And besides, teal isn’t er’s parents’ families I haven’t been World Series observations. Last really a baseball colour. able to trace exactly - except for year’s, not this year’s. And gener- 4 Baseball and Cricket - Cross Currents

Failure of a mission Despite all this heartening activ- ‘The remainder of the day In the year 1859, rather like ity, you get the impression that was spent in a match at base-ball, General Howe’s redcoats nearly a the book’s publishers may just which was got up to lessen the century earlier, a party of ‘all-star’ have sensed that they were back- severe loss of the promoters of the English professionals set out to ing the wrong horse; they are cer- cricket match. retain America - in this instance tainly in the process of changing ‘According to good judges, the for Cricket. horses in mid-stream, or perhaps, English cricketers played remark- The mission can be adjudged like Lillywhite’s promoters, are ably well, and ( keeper) a failure, largely on account of a looking to Baseball to recoup their Lockyer’s playing behind the bat certain misplaced commercialism. expenses. The back of volume is could not have been surpassed.’ The players wanted the best of an extensive, and lavishly illus- both worlds. They were anxious trated advertisement for the Base not to lose their English summer- Ball Player’s Pocket Companion time salaries. with vital ‘di- At the same rections for time they playing the were keen to Massachu- avail them- setts Game selves of the and the New handsome York Game’ £50 per man which, of offered by the course, had American nothing to do sponsors. As with the St a result, the John’s Wood tour was un- Game. dertaken in In other the late Fall words, we when the side may be look- would be ing at a turn- bound to face ing point adverse when Cricket weather con- would begin ditions. In- to give deed, the tour A rough crossing - Lillywhite’s Tour takes the Atlantic route. ground (and concluded even with the no- grounds) to torious ‘Frosty Match’ played at The Cricket Field, U.S. edi- Baseball in America, a process Rochester, NY, on October 21st, tion which we are told the Civil War 24th, and 25th between Eleven of In fact, Cricket was reason- would hasten and nearly com- England and Twenty-two of the ably well established in the US at plete. With ‘nearly’ all America United States and Canada. The the time of Lillywhite’s tour. As it won for Baseball - I will deal with home side was wrecked by the happens, I have a copy of the the exception in due course - the round-arm of John American edition of the classic time would have seemed right for Wisden (of the Cricket Almanack). manual, The Cricket Field by the conquest of England. Why But dismissal appeared to come James Pycroft published in Bos- didn’t England yield? as relief to the half frozen bats- ton in the same year. You wouldn’t men. ‘Shiver my timbers, I’m out!’ find Simon Schuster, for example, The cult of the ‘Straight was the relieved cry as they made bringing out Mike Atherton’s hints Bat’ a dash for the warmth of the pavil- on these days! The book’s Just when Baseball was in a ion. The home side was beaten, original owner, a Mr Charles position to begin to make inroads early on the third day, by an in- Jackson of the Chelsea (Mass) on Cricket on its home ground, nings and 70 runs, but in fact, it Cricket Club, records in his own England’s summer game under- was Cricket that was defeated on hand a busy cricket season with went a fundamental administra- the fields of Rochester. Lillywhite challenges from Bunker Hill and tive change. The management tells us: most of the other Boston suburbs. was removed from the hands of 5 by Allan Synge mercenary professionals like in his book of Reminiscences. the utmost severity for fear that William Clarke and Fred Lillywhite In fact, such was the great the whole cricket castle could and came under the control of the man’s fear of straying from the come tumbling down. upper-class idealists of the straight and narrow path that, Thus it can be said that the at Lord’s. according to C.B. Fry, he would twin precepts of the ‘straight bat’ These gentlemen made it their even contrive, by an extraordi- and the ‘straight arm’ have formed business to stamp their approval nary rotation of the body, a straight a barrier through which Baseball or disapproval on the various batted drive to a ball wide of the has not found it easy to pass. strokes available to the batsman. leg . In this context, it will They came down heavily on the be seen how the principles of Base- Further attempts to bowl ‘hook’ and the ‘pull’, indeed any ball would be regarded with any out Baseball stroke that savoured of the Base- amount of raised eyebrows. Meanwhile, England didn’t ball batter’s cross-the-body swing. We are looking back at a cul- abandon her efforts to turn back

The ‘straight bat’, aimed towards ture which saw the young B.J.T. the tide of Baseball in the US. In the off, was enshrined as the Bosanquet, the inventor of the late August 1872, for instance, epitome of style and even as the ‘’, threatened with expul- the Secretary of the M.C.C. him- hallmark of moral rectitude. sion from Eton if he attempted self, a Mr R.A. Fitzgerald, led a Again, cricket had suddenly any more ‘uneducated shots’. touring party to Canada and the acquired a giant championin the US with W.G. Grace as the star person of W.G. Grace, who be- It’s perhaps significant, too, attraction. While Fred Lillywhite’s tween the mid-1860s to the end of that the beginning of this century overriding aim had been to mar- the century would bring crowds saw a concerted attempt to elimi- ket his patented scoring machine, flocking to the broader bat and nate ‘throwing’ from cricket. A Fitzgerald’s purpose was purely ball game. Grace’s formidable bat number of famous careers were missionary. The tour saw some was as straight as any Lord’s pur- ruined and the fast bowler and exciting cricket but could not be ist could wish and he himself was batsman C.B. Fry was compelled described as a diplomatic triumph. a vigorous upholder of orthodoxy. to concentrate exclusively on bat- W. G. Grace was ridiculed for mak- ‘Young batsmen should not ting, which he did to memorable ing the same speech at every port be allowed to practice the stroke; effect. From time to time, notably of call: indeed they should be severely in the late ’50s, the spectre of ‘Gentlemen, I thank you for reprimanded if they show any ten- throwing has reappeared, caus- the honour you have done me. I dency towards pulling!’ he wrote ing the authorities to react with 6 Baseball and Cricket (con’t) have never tasted better oysters encouraged to join in. Indeed, mind the quaint local game of than I have tasted here today, and Robin Marlar, the former Sussex , which is chiefly worth I hope I shall get as good wherever spinner, writing in The Cricketer watching because it is played by I go.’ in August 1957, recalled post- lithe young country girls and is, Then the team got into dou- War attempts at outright bribery interestingly, said to have derived ble trouble - first from the on the game’s behalf: from a ball game played by milk- Philadelphians for rushing off to ‘The lure of unlimited maids using their milking stools catch the train to Boston and from popcorns, ice cream and candy for bases. We can appease the the Bostonians for missing the floss has enticed children and their fairer sex here by claiming that train and arriving a day late, too parents away from the cricket this generally feminine pastime late to play a crucial match with grounds of West London to the is, in fact, a father of both the influential Harvard. The remain- American base at Ruislip where games under discussion. ing Boston match was played, sig- these nourishing foods are handed nificantly, on a Baseball Baseball influ- ground which heavy rain, ences on Cricket’s or the god of Baseball, development soon turned into a quag- mire. A delicate hint was Baseball may dropped by a local have failed to conquer hero when he presented Cricket but it has exer- each member of the Eng- cised significant influ- land team with a base- ences on the English ball, a gift dismissed by game’s development. Grace in his memoirs as Let me turn first, or ‘an interesting relic’. The rather at last, to the hardships involved in ‘Gentleman of Philadel- travelling back to Canada phia’ who continued to may have helped to de- play Cricket long after cide W.G. not to tour the the rest of America had New World again. ‘As we turned to the other passed through Maine we game and who in their came under the veto of tours of England in the famous Prohibition 1897, 1903 and 1908 Laws and had the curi- showed they could give ous experience of being most English first- absolutely unable to get, class counties as good for love or money, any- as they got. thing stronger by way of The ‘gentlemen’ of refreshment than thick the various elite Phila- soup washed down by delphia clubs were, it tea!’ A.C. McClaren demonstrates the has to be faced, a “stroke of moral rectitude” bunch of moneyed Wartime opportuni- snobs. Indeed, I some- times think that it was ties for Baseball in out with typical largesse. This the snobbishness of Britain generosity reminds me of a sum- Philadelphia which was largely re- The two World Wars saw mer’s day when an exhibition sponsible for branding Cricket as Baseball and played in match was played at Harrow in a ‘stuck-up’ game in popular England on an unprecedented 1945. After the game, bats, balls American perception. In any scale in and around the camps of and gloves were given away ad event, as they prepared to set out the Doughboys and GIs. There is lib.’ for England in the summer of 1897, a nice Baseball scene in the Brit- the Gentlemen of Philadelphia ish wartime movie The Way to the Marlar reckoned, perhaps a found they were short of a really Stars which has an RAF officer, little patronisingly, that the rea- penetrative bowler. A non-’gen- played by Basil Radford, scamp- son Baseball has failed to take tleman’, in that his trip had to be ering with bat in hand straight for root here was that it is ‘too much subsidised, was recruited by the the pitcher to the merriment of his akin to the kindergarten or girlish name of John Barton King (1873 - US Army Air Corp allies. As I pastime of ’. Marlar, as a 1965). King had a lethal remember, the local lads around Sussex man, may also have had in which he called ‘the angler’, a the base were always generously product of his experience as a 7 Baseball and Cricket (con’t)

Baseball pitcher, which, time and English cricket. Even in ‘The many baseball-cricketers still use again, would prove the ruin of Golden Age’ (the first decade of the same technique with bare English batsmen. On his last tour this century) we find a statistician hands. Neil Harvey was an arch in 1908 ‘Bart’ King topped the calculating that a total of 1,439 exponent of this and that wonder- England bowling averages with surplus runs had been scored in fully safe catcher Victor Richardson the extraordinary figure of 11.01 one week in July by batsmen who always took the ball as high as which was not to be bettered until should have been safely possible.” 1958 by of Derby- by the side. Since the With the advent of One Day shire with a figure 10.99. beginning of the ‘Ashes’ English fielding has im- proved immeasur- You may be ably, even though the judge of ‘Bart’ we still seem to King’s impact on drop the vital the English game catches. But it can when I tell you it reasonably be was confidently claimed that the rumoured that he improvement be- was offered the gan with English- hand of a rich men imitating Aus- widow in order to tralians who played enable him to play American Baseball. regularly as an amateur in Summary . It’s nearly the Technically, the year 2000 and the impact was alto- two nations still gether more far- seem set on keep- reaching. Eng- ing their national land’s faster games to them- bowlers, who had selves. In the US, hitherto de- Cricket has crept in pended on sheer through the back pace with per- door with the Car- haps a last sec- ibbean leagues. ond application of But I am not aware spin, suddenly that many new con- became ‘complete verts have been anglers’ in the won, although an Barton King Indian New York mould. A former taxi driver told my trundler like son the other week- ’s The great W.G. Grace breaks his own rules end that he was George Hirst by using a baseball-like stroke proud to have seen started to shatter Ted Dexter bat at stumps with balls Hove. Certainly that ducked in, Philadelphian some said, with the force of a hard matches, Australians have tended cricket is today a series of disused throw in from mid-off. The ‘swing- to produce safer pairs of hands. temples. I visited the Philadephian ers’ multiplied through the dec- In his book The Art of Cricket the Cricket Club itself in 1989. Now ades to the near- extinction of the great Sir Donald Bradman sug- an elite country club, it keeps the Lord’s purists’ beloved off side play. gests an explanation - Australian name and the snobbery and an cricketers play Baseball, at least actual cricket bat still hangs By and large England con- their finest fieldsmen tended to the bar. However, the barman tinued not to play Baseball, but have. To quote: was unable to offer any explana- Australians did. And this fact “Those who have watched tion as to what the curious instru- alone began to reflect adversely crack baseball teams know how ment might be. Here your distin- on England’s performance in Test they get under a catch and never guished body continues the fight matches. Good fielding was not seem likely to miss. The glove is a to win English hearts and minds traditionally a great feature of tremendous help of course, but for your cherished game. 8 PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL IN DEWSBURY

by Ian Smyth last Saturday to see Dewsbury However all of this was to Royals play their first League base- change, when on July 11th Dewsbury witnessed a fleet- ball game out of curiosity. It was a Dewsbury met Scarborough ing visit from professional base- pity, therefore, that conditions were Seagulls. ball during the summer of 1936, so miserable, or by now there might when Crown Flatt became the be many more baseball fans in the DEWSBURY’S RECORD WIN home of Dewsbury Royals Profes- Heavy Woollen District. Even as “Dewsbury Royals gained sional Baseball Club. things turned out, a bitterly raw their first victim in the Yorkshire Dewsbury Royals were afternoon, with an icy wind with League on Saturday when they founder members of the Yorkshire rain at times, most people would overwhelmed Scarborough Baseball League. Other teams in have their appetites whetted, for Seagulls 54-6. The score, a record the league included Bradford City there was no doubt about it, the for the league, was a true reflec- Sox, Greenfield Giants, Hull Base- game made some appeal. Com- tion on the game. From the start it ball Club, Leeds Oaks, pared with the usual sporting spec- was apparent that Dewsbury were Scarborough Seagulls, Sheffield tacles at Crown Flatt, bad as they easily the stronger team. The Dons and Wakefield Cubs. were last season I do not think Dewsbury fielding showed a The league was established baseball is as thrilling as Rugby marked improvement. Cox was by John Moores of Littlewoods League , but when Heavy again in good form as the Royal’s Pools, who was also President of Woollen District people are suffi- pitcher, and the brothers Graham the National Baseball Association, ciently versed in the laws as to also showed up well in the field.” in an attempt to establish base- appreciate the finer points of the ball as a major summer in game, and, more important still, (Dewsbury Reporter 18 July 1936) England. All of the teams played when some of the Dewsbury play- either at the local Rugby League ers themselves understand its pos- This record victory was or Greyhound Racing stadia. sibilities better, the game should quickly followed by a second league command a good following.” (16 win over Bradford City Sox. “A somewhat tame opening The first professional game May 1936). between City Sox and Royals in a to be held in Dewsbury was on Yorkshire League game at Legrams Saturday May 9th, 1936. The The inexperience of the team, Lane Bradford on Tuesday devel- Dewsbury Reporter noted that, allied to the fact that Dewsbury’s oped into one of the closest strug- “Local sportsmen will have foreign professionals were not al- gles so far this season with the their first opportunity to see the ways available, led to the team Royals winning 10-9. After scoring game that is all the rage in America struggling. Whereas other clubs a single each in the first inning, at Crown Flatt this weekend when in the league had imported pro- both teams retired in the next four Dewsbury Royals, the newly fessionals, Dewsbury in the main without a score, but in the sixth formed baseball team, will play had to field local players who were frame Dewsbury, who were bat- their first Game with Hull in the new to the game. Dewsbury did ting first, scored three runs while Yorkshire League. Players have compete with most teams; how- their opponents were pointless, and been busily practicing all week ever, when it came to the crunch, followed this with another three to under the direction of WT Graham the greater experience of the vari- the Sox one. A fine rally by the Sox who has played the game in ous opponents invariably won gave them four runs in the eighth Canada, and until more local play- through. frame after the Royals had scored ers have learnt the game, In fact, Dewsbury lost their a single, and the last innings Dewsbury will have the assist- first nine league games, and as of opened with the home team only ance of Jack Pomerantz, an Ameri- the morning of July 11th they two behind. Dewsbury scored can professional pitcher, Sam were firmly rooted at the bottom of twice and the Sox failed by one Berman, an American professional the league table. to draw.” catcher, Towler Cox of Settle, who has experience of the American YORKSHIRE BASEBALL LEAGUE P W L D PTS game in Canada, and Graham.” However, despite improved GREENFIELD 9 9 0 0 18 performances, crowds at Crown Unfortunately for the HULL 9 7 2 0 14 Flatt were disappointing, and Dewsbury team, neither the SHEFFIELD 9 7 2 0 14 without the financial backing, weather or the opposition were WAKEFIELD 8 6 2 0 12 which other clubs were receiving, particularly kind. Despite this a BRADFORD 9 5 4 0 10 Dewsbury found it difficult to at- large crowd turned out to watch LEEDS 9 2 7 0 4 tract quality foreign players. Sub- the game. The Reporter noted, SCARBOROUGH 8 1 7 0 2 “Probably eighty percent of sequently the Royals struggled to DEWSBURY 9 0 9 0 0 the those who visited Crown Flatt compete with the bigger clubs, 9

PROFESSIONAL REPORT OF THE SABR UK HISTORICAL BASEBALL IN RESEARCH COMMITTEE FOR 1998 DEWSBURY This past year has been this period rivalled the heyday one of steady digging into the of the 1890s with the forma- (con’t) past of British baseball by the tion of a national Baseball As- SABR UK Historical Research sociation, baseball played which in turn affected the club’s Committee. Unlike the previ- widely in the Home Counties, a viability, which sadly forced the ous year’s discovery of one of northern league which at- club out of business. the long-lost Spalding tracted commercial sponsor- The summer of 1936 was the first and last for professional base- traphies,1998 has yielded no ship as well as crowds of up to ball in Dewsbury. The Royals fin- spectacular finds. But from 10,000 spectators and a deter- ished the league season in sev- the yellowing files of old news- mined effort to persuade enth place with a record of three papers and a variety of other schools to include baseball in wins and eleven losses, defeating sources, a picture is slowly their sports activities. Bradford, Scarborough and Shef- emerging of over a century of Chapter Four: FROM THE field, while Greenfield Giants won organised baseball In the POST WAR ERA TO THE the league. Dewsbury Royals United Kingdom. Thanks PRESENT DAY. A succession dropped out of the Yorkshire largely to SABR UK, more re- of baseball leagues or federa- League at the end of 1936, being searchers are now delving into tions came and went embrac- replaced by York Maroons. Despite the demise of that past than ever before. So ing different parts of the coun- Dewsbury Royals, professional much so, that we have now try until the foundation of the baseball thrived in the region. The reached the stage where we British Baseball Federation and league expanded in 1938 to in- can at least draft the chapter the present day organisation of clude teams from Lancashire. Also headings for our projected HIS- the sport with leagues covering in 1938, players from the York- TORY OF BASEBALL IN BRIT- much of the country. shire-Lanacashire Major League AIN. Additional chapters or ap- beat the United States Olympic Chapter One: THE pendices would cover WAR Baseball team under the manage- ORIGIIS OF BASEBALL. From TIME BASEBALL, BRITISH ment of Leslie Mann (of the 1914 medieval times to the late l9th BORN MAJOR LEAGUERS, Miracle Braves), Secretary of the International Baseball Federation, century. A wealth of fascinat- THE RELATIONSHIP BETYEEN and could lay claim to being World ing and often conflicting mate- BASEBALL AND WELSH Amateur Champions. rial has came to light, includ- BASEBALL, CRICKET v. BASE- Sadly for professional base- ing the development of the sport BALL, WHY BASEBALL HAS ball, World War Two brought about from such games as stoolball, NEVER TAKEN OFF IN BRIT- a sudden halt to proceedings after and rounders. AIN, and THE FUTURE OF the 1939 season. Unfortunately Chapter Two: THE BASE- BASEBALL IN THE UK. the game had not fully established BALL BOOK OF THE 1890s. Our colleagues in the itself, therefore after the war it Following the Spalding world States have not so far been only resurfaced in areas such as tours, baseball boomed in Brit- able to trace any of the Spalding Hull, London and where the game had firmly established ain with the formation of a papers which could throw light roots in the pre-war era. National Baseball Association on the Derby connection, men- It is true to say that profes- and gains in the Midlands, the tioned in the last report. A sional baseball did not set North West and the North East propos of that, we are still try- Dewsbury alight, and that its ex- attended by several thousand ing to persuade Derby City istence is all but forgotten. How- spectators. After a brief hia- Council to commemorate the ever the sport did exist in tus, the British Baseball Asso- game’s historic links with the Dewsbury, and for that one short ciation was formed in 1906 city now that the Baseball summer in 1936 local players from and flourished for a time al- Ground is no more. Finally, the Heavy Woollen District be- most entirely in the South of the Committee no longer in- came the boys of summer. Their exploits deserve recognition, and England. But by the start of cludes Europe in its title, since their story should be told. the First World War, the sport’s the history of baseball on the popularity had largely faded continent calls for more re- - Ian Smyth is an official of the away. sources than are presently to British Baseball Federation and Chapter Three: BETWEEN hand. head of Youth Development. THE WARS. In some respects Patrick Morley, Chairman 10 Feeding the Habit - MONTE Additions to a SABRite’s IRVIN bookshelf by Barry Winetrobe Jackie Robinson’s performance in the Dodgers’ last day defeat of the Phillies in 1951 which led to the One of the benefits of full legendary Bobby Thomson Gi- SABR membership is the receipt ants/Dodgers play-off series, and of interesting publications from spring training in Indiana during the States. These comprise the WWII. So, whatever your baseball regular (generally annual) peri- interests are, you’re bound to find odicals, such as The Baseball Re- something to your tastes. The one- search Journal and The National off publications are equally enjoy- Pastime, and one-off specials, the able. The 1996 offering, “Base- most recent being “Baseball for ball’s First Stars”, for example, the fun of it”. The BRJ is a treas- was a massive and invaluable work ure house of refer- of fascinat- ence, pro- ing arti- viding bi- cles, and, ographies thank- of over 150 fully, not nine- too many teenth of them are century the sort of stars, in- statistical cluding pieces the Hall of which re- Famers. quire an Read Einstein to about the read and superstars under- (on and off stand the field) them. The such as latest is- Cap sue (No. Anson, Monte Irvin has been named and 26), which Charles has accepted the position of arrived at Comiskey, Honourary Vice-President of our the New Al Chapter. This was presented in Year, has Spalding recognition of his services since 142 pages and King the Chapter has been formed, and containing Kelly to the it was the highest available hon- 41 items lesser- our we could give him. He joins on a wide known or Chapter namesake Bobby range of unknown Thompson as the second member subjects from an article on base- (to me at least!) Frank Fennelly, of the National League Champion ball’s perfect (ie 1.000) hitters to the Ipswich-born Richard Higham 1951 Giants to come on board. an analysis of the 50-home run and Bill Shindle. This year’s pub- Irvin is pictured at home with his club. There are, of course, the lication is totally different but trophy for being elected MVP for usual items on new ways of meas- equally enjoyable. Entitled “Base- that great ‘51 squad. Though uring and evaluating performance, ball for the fun of it”, it is full of Bobby Thomson finished off the such as ‘percentage of extra-base humorous, fascinating anecdotes year, it was Monte Irvin who lead hits’ (PXBH), ‘RBI efficiency’, and and quirky old photos, cards, post- the team through the tough come- pitchers’ ‘wins above average’. Per- ers and the like. Like all such back from 13 1/2 games behind sonally, not being terribly math- SABR books, it is ideal for dipping the Dodgers. And during the year ematically minded, I enjoy the into at odd moments, especially in he also found the time to show the more historical, anecdotal or that lonnnng baseball-less desert ropes to a young rookie named ‘trivia’ pieces, such as the 1996 in between the World Series and Willie Mays. Welcome aboard, ‘cost-effective’ All Star team, spring training. Superb stuff! Monte! 11

Why Baseball? Gerry Gallagher by Graham Winterbone Freddie Laker’s Skytrain and flew to LA at budget prices. We then Some recent correspondence spent five weeks travelling around with SABR members has got me California. Unfortunately I knew thinking anew about my interest nothing of baseball at the time. in baseball. For a start, the learn- What better way is there to ing of a completely new sport was spend your summer holidays than exciting, particularly when cou- to travel around America visiting pled with some American razzma- various cities and taking in the tazz. This formed “the bait”. How- ballparks while you are there? So ever this alone was not enough. far I have managed to visit Once I swallowed the bait, what Anaheim Stadium, Candlestick got me hooked? The bottom line Park, Oakland Coliseum, Jack was that Baseball managed to Murphy Stadium and Coors Field bring together practically all my as well as Yankee Stadium and interests, of travel, history and Shea Stadium last September. I’ve sport, in one single hobby. got around a bit but here is still a Thanks to my Dad I’ve al- long way to go. I know it’s strange ways been a sports fan, and I have but I still haven’t been to the some very early memories of SkyDome! My wife and I just can’t get excited about going anywhere watching football and boxing in SABR member Gerry other than North America. particular with him on the TV. He Gallagher spoke to me over the My other interest is beer — gave me a good sense of occasion telephone about constructing his oops — how did that get in here! and a of fair play, while still hav- own field of dreams on a property Anyway I guess I have to admit to ing a competitve spirit. Unfortu- adjacent to his home. Gallagher, a taking a few beers at the ballpark nately I was never very good at former L A Dodgers prospect, and from time to time as well! So you sport, so I became a spectator. I his family live in a place called can see that baseball covers all have also been watching Luton Millport on the remote Isle of my interests and apart from that Town matches since 1971 and I Cumbrae off the coast of Scot- you most certainly meet some am now approaching my 700th land, a short ferry boat ride from friendly and interesting people game. This certainly has got me the remote town of Larg. Larg is through the game - that’s you, the used to the ups and downs of one hour by train west of Glasgow. SABR members. following a small town team. Luck- I journeyed north from Lon- You all have a story to tell ily though, I fell in love with a big don with the main purpose of about how you got into the game, market baseball team (the Blue breaking ground for the field’s and what particular aspect inter- Jays) who had a certain amount of home plate. The plate is arguably ests you or an interesting game success in the 90’s though they the westernmost home plate in you have seen. Send it in! Your are now in a rebuilding phase. Europe. Examiner needs you! History has always been of However, the journey was a great interest to me. And Baseball -dip of pleasure and nos- history is incredibly well re- talgia. When I first sailed to Eu- searched and makes great read- boats lurked outside the Portland rope, from Montreal, nearly 40 ing. My favourite books are biog- harbour, looking for a kill. Some years ago, I disembarked at Green- raphies on the major stars which were destroyed as I slept soundly ock which is a short distance north as well as being fascinating from a at home feeling safe in the knowl- of Gallagher’s field. This fact was baseball point of view, they also edge that the war was 3000 miles highlighted when I recently serve as histories of the relevant away. How little we know. learned that the North Atlantic eras. Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth and Gallagher was primed to en- convoys carrying supplies to the Jackie Robinson, for example, are ter the Dodger’s minor league beleaguered British Isles, setting products of their particular eras, chain until he hurt his shoulder sail from my home town of Port- in more than just a baseball sense. and was knocked out of business. land and its great protected har- A good biography can bring these He later worked for the Dodgers in bour. The destination was the safe players, and the time they live in, an admin capacity. Here he is channel leading up to Greenock, to life. seen with wife and daughter fol- passing by Cumbrae. I got off to a bit of a slow start lowing a brief ceremony which Many secrets have started to with travel; I did not go abroad involved throwing out the first ball, emerge such as the less comfort- until I was 18. However in 1978, a and the first dog. ing knowledge that German U- friend and I took advantage of Mike Ross continued at left 12 SABR AGM Report (con’t) recognise each other’s contracts. judgement long enough to see the as the most difficult. The problem The Baseball Players’ Fraternity Federal League fold. For this serv- was that there was a single issue ice to baseball he was made com- missioner six years later. In 1915 the Federal League folded, ending with an agreement that two Major League teams be bought by Federal League own- ers. With all but two teams left out, the Baltimore Feds sued, cit- ing baseball’s exemption from the Sherman Anti-Trust Act as illegal. In the Supreme Court, Justice Smyth defended the exemption, stating that a particular baseball game is a unique product and cannot be duplicated, and hence baseball isn’t an interstate busi- ness. Then followed a long period of no union activity. Then the American Baseball Guild was formed in 1946, and lasted into Alan Chell - a green thumb the 60’s. They came within two Allen Synge on Cricket for growing baseball teams votes of striking the 1954 All Star and Baseball Game. This was the first union to have a player representative on each team. was formed in 1912, in reaction to left unresolved after the 1980 ne- the Ty Cobb strike. It lasted until Then Marvin Miller came on gotiations, and a single issue left 1918. During that time the Fed- the scene, in 1966, as the head no scope for bargaining. eral League Clark was formed predicted as a reaction that labour to the re- turmoil serve rule. would con- The league tinue, and raided play- that the un- ers from the ion would other two more and leagues, more take and caused business de- a tremen- cisions that dous uproar were once when they the sole signed, realm of among oth- manage- ers, the ment. He re- great Walter stated that Johnson. the same dy- When the namics exist Federal John Eichler’s Kings of Clerkenwell pub - today that League sued existed from Major SABR UK’s spiritual home the start of League professional Baseball for baseball. antitrust violation, the case was negotatior for the players. Clark He then changed tack, and heard by Judge Kennesaw Moun- cited strikes in 1972, ‘76, ‘81, and talked for a while about the im- tain Landis, who delayed the ‘85, and mentioned the 1981 strike portance of Jackie Robinson. He 13 SABR AGM Report (con’t) said Jackie Robinson didn’t just no doubt Clark had an excellent tours of cricket teams from the integrate baseball, he integrated view of the happenings. Towards Britain in the 19th century. The the end of the game, it was cal- culated that Vernon would win the title if he didn’t bat again. There were two innings to go, and Vernon was the seventh hit- ter, so no batter must get on base . In a hilarious account, a cou- ple of players got on base by acci- dent, and then did their best to get picked off. But the final re- Bill Rubenstein explains new statistics for sult was that rating player performance. Mickey Vernon of Bernard Day shows off new the Senators won discoveries from baseball’s the batting title, British past. depriving Al America. From the Civil War till Rosen of the Triple Crown. 1954, no civil rights legislation full text of Allen’s article is printed had been enacted, and “seperate The next presentation was elsewhere in this journal. but equal” was the law of the land. from Allen Synge, who spoke on The significance of Jackie’s debut “Baseball and Cricket - Cross Cur- Allan Chell then spoke. This was to open man seems to up other av- have the enues for in- baseball tegration. equivalent of As a fi- a green nal anecdote, thumb when Clark talked it comes to about the forming base- best game ball teams. he’d ever After develop- seen. It was ing Little the final League teams game of the in South Af- 1953 season, rica for years, and he was in 1992 he eleven years moved to old. Al Rosen , of the Indians Kent. When and Mickey he discovered Vernon of the there was no Senators Only a portion of the capacity crowd. baseball be- were locked ing played into a close there, he battle for the batting champion- rents” about why baseball never started an adult team and a Little ship going into the last day. The made it in Britain and cricket League team; now he has two Lit- game took place at Griffith Sta- never made it in America. He tle League teams and a senior dium, and being the owner’s son, recounted different proseletyzing team, with about 50 players. Allan 14 SABR AGM Report (con’t) showed us a handsome translu- pitching). per accounts. Pete not only con- cent trophy given to him “for Meri- He then introduced Bill firmed it, but found 500 foot torious Service”. An interesting James’ concept of “runs created”. homeruns by Ruth that no one sidelight to his story was that when The formula, which Bill was un- had ever known about! And, to local cricket coaches found out fortunately unable to write on the top it off, Ruth was a great pitcher, Allan coached baseball, they re- blackboard because of the disap- too - the best lefthander in the cruited him to coach the cricket- pearance of the chalk, was second half of the teens. ers how to throw the ball. (hits + walks) x total bases / After Ruth, the next player (at bats + walks) according to runs created was Nap John Gaustad, owner of or, more succintly: Lajoie, followed by Ty Cobb, Willie SportsPages bookstore, gave his (H + W) x TB / (AB + W). Mays, and Ted Williams. The best list of his top ten recent player is Mike baseball books. The Schmidt, who com- list was, in no par- bined power, average, ticular order, Thomas and brilliant defence so Boswell’s “How Life well, that he was actu- Imitates the World ally two players in one. Series” and “Why He is the only player Time Begins on since 1920 who was Opening Day”, Roger best at offence and de- Angell’s “The Sum- fence at the same time. mer Game”, George Plimpton’s “Out of My The last speaker League”, David was Bernard Day, who

Halberstam’s “The was our featured Summer of ‘49”, Pat speaker at the last Jordan’s “A False meeting, having dis- Spring”, Jim covered the Albert Brosnan’s “The Long Spalding Cleveland Season”, Jim Bou- District Trophy. Since ton’s “Ball Four”, the last time he spoke, Robert Coover’s “The he has come up with Universal Baseball new discoveries, in- Association, J. Henry cluding a fixture list of Waugh, Prop.” and the 1893 and 1894 Eliot Asinof’s “Men Guest of Honour Clark Griffith Cleveland and South On Spikes”. Durham League. He has been concentrat- Then Bill Rubenstein, Pro- After that, you need to adjust ing on the Derby district, and has fessor of History at the University for the home park and era, which identified the players in the fa- of , Aberyswyth, spoke about is too involved to list here. mous photo of the Derby Baseball new statistics in baseball. The Career “runs created” statis- team, with Sir Francis Ley. He groundwork was laid by Bill James tics for have calculated for all major has discovered a baseball belt and Pete Palmer in “Total Base- league players, and the big sur- worn by that team, plus a cap and ball”. Bill cited the problems with prise here is that Babe Ruth is belt of the Stockton club. He also the typical ways we know of evalu- 30% better than the number two located a photo of the 1893 Everton ating player performance - bat- player. We knew he was good, but Baseball team. Bernard said that ting average, runs batted in, and we didn’t know he was that good! the photo shows a flat bat, and home runs. He said the problems After number two, the players are hence it was the game known as were 1) they were situation-de- about 1/4 - 1/2% percent below Welsh baseball that they played. pendent, meaning players from each other, but Ruth is in another better teams would instrinsically league by himself. After that we were served a have better stats; 2) they were He also talked the distance excellent meal by the Governor, effected by the player’s home of Ruth’s shots. He said there John Eichler. After that the busi- ballpark (e.g. the Coors Field fac- have been eight 500 foot homeruns ness part of the meeting took place, tor for offense and the Astrodome since 1990. When Pete Palmer which will be reported in Exam- for pitchers) ; 3) the era the player read that in one year alone Ruth iner 11. Suffice it to say as a played in makes a big difference hit a 500 foot homerun in each parting shot that an excellent time (e.g. 1930 as an explosion of park, he decided to investigate it was had by all. offense, and 1968 dominated by by correlating different newspa- 15 Members of 1890 Derby Team Identified

Bernard Day of Middlesborough has come up with an identification of the players of the photograph of the Derby Base Ball Club, which was published in Examiner No. 8. Mr. Day dates this photograph as 1890. He identifies the players as follows, from left to right: T. Presbury (left field), E. Booth(center field), D. Allsopp (third base), J.P. Reidenbach (pitcher), Francis Ley (President), S.D. Bullas (catcher), H.M. Middleton (second base), W. North (right field), and J. Mellors (shortstop). The identity of the tenth man should be revealed soon.

Next issue - Chairman Mike Ross files his report from Florida after attending a SABR Symposium on Joe Jackson’s right to be in the Hall of Fame, inspired by Ted Williams. As a side treat, Mike attended Teddy Ballgame’s 80th birthday celebration, which was a star- studded affair. 16

TROPHY EXAMINER STAFF Editor: Martin Hoerchner

Executive Publisher: Mike Ross FOUND! Circulation Manager: Graham Winterbone Research Submissions: Patrick Morley

Stoolball is alive and well in Sussex

Details next issue

Check out colour photos of this year’s AGM at www.sabr.org.uk

CHAPTER OFFICERS Chairman: Mike Ross, 2B Maida Avenue, London W2 1TF (Tel: 0171 723 9848 Fax: 0171 924 0929; E-mail: [email protected]) Secretary: Graham Winterbone, 14 Springfield Crescent Harpenden, Herts AL5 4LF (Tel: 01582 622 180; E-mail:[email protected]) Treasurer: Andy Parkes, 84 Hillingdon Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 8PJ (Tel and Fax: 0161 865 2952) Chair of British Baseball Historical Committee: Patrick Morley, Spring Cottage, The Batch, Hill Road, Sandford, North Somerset BS25 5RH (Tel. 01934 822781) Publications Editor and Webmaster: Martin Hoerchner, ‘Madalla’, Chelsfield Lane, Orpington, Kent BR6 7RS (E-Mail: [email protected]) Archivist: Barry Winetrobe, 53 Woodside Road, New Malden, Surrey KT3 3AW (Tel: 0181 949 1035; E-mail: [email protected]) Assistant Chair of Historical Committee: Harvey Sahker, 9 Byrne Road, Flat B, Balham, London SW12 9HZ (Tel: 0171 630 0271) Procedural Advisor: Hugh Robinson, 567 Kings Road, Stretford, Manchester M32 8JQ (Tel: 0161 286 7012) Honourary President: Norman Macht Honourary Vice-President: Monte Irvin