( Line Drives

Volume 18 No. 3 Official Publication of the Northeast Indiana Association September 2016 •Formerly the Fort Wayne Oldtimer's Baseball Association*

the highlight of his illustrious career at that point in John "Red" Braden time but what he could not know was that there was Legendary Fort Wayne Semi- still more to come. 1951 saw the Midwestern United Life Insurance Pro Baseball Co. take over the sponsorship of the team (Lifers). In He Won 5 National and 2 World Titles 1952 it was North American Van Lines who stepped By Don Graham up to the plate as the teams (Vans) sponsor and con­ While setting up my 1940s and 50s Fort Wayne tinued in Semi-Pro Baseball and Fort Wayne Daisies displays that role at the downtown Allen County Public Library back for three in early August (August thru September) I soon years in realized that my search for an LD article for this all, 1952, edition was all but over. And that it was right there '53 and in front of me. So here 'tis! '54. Bra- A native of Rock Creek Township in Wells Coun­ dens ball ty where he attended Rock Creek High School and clubs eas­ participated in both baseball and basketball, John ily made "Red" Braden graduated and soon thereafter was it to the hired by the General Electric Co. Unbeknownst to national him of course was that this would become the first tourna­ step in a long and storied career of fame, fortune and ment in notoriety, not as a G.E. employee, but as an all-time Wichita great semi-pro baseball manager. all three During the 1930s and early 40s Braden pitched for years and G.E. in the summit city's industrial league. In 1944, finished the G.E. Club (men's club on Swinney Avenue) de­ John "Red" Braden (1950) fourth in cided to sponsor a semi-pro team (named the Volt­ two of those years under the Vans banner. men by the Fort's Baseball Historian Bob Parker) In 1955 Fort Wayne's Allen Dairy jumped on the and named Braden the club's manager. Their home sponsorship bandwagon also for a three year stint as games were played at Dwenger Park. it turned out. Unfortunately, those three years would Braden fielded some very competitive teams dur­ be the last for these "Boys of Summer" as the team ing those early years (1944-45-46) but 1947 would would disband for good following the 1957 baseball prove to be the year that would launch him toward season. But wait, the redhead wasn't quite done with managerial greatness. his mastery just yet. The redhead managed his G.E. Club teams to Na­ In 1956, his "Allen Dairymen" or "Dairymen" won tional Baseball Congress titles in Wichita, Kansas yet another NBC title in Wichita, Kansas, their fifth, three straight times (1947-48-49) and again in 1950 followed by a second Semi-Pro World title (Global for a fourth straight title under the sponsorship of the ) at Milwaukee County Stadium in Mil­ ( Capehart-Farnsworth Co. It was then on to Tokyo, waukee, Wisconsin. His Dairymen prevailed over a Japan where the "Capes" or "Capeharts" won their field of teams representing seven other world nations first of two Semi-Pro World Titles by defeating a including the following: Japan; Puerto Rico; Hawaii; strong Japanese ball club four games to one. It was (Continued on back page) March 10 NEIBA Officers The White Stockings, of Chicago, start on a South­ President Larry Windmiller ern trip on the 17th inst. They have leased the lake VP Marketing Bill Derbyshire front grounds over which there was considerable dis­ VP Hall of Fame Joe Moorhouse cussion at one time. I VP Museum Joe Moorhouse The first game of the season for the championship oi Secretary Don Graham the Pacific Coast, was played on the 2d inst., between Treasurer Kaye Windmiller the Eagles and the Atlantics, both of San Francisco, and resulted in favor of the latter club by a score of HOF Committee 42-24. Larry Windmiller Bill Derbyshire The Kekiongas, as at present organized, will be ear­ Joe Moorhouse Don Graham ly on the field, and confident of their ability to make a Kaye Windmiller Brett Windmiller good record the coming season. Dick Crumback Gary Rogers Steve Warden alt. Marge Graham

Line Drives News Publication Daisies Data

Editor Don Graham Columnist Chad Gramling 1951 TEAM FIELDING Guest Columnist Fred Bielefeld American Girls League Guest Columnist Bill Griggs

Association Office 6 | DP TP |PB PO A E Pet. South Bend ._ III |54 0 | 15 2848 1371 202 954 P.O. Box 12733 Fort Wayne, IN 46864 (260) 672-2585 [email protected] Grand Rapids 107 |*7 0 | 6 2746 1200 208 950 www .neibaseball.org Kenosha 106 57 1 30 2632 1235 204 950 Rockford 107 |9I 2 14 2718 1301 235 945 Peoria ._ 106 | 72 0 12 2708 1275 238 944 Dateline March 3, 9, 10, 1871 1 Fort Wayne . - 104 59 0 12 2667 1228 239 94| The Fort Wayne Daily Sentinel Kalamazoo 110 I 70 0 17 2771 1253 295 932 Baffle Creek . 10° | 52 1 | II 2727 1340 337 923 Base Ball Editors Note: The above is from a 1952 Official Fort Wayne Daisies Program/Scorebook - 10e\

March 3 The Kekionga Base Ball Club is fully organized for th the coming season. Our citizens have subscribed liber­ 19 Century Baseball Firsts ally toward sustaining a first-class nine and have ev­ (Continued from June issue of Line Drives) ery confidence that the coming season will be a series September 23.1890: The St. Louis Browns' Ed of victorious contests. Cartwright became the first player to a grand The following professionals will be placed in the slam and three- homer in the same off the field: Robt. Matthews, ; Wm. Lennon, ; Jas. E. Doyle, first base; Frank Lillian, second base; same pitcher (Ed Green of the A's). Ed. Foran, third base; Dick Flowers, short-stop; Ed. April 17,1892: The first Sunday game is played: Mincher, left-fielder; Thos. Carey, center-fielder; Cincinnati 5 versus St. Louis 1. Wm. Kelley, right-fielder. Mav 14.1892: , playing for Brooklyn, be­ comes the first in major league history to March 9 Base Ball - Messrs. Kelly, Matthews, Carey, Mun- get a hit - he hit a . cher, Selmen, Doyle, Flowers and Foran have been en­ June 6,1892: Benjamin Harrison is the first presi­ gaged by the Kekionga Base Ball Club of this city for the coming season. Selman and Muncher are from dent to attend a game. Baltimore; Flowers, Foran of the Haymakers, Troy, 1893: First rule moving the mound to 60 < N.Y.; Doyle from the Forest City, Rockford, 111. The feet 6 inches appears. season commences the first of April. (To be continues) cords, including tuna (758 lbs.), sailfish (135 lbs.), A Pearl on the Diamond, Zane Grey yellowtail (111 lbs.), tiger shark (1,036 lbs.), dolphin and his Fort Wayne Ties (63 lbs.), and striped marlin (1,040 lbs.). By Chad Gramling A dedicated conservationist, President Teddy Roo­ ( sevelt, appointed Grey to be Yellowstone National In 1895, Romer Carl "Reddy" Grey broke into Park's first game warden in 1904 when he chose the baseball with the Findlay club of the Inter-State Lea­ Park as the place to preserve the dwindling buffalo gue. He hit .343, stole 19 bases, and led the league in population. runs scored, hits, and home runs. On June 15 of that Grey's one room cabin on Rogue River in Oregon year, he hit a that drove in Pearl Zane, an was recently added to the National Register of His­ making his professional debut. toric Places. It has been acquired by the Haas family, Reddy played a handful of years in the minors and of Levi Strauss the company, after Grey's 1939 pas­ independent leagues, appearing in one Major League sing due to heart failure. The U.S. Bureau of Land game with the in 1903. In that Management bought the cabin in 2008 to help pre­ game, which he played while on loan from the Wor- serve it and the remains of a wooden boat that's be­ chester Riddlers, he had a hit and a walk in four lieved to be one of the vessels from Grey's first jour­ plate appearances. ney down the river in 1925. Pearl, on the other hand, played in 21 games that It's often claimed that Zane Grey played for a Fort year, batting a respectable .295. He played a few Wayne team while more years while also running a modest but neglec­ pursuing his base­ ted dental practice. He never gained much success in ball ambitions. I've either field, and instead went on to become a highly personally found no acclaimed writer, movie producer, accomplished verifiable record of angler, and conservationist. him having ever The outfielder who Reddy drove in that day, Pearl played on a Fort Zane, was really Zane Grey, who was playing under Wayne team. Al­ a fictitious name to protect his college and scholar­ though, he likely ship eligibility at the University of Pennsylvania. did play in Fort When the Inter-State League folded in July of that Wayne as a visiting year, Reddy and Zane joined many Findlay players club member, with to finish the season with Jackson of the Michigan the Delphos team in State League. The Grey duo proved to be a strong particular. On the tandem in Michigan. Reddy hit .454, with 69 hits in other hand, his 31 games, while Zane batted .398 in 27 games. younger brother, On the field Zane was a solid hitter and pitcher Reddy, played with who possessed a sharply dropping curve ball. His the Fort Wayne Far­ abilities earned him a scholarship to pitch for Penn. mers of the Inter- However, when the distance from the mound to the State League in plate was expanded, his pitching suffered and they 1896. He batted converted him to an outfielder, Zane Grey .374 on the season At age 30, Zane became a writer. His novels and and scored eight runs on May 9 that year. short stories have since been adapted into more than a hundred films, television episodes, and a television series, Dick Powell's Zane Grey Theater. In addition A Two-Cent Holdout to Westerns, Grey's love for baseball led to many works centered on the game. Some of those include, Sam Leever, a former Pittsburgh pitcher, was among The , The Young Pitcher, The Redheaded the holdouts every spring. The Pittsburgh club would Outfield, The Winning Ball, and more. Written mail Sam a contract. Then the long wait with no word mostly for juvenile readers, the events he relayed re­ from the pitcher. Finally President Barney Dreyfuss < semble real-life baseball experiences of the Brothers would address an envelope to Sam and enclose only a Grey. two-cent stamp. And when the stamp arrived at Sam's home, he'd mail back his signed contract. He led and active life after baseball, fishing on the Editors Note: Above is from a 1949 book - Low & Inside. seven seas and setting more than 10 then-world re­ The White Stockings had defeated Kekionga at the The Quest For The Whip ball grounds 16-13 on September 30, 1870 in a rain Pennant Continues shortened skirmish. Kekionga led 13-12 after five By Bill Griggs and thought the game should have been calk ed because of rain and wet grounds giving the teaml Still basking in the euphoria of the opening day rain-shortened victory. The local papers claimed that victory over the Cleveland Forest Citys on May 4, the White Stockings insisted upon playing one more 1871, Fort Wayne Kekionga next met the Aetnas of inning and scored four runs giving them a disputed Chicago on May 10 in a non NAPBBP game. The 16-13 victory. Undaunted, the local papers soon previous autumn the Aetnas prevailed 9-8 in a game changed history and awarded the win to Kekionga. labeled by the Chicago papers as the most well- When Kekionga ventured to Dexter Park for a re­ played game of the season. Unfortunately, the game turn game on October 18th, the White Stockings featured a near riot which the Chicago correspond- postponed the game because of wet grounds that Ke­ dent to the October 22nd, 1870 Fort Wayne Daily kionga thought were entirely playable. The October Gazette described as follows: Chicago ruffians con­ 19th Daily Gazette wrote: For some reason the stituted the main part of the spectators, and not Chicagos are disposed to put off their game with only interfered during the game, to the detriment the Kekies indefinitely. The truth is they are af­ of the Fort Wayne boys, but mobbed them with raid to play the Kekiongas, Considering their late defeat at Fort Wayne, and the strength that has been added to that nine since their game with them. Unbeknownst to the Daily Gazette, the game would be played on October 19 resulting in a convincing 15-2 six inning victory for the White Stockings. The Chicago correspondent to the Oct­ ober 20th Daily Gazette wrote: The weather was very unfavorable - a strong wind prevailing and/ it was intensely cold. The attendance was small. " The May 13, 1871 White Stockings game attracted The Famous 1871 Chicago White Stockings Base Ball Club a crowd estimated between 1500 and 2000 specta­ 1. Michael McAttee. 2. Chas. Hodes. 3. Thos. Foley 4. Mar­ tors. A win would establish Kekionga as a legitimate shall King. 5. Ed. Pinkham. 6. Jos. Simmons. 7. George Zet­ contender for the whip pennant and completely erase land. 8. James Wood. 9. Frederick Tracy. 10. Edward Duf­ the stench of the 212-9 three game drubbing the pre­ fy. 11. Joseph Carroll vious summer. A loss would bring the team back to stones and clubs as they were leaving the grounds reality. The results of the game will appear in the to the extent that every window in the omnibus next issue of LD in December. was demolished. Later revisionist local history would claim the ruf­ fians were upset that Kekionga had just defeated Some More Yogi-isms them while other versions claim the stoning occur­ red after an earlier game with the White Stockings. "Congratulations. I knew the record would stand In any case Kekionga gained a measure of revenge until it was broken." by soundly thrashing the Aetnas 29-9 raising their - season record to 5-0, though only the Cleveland "You better cut the pizza in four pieces because game counted towards the whip pennant. Donnelly I'm not hungry enough to eat six." replaced McDermott in the Kekionga outfield. -Yogi Berra The next game played on Saturday, May 13, may well have been the most important in the club's his­ "You wouldn't have won if we'd beaten you." tory other than the May 4 opening day triumph over -Yogi Berrc Cleveland. The Chicago White Stockings were wide­ ly considered the best team of 1870 but there was "If the world were perfect, it wouldn't be." not a mechanism to prove it, which led to the forma­ -Yogi Berra tion of the NAPBBP to determine a true champion. My Favorite Mantle Item Some Quotes By Fred Bielefeld (Grand Island NY) "My best years were between 1921 and 1928. The may well be the king of collecti­ greatest ball club I was ever with was the Yankees of ( bles. Collectors pursue anything and everything re­ 1927." lated to Mick. His baseball cards are soaring in pop­ ularity and this is reflected in recent price increases. "The finest man I ever met in baseball was Miller His 1952 Topps card in pristine condition routinely Huggins. My chief regret is that the big fellows like sells for well into six figures. Every autograph col­ Bob Meusel and myself were too busy having fun to lection includes at least one item signed by Mantle. pay much attention to Hug's orders. We never listen­ A display which includes a Mantle signed ball, a ed to him crabbing at us when he was trying to keep Mantle model bat, and a Mantle model glove is the the whole wild gang in line. We just treated him like cornerstone of many a collection. If Mantle is fea­ a little and younger brother, and we roughed and tured on the cover of a magazine, that magazine is a mauled him around. Hug was fine and clean and a prized collectible. great leader. If we hadn't been so busy doing stunts While I do possess many of the items mentioned we might have won a couple of more pennants."

re** "The pitcher who gave me the most trouble during my career was Earl Whitehill.of the Tigers and later of the Senators. Sure, I knicked him for a long one every so often. But most of the time I'd end up walk­ ing back to the bench wondering who drugged me. Some say Hub Pruett was toughest for me. He was tough, but he didn't last long. I think one year he struck me out 13 out of 21 times I faced him." Editors Note: The above is from an article by Joe Reichler (AP) that appeared in the Aug. 20,1948 FW News-Sentinel. How To Stay Young 1. Avoid fried meats which anger up the blood. 2. If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts. 3. Keep the juices flowing by jangling around gently as you move. ^^^ 4. Go very light on the vices, such as carrying on in society. The social ramble ain't restful. MM 5. Avoid running at all times. Mickey Mantle 6. Don't look back. Something might be gaining on above, my favorite item is a Mantle photo not signed you. by Mickey. It is, however, signed by Randy Gum- -Leroy "Satchel" Paige pert, and Jim Lonborg. Both signatures include an inscription. Randy's states that he gave up Mickey's first home run on May 1, 1951. Jim's reads that he Did You Know? gave up Mantle's last home run on September 20, 1968. How someone was able to put this item toge­ The Pittsburgh Pirates were originally called the ther is anyone's guess. I know this though, I sure do Alleghenys when in the American Association. They enjoy seeing it as I look through my "stuff." jumped to the in 1887 and "sport- ingly" adopted the name Pirates in 1891 when they NEIBA is our name - Baseball is our game were accused of "pirating" Lou Bierbauer, star sec­ ond baseman of the Philadelphia American Associa­ Membership - A bargain at only $15! tion club who left him off their reserve list. It doesn't cost to belong - it pays! NEIBA Sign Is Up John "Red" Braden (continued from page one) Canada; Columbia; Holland; and Mexico. Red con­ After much time and effort to come up with a design cluded his career the following year, 1957, finishing and size for an NEIBA sign to be placed at the road_ second in the nationals (NBC) in Wichita. { From 1946 to 1957, Braden's teams had exhibition

^m FIFI n^ —* — UBUKW • • wins over several Major League clubs at Dwenger m I ••^•_l^J MONSTER MIISMJ M.anul Park, namely, the , Washington NORTHEASTERN INDIANA**! Senators, St. Louis Browns, , and RACING MUSEUM . In 1964 Red was honored by being named the No. NORTHEAST INCHAHA BASEBALL ASSOCIATION Museum 6\ Hall of Fame 1 all-time manager in National Baseball Congress WWW.NEIBASEBALL.ORG (NBC) competition by the organizations president, Ray Dumont, And last but certainly not least he was inducted into the Fort Wayne Old-timers Baseball Association (now the NEIBA) Hall of Fame in 1965. John "Red" Braden - A legendary Fort Wayne semi- pro baseball manager indeed. entrance to our Museum and Hall of Fame located in the American Heritage Village complex (WWII Mu­ seum) up near Auburn, we want all to know that the Welcome Aboard New Members deed is now done. NEIBA President Larry Windmil­ Randy Lewandowski Richard Brown ler headed up the project with lots of input from the other members of the Board. The letters are blue on Mark Stultz a white background and the website letters are white on a black background (two sided). Hope you like! Mark Parker Diann Parker

Quips & Quotes More Looking Back August 30,1910: Tom Hughes of the "They've never been on a baseball field. Anybody Yankees pitched a no-hitter for 9-1/3 innings before can play ball in a saloon." giving up a to Harry Niles of the Cleveland -, on second-guessers Indians. The Yankees lost 5-0, with Hughes giving "Baseball is the blessed silence that comes between up seven hits in 11 innings. Dick Vitale and John Madden." August 30,1916: Dutch Leonard of the Boston Red -Bernie Lincicome, sportswriter Sox pitched a no-hitter against the St. Louis Browns "Philadelphia is the only city in the world where you for a 4-0 victory. can experience the thrill of victory and the agony of July 10.1936: Philadelphia's hits four reading about it the next day." home runs in a 9-6 10-inning victory over the Pirates - at Pittsburgh's . "Every season has its peaks and valleys. What you April 9,1947: , manager of the Brook­ have to try to eliminate is the Grand Canyon." lyn Dodgers, is suspended for one year by baseball -Andy Van Slyke commissioner A.B. "Happy" Chandler for "conduct "It's a strange business - all jeers and no cheers." detrimental to baseball." Durocher is linked to gam­ -Tom Gorman, on umpiring bling interests. "When we played, World Series checks meant some­ Mav 28,1956: Dale Long of the Pittsburgh Pirates( thing. Now all they do is screw up your taxes." hit a home run in his eighth consecutive game, a ma­ - jor league record.