Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: A-F by David L. Porter (2000)
ELBERFELD, Norman Arthur "Kid," "Tabasco Kid" (b. April 13, 1875, Pomeroy, OH; d. January 13, 1944, Chattanooga, TN), player and manager, was considered the most aggressive player in the AL's first decade. Born to German -American parents, Elberfeld grew up in Pomeroy, OH, Mason City, WV, and Cincinnati, OH. He found school boring and quit between grades four and eight. The 5-foot 7-inch, 138-pound Elberfeld played amateur baseball in Cincinnati, but attracted little attention. He joined a semiprofessional team in Clarksville, TN in 1895, acquiring the nickname "Kid" for his small stature.
His pro baseball career blossomed as a third baseman with Richmond, VA (AL), where he batted .335 in 1897. Although having brief trials w ith the Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) in 1898 and Cincinnati Reds (NL) in 1899, he performed with Detroit (WL) in 1898 and 1899 and the Detroit Tigers (AL) from 1900 to 1903. Elberfeld batted .308 in 1901 and .301 in 1903, while the little shortstop's scrappy style of play and desire to win earned him a reputation as the John McGraw of the AL. He admired McGraw, the New York Giants (NL) manager, and wished to play for him. Contemporaries noted his knack of being purposely hit by a pitch and his arguments with umpires and fans. Elberfeld, however, was traded in June 1903 to the New York I Highlanders (AL) New York sportswriter Sam Crane dubbed him "The Tabasco Kid" because of "the life and ginger he puts into the game."
Elberteld was often ejected from games and argued with his own managers and umpires. The New York Highlanders just missed winning the AL pennant in 1904, but never again came close. "The Kid" injured his knee in a collision with a teammate in 1905 and experienced recurring leg problems thereafter. Injuries limited Elberfeld to 19 games in 1908, the same year he managed New York to a 27-71 record. His major league managerial career ended following the 1908 season. In 1909, his limited range caused his shift to third base and his December 1909 trade to the Washington Nationals (AL).
Elberfeld spent two solid seasons with the Washington Nationals before injuries ended his major league career. During his major league career, he hatted .271 with 1,235 hits and 535 RBI in 1,292 games. Washington sold him to Chattanooga, TN (SA) in 1912. He established the Chattanooga area as his home. He and his wife, Emily Grace (Catlow) Elberfeld, who he had married in 1900, brought up five daughters and a son on their Signal Mountain farm. The daughters gained fame in the 1920s for their athletic prowess. New York Sun writer Will Wedge rhymed:
"A mighty mite, that Elberfeld,
His boys were mostly girls
The Kid was father of a team
That swept the field in curls."
Elberfeld continued in baseball for 30 years after leaving Washington. He hatted .332 as player—manager for Chattanooga in 1913. The Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) signed him as a player—coach for 1914. Between 1915 and 1938, Elberfeld managed in the minor leagues at Chattanooga (SA), Little Rock, AR (SA), Mobile, AL (SA), Springfield, MO (WA), Gadsden, AL (SEL), and Fulton, KY (KL) In the 1930s, he also conducted baseball clinics for the American Legion and operated his own baseball schools.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Norman Elberfeld file, National Baseball Library, Cooperstown, NY;
Frank Graham, The New York Yankees (New York, 1943);
Harry "Steamboat" Johnson, Standing the Gaff (Lincoln, NE, 1995);
Frederick G. Lieb, The Detroit Tigers (New York, 1946);
Bill O'Neal, The Southern League: Baseball in Dixie, 1885-1994 (Austin, TX, 1994);
Lawrence S. Ritter, The Glory of Their Times (New York, 1966);
Fred Smith, 995 Tigers. (Detroit, MI, 1981);
Mark Gallagher, The Yankee Encyclopedia, vol. 3 (Champaign, IL, 1997);
William M. Anderson, The Detroit Tigers (South Bend, IN, 1996);
Shirley Povich, The Washington Senators (New York, 1954).
'''Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Baseball, Revised and Expanded Edition A-F Hardcover by David L. Porter (Author) ''' A standard source of first referral, Porter's multivolume Biographical Dictionary of American Sports adds a long-awaited revised and expanded edition of the popular 1987 Baseball volume and its supplements. This three-volume work profiles over 1,450 baseball luminaries, including current stars, former major league players, managers, umpires, executives, and Negro League and All-American Girls Professional Baseball League stars. All entries from earlier volumes are revised and updated, and 477 new figures are added. A handy reference, this comprehensive work provides more biographical information on these baseball professionals than any other reference available. Contributed by baseball historians, educators, and journalists, each profile highlights biographical data, career records, and honors; discusses the subject's accomplishments; and provides bibliographic information. These volumes will be an invaluable reference for baseball aficionados and all libraries.
bliographic information
TitleBiographical Dictionary of American Sports: A-F
Volume 1 of Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Baseball, David L. Porter,
ISBN 031329884X, 9780313298844
EditorDavid L. Porter
Edition illustrated, revised
Publisher Greenwood Publishing Group,
Length1865 pages
His pro baseball career blossomed as a third baseman with Richmond, VA (AL), where he batted .335 in 1897. Although having brief trials w ith the Pittsburgh Pirates (NL) in 1898 and Cincinnati Reds (NL) in 1899, he performed with Detroit (WL) in 1898 and 1899 and the Detroit Tigers (AL) from 1900 to 1903. Elberfeld batted .308 in 1901 and .301 in 1903, while the little shortstop's scrappy style of play and desire to win earned him a reputation as the John McGraw of the AL. He admired McGraw, the New York Giants (NL) manager, and wished to play for him. Contemporaries noted his knack of being purposely hit by a pitch and his arguments with umpires and fans. Elberfeld, however, was traded in June 1903 to the New York I Highlanders (AL) New York sportswriter Sam Crane dubbed him "The Tabasco Kid" because of "the life and ginger he puts into the game."
Elberteld was often ejected from games and argued with his own managers and umpires. The New York Highlanders just missed winning the AL pennant in 1904, but never again came close. "The Kid" injured his knee in a collision with a teammate in 1905 and experienced recurring leg problems thereafter. Injuries limited Elberfeld to 19 games in 1908, the same year he managed New York to a 27-71 record. His major league managerial career ended following the 1908 season. In 1909, his limited range caused his shift to third base and his December 1909 trade to the Washington Nationals (AL).
Elberfeld spent two solid seasons with the Washington Nationals before injuries ended his major league career. During his major league career, he hatted .271 with 1,235 hits and 535 RBI in 1,292 games. Washington sold him to Chattanooga, TN (SA) in 1912. He established the Chattanooga area as his home. He and his wife, Emily Grace (Catlow) Elberfeld, who he had married in 1900, brought up five daughters and a son on their Signal Mountain farm. The daughters gained fame in the 1920s for their athletic prowess. New York Sun writer Will Wedge rhymed:
"A mighty mite, that Elberfeld,
His boys were mostly girls
The Kid was father of a team
That swept the field in curls."
Elberfeld continued in baseball for 30 years after leaving Washington. He hatted .332 as player—manager for Chattanooga in 1913. The Brooklyn Dodgers (NL) signed him as a player—coach for 1914. Between 1915 and 1938, Elberfeld managed in the minor leagues at Chattanooga (SA), Little Rock, AR (SA), Mobile, AL (SA), Springfield, MO (WA), Gadsden, AL (SEL), and Fulton, KY (KL) In the 1930s, he also conducted baseball clinics for the American Legion and operated his own baseball schools.
BIBLIOGRAPHY:
Norman Elberfeld file, National Baseball Library, Cooperstown, NY;
Frank Graham, The New York Yankees (New York, 1943);
Harry "Steamboat" Johnson, Standing the Gaff (Lincoln, NE, 1995);
Frederick G. Lieb, The Detroit Tigers (New York, 1946);
Bill O'Neal, The Southern League: Baseball in Dixie, 1885-1994 (Austin, TX, 1994);
Lawrence S. Ritter, The Glory of Their Times (New York, 1966);
Fred Smith, 995 Tigers. (Detroit, MI, 1981);
Mark Gallagher, The Yankee Encyclopedia, vol. 3 (Champaign, IL, 1997);
William M. Anderson, The Detroit Tigers (South Bend, IN, 1996);
Shirley Povich, The Washington Senators (New York, 1954).
'''Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Baseball, Revised and Expanded Edition A-F Hardcover by David L. Porter (Author) ''' A standard source of first referral, Porter's multivolume Biographical Dictionary of American Sports adds a long-awaited revised and expanded edition of the popular 1987 Baseball volume and its supplements. This three-volume work profiles over 1,450 baseball luminaries, including current stars, former major league players, managers, umpires, executives, and Negro League and All-American Girls Professional Baseball League stars. All entries from earlier volumes are revised and updated, and 477 new figures are added. A handy reference, this comprehensive work provides more biographical information on these baseball professionals than any other reference available. Contributed by baseball historians, educators, and journalists, each profile highlights biographical data, career records, and honors; discusses the subject's accomplishments; and provides bibliographic information. These volumes will be an invaluable reference for baseball aficionados and all libraries.
bliographic information
TitleBiographical Dictionary of American Sports: A-F
Volume 1 of Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Baseball, David L. Porter,
ISBN 031329884X, 9780313298844
EditorDavid L. Porter
Edition illustrated, revised
Publisher Greenwood Publishing Group,
Length1865 pages
