July 7, 1947 - Chattanooga Times, TN - Plaque for Kid Elberfeld
In Memoriam
Norman Elberfeld
"Kid"
Born April 13, 1875
Died Jan 13, 1944
Dedicated 1947
by his many friends
in baseball
Norman Elberfeld
"Kid"
Born April 13, 1875
Died Jan 13, 1944
Dedicated 1947
by his many friends
in baseball
PLAQUE FOR ELBERFELD - Special ceremonies for the late Norman (Kid) Elberfeld, one of the most colorful characters in the history of the Southern Association, were observed at Engel Stadium yesterday afternoon as the Lookouts faced the Little Rock Travelers in a twin-bill. Here Is a picture of the plaque which was unveiled yesterday and hung in the stadium lobby along with other memorials.
Don Overmeyer Jr; Unveils Plaque Of Kid Elberfeld for Stadium Wall
Don Overmeyer Jr., youthful grandson of the late Kid Elberfeld unveiled a memorial plaque for the Tobasco Kid at home plate at Engel Stadium between games yesterday afternoon.
The commemoration address was made by Will Shepherd, while friends of the family, the managers and players of both teams and the umpires stood with bared heads.
The Chattanooga publisher said in part: "We are here to unveil a plaque in memory of Norman Elberfeld, known to his friends and admirers as the Tobasco Kid.
"The nickname was appropriately applied, and was especially true where the boys in blue were concerned.
"In a long career in baseball the Kid asked no quarter, and did not expect any. He played the game the hard way, to win.
"I remember when he came to Chattanooga as a manager in 1913. That was 34 years ago, and not a single player on either team here today was even alive when the Kid was in his heyday as a player and manager.
'The memory of the Tobasco Kid will be permanently recorded with the hanging of this memorial plaque in the . halls of Engel Stadium, along with those of Strang Nicklin, Johnny Dobbs and Joe Cantillon." .
Mrs. Elberfeld, who was In the stands with other members of the family and friends during the ceremonies, requested that the money left over from the purchase of the plaque be put into a permanent fund; that the commissioner of amateur baseball here each year select the outstanding player of the year, and that a Kid Elberfeld glove be purchased from the fund and presented to the player selected.
The fund will be kept alive by members of the family.
---------- IN MEMORY OF NORMAN (KID) ELBERFELD - Chattanooga Times, July 7 1947
This coming Sunday afternoon at Engel Stadium at a point maybe between the double-header scheduled with the Little Rock Travelers, there is an event scheduled, one that will pull upon the heartstrings of all the old-time baseball fans, those who have followed the destinies of the Chattanooga Club through all the years that Chattanooga has been a member of the Southern Association. During the afternoon a plaque commemorating the life and the baseball career of Norman A. (Kid) Elberfeld, one of baseball's immortals, who, during his colorful career, was a nationally known figure. He was known throughout the baseball world as "The Tobasco Kid" and if ever an individual lived up to his name it was Kid Elberfeld. On the diamond he was no sweet smelling geranium. He was the arch enemy of the "boys in blue," otherwise known as the umpires and was probably put out of more ball games than any other player in organized baseball. With that sort of a reputation, it is not meant to be conveyed here that he was a "rowdy," because he was not. He played the game to win, and never overlooked an opportunity to gain for his side an advantage over his opponents. Kid Elberfeld was a scrapper and there was where he got the name "Tobasco Kid." He was probably baseball's most colorful individual.
Season of 1913
It was, I think, as far back as 1913 when Kid Elberfeld came here as the manager of the Chattanooga Club. The Chattanooga ownership was then operating from hand to mouth and good baseball material was not obtainable, but the Kid made the best of what he had, and he proved himself to be one of the most popular managers who ever appeared on old Andrews Field, where now stands the imposing Engel Stadium. The year previous he was the manager of the Little Rock Club where he won a pennant.
In his years in Chattanooga and as a resident of Walden's Ridge, I came to know Kid Elberfeld and his family quite intimately. The Kid used to spend some time in my office where we discussed his colorful career more than a single time. Fred Graff, popular and well-liked citizen of today, came to Chattanooga in 1913 to join Elberfeld's team. He was the third base man on the club and was one of the best. During this week I was talking to my friend Fred about the team that was playing the season of 1913 under the direction of Kid Elberfeld. On that team he had three left-hand pitchers-Harry Coveleskie, Floyd Kroh, and a little pitcher named Rudy Somers. These three men alternating pitched practically every third game and no club in the Southern League ever had a better crew of starting pitchers than were these three southpaws, and they also were a colorful bunch of ball players,
Some time back a group of men who knew Kid Elberfeld, in connection with the present ownership of the club, decided to place a permanent memorial in memory of Elberfeld in Engel Stadium. This work has been crowned with success and the plaque is scheduled to be unveiled with proper ceremonies at Engel Stadium Sunday afternoon.
Don Overmeyer Jr; Unveils Plaque Of Kid Elberfeld for Stadium Wall
Don Overmeyer Jr., youthful grandson of the late Kid Elberfeld unveiled a memorial plaque for the Tobasco Kid at home plate at Engel Stadium between games yesterday afternoon.
The commemoration address was made by Will Shepherd, while friends of the family, the managers and players of both teams and the umpires stood with bared heads.
The Chattanooga publisher said in part: "We are here to unveil a plaque in memory of Norman Elberfeld, known to his friends and admirers as the Tobasco Kid.
"The nickname was appropriately applied, and was especially true where the boys in blue were concerned.
"In a long career in baseball the Kid asked no quarter, and did not expect any. He played the game the hard way, to win.
"I remember when he came to Chattanooga as a manager in 1913. That was 34 years ago, and not a single player on either team here today was even alive when the Kid was in his heyday as a player and manager.
'The memory of the Tobasco Kid will be permanently recorded with the hanging of this memorial plaque in the . halls of Engel Stadium, along with those of Strang Nicklin, Johnny Dobbs and Joe Cantillon." .
Mrs. Elberfeld, who was In the stands with other members of the family and friends during the ceremonies, requested that the money left over from the purchase of the plaque be put into a permanent fund; that the commissioner of amateur baseball here each year select the outstanding player of the year, and that a Kid Elberfeld glove be purchased from the fund and presented to the player selected.
The fund will be kept alive by members of the family.
---------- IN MEMORY OF NORMAN (KID) ELBERFELD - Chattanooga Times, July 7 1947
This coming Sunday afternoon at Engel Stadium at a point maybe between the double-header scheduled with the Little Rock Travelers, there is an event scheduled, one that will pull upon the heartstrings of all the old-time baseball fans, those who have followed the destinies of the Chattanooga Club through all the years that Chattanooga has been a member of the Southern Association. During the afternoon a plaque commemorating the life and the baseball career of Norman A. (Kid) Elberfeld, one of baseball's immortals, who, during his colorful career, was a nationally known figure. He was known throughout the baseball world as "The Tobasco Kid" and if ever an individual lived up to his name it was Kid Elberfeld. On the diamond he was no sweet smelling geranium. He was the arch enemy of the "boys in blue," otherwise known as the umpires and was probably put out of more ball games than any other player in organized baseball. With that sort of a reputation, it is not meant to be conveyed here that he was a "rowdy," because he was not. He played the game to win, and never overlooked an opportunity to gain for his side an advantage over his opponents. Kid Elberfeld was a scrapper and there was where he got the name "Tobasco Kid." He was probably baseball's most colorful individual.
Season of 1913
It was, I think, as far back as 1913 when Kid Elberfeld came here as the manager of the Chattanooga Club. The Chattanooga ownership was then operating from hand to mouth and good baseball material was not obtainable, but the Kid made the best of what he had, and he proved himself to be one of the most popular managers who ever appeared on old Andrews Field, where now stands the imposing Engel Stadium. The year previous he was the manager of the Little Rock Club where he won a pennant.
In his years in Chattanooga and as a resident of Walden's Ridge, I came to know Kid Elberfeld and his family quite intimately. The Kid used to spend some time in my office where we discussed his colorful career more than a single time. Fred Graff, popular and well-liked citizen of today, came to Chattanooga in 1913 to join Elberfeld's team. He was the third base man on the club and was one of the best. During this week I was talking to my friend Fred about the team that was playing the season of 1913 under the direction of Kid Elberfeld. On that team he had three left-hand pitchers-Harry Coveleskie, Floyd Kroh, and a little pitcher named Rudy Somers. These three men alternating pitched practically every third game and no club in the Southern League ever had a better crew of starting pitchers than were these three southpaws, and they also were a colorful bunch of ball players,
Some time back a group of men who knew Kid Elberfeld, in connection with the present ownership of the club, decided to place a permanent memorial in memory of Elberfeld in Engel Stadium. This work has been crowned with success and the plaque is scheduled to be unveiled with proper ceremonies at Engel Stadium Sunday afternoon.
