Mercer County Historical Society Newsletter “Preserving Mercer County History” Volume 21, Issue 4 Editor: Mary Jane Sticklen Oct/Nov/Dec 2017 Publisher Kellogg’s Printing When the Chicago Cubs Came to Aledo by Stephanie Braucht Mercer County Historical Society October 4, 1923, was a landmark day for Aledo and the & surrounding area, as the Chicago Cubs baseball team came to town Essley-Noble Museum to play an exhibition game against a local American Legion team. 1406 - SE 2nd Avenue The Cubs had makeup games scheduled to play in St. Louis, which Aledo, IL 61231 were postponed. Not wanting to go without playing, the Cubs Phone: 309/582-2280 entertained the idea of filling in with some exhibition games. So it Hours was arranged for them to come to Aledo to play against the Aledo April – Oct: Thurs, Fri, Sat, 1-5:00pm American Legion team. The Aledo Democrat (September 25, 1923) Nov - March: Saturdays 12:00-4:00pm declared that the Aledo American Legion nine comprised "one of the fastest semi-pro teams in this section of the country." L.M. Officers & Board of Directors Parkman was head of the local organization that sponsored the game. Ronn Dillavou, President Beverly Gray, Vice President, The Cubs traveled by train from St. Louis to Burlington, IA on the Mary Jane Sticklen Secretary evening of October 3 in two special Pullman cars. The contingent Hugh Brown, Treasure consisted of about 25 people -- ball players, their manager, a coach, Bill Bertrand and several Chicago newspaper sportswriters. In Burlington, the Stephanie Braucht Dave Duncan two Pullman cars were attached to the Dolly on the CB&Q line and Dave Frieden brought to Aledo on the morning of October 4 on the Dolly's Donna Gresch regular run, arriving in Aledo at 7:30 a.m. The Pullman cars were Twyla Holmes detached in Aledo and stayed there until the Dolly returned on her Doug McCaw Burlington-bound evening run. The group passed their morning Richard McMeekan with breakfast at the Janes restaurant, followed by a stroll around Linda Morrow town. Some of them played golf at the Country Club. Judy Redlinger Tarah Sipes Anderson Courtney Wright Veda Meriwether, Curator Dennis Henderson, Saturday Host For Genealogy Queries write to: MCHS Genealogy Dept. PO Box 269 Aledo IL 61231-2504 Or: email the museum Memberships available for $20/household or $300 for a lifetime membership For correspondence, membership or change of address contact: The game started at 2:30 p.m., in front of the grandstand at the Mercer County fairgrounds. It appears that the location of the Essley-Noble Museum grandstand was the same as it is today. Many of the businesses in Box 269 Aledo closed for the afternoon, as well as the schools in town. The Aledo, IL 61231 New Windsor Band provided music for the game. William Wrigley was owner of the Cubs, and Bill Killefer was the Website: www.mchsil.org manager. Nineteen different members of the Cubs team played in Email: [email protected] the game (Aledo Democrat, October 9, 1923). One most notable Find us on Facebook player was the catcher, Charles "Gabby" Hartnett. Prior to Johnny www.facebook.com/mchsil Bench, Hartnett was considered the greatest catcher inning (Smith) and 1 in the 6th (Van Camp). George in the history of the National League. Other Magerkurth of the International League and Vint notable players on Mason of Monmouth were the umpires. The game this Cubs team were ended at 4:30 p.m. George Grantham, There are two items of note as postscripts to this game. second base, and Cliff One is that the weekly edition of the Times Record had Heathcote, right field, been printed and distributed with the article about the who were two of the game by 6:00 p.m. of that very day. The Cubs were leading base stealers. given copies of the paper with the full story before they First baseman Ray departed via the Dolly on her regular evening run at Grimes also had a 6:51. The other item of note is that the Legion did not distinguished career. profit financially at all from this game. They actually Other Cubs playing showed a reported loss of about $300. In spite of losing that day were Earnest the game and showing a financial loss, it was a big day "Tiny" Osborne, Earl in Mercer County history! "Sparky" Adams, John Kelleher, Allen Elliott, Bernie Friberg, Lawrence Obituary for George Magerkurth "Hack" Miller, Denver Grigsby, Tony Murray, The man who umpired behind the plate during the Elwood "Kettle" Wirts, Vic Keen, Pete Turgeon, Cubs vs Aledo Legion game became a very colorful and Guy Bush, and Otto Vogel. Vogel, well-known major league umpire. He also could be a native of Davenport, IA, had considered a local boy, although his residence was in joined the Cubs the previous the Quad Cities, not spring, after playing football and Mercer County. His baseball for the University of obituary, as reported Illinois. Coach Oscar Dugey also on October 7, 1966 by entered the game for a short time. the United Press A special treat for the hometown International (UPI), is crowd was George "Peaches" included here. It offers Graham, who was in an additional insight attendance that day. An into the "good old Aledo native, Graham had days" of major league played for the Cubs and the baseball. Magerkurth Phillies. The Cubs subbed him in to catch in the is buried in Greenview last inning. Memorial Gardens, Manager for the local team was Homer Job. East Moline. His last Players were Dumphy, Smith, Lowe, Harbour, name was pronounced Sterrett, McKinney, and Peanuts Swanson. They "major-kerth." were supplemented by bringing in Alva Williams, George Magerkurth Dies at 77; a former big league catcher from Carthage, IL, Guy A Stern but Colorful Umpire Templeton, pitcher for the Galesburg Scourge of Bench Jockeys Had a 20-Year Career in Independents, and Al Van Camp of Davenport, IA. National League Unfortunately, the newspapers did not list the first ROCK ISLAND, ILL, October 7 (UPI) --- George names of all the players. Magerkurth, the retired National League umpire who Mother Nature provided beautiful weather for officiated at four World Series, died today at St. game day, and about Anthony's Hospital here after a 10-day illness. He was 2,000 spectators enjoyed 77 years old. the game. The final George Levi Magerkurth was the most flamboyant score of the game was umpire in baseball's Golden Age between 1928 and Cubs 9, Aledo 2. The 1947. A round-faced, stub-nosed man who stood 6 feet 3 Cubs scored 4 in the 3rd inches and weighed 230 pounds, he was the most inning, 2 in the 5th, and vociferous, gaudy and pugnacious of all the men in 3 in the 9th. Aledo blue. Scored 1 in the 4th He set the tone for his career in the major leagues Even the normally polite umpire-player relations on his very first day in the big time when he ejected during a World Series were strained when Magerkurth John J. McGraw, the fiery manager of the Giants. was around. Frank Crosetti and Joe Gordon of the But Magerkurth had just begun. He went on to Yankees were each fined $250 after the 1942 series for tangle with some of the more feared baseball men unkind remarks directed at the umpire. of their time, and even with fans. He always left his But whatever players thought about Magerkurth mark. personally, they were usually in agreement about his It was his celebrated fight with a Brooklyn Dodgers motives on the field. fan at Ebbets Field, however, that sealed his fame. "That Magerkurth is so honest," McGraw once It was 1940, and the 10th inning of a game between remarked, "that it scares you." the Dodgers and the Cincinnati Reds. Magerkurth, Magerkurth, who was born in Kansas, made his home who was umpiring behind the plate, was asked by in Moline, ILL. He was described as "a big, good- another umpire to rule on a close play at second natured amiable hulk" by a friend. He belonged to the base. Magerkurth called the Reds' player safe. Elks lodge in Moline, and often played in the Leo Durocher, the Dodgers' manager, argued organization's annual show. violently for five minutes and Magerkurth sent He was usually called upon to recount the story of Babe Durocher to the showers. The Reds went on to win, Ruth's most celebrated home run--- the one that Ruth and as soon as the game ended, an ex-convict called in advance during the 1932 World Series against pounced on Magerkurth and pummeled the the Chicago Cubs. Magerkurth was behind the plate. umpire as they rolled on the ground. Magerkurth had begun his professional umpiring In later years, Magerkurth was to insist that "he career 10 years before, in the Mississippi Valley League. tripped me." He advance to the International League, the American If that incident proved to be embarrassing to the Association and the Pacific Coast League before being burly umpire, he more called by the majors. Before turning to umpiring, he had than lived it down by tried, with little success, professional boxing and putting in their place football. such renowned bench Surviving are his widow, two sons, Robert of Beach jockeys as Frankie Grove, Ind., and Charles, of Moline; and three Frisch, Mel Ott, Leo daughters, Mrs. Louis Pardon of Moline, Mrs. Millie Durocher, and Billy Nightingale of Rock Island and Mrs. George Ruby of Jurges and another fan Port Thomas, Ky.