1903 - Traded by Detroit Tigers to New York Highlanders (Yankees)
1903 - Abram I. Elkus: The New York Yankees' First Lawyer - KENTUCKY LAW JOURNAL - C. Norman Elberfeld's Injunction (1903)
1903 - Spalding Official Base Ball Guide (Published 1904) - Elberfeld's batting average for New York in the American League is listed as .299
January 14, 1903 - The San Francisco Chronicle, CA - Mercer was engaged as manager for the Detroit baseball team during the coming season and on Sunday he was particularly elated on receiving a telegram from a well-known Detroit baseball writer, conveying the intelligence that Crawford, Elberfeld and Donovan, a famous trio of ball tossers, would play with Detroit the coming season.
April 16, 1903 - The Fort Wayne News, IN - Manager Barrow, of the Detroit team, figures that Elberfeld will be the best man to lead off his batting order.
May 7, 1903 - Detroit Free Press (Detroit, Michigan) - Elberfeld might play third for Detroit
May 18, 1903 - The Washington Times, DC - Elberfeld, of Detroit, leads the American League in batting with an average of .424.
June 3, 1903 St. Louis Globe-Democrat (St. Louis, Missouri) - Kid Charged with Throwing Games
June 4, 1903 - The Portsmouth Herald, NH - Manager Barrow of the Detroit American league baseball team has fined shortstop Norman Elberfeld $200 and laid him off indefinitely for disobeying the club rules and careless playing.
June 4, 1903 - Elberfeld suspended from detroit club for insubordination. - Reach's Official American League Guide - 1904
June 9, 1903 - The Saint Paul Globe, MN - Elberfeld Is Traded Off - Detroit, Mich., June 8 - A trade has been completed whereby Norman Elberfeld, suspended shortstop of the Detroit club, has been given to the New York American club in exchange for Herman Long and Courtney. The latter will play third for Detroit. Clark Griffith and President Angus had two conferences today, arranging and completing this deal. Detroit plays in New York the latter part of this week and the story says that the exchange will be effected at that time. Elberfeld went to Tennessee today with his family, but said before leaving that he would report where sent if money held out on fines and suspension were made good to him.
*June 10, 1903 - Detroit SS Kid Elberfeld‚ suspended for abusing an umpire‚ is traded to the New York Highlanders for veteran infielders Herman Long‚ 37‚ and Ernie Courtney. The Highlanders' first trade is a good one as "The Tabasco Kid"‚ currently hitting .341‚ will be a key ingredient in New York's rise as contenders in 1904. Elberfeld had also been accused by Tiger manager Ed Barrow of deliberately throwing games recently as a ploy to get himself traded.
June 10, 1903: Traded by the Detroit Tigers to the New York Highlanders for Ernie Courtney and Herman Long.
June 10, 1903: Traded by the Detroit Tigers to the New York Highlanders for Ernie Courtney and Herman Long.
June 10, 1903: Herman Long and Ernie Courtney for Kid Elberfeld - We shall begin and end this exercise by saying the "Highlanders" won this trade, and won big. Norman Elberfeld was a grown baseball player who was called "Kid," short for "The Tabasco Kid," a nickname bestowed on him because of his legendary temper.
https://www.mlive.com/cutoffman/2010/01/historically_tigers_have_fared.html
https://www.mlive.com/cutoffman/2010/01/historically_tigers_have_fared.html
June 10, 1903 - The Saint Paul Globe, MN - Highlanders Win One - NEW YORK, June 9. - On a field resembling a brick yard more than a baseball ground, the locals too the first game of the series from St. Louis today. Both pitchers were effective, but Chesbro had the better support. Manager Griffiths has exchanged Courtney and Long for Elberfeld, of Detroit, who will join the team Thursday (June 11, 1903).
June 14, 1903 - The New York Teams, NY - Yesterdays Baseball - Elberfeld, who was secured from the Detroit Club a few days ago, made his first appearance in a New York uniform. He played his position at shortstop in first-rate style, although he was not given very much chance of showing how he could play against his old clubmates. He accepted all three of the chances which were offered him, being credited with two assists and one put out, but did not make a hit during the game.
June 26, 1903 - Christy Mathewson: A Game-by-Game Profile of a Legendary Pitcher - By Ronald A. Mayer
The big news, however, came the day before when National League president Harry Pulliam announced that the Cincinnati peace agreement of six months had been violated when the Detroit club's (American League) management released Norman "Kid" Elberfeld to the Highlanders where he was currently playing shortstop, According to New York president John Brush, Elberfeld was under contract to the Giants for the year 1903, but at the Cincinnati conference he was awarded to Detroit at the same time Ed Delahanty was designated for Washington and George Davis to Chicago in the American League.
Detroit's action prompted Brush to request permission from Pulliam to exercise its legal rights to the services of Davis (who was under contract to New York for the 1903 and 1904 seasons at the time of the Cincinnati agreement). Brush's argument was that it was "unfair and subversive" that Elberfeld be permitted to play for the Highlanders, strengthening the rival club. Pulliam agreed and another major league baseball war began heating up.
With Pulliam's permission McGraw inserted Davis into the lineup at short. He did not, however, figure in the outcome of the game. New York left fielder Sam Mertes was the batting star. In the fifth inning he doubled with the bases loaded driving in three runs. Mertes would lead the league in doubles (32) and RBIs (104) for the season.
The big news, however, came the day before when National League president Harry Pulliam announced that the Cincinnati peace agreement of six months had been violated when the Detroit club's (American League) management released Norman "Kid" Elberfeld to the Highlanders where he was currently playing shortstop, According to New York president John Brush, Elberfeld was under contract to the Giants for the year 1903, but at the Cincinnati conference he was awarded to Detroit at the same time Ed Delahanty was designated for Washington and George Davis to Chicago in the American League.
Detroit's action prompted Brush to request permission from Pulliam to exercise its legal rights to the services of Davis (who was under contract to New York for the 1903 and 1904 seasons at the time of the Cincinnati agreement). Brush's argument was that it was "unfair and subversive" that Elberfeld be permitted to play for the Highlanders, strengthening the rival club. Pulliam agreed and another major league baseball war began heating up.
With Pulliam's permission McGraw inserted Davis into the lineup at short. He did not, however, figure in the outcome of the game. New York left fielder Sam Mertes was the batting star. In the fifth inning he doubled with the bases loaded driving in three runs. Mertes would lead the league in doubles (32) and RBIs (104) for the season.
July 3, 1903 - The Saint Louis Republic, MO - New York Nationals Will Enjoin Elberfeld - Application to Be Made to Keep Shortstop Out of Games Played in New York City - Republic Special - New York, July 2 - Papers are being prepared and an application will be made to the Supreme Court for an injunction restraining Norman Elberfeld from playing with the New York American League baseball team in games played in this city. The papers are being prepared by Cornelius Sullivan for the law firm of Nicoll, Ananble and Lindsay, counsel to the New York National Club.
July 16, 1903 - The Atlanta Constitution, GA - War on the North - New York, July 15 - Counsel for the national baseball league appeared before Justice Greenbaum in the supreme court today and asked that the hearing in the case of the New York National League baseball club against Norman Elberfeld, the short stop, be postponed until Monday. The case is to prevent Elberfeld playing with the New York American League. The adjournment was granted on counsel agreeing that the injunction preventing Elberfeld from playing with the New York American League should be inoperative in the meantime.
July 20, 1903 - The Indianapolis News, IN - Elberfeld Case Postponed. - New York, July 26 - Supreme Court Justice Bischoff, by consent of counsel on both sides, today adjourned for one week the argument on the motion of the New York National baseball club restraining Norman Elberfeld, the shortstop, from playing with the New York American League baseball club.
July 21, 1903 - Coshocton Daily Age, OH - BRUSH GANG GETS HOOKS THROWN IN IT - The National League Votes Against Break. With American. By Telegraph to The Ages - New York, July 21. — President Pulliam of the National league received a decided set-back at the session of that body at the Victoria hotel. After a stormy session the magnates agreed to stick to the peace compact made with the American league, decided that Elberfeld was eligible to play with the New York American league team, and that George Davis should not play till his standing had been determined by the courts. The magnates.had been in session all day and judging from the look of anger on the faces of some of them during the recesses the fight had been a bitter one.
July 30, 1903 - The Cincinnati Enquirer, OH - Sam Leever and Norman Elberfeld won their earliest spurs on a Norwood diamond.
July, 1903 - the World Today - BASEBALL - The "dogs of war" in baseball were let loose about the middle of July, but did little damage. The war between the National and the American leagues threatened again to disorganize the game; but after the American League had won two suits over the services of George Davis and Norman Elberfeld in the New York courts, excitement subsided and peace reigns.
*August 1, 1903 - Rube Waddell no-hits the Highlanders‚ except for Kid Elberfeld‚ who has 4 singles. These‚ plus a lavish 6 walks‚ down the A's 3-2‚ with the win going to Jack Chesbro. Waddell observes afterward‚ "If I would have walked him 4 times‚ I would have pitched a no-hitter."
August 1, 1903 - Baseball History Daily - Kid Elberfeld talks about Rube Wadell
August 1, 1903 - Rube Waddell of the Philadelphia Athletics pitched a four-hit game while playing against the New York team on August 1, 1903, and one man, Norman "Kid" Elberfeld made all four hits. October 29, 1946 -Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, The Evening News (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania)
August 08, 1903 - Geneva daily times - The American League has won a double victory in its latest fight with the National body. An injunction has been secured enjoining Davis from playing with the New York National League club until August 6, and the injunction preventing Elberfeld from playing with the American League team has been temporarily dissolved.
August 15, 1903 - The Minneapolis Journal, MN - Moran, Elberfield, Cross and Parent are all playing a superb game at short this season, Elberfeld leading in the field with .942, while Parent has accepted the greatest number of chances.
August 16, 1903 - The St. Louis Republic, MO - Norman Elberfeld, the fiery little shortstop of the New Yorks, lives in the mountains of Tennessee during the winter, and to see him out of his baseball togs one would not dispute a point that he is almost a typical mountaineer of the region. His dress is very much on the order of the inhabitant of the mountain, while his hat is broad brim and soft, indicative of the section of which he is a denizen in the winter. Elberfeld takes care of his money, and has quite an establishment at a high altitude in Tennessee.
August 27, 1903 - Fort Wayne Daily News, IN - Elberfeld is playing the best game in the field of American Shortstops.
September 3, 1903 - The Evening World, NYC, NY - Washington, D. C., Sept. 3 - The splendid exhibition of how the game of baseball should be played, as exhibited in yesterday's contest by the New Yorks. served to attract a good-sized audience to the grounds of the Washington Club here today. Conroy and Elberfeld, together with Williams, gave a remarkable exhibition of infield work yesterday, their stops, throws and covering of territory being somewhat of a revelation to the spectators.
September 4, 1903 - The Wichita Beacon, KS - Washington, D.C., Sept. 4. - New York's hits were made at the proper time yesterday and permitted them to take the second game of the series from Washington. Elberfeld was put out of the game for disputing the umpire's decisions. Attendance, 1,127.
September 5, 1903 - Evening Star, Washington, DC - Norman Elberfeld of the New York Americans is perhaps the most noteworthy exponent of the art of throwing with either hand in the business, but it is doubtful if he uses his gift in this direction half a dozen times during the season.
September 5, 1903 - The Evening World, NYC, NY - Handling Elberfeld - Griffith must have found out the secret of handling Elberfeld. The scrappy shortstop is certainly putting his whole heart and soul in his playing for New York.
September 9, 1903 - The Indiana Weekly Messenger, PA - Said the New York Sun the other day: No player in a long time has so impressed New Yorkers by his snappy work in all departments as Elberfeld. He is a player of the Tinker-Parent style. Gilbert is just as fast and lively but does not bit as well as the other three.
September 16, 1903 - The Evening World, NYC, NY - The pitchers are all in fine form, and little Elberfeld is working wonders in the field, meeting "All comers" in the way of batted balls. He tries for everything, and even some of the Giants' most loyal supporters say he is the finest shortstop playing ball in either league today.
*September 24, 1903 - At New York‚ the Highlanders take a pair from the St. Louis Browns‚ winning 6-2 and 8-6. Jack Chesbro is the victor in the opener with a bit of help from the Browns John Anderson (as noted by Peter Morris). The Browns make 4 straight hits in the 8th‚ and an error by Kid Elberfeld on Anderson's grounder loads the bases. With Bobby Wallace hitting‚ Anderson inexplicably takes off for 2nd base and is thrown out trying to scramble back to 1B‚ a play that will be referred to in the early part of the century as a "John Anderson play." Wallace strikes out on the play. Anderson explains that "I got too far off first base and couldn't get back." To which his manager McAleer responds‚ "Tell me‚ you big bum‚ where did you think you were going?" After the game Clark Griffith brings up the possibility of a trade again and finds that the price had gone down. "Give me an old bat bag or anything‚" says McAleer‚"and take the big stiff." Anderson will be swapped to New York next month.
September 29, 1903 - Fort Wayne News, IN - "Brownie" Elberfeld is clouting the ball for New York
December 10, 1903 - The Inter Ocean, Chicago, IL - The national commission has decided already that Davis and Jones must play with the Chicago Americans or get out of the business. The public cannot be jollied into the belief that these men really belong to the New York Nationals any more than did Elberfeld of the New York Americans, whose case was effectively thrown out of the Supreme court last summer.