Turkey Reds Cards Archives - Page 3 of 5

Lou Criger

July 15, 2016 By General Manager Leave a Comment

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Lou Criger

Born: February 3, 1872 in Elkhart, Indiana
Died: May 14, 1934 (aged 62) in Tucson, Arizona
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 165 lbs.
Position: Catcher

Played For:

Cleveland Spiders (1896–1898)
St. Louis Perfectos / Cardinals (1899–1900)
Boston Americans / Red Sox (1901–1908)
St. Louis Browns (1909)
New York Highlanders (1910)
St. Louis Browns (1912)

Biography:

Criger, considered one of the greatest catchers of his day, died at Tucson, Ariz., May 14 (1934). He had been living in Tucson the past ten years on account of failing health. His widow, four sons, a daughter, five brothers and a sister survive him.

He was one of the few players ever pensioned by Organized Ball. For years, during the incumbency of Ban Johnson as president of the junior major, the former American League star was cared for out of league funds after illness had overtaken him. This was in reward for his revelations of an attempt to “fix” the World Series of 1903, in which he was a dominant figure, his great throwing and tactics enabling Boston to win from Pittsburgh. Just before the Series opened, a letter reached Criger from a man representing a group of gamblers who wanted him and Young to do business with them and help throw the Series. Criger took the letter to President Johnson, who was able to thwart the plotters, thanks to Lou. Johnson remembered that service when the ex-star was stricken with tuberculosis and forced to go to Arizona more than ten years ago.

In 1903, Criger was approached by a professional gambler, who offered him $12,000 to throw the first World Series ever played – between Boston and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The fact of this attempted bribe was revealed by the great catcher in an affidavit sworn in 1923 when Criger, failing in health, departed for the West, believing he had only a few weeks to live. In his affidavit, Criger said he had been introduced to a man named Anderson by Wibert Robinson, former manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, in 1901. He said he had spent the afternoon with Robinson and Anderson at a country bowling club near Baltimore. Criger did not see Anderson again until 1903, when he met him at Pittsburgh, where the rival clubs were playing the first World Series held after the war between the American and National Leagues.

More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Criger
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/crigelo01.shtml
http://thedeadballera.com/Obits/Obits_C/Criger.Lou.Obit.html

Harry Coveleski

July 15, 2016 By General Manager Leave a Comment

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Harry Coveleski

Born: April 23, 1886 in Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Died: August 4, 1950 (aged 64) in Shamokin, Pennsylvania
Bats: Both
Throws: Left
Height: 6’0″
Weight: 180 lbs.
Position: Pitcher

Played For:

Philadelphia Phillies (1907–1909)
Cincinnati Reds (1910)
Detroit Tigers (1914–1918)

Biography:

Coveleski was born Harry Frank Kowalewski on April 23, 1886 in Shamokin, Pennsylvania, one of five sons of Polish immigrants Anthony and Ann Kowalewski. Like his younger brother Stan, when Harry entered professional baseball he anglicized his name to Coveleskie–the final “e” was not dropped until after his retirement. Anthony Kowalewski worked as a coal miner in Shamokin, and like his brothers Harry left school at the age of 12 to work in the mines, where he worked as a slate picker for $3.75 per week, also gaining the nickname “Donkey Boy” because he was responsible for driving the mules that carried supplies into and out of the mines.

Given the grueling nature of his work, one would expect Coveleski to have been more eager to escape the mines. In fact, he fell into professional baseball almost by accident. While he was pitching for the Bunker Hills, a sandlot team in Shamokin, a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals spotted the left-handed Coveleski and signed him to a contract for Kane (Pennsylvania) of the Inter-State League in 1907. The league disbanded after Harry won four and lost seven. He then joined the independent Wildwood, New Jersey Ottens, where his brother John played the infield.

Coveleski began his career with the Phillies in 1907. Over a span of five days at the end of the 1908 season, he beat the New York Giants three times, which enabled the Chicago Cubs to catch the first-place Giants in the NL standings and force a replay of the “Merkle’s Boner” game. Thereafter, Coveleski was called “The Giant Killer”. Traded to the Reds after the 1909 season, Coveleski had a disappointing 1910 season, including a game in which he walked sixteen batters, and was out of the Major Leagues for three seasons.

More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Coveleski
http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/b9f0fd85
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/covelha01.shtml

Eddie Collins

July 14, 2016 By General Manager Leave a Comment

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Eddie Collins

Born: May 2, 1887 in Millerton, New York
Died: March 25, 1951 (aged 63) in Boston, Massachusetts
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 175 lbs.
Position: Second Baseman

Played For:

Philadelphia Athletics (1906–1914)
Chicago White Sox (1915–1926)
Philadelphia Athletics (1927–1930)

As Manager

Chicago White Sox (1924–1926)

Biography:

“Eddie Collins is the best ballplayer I have seen during my career on the diamond.” – John McGraw

In the second decade of the 20th Century, Eddie Collins thrived in the “small ball” environment the game demanded. In the third decade of the 20th Century, Collins starred in a “go for broke” hitters’ era as one of the game’s most productive catalysts. In any baseball environment, Collins’ skills and savvy were nearly without peer. Born May 2, 1887 in Millerton, N.Y., Collins graduated from Columbia University before establishing himself in the majors with manager Connie Mack’s Philadelphia A’s in 1908. The next year, Collins became the A’s regular second baseman – hitting .347 with 104 runs scored, 198 hits and 63 stolen bases. It would mark the first of 10 full seasons where Collins hit better than .340.

From 1911-14, Collins finished third, sixth, third and first in the Chalmers Award voting – the de facto Most Valuable Player Award – helping the Athletics win World Series title sin 1911 and 1913 and another American League pennant in 1914. But following his team’s shocking 1914 Fall Classic loss to the Braves and in the face of a national recession, Mack broke up his A’s and their legendary “$100,000 infield.” Mack sold the 27-year-old Collins to the Chicago White Sox for a record $50,000.

Collins continued his outstanding all-around play in Chicago, leading the White Sox to the 1917 World Series title despite batting under .300 for a full season (at .289) for the first time in his career. In 1919, Collins hit .319 and stole a league-best 33 bases in leading the White Sox back to the World Series – a team known forever as the Black Sox after eight players were accused of throwing the Fall Classic. Collins was never implicated in the scandal. Collins thrived with the introduction of the lively ball in 1920, recording career-bests of 228 hits and a .372 batting average. He continued to post batting averages well over .300 and managed the White Sox from the end of the 1924 season through the 1926 season – finishing with records better than .500 in each season. In 1923 and 1924, Collins finished second in the AL MVP voting. In 1925, Collins became just the sixth person to join the 3,000-hit club – and the last for the next 17 seasons.

More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Collins
http://baseballhall.org/hof/collins-eddie
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/collied01.shtml

Bill Carrigan

July 14, 2016 By General Manager Leave a Comment

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Bill Carrigan

Born: October 22, 1883 in Lewiston, Maine
Died: July 8, 1969 (aged 85) in Lewiston, Maine
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 175 lbs.
Position: Catcher

Played For:

Boston Americans/Red Sox (1906, 1908–1916)

As Manager

Boston Red Sox (1913–1916, 1927–1929)

Biography:

William Francis Carrigan, nicknamed “Rough”, started his career as a platoon catcher and played all ten seasons with the Boston Red Sox. Midway through the 1913 baseball season, he replaced Jake Stahl as manager of the defending World Series champion Red Sox as a player-manager. He then led Boston to a second-place finish in 1914 and two world championships in 1915 and 1916, compiling an 8–2 record as a manager in World Series play. Until Terry Francona duplicated the feat in 2007, he was the only manager to have won two World Series titles with Boston. Babe Ruth called Carrigan the best manager he ever played for.

Bill Carrigan was 28 years old and in his sixth season with the Boston Red Sox when Fenway Park opened her doors in 1912. Born and bred in Lewiston Maine, he was a first generation Irish Catholic immigrant whose parents immigrated before the Civil War. He attended college at Holy Cross where he played football and baseball. And it was there where he learned the trade of catching.

Known as an outstanding defensive catcher, with a pretty good stick, it was his toughness and refusal to back down that was his trademark. An excellent receiver and handler of pitchers, he was steadfast and relentless when guarding the plate and it was in that capacity where his reputation for toughness grew. He was involved with several confrontations which were simply “witnessed” by teammates, similar to a hockey fight, as he never backed down and never lost.

More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Carrigan
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/carribi02.shtml

Bill Burns

July 14, 2016 By General Manager Leave a Comment

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Bill Burns

Born: January 27, 1880 in San Saba, Texas
Died: June 6, 1953 (aged 73) in Ramona, California
Bats: Both
Throws: Left
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 195 lbs.
Position: Pitcher

Played For:

Washington Senators (1908–1909)
Chicago White Sox (1909–1910)
Cincinnati Reds (1910–1911)
Philadelphia Phillies (1911)
Detroit Tigers (1912)

Biography:

William Thomas “Bill” Burns (January 27, 1880 – June 6, 1953), nicknamed “Sleepy Bill,” was an American baseball player who played as a pitcherin Major League Baseball for five different teams from 1908 to 1912. Burns earned his nickname for his noticeable lack of intensity on the mound.

Burns is best known for his involvement in the alleged fixing of the 1919 Chicago White Sox World Series, dubbed the Black Sox Scandal.

Prior to the start of the 1919 World Series, a group of players from the Chicago White Sox agreed to intentionally lose the world series in exchange for money from gamblers. Burns met with Eddie Cicotte and Chick Gandil at The Ansonia, a hotel in New York City during the formative stages of the event.

It is likely that Burns operated on behalf of Arnold Rothstein, a New York businessman and gambler. Burns relayed messages back and forth between the players who had agreed to fix the games and a person whose initials were “A .R.”.
In his five-year career, Burns played for the Washington Senators, Chicago White Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and Detroit Tigers.[2] In his rookie season, 1908, Burns had a 1.69 earned run average (ERA) which was sixth best in the American League. However, he had a career record of 30–52 as a pitcher and never won more than eight games in a season.

More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Burns_(baseball)
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/burnsbi01.shtml

George Browne

June 8, 2016 By General Manager Leave a Comment

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George Browne

Born: January 12, 1876 in Richmond, Virginia
Died: December 9, 1920 (aged 44) in Hyde Park, New York
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 160 lbs.
Position: Shortstop, Second Baseman and Third Baseman

Played For:

Philadelphia Phillies (1901–1902)
New York Giants (1902–1907)
Boston Doves (1908)
Chicago Cubs (1909)
Washington Senators (1909–1910)
Chicago White Sox (1910)
Brooklyn Dodgers (1911)
Philadelphia Phillies (1912)

Biography:

A solid hitter and an extremely fast base runner, George Browne was the leadoff batter on one of the top National League team’s during baseball’s dead ball era when the ball was larger in size and heavier in weight and the action was focused on the infield. An excellent bunter he was playing with the New York Giants in 1903 and finished third highest in the league with 105 runs scored and the next year led the NL with 99 runs. In 1903 George Browne batted a career-high .313 with 27 stolen bases and in 1904 he hit .284 with 24 stolen bases.

Playing for manager John McGraw and the NY Giants in the 1905 World Series, George Browne lined 4 hits in 22 at bats, scored 2 runs and had a RBI to help the Giants defeat Connie Mack’s Philadelphia A’s in 5 games.

On December 13, 1907 George Browne was traded to the old Boston Braves in an 8-man trade. He later played with the Cubs, the Washington Nationals, the White Sox, the old Brooklyn Dodgers and the Phillies.

More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Browne_(baseball)
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/brownge01.shtml
http://www.baseballhistorian.com/players.cfm?lookie_player=brownge01

Al Bridwell

June 8, 2016 By General Manager Leave a Comment

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Al Bridwell

Born: January 4, 1884 in Friendship, Ohio
Died: January 23, 1969 (aged 85) in Portsmouth, Ohio
Bats: Left
Throws: Right
Height: 5’9″
Weight: 170 lbs.
Position: Shortstop, Second Baseman and Third Baseman

Played For:

Cincinnati Reds (1905)
Boston Beaneaters/Doves (1906–1907)
New York Giants (1908–1911)
Boston Rustlers/Braves (1911–1912)
Chicago Cubs (1913)
St. Louis Terriers (1914–1915)

Biography:

Albert Henry Bridwell (January 4, 1884 – January 23, 1969) was an American shortstop in Major League Baseball who played for the a number of teams in the early 20th century, most notably the New York Giants, when the team was managed by John McGraw. Bridwell hit the (apparent) single which caused the crucial “Merkle boner” running error of the 1908 season against the Chicago Cubs. The error ended up costing the Giants the pennant (the apparent winning run was nullified, the game was thus declared a tie, and the Cubs won the makeup of that game).

After Bridwell missed a sign in a game, McGraw chewed him out and called him names. Bridwell, who was an accomplished boxer, punched McGraw, causing him to tumble down the dugout steps. Bridwell said:

“He suspended me for two weeks without pay, but once it was over he forgot about it completely. Never mentioned it again. He was a fighter, but he was also the kindest, best-hearted fellow you ever saw. I liked him and I liked playing for him.”

On July 17, 1906, Bridwell married Margaret Lorraine McMahon,and the couple resided in Portsmouth. They enjoyed hunting and were said to be “crack shots. Giants outfielder Fred Snodgrass related this anecdote about Bridwell and Giants pitcher Bugs Raymond:
Bridwell never played in a World Series. Midway through the 1911 season, he was traded by the Giants, who would go on to play in the 1911 World Series, to the Boston Rustlers. He played his final two years in the Federal League.

More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Bridwell
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bridwal01.shtml
http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/dadd8fda

Kitty Bransfield

June 8, 2016 By General Manager Leave a Comment

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Kitty Bransfield

Born: January 7, 1875 in Worcester, Massachusetts
Died: May 1, 1947 (aged 72) in Worcester, Massachusetts
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 207 lbs.
Position: First Baseman

Played For:

Boston Beaneaters (1898)
Pittsburgh Pirates (1901–04)
Philadelphia Phillies (1905–11)
Chicago Cubs (1911)

Biography:

A smooth-fielding, hard-hitting first baseman, Kitty Bransfield helped form the nucleus of the juggernaut Pittsburgh Pirates that dominated the National League from 1901 to 1903. Yet in the great tradition of baseball superstitions, his departure from Pittsburgh after a dismal 1904 season left such a void that the club’s decades-long quest for another adequate first sacker became known as “The Bransfield Curse.” Bransfield revived his career in Philadelphia; in his book The National Game, published in 1910, Alfred H. Spink described the big first baseman of the Quakers as “something unusual–a player who was almost all in and then came back stronger than ever.” The lifetime .270 hitter remained with the Phillies through 1911, becoming (according to Spink) “probably the most popular player in the National League.”

William Edward Bransfield was born on January 7, 1875, in Worcester, Massachusetts, and he would spend most of his life in that baseball-crazed city. His original nickname was “Kid,” but a reporter with bad hearing heard it as “Kitty” and the name stuck.

Bransfield began his career in baseball as an outfielder with shop teams in Worcester. In 1894 he went behind the bat, and the following year he received a tryout with the professional team in Pawtucket. Found wanting, Kitty returned to the Worcester area and played for strong semipro teams in Westboro and Grafton. In 1898 the 23-year-old backstop received another professional trial, this time with the National League’s Boston Beaneaters. Already well-stocked at catcher with the talented (albeit volatile) Marty Bergen, the Beaneaters looked Kitty over for five games and released him to Worcester’s minor league team. After spending the 1899 season behind the plate, the 5’11”, 207 lb. Bransfield switched to first base in 1900 and led the Eastern League in hitting with a .371 average.

More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitty_Bransfield
http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/8e7fbbee

Bob Bescher

April 25, 2016 By General Manager Leave a Comment

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Bob Bescher

Born: February 25, 1884 in London, Ohio
Died: November 29, 1942 (aged 58) in London, Ohio
Bats: Both
Throws: Left
Height: 6’1″
Weight: 200 lbs.
Position: Leftfielder

Played For:

Cincinnati Reds (1908–1913)
New York Giants (1914)
St. Louis Cardinals (1915–1917)
Cleveland Indians (1918)

Biography:

Robert Henry “Bob” Bescher (February 25, 1884 – November 29, 1942) was a baseball outfielder who played 11 seasons in the major leagues. Born in London, Ohio, he played his best seasons with the Cincinnati Reds, and was one of the National League’s best base stealers during his time. Bescher originally attended the University of Notre Dame, but did not play college baseballthere. He played college football at Wittenberg University before signing his first minor leaguecontract in 1906. In September 1908, he joined the Reds for the first time and became the team’s regular left fielder in 1909. The switch-hitting Bescher played 5 seasons with Cincy, and established himself as a dangerous player on the basepaths with the Reds. He led the NL in stolen bases for four consecutive years from 1909 to 1912, and his 81 stolen bases in 1911 set a league record which was not broken for over 50 years.

Outside of stolen bases, he was the NL leader in runs in 1912, and was the NL leader in walksin 1913. Also in 1912, he hit a career-best .282 and finished 5th in voting for the Chalmers Award, a forerunner to the modern MVP award. He played for the New York Giants in 1914, after being traded there in exchange for Buck Herzog, and hit .270 in his lone year in the Big Apple. Three seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals followed, which ended after he was traded to the minor league Milwaukee Brewers, the trade coming at a time before minor league teams were affiliated with Major League clubs. Bescher eventually returned to the majors in 1918 to play 25 games for the Cleveland Indiansto end his big league career, although he continued to play in the minor leagues into his 40s. He settled back down in London after his Major League career to run a local lodge. He later died at the age of 58 in a car accident after being hit by an oncoming train.

More info:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/beschbo01.shtml
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Bescher

Chief Bender

April 25, 2016 By General Manager Leave a Comment

Chief Bender

Born: May 5, 1884 Crow Wing County, Minnesota
Died: May 22, 1954 (aged 70) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
Height: 6’2″
Weight: 185 lbs.
Positions: Pitcher

Played For:

Philadelphia Athletics (1903–1914)
Baltimore Terrapins (1915)
Philadelphia Phillies (1916–1917)
Chicago White Sox (1925)

Biography:

American Indian. Innovator. Renaissance man. Charles Albert “Chief” Bender lived a unique American life, fashioned a Hall of Fame career, and was an important member of modern baseball’s first dynasty. He silently struggled against racial prejudice, became a student of the game, and was a lifetime baseball man. His legacy, however, is less nuanced than all of that. Bender is known foremost for a rare ability to pitch under pressure. “If I had all the men I’ve ever handled, and they were in their prime, and there was one game I wanted to win above all others,” said Philadelphia Athletics icon Connie Mack, who managed fellow all-time pitching greats Lefty Grove, Herb Pennock, Eddie Plank, and Rube Waddell, “Albert would be my man.”

For nearly the entire second half of the 20th century Bender was the lone Minnesota representative in the Baseball Hall of Fame. That he is no longer a household name in the North Star State is in part because he spent so little time in Minnesota and because some details about that time remain unclear. Bender’s birthday, for one, is not certain. His birth certificate, registered decades after the fact, says May 3, 1883. Other sources list May 5, 1883. Based on the federal Indian census and on Bender’s school records, the correct year, almost certainly, is 1884. Many sources list his birthplace as Brainerd but that is likely inaccurate. According to research on Bender’s early years conducted by researcher Robert Tholkes, within a year of Charley’s birth the family lived in an area close to Partridge Lake, 20 miles east of Brainerd. No town existed on the site at the time. So it is most accurate to say that Bender was born in Crow Wing County.

More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chief_Bender
https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/b/bendech01.shtml
https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/03e80f4d

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