Occasional Glory: The History of the Philadelphia Phillies, 2d ed. - David M. Jordan - McFarland, Sep 19, 2012 - Sports & Recreation - 254 pages
Lieb tells a sad story that the Phillies in 1897 sent a sore-armed pitcher named Con Lucid off to Paterson, New Jersey, in the Atlantic League to check out an infielder, a big Dutchman named John "Honus" Wagner. Lucid watched him in a couple of games and reported back that, while Wagner could hit, he was too awkward to play in the National League. Lucid was more impressed by the other team's shortstop, Norman "Kid" Elberfeld, so the PhiIs acquired him instead of Wagner, who was then picked up by Louisville a couple of weeks later.
It is hard to tell what to make of this typical Fred Lieb tale. Con Lucid, who had pitched for the Phillies in 1895 and 1896, was not on their roster in '97. He pitched that spring for Reading, also in the Atlantic League, and it is possible that he sent reports back to his former team on Wagner and Elberfeld. What is known is that Louisville purchased Wagner on July 16, that a week later the Phillies obtained shortstop Frank Shugart, a hard drinker who had been with four teams in the prior six seasons, from minor league St. Paul, and that they got Elberfeld for the 1898 season, after Shugart was found wanting. And Con Lucid wound up, later in 1897, with the St. Louis Browns.
Elberfeld was certainly a major leaguer, and he had a long career of fourteen years. Only the first and briefest of these was in a Philadelphia uniform. The other guy, of course, proved that he could play in the National League, and the rest is history. Not Philadelphia history, unfortunately, though a keystone combination of Honus Wagner and Larry Lajoie would have been something to see.
It is hard to tell what to make of this typical Fred Lieb tale. Con Lucid, who had pitched for the Phillies in 1895 and 1896, was not on their roster in '97. He pitched that spring for Reading, also in the Atlantic League, and it is possible that he sent reports back to his former team on Wagner and Elberfeld. What is known is that Louisville purchased Wagner on July 16, that a week later the Phillies obtained shortstop Frank Shugart, a hard drinker who had been with four teams in the prior six seasons, from minor league St. Paul, and that they got Elberfeld for the 1898 season, after Shugart was found wanting. And Con Lucid wound up, later in 1897, with the St. Louis Browns.
Elberfeld was certainly a major leaguer, and he had a long career of fourteen years. Only the first and briefest of these was in a Philadelphia uniform. The other guy, of course, proved that he could play in the National League, and the rest is history. Not Philadelphia history, unfortunately, though a keystone combination of Honus Wagner and Larry Lajoie would have been something to see.