1969 - Kid Elberfeld's Time Line
August 24, 1969 - News-Journal - Mansfield, OH - As the 30s stretched out, I found myself in daily association with one of the pioneers of baseball, Clark Calvin Griffith, who in fact was one of the pioneers of America itself. This was a man of profound imprint on baseball — inventor of the screwball and the sqoeeze play, co foonder of the American Leagoe, manager of its first pennant winner and prodocer of three more winners in Washington.
Griffith told me how he invented one of baseball's most exciting offensive strategies, the squeeze play. He was managing the New York Highlanders, now the Yankees, in 1904 when his ace pitcher, Jack Chesboro. led off the eleventh inning with a triple. Manager Griffith was coaching at third base, and Chesboro, who had been on third with none out earlier in the game only to linger there, was fuming at the possibility it would happen again.
Griffith whispered something to Chesboro at third. then called time and talked to the batter, Kid Elberfeld. He ordered Chesboro to take a long lead and start for home on the second ball pitched to Elberfeld. He ordered Elberfeld to bunt that second pitch. That's what they did.
For the first time in baseball history a runner on third base dashed home with the pitch, risking all on his blind faith in the batter's ability to bint the ball. The winning run was home.
Griffith told me how he invented one of baseball's most exciting offensive strategies, the squeeze play. He was managing the New York Highlanders, now the Yankees, in 1904 when his ace pitcher, Jack Chesboro. led off the eleventh inning with a triple. Manager Griffith was coaching at third base, and Chesboro, who had been on third with none out earlier in the game only to linger there, was fuming at the possibility it would happen again.
Griffith whispered something to Chesboro at third. then called time and talked to the batter, Kid Elberfeld. He ordered Chesboro to take a long lead and start for home on the second ball pitched to Elberfeld. He ordered Elberfeld to bunt that second pitch. That's what they did.
For the first time in baseball history a runner on third base dashed home with the pitch, risking all on his blind faith in the batter's ability to bint the ball. The winning run was home.
September 5, 1969 - Billy Williams has all 4 of Chicago's hits, as the Cubs lose a 9-2 decision to Steve Blass and the Pirates. Williams sets an NL record for most hits in a game with no other hits, tying the ML record of Norm Elberfeld (August 1, 1903).
