March 8, 1941 - Washington Post, DC - This Morning - Elberfeld story
This Morning With Shirley Povich
Orlando, Fla. March 7. - The Kid is 67 years oid now, bald as a singed crystal: and learning how to use his third set of store teeth; but he still bristles like a bantam and vows league ball players are getting soft. Norman (Kid) Elberfeld who saw more high-riding spikes than any ball player of his time still has the wounds to prove it, hasn't changed much.
"The big leagues are full of putty-scalps," the Kid was saying to Clark Griffith at Tinker Field today. "Medwick gets beaned last season and is out for three weeks. This Jurges who was beaned last year still has dizzy spells and has to go home. I was hit in the head three times in one ball game and got two for two in the late inning."
He lifted a trouser leg to reveal his longest and ugliest spike wound. "That's a souvenir from Ty Cobb, the first time he ever slid into second base when I was playing shortstop. It was the first and last time Cobb spiked me. Did I take care of him, Griff?"
Whereupon the Nat's owner, took up the tale of Elberfeld vs. Cobb. "Kid ain't lying," said Griffith. "I was pitching the first day we saw Cobb in 1905. The Kid was my shortstop with the New York Highlanders. Cobb went out of his way 6 feet to spike the Kid the first time he got on base. The next time Cobb went into second, Kid was ready for him. He lifted one foot high and stopped Cobb a foot from the bag with the other. Then he gave Cobb the knee and pounded Ty's face into the dirt 15 or 20 times. That was the last time he had any trouble from Cobb."
The Kid weighed 132 pounds when he played shortstop in the American League. Around the sandlots of Cincinnati before the turn of the century, he was Nick Altrock's first catcher. He succeeded Griffith as manager of New York in 1908 after the Highlanders, on a road trip, lost 21 in a row.
But he was welcome in the Nats' camp today. The Kid is responsible for half of the Washington infield which came out of baseball schools that he ran. Cecil Travis and Buddy Lewis were uncovered by Elberfeld who sold them both to the Nats' Chattanooga farm. For Travis, who today is rated a $50,000 chattel, Elberfeld received $205 front the Chattanooga Club.
Travis and Elberfeld were discussing their first meeting today. It was back in 1931, and Elberfeld, who was operating a baseball school in Atlanta, had received reports about a tall, semipro lad who lived in nearby Riverdale, Ga.
"I went out there to get Travis for my baseball school. It was the last week of the school, and it was raining every day. I never did get a chance to see Travis field, but I knew he could hit. The only fielding practice he ever got from me was in my living room on the rug. I tossed him grounders with a spin on 'em, and tried to show him how to come up with them. Joe Engel took my word for it that he was a good fielder."
In the Nate' dressing room, the Kid talked to Mike Martin. Washington trainer who has been with Griffith for 48 years. "Mike was a red-headed, freckle-faced mascot when I was with Griffith's High- lenders," recalled Elberfeld. "We adopted him and he ended up at the trainer of the club."
Those were the days when Griffith was pitching his junk stuff to great hitters like Cobb and Crawford and Burkhardt. He'd give 'em everything but a fast ball and make 'em hit it where he wanted. Griff would give me the sign and I'd stand behind second base and rob 'em. We'd have won that pennant in 1906 except for Chesbro's wild pitch in the last game of the season."
What sort of a hitter was the 132-pound Elberfeld? Mike Martin answered that one. "Tell 'em about that day against Rube Waddell, Kid. Remember the time he held us to four hits and you got all four of 'em and beat him 3 to 2. Willie Keeler walked four times and you laid down three bunts. Tell 'em about Waddell, Kid."
"There was the champion, until Walter Johnson came into the league. I don't know about this boy Feller, but I'm betting he can't throw a fast ball like Waddell or Addie Joss. I understand they can swing the ends of their bats and get a hit off this boy Feller. If you were down on the end of the bat against those old guys you'd never get a piece of the ball. Keeler would bat .500 against today's pitching."
Orlando, Fla. March 7. - The Kid is 67 years oid now, bald as a singed crystal: and learning how to use his third set of store teeth; but he still bristles like a bantam and vows league ball players are getting soft. Norman (Kid) Elberfeld who saw more high-riding spikes than any ball player of his time still has the wounds to prove it, hasn't changed much.
"The big leagues are full of putty-scalps," the Kid was saying to Clark Griffith at Tinker Field today. "Medwick gets beaned last season and is out for three weeks. This Jurges who was beaned last year still has dizzy spells and has to go home. I was hit in the head three times in one ball game and got two for two in the late inning."
He lifted a trouser leg to reveal his longest and ugliest spike wound. "That's a souvenir from Ty Cobb, the first time he ever slid into second base when I was playing shortstop. It was the first and last time Cobb spiked me. Did I take care of him, Griff?"
Whereupon the Nat's owner, took up the tale of Elberfeld vs. Cobb. "Kid ain't lying," said Griffith. "I was pitching the first day we saw Cobb in 1905. The Kid was my shortstop with the New York Highlanders. Cobb went out of his way 6 feet to spike the Kid the first time he got on base. The next time Cobb went into second, Kid was ready for him. He lifted one foot high and stopped Cobb a foot from the bag with the other. Then he gave Cobb the knee and pounded Ty's face into the dirt 15 or 20 times. That was the last time he had any trouble from Cobb."
The Kid weighed 132 pounds when he played shortstop in the American League. Around the sandlots of Cincinnati before the turn of the century, he was Nick Altrock's first catcher. He succeeded Griffith as manager of New York in 1908 after the Highlanders, on a road trip, lost 21 in a row.
But he was welcome in the Nats' camp today. The Kid is responsible for half of the Washington infield which came out of baseball schools that he ran. Cecil Travis and Buddy Lewis were uncovered by Elberfeld who sold them both to the Nats' Chattanooga farm. For Travis, who today is rated a $50,000 chattel, Elberfeld received $205 front the Chattanooga Club.
Travis and Elberfeld were discussing their first meeting today. It was back in 1931, and Elberfeld, who was operating a baseball school in Atlanta, had received reports about a tall, semipro lad who lived in nearby Riverdale, Ga.
"I went out there to get Travis for my baseball school. It was the last week of the school, and it was raining every day. I never did get a chance to see Travis field, but I knew he could hit. The only fielding practice he ever got from me was in my living room on the rug. I tossed him grounders with a spin on 'em, and tried to show him how to come up with them. Joe Engel took my word for it that he was a good fielder."
In the Nate' dressing room, the Kid talked to Mike Martin. Washington trainer who has been with Griffith for 48 years. "Mike was a red-headed, freckle-faced mascot when I was with Griffith's High- lenders," recalled Elberfeld. "We adopted him and he ended up at the trainer of the club."
Those were the days when Griffith was pitching his junk stuff to great hitters like Cobb and Crawford and Burkhardt. He'd give 'em everything but a fast ball and make 'em hit it where he wanted. Griff would give me the sign and I'd stand behind second base and rob 'em. We'd have won that pennant in 1906 except for Chesbro's wild pitch in the last game of the season."
What sort of a hitter was the 132-pound Elberfeld? Mike Martin answered that one. "Tell 'em about that day against Rube Waddell, Kid. Remember the time he held us to four hits and you got all four of 'em and beat him 3 to 2. Willie Keeler walked four times and you laid down three bunts. Tell 'em about Waddell, Kid."
"There was the champion, until Walter Johnson came into the league. I don't know about this boy Feller, but I'm betting he can't throw a fast ball like Waddell or Addie Joss. I understand they can swing the ends of their bats and get a hit off this boy Feller. If you were down on the end of the bat against those old guys you'd never get a piece of the ball. Keeler would bat .500 against today's pitching."
