January 26, 1944 - The Morning Call (Paterson, New Jersey) - Elberfeld stories
AROUND THE SPORT CYCLE ...
With Bill Harvey
They called him the "Tabasco Kid," and the name was no misnomer. He was plenty hot stuff, and made life miserable for many an umpire. His biting tongue also lasted out at ball player's, friend and foe, especially when he thought the friend wasn't bearing down hard enough. The
Tabasco Kid, of course, was Norman Elberfeld, famous New York American shortstop, who was called out by the Great Umpire at Chattanooga, Jan. 13, says Fred Leibin sporting news.
But, it there are some debit marks on the Kid's ledger, the Great Umpire may make allowances for mitigating circumstances. "I was tough, and I guess mean, too," said Elberfeld, not long before his death. 'I had only four years of schooling, and then had to hustle for myself. I was only a little squirt, five feet seven inches tall, and weighed only 135 pounds when I played my best ball.
"Well, they didn't give much encouragement to a runt when I broke in with the Phillies in the nineties. You know the Baltimore Orioles and Tebeau's Cleveland Spiders still were in the league. The only way I could prevent those others guys from picking on me was to be tougher than they were."
The Kid had one great regret—that he didn't get to play for John McGraw. He was with Detroit in the early years of the American League in 1900, '01, '02 and '03 He jumped to the Giants after the 1902 season, but under the peace terms Elberfeld was returned to Detroit. McGraw
knew Elberfeld was headed for the New York Americans, and signed him, trying to prevent it.
"McGraw was baseball's greatest manager," said Elberfeld "We played the same kind of ball, hard and to win."
With Bill Harvey
They called him the "Tabasco Kid," and the name was no misnomer. He was plenty hot stuff, and made life miserable for many an umpire. His biting tongue also lasted out at ball player's, friend and foe, especially when he thought the friend wasn't bearing down hard enough. The
Tabasco Kid, of course, was Norman Elberfeld, famous New York American shortstop, who was called out by the Great Umpire at Chattanooga, Jan. 13, says Fred Leibin sporting news.
But, it there are some debit marks on the Kid's ledger, the Great Umpire may make allowances for mitigating circumstances. "I was tough, and I guess mean, too," said Elberfeld, not long before his death. 'I had only four years of schooling, and then had to hustle for myself. I was only a little squirt, five feet seven inches tall, and weighed only 135 pounds when I played my best ball.
"Well, they didn't give much encouragement to a runt when I broke in with the Phillies in the nineties. You know the Baltimore Orioles and Tebeau's Cleveland Spiders still were in the league. The only way I could prevent those others guys from picking on me was to be tougher than they were."
The Kid had one great regret—that he didn't get to play for John McGraw. He was with Detroit in the early years of the American League in 1900, '01, '02 and '03 He jumped to the Giants after the 1902 season, but under the peace terms Elberfeld was returned to Detroit. McGraw
knew Elberfeld was headed for the New York Americans, and signed him, trying to prevent it.
"McGraw was baseball's greatest manager," said Elberfeld "We played the same kind of ball, hard and to win."
