Friday, December 8, 2000 - Minden (La.) Press-Herald- The Impact of a Baseball Warrior on Minden
Kid Elberfeld and Larry Hunter
One of the Echoes of Our Past here in Minden that lingers most strongly is the recreation program conducted by Larry and Gladys Hunter at their wonderful complex that was located between Pine, Goodwill, and Ash streets. While they offered all sorts of recreational opportunities to the children of Minden, Mr. Hunter's favorite was the baseball program. He sponsored teams from the youngest ages all the way through the local semi-pro team, the Minden Redbirds.Among the many extras he provided for "his boys" was the chance to receive first-class instruction in playing the game he loved.Local optometrist Dr. Carter Norman recounted the following memory of one example of Mr. Hunter providing such an opportunity:
Memories of "Kid'"
In February of 1940, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend Babe Ruth's All-American Baseball School in Palatka, Florida, where 'Kid' Elberfeld was an instructor. Mr. Larry Hunter, owner and bottler of the Coca-Cola Plant in Minden carried me to Florida for this great experience.Kid's' first name was Norman and my last name was Norman, so possibly that accounted for our becoming good friends."Kid's" playing weight was 135 lbs. And I weighed 130 lbs. As the end of the session was drawing near, one day I asked "Kid" what he would charge to come to Minden and coach a bunch of baseball boys such as myself for the summer (three months)."He was interested and agreed to come for three months for 150, plus room and board. I knew my parents would let him sleep at our house if I could get 15 boys to put up $10 each, making it possible to swing the deal."That night when I told Mr. Hunter of my idea of bringing 'Kid' to Minden for the summer to teach boys, he was delighted and said, 'Carter, let me talk with "Kid" and set this up.' The following day, Mr. Hunter went out to the ballpark and he and 'Kid' talked. Later that day, Mr. Hunter told me he and Kid had made a deal for him to come to Minden for the summer.
"I was very excited! That was the beginning of a relationship with Mr. Hunter, 'Kid' Elberfeld, myself and the baseball boys of Webster Parish." For the next few years, "Kid" Elberfeld became a part-time resident of Minden, spending his summers schooling the young men of Minden in the finer points of baseball, and perhaps more importantly, lessons in life that they would never forget.Other present and former Minden residents such as Ben Hunter and Steve Cole have contributed their memories to a web site sponsored by CBS Sportsline recounting the story of Elberfeld, including his years in Minden.Who was Norman "Kid" Elberfeld, the man who made such a lasting impact on lives such as Dr. Norman, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Cole - and dozens of others?
The following excerpt from the book, "The Man in theDugout: Baseball's Top Managers & How They Got That Way" by renowned baseball writer Leonard Koppett gives us some insight into Elberfeld from this episode in the life story of the great Casey Stengel: A Brooklyn Dodger scout came out to see Stengel, liked what he saw, and told the Dodgers to draft him. For 1912 they optioned him out to Montgomery, Alabama, the next level down from Triple-A There he became the protege of an old shortstop, Kid Elberfeld, then thirty-seven years old.Elberfeld had played thirteen seasons with five major league teams, most of the time with the Yankees. whom he managed for part of 1908. He took it upon him self to teach the twenty-one-year old Stengel major league tricks, like the best way to execute hit-and-run, and an attitude Stengel internalized for life: 'If you're going to be a big leaguer, act like a big leaguer.'
Norman Arthur Elberfeld was born on April 13, 1875 in Pomeroy, Ohio.He began his professional career in 1897 with Richmond of the Atlantic League. The next season, he moved on to the Detroit squad in the Western League, a forerunner of the modern American League. His official big league debut came in 1898, when he was chosen over future Hall of Famer Honus Wagner, to become the new shortstop of the Philadelphia Phillies. However, his stint with the Phillies only lasted 14 games. He was then traded o the Cincinnati Red Stockings, where he appeared in 41 games during the 1899 season.
In 1900, he returned to Detroit and the Western League. He reached the major leagues to stay :he next season as he and the Detroit Tigers became charter members of the new American League. Elberfeld hit .310 during his first full season in the big leagues. He remained the Tigers' starting shortstop until June 1903, when he was traded to the New York Highlanders, the forerunners of the New York Yankees.As the Highlanders' starting shortstop Elberfeld became a team leader on the field and in the clubhouse. On Aug. 1, 1903, he set a still standing Major League record by getting all four of his team's hits in a single game.
The "Kid" remained the starting shortstop for the Highlanders through the 1909 season, with the excption of 1908.
A missed opportunity
During that season the manager f the Highlanders was fired and Elberfeld was given a chance to manage in the majors. Unfortunately, his only opportunity to manage at that level proved very unsuccessful, the Highlanders stumbled to a record of 27-71 with Elberfeld at the helm. The next season he returned only as a player. He was traded to the Washington Senators for the 1910 season and was their regular shortstop for two years. His final major league playing experience came in 1914, when the Brooklyn Dodgers, for whom he had been managing in their minor league system, called him back to the Majors where he appeared in 30 games.
Fiery brand of play
At 5 feet, 5 inches tall, Elberfeld made his mark with his fiery brand of play at shortstop. He openly challenged base runners to slash him out of their way as they approached second base.
One rookie to learn about the "Kid's" style was young Ty Cobb. In 1905, in what was only Cobb's second game in the big leagues, he and Elberfeld met at second base.Cobb slid headfirst into the base only to have Elberfeld dig his knee into the back of Cobb's neck, shoving the rookie's face into the dirt. That ended Cobb's days of sliding head first. The next time the Tigers and Highlanders me, Cobb slid feet first into the "Kid", knocking him to the ground. Elberfeld responded not with anger as might have been expected, but with sportsmanship, impressed that the rookie Cobb had learned the lesson so rapidly. It was this playing style and his temper that earned him the nickname the "Tabasco Kid," first given by a New York City sports reporter during his days with the Highlanders.
Elberfeld was known as one of the best "umpire baiters" of his day. On one occasion, while in the minors, he felt the umpire was calling a one-sided game against his team. While arguing with the umpire, he threw a lump of mud directly into the ump's mouth. On another occasion, he was intentionally knocked out by an umpire who was returning the baseball to the pitcher. The "Kid" had been riding the ump all day, so the official, slipped on his return throw, striking Elberfeld in the head. Apparently, life was seldom dull on the diamond with the "Kid" Elberfeld around.After his final playing days in the Major Leagues, Elberfeld became a manager in the minors for many years. He was a player manager from 1915 through 1918, first with Chattanooga and later with Little Rock in the Southern League. He remained as manager of the Little Rock squad from 1918 through 1922, managing them to a Southern League championship in 1920. Years later, when a Minden youth American Legion team under the "Kid's" tutelage went to Little Rock to play, the Arkansas newspapers were filled with stories of the old days when Elberfeld managed the home team.After leaving Little Rock,
Elberfeld began operating baseball schools and serving as a scout for Major League teams along with' managing at various levels of organized baseball. While still manager at Little Rock, he began watching a teenager from Waldo Ark. In 1921, he signed the young man to the Little Rock roster. In 1922, playing Elberfeld's old position of shortstop, this player made 73 errors, including many throws to first base that ended up in the stands.Nevertheless Elberfeld persuaded John. McGraw to give the young man from Arkansas chance because of the tremendous potential Elberfeld saw in the kid. John McGraw never regretted "Kid" Elberfeld's recommendation as that boy from Arkansas, Travis Jackson, went on to become Hall of Fame shortstop with. McGraw's New York Giants.Available for sale on the Internet today is a letter recommending a prospect to a professional team signed by "Kid" Elberfeld and Cy Young. The letter carries a price of $2,500.
A reasonable living
Elberfeld managed to make a reasonable living out of the base-all schools and his managing jobs, earning enough to provide a college education for his five daughters and one son. Some of these children have remained in contact with the Hunter family over the years.Here in Minden, Elberfeld made an immediate impact on the youth baseball program. He instilled professional techniques in the young baseball players of Minden He emphasized the need to think about the game, not just use physical skills. His best known label or a player who didn't use his head was a "rock" or a "rock head."Ben Hunter has today a letter Elberfeld wrote to his father discussing a local prospect that includes the phrase, "he isn't a rock." It seems amazing that this man known for his ferocious temper and rough edge, was such a success in teaching young boys and teen-agers the proper way to play the game. Elberfeld came to Minden for the summers of 1940 1941, and 1943. The "Kid" died in January 1944, at age 69. Many of his Minden "baseball boys" didn't learn of his death until after they returned from fighting for their country during World War II.This week's Echo of the Past was a real challenge. I had so much material and so much good information about the impact of this old baseball warrior a generation of Minden baseball players that I could only only touch the tip of the iceberg of this story, with very little coverage of the Minden angle.
Here you will find a brief biography of Elberfeld along with links to the complete memories of Dr. Norman, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Cole and others of the Minden years, along with a fascinating collection of pictures Mr. Hunter has placed on the Internet. The Echo of the Past "Kid Elberfeld" left in Minden can be seen by the achievements of those boys he tutored 60 years ago. John Agan is a local historian and adjunct instructor at LSU Shreveport and Bossier Parish Community College. He also works in the Louisiana and Genealogy Section of the Webster Parish Library. His column appears Fridays in the Minden Press-Herald.
Memories of "Kid'"
In February of 1940, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to attend Babe Ruth's All-American Baseball School in Palatka, Florida, where 'Kid' Elberfeld was an instructor. Mr. Larry Hunter, owner and bottler of the Coca-Cola Plant in Minden carried me to Florida for this great experience.Kid's' first name was Norman and my last name was Norman, so possibly that accounted for our becoming good friends."Kid's" playing weight was 135 lbs. And I weighed 130 lbs. As the end of the session was drawing near, one day I asked "Kid" what he would charge to come to Minden and coach a bunch of baseball boys such as myself for the summer (three months)."He was interested and agreed to come for three months for 150, plus room and board. I knew my parents would let him sleep at our house if I could get 15 boys to put up $10 each, making it possible to swing the deal."That night when I told Mr. Hunter of my idea of bringing 'Kid' to Minden for the summer to teach boys, he was delighted and said, 'Carter, let me talk with "Kid" and set this up.' The following day, Mr. Hunter went out to the ballpark and he and 'Kid' talked. Later that day, Mr. Hunter told me he and Kid had made a deal for him to come to Minden for the summer.
"I was very excited! That was the beginning of a relationship with Mr. Hunter, 'Kid' Elberfeld, myself and the baseball boys of Webster Parish." For the next few years, "Kid" Elberfeld became a part-time resident of Minden, spending his summers schooling the young men of Minden in the finer points of baseball, and perhaps more importantly, lessons in life that they would never forget.Other present and former Minden residents such as Ben Hunter and Steve Cole have contributed their memories to a web site sponsored by CBS Sportsline recounting the story of Elberfeld, including his years in Minden.Who was Norman "Kid" Elberfeld, the man who made such a lasting impact on lives such as Dr. Norman, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Cole - and dozens of others?
The following excerpt from the book, "The Man in theDugout: Baseball's Top Managers & How They Got That Way" by renowned baseball writer Leonard Koppett gives us some insight into Elberfeld from this episode in the life story of the great Casey Stengel: A Brooklyn Dodger scout came out to see Stengel, liked what he saw, and told the Dodgers to draft him. For 1912 they optioned him out to Montgomery, Alabama, the next level down from Triple-A There he became the protege of an old shortstop, Kid Elberfeld, then thirty-seven years old.Elberfeld had played thirteen seasons with five major league teams, most of the time with the Yankees. whom he managed for part of 1908. He took it upon him self to teach the twenty-one-year old Stengel major league tricks, like the best way to execute hit-and-run, and an attitude Stengel internalized for life: 'If you're going to be a big leaguer, act like a big leaguer.'
Norman Arthur Elberfeld was born on April 13, 1875 in Pomeroy, Ohio.He began his professional career in 1897 with Richmond of the Atlantic League. The next season, he moved on to the Detroit squad in the Western League, a forerunner of the modern American League. His official big league debut came in 1898, when he was chosen over future Hall of Famer Honus Wagner, to become the new shortstop of the Philadelphia Phillies. However, his stint with the Phillies only lasted 14 games. He was then traded o the Cincinnati Red Stockings, where he appeared in 41 games during the 1899 season.
In 1900, he returned to Detroit and the Western League. He reached the major leagues to stay :he next season as he and the Detroit Tigers became charter members of the new American League. Elberfeld hit .310 during his first full season in the big leagues. He remained the Tigers' starting shortstop until June 1903, when he was traded to the New York Highlanders, the forerunners of the New York Yankees.As the Highlanders' starting shortstop Elberfeld became a team leader on the field and in the clubhouse. On Aug. 1, 1903, he set a still standing Major League record by getting all four of his team's hits in a single game.
The "Kid" remained the starting shortstop for the Highlanders through the 1909 season, with the excption of 1908.
A missed opportunity
During that season the manager f the Highlanders was fired and Elberfeld was given a chance to manage in the majors. Unfortunately, his only opportunity to manage at that level proved very unsuccessful, the Highlanders stumbled to a record of 27-71 with Elberfeld at the helm. The next season he returned only as a player. He was traded to the Washington Senators for the 1910 season and was their regular shortstop for two years. His final major league playing experience came in 1914, when the Brooklyn Dodgers, for whom he had been managing in their minor league system, called him back to the Majors where he appeared in 30 games.
Fiery brand of play
At 5 feet, 5 inches tall, Elberfeld made his mark with his fiery brand of play at shortstop. He openly challenged base runners to slash him out of their way as they approached second base.
One rookie to learn about the "Kid's" style was young Ty Cobb. In 1905, in what was only Cobb's second game in the big leagues, he and Elberfeld met at second base.Cobb slid headfirst into the base only to have Elberfeld dig his knee into the back of Cobb's neck, shoving the rookie's face into the dirt. That ended Cobb's days of sliding head first. The next time the Tigers and Highlanders me, Cobb slid feet first into the "Kid", knocking him to the ground. Elberfeld responded not with anger as might have been expected, but with sportsmanship, impressed that the rookie Cobb had learned the lesson so rapidly. It was this playing style and his temper that earned him the nickname the "Tabasco Kid," first given by a New York City sports reporter during his days with the Highlanders.
Elberfeld was known as one of the best "umpire baiters" of his day. On one occasion, while in the minors, he felt the umpire was calling a one-sided game against his team. While arguing with the umpire, he threw a lump of mud directly into the ump's mouth. On another occasion, he was intentionally knocked out by an umpire who was returning the baseball to the pitcher. The "Kid" had been riding the ump all day, so the official, slipped on his return throw, striking Elberfeld in the head. Apparently, life was seldom dull on the diamond with the "Kid" Elberfeld around.After his final playing days in the Major Leagues, Elberfeld became a manager in the minors for many years. He was a player manager from 1915 through 1918, first with Chattanooga and later with Little Rock in the Southern League. He remained as manager of the Little Rock squad from 1918 through 1922, managing them to a Southern League championship in 1920. Years later, when a Minden youth American Legion team under the "Kid's" tutelage went to Little Rock to play, the Arkansas newspapers were filled with stories of the old days when Elberfeld managed the home team.After leaving Little Rock,
Elberfeld began operating baseball schools and serving as a scout for Major League teams along with' managing at various levels of organized baseball. While still manager at Little Rock, he began watching a teenager from Waldo Ark. In 1921, he signed the young man to the Little Rock roster. In 1922, playing Elberfeld's old position of shortstop, this player made 73 errors, including many throws to first base that ended up in the stands.Nevertheless Elberfeld persuaded John. McGraw to give the young man from Arkansas chance because of the tremendous potential Elberfeld saw in the kid. John McGraw never regretted "Kid" Elberfeld's recommendation as that boy from Arkansas, Travis Jackson, went on to become Hall of Fame shortstop with. McGraw's New York Giants.Available for sale on the Internet today is a letter recommending a prospect to a professional team signed by "Kid" Elberfeld and Cy Young. The letter carries a price of $2,500.
A reasonable living
Elberfeld managed to make a reasonable living out of the base-all schools and his managing jobs, earning enough to provide a college education for his five daughters and one son. Some of these children have remained in contact with the Hunter family over the years.Here in Minden, Elberfeld made an immediate impact on the youth baseball program. He instilled professional techniques in the young baseball players of Minden He emphasized the need to think about the game, not just use physical skills. His best known label or a player who didn't use his head was a "rock" or a "rock head."Ben Hunter has today a letter Elberfeld wrote to his father discussing a local prospect that includes the phrase, "he isn't a rock." It seems amazing that this man known for his ferocious temper and rough edge, was such a success in teaching young boys and teen-agers the proper way to play the game. Elberfeld came to Minden for the summers of 1940 1941, and 1943. The "Kid" died in January 1944, at age 69. Many of his Minden "baseball boys" didn't learn of his death until after they returned from fighting for their country during World War II.This week's Echo of the Past was a real challenge. I had so much material and so much good information about the impact of this old baseball warrior a generation of Minden baseball players that I could only only touch the tip of the iceberg of this story, with very little coverage of the Minden angle.
Here you will find a brief biography of Elberfeld along with links to the complete memories of Dr. Norman, Mr. Hunter, Mr. Cole and others of the Minden years, along with a fascinating collection of pictures Mr. Hunter has placed on the Internet. The Echo of the Past "Kid Elberfeld" left in Minden can be seen by the achievements of those boys he tutored 60 years ago. John Agan is a local historian and adjunct instructor at LSU Shreveport and Bossier Parish Community College. He also works in the Louisiana and Genealogy Section of the Webster Parish Library. His column appears Fridays in the Minden Press-Herald.
