November 6, 1910 - The Washington Post, DC - Old Timer
THE WASHINGTON POST:
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1910
Elberfeld Has Them All Beaten
For Long Service in American
NORMAN ELBERFELD.
Of those players who were with the American League when it dropped the name of Western League in 1900 and took up the more expressive title, only one remains in the ranks who has been continuously in service in the American League. That is Norman Elberfeld, now a member of the Nationals, but at that time with Detroit. Others now in the league, who were in it in 1900, but were out for a time are Charley Hemphill. of the Highlanders, Topsy Hartsel of the Athletics, and Wid Conroy.
It was in 1901 that the American League got its big boost. The announcement that Jimmy Collins of Boston, Napoleon Lajoie of Philadelphia, Joe McGinnity of Brooklyn, and Clarke Griffith of Chicago, had Jumped from the National League to the younger organization caused a big stir. Of these only Lajoie remains in the league. Others who were 1901 recruits and are still in the ranks are Freddy Parent, of Chicago; Billy Sullivan of Chicago; Lou Criger, of the Highlanders, and Cy Young, of Cleveland. Fielder Jones can also be counted in this list, as he is still a member of the Chicago club under baseball law,
Champions Come and Go.
With the exception of Billy Sullivan not one of Clarke Griffith's Chicago champions of 1901 is now in the American League. Of the champion Athletics of 1902. Harry Davis, Danny Murphy, Eddie Plank and Hartsel are the survivors. Davis is the only infielder in the league of the championship teams prior to 1909 who still is playing his regular position.
Of the Boston champions of 1903 and 1904 not one is now a member of that team, and few are still in the league. When Willie Keeler was given his uncondlitional release last winter by President Frank Farrell, of the Highlanders, the last of the original New York American League team of 1903 departed. Stallings completed the weeding out of the veterans when he released Jack Kleinow this spring to the Boston Americans. Kleinow joined the Highlanders in 1904.
Sad experience has taught present-day managers that standing pat on their teams is a mistake. The tendency now is to get young blood in the line-up, even if heroic measures are necessary. President John Taylor, of the Boston Americans, when he found that his two-time pennant winners could no longer win, went after a new team. Rebuilding from the top has proved a success with the Athletics and Highlanders. Even in Cleveland, where the idea has prevailed that "once a star always a star," there is talk of a new team. Everybody, excepting Lajoie, is liable to feel the ax.
Manager Jimmy McAleer, of the Washington club, while with St. Louis, had several winter pennant teams that fell down badly when the contests were transferred from the columns of the newspapers to the diamond. McAleer now has other ideas. He said recently: "There is nothing in standing pat. I did that in St. Louis several times when my team looked as if it ought to improve the next season, and it proved a serious mistake. No matter how strong a team may seem, it needs new blood from time to time to keep it on edge, and the shape we are in we cannot overlook a chance to better our condition by making a change or two, and that is exactly what we propose to do. To date we have been fairly successful in securing youngsters we were after, and we have lines out for several more."
Dahlen the Real Veteran.
To Manager Bill Dahlen, of the Brooklyn club, belongs the distinction of being the veteran of the National League in point of continuous service. Dahlen was signed by the Chicago club in the fall of 1890, and in 1891 played his first game in a Chicago uniform. He played with Chicago until 1899, when he was traded to Brooklyn for Gene Demontreville. After playing with Brooklyn for five seasons Dahlen was traded to the Giants for Charles Babb and Jack Cronin. In 1908 and 1909 he was with Boston, and this year was appointed manager of the Brooklyn club.
Of those who played with National League clubs in 1891, the year Dahlen entered the league, Cy Young is the only one now in the game who has always been in the major leagues.
SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 1910
Elberfeld Has Them All Beaten
For Long Service in American
NORMAN ELBERFELD.
Of those players who were with the American League when it dropped the name of Western League in 1900 and took up the more expressive title, only one remains in the ranks who has been continuously in service in the American League. That is Norman Elberfeld, now a member of the Nationals, but at that time with Detroit. Others now in the league, who were in it in 1900, but were out for a time are Charley Hemphill. of the Highlanders, Topsy Hartsel of the Athletics, and Wid Conroy.
It was in 1901 that the American League got its big boost. The announcement that Jimmy Collins of Boston, Napoleon Lajoie of Philadelphia, Joe McGinnity of Brooklyn, and Clarke Griffith of Chicago, had Jumped from the National League to the younger organization caused a big stir. Of these only Lajoie remains in the league. Others who were 1901 recruits and are still in the ranks are Freddy Parent, of Chicago; Billy Sullivan of Chicago; Lou Criger, of the Highlanders, and Cy Young, of Cleveland. Fielder Jones can also be counted in this list, as he is still a member of the Chicago club under baseball law,
Champions Come and Go.
With the exception of Billy Sullivan not one of Clarke Griffith's Chicago champions of 1901 is now in the American League. Of the champion Athletics of 1902. Harry Davis, Danny Murphy, Eddie Plank and Hartsel are the survivors. Davis is the only infielder in the league of the championship teams prior to 1909 who still is playing his regular position.
Of the Boston champions of 1903 and 1904 not one is now a member of that team, and few are still in the league. When Willie Keeler was given his uncondlitional release last winter by President Frank Farrell, of the Highlanders, the last of the original New York American League team of 1903 departed. Stallings completed the weeding out of the veterans when he released Jack Kleinow this spring to the Boston Americans. Kleinow joined the Highlanders in 1904.
Sad experience has taught present-day managers that standing pat on their teams is a mistake. The tendency now is to get young blood in the line-up, even if heroic measures are necessary. President John Taylor, of the Boston Americans, when he found that his two-time pennant winners could no longer win, went after a new team. Rebuilding from the top has proved a success with the Athletics and Highlanders. Even in Cleveland, where the idea has prevailed that "once a star always a star," there is talk of a new team. Everybody, excepting Lajoie, is liable to feel the ax.
Manager Jimmy McAleer, of the Washington club, while with St. Louis, had several winter pennant teams that fell down badly when the contests were transferred from the columns of the newspapers to the diamond. McAleer now has other ideas. He said recently: "There is nothing in standing pat. I did that in St. Louis several times when my team looked as if it ought to improve the next season, and it proved a serious mistake. No matter how strong a team may seem, it needs new blood from time to time to keep it on edge, and the shape we are in we cannot overlook a chance to better our condition by making a change or two, and that is exactly what we propose to do. To date we have been fairly successful in securing youngsters we were after, and we have lines out for several more."
Dahlen the Real Veteran.
To Manager Bill Dahlen, of the Brooklyn club, belongs the distinction of being the veteran of the National League in point of continuous service. Dahlen was signed by the Chicago club in the fall of 1890, and in 1891 played his first game in a Chicago uniform. He played with Chicago until 1899, when he was traded to Brooklyn for Gene Demontreville. After playing with Brooklyn for five seasons Dahlen was traded to the Giants for Charles Babb and Jack Cronin. In 1908 and 1909 he was with Boston, and this year was appointed manager of the Brooklyn club.
Of those who played with National League clubs in 1891, the year Dahlen entered the league, Cy Young is the only one now in the game who has always been in the major leagues.
