Ward to the Wise
By Charles P. Ward
DAVEY JONES, old-time Tiger outfielder, recently was discussing two former teammates who were called out by the Big Umpire within the last few weeks, George Mullin and Norman (Kid) Elberfeld.
Jones believes that Detroit had the toughest second base combination in the history of baseball
when Elberfeld played shortstop and William (Kid) Gleason played second. That was in 1901 and 1902 when Jones played with the St. Louis Browns. He said Elberfeld and Gleason, by their do-or-die tactics, caused abandonment of the head first slide in favor of the feet first slide.
"When those guys blocked a base, it really was blocked." Davey recalled. "They didn't seem
to care much about spike wounds or anything else."
Jones recalled the time Elberfeld tried to block him off the bag when Davey was playing with the
Tigers and the Tabasco Kid was toiling for the New York Highlanders, predecessors of the
Yankees. Davey warned him that he would be cut to a hamburger if he tried it again.
"I used to wear what they called Claflin shoes in those days." he said "They fitted like gloves
and had long spikes like sprinters wear in track events nowadays. Most of the outfielders wore them then and they were formidable weapons in addition to being fine on the feet.
Tobasco Kid showed No Fear of Long Spikes
"CLAFLIN SHOES or no Claflin shoes, The Kid tried to block me when I attempted to steal
second base the next day. He dove right into my spikes and I not only ripped the uniform almost
off him, but I jarred him and spiked him severely. I had no desire to hurt him, of course. I was
merely fighting for my part of the base path.
Badly hurt as he was. The Kid got up and started to walk back to his position. Then he collapsed
and they took him off the field. One of our fellows later heard a Highlander say to Elberfeld that
he would get revenge on anybody who treated him like that. Tough as he was, The Kid didn't look
at it that way.
" *No,' he said. 'He told me yesterday he was going to do that if I tried to block him.' "
By Charles P. Ward
DAVEY JONES, old-time Tiger outfielder, recently was discussing two former teammates who were called out by the Big Umpire within the last few weeks, George Mullin and Norman (Kid) Elberfeld.
Jones believes that Detroit had the toughest second base combination in the history of baseball
when Elberfeld played shortstop and William (Kid) Gleason played second. That was in 1901 and 1902 when Jones played with the St. Louis Browns. He said Elberfeld and Gleason, by their do-or-die tactics, caused abandonment of the head first slide in favor of the feet first slide.
"When those guys blocked a base, it really was blocked." Davey recalled. "They didn't seem
to care much about spike wounds or anything else."
Jones recalled the time Elberfeld tried to block him off the bag when Davey was playing with the
Tigers and the Tabasco Kid was toiling for the New York Highlanders, predecessors of the
Yankees. Davey warned him that he would be cut to a hamburger if he tried it again.
"I used to wear what they called Claflin shoes in those days." he said "They fitted like gloves
and had long spikes like sprinters wear in track events nowadays. Most of the outfielders wore them then and they were formidable weapons in addition to being fine on the feet.
Tobasco Kid showed No Fear of Long Spikes
"CLAFLIN SHOES or no Claflin shoes, The Kid tried to block me when I attempted to steal
second base the next day. He dove right into my spikes and I not only ripped the uniform almost
off him, but I jarred him and spiked him severely. I had no desire to hurt him, of course. I was
merely fighting for my part of the base path.
Badly hurt as he was. The Kid got up and started to walk back to his position. Then he collapsed
and they took him off the field. One of our fellows later heard a Highlander say to Elberfeld that
he would get revenge on anybody who treated him like that. Tough as he was, The Kid didn't look
at it that way.
" *No,' he said. 'He told me yesterday he was going to do that if I tried to block him.' "
