Books and articles about Kid Elberfeld

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RELATED LINKS Book Excerpts » "[Elberfeld] took it upon himself to teach the twenty-one-year-old Stengel major league tricks: Leonard Koppett Submissions » Memories of Kid Elberfeld by Carter B. Norman » Norman Arthur Elberfeld by Ben Hunter » Norman Arthur 'Kid' Elberfeld by Stephen P. Cole » The First Yankee Home Game: April 30, 1903 by Harvey Frommer Around the Web » Kid Elberfeld from baseball-reference.com Jump directly to Library content from any website!

The 5'5" Elberfeld played a fiery brand of baseball, challenging baserunners to slash him out of their way, living up to the title "The Tabasco Kid." His legs were badly scarred, and he grimly poured raw whiskey into spike wounds to cauterize them. He hit .310 as Detroit's shortstop his first full season, 1901, and was the Highlanders' everyday shortstop from mid-1903 through 1907. After a short, unsuccessful stint as New York's manager for part of 1908, he went back to playing full time the following year. He remained in baseball for decades, battling umpires and foes as a hotheaded minor league manager. (JK)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » April 25, 1901: In its AL debut before 10,023, Detroit scores the greatest Opening Day rally with 10 runs in the bottom of the 9th for a 14-13 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers. Detroit spots the Brewers a 13-3 lead-7-0 after three innings-by making seven errors, including three by SS Kid Elberfeld. Tiger 1B Pop Dillon hits four doubles, including a pair in the record 9th inning, the last is the game-winner off reliever Bert Husting. Dillon's four doubles is an opening day record that will be matched by Jim Greengrass in 1954. » August 21, 1901: In Baltimore, Orioles pitcher Joe McGinnity is tossed for spitting in the face of umpire Tom Connolly. When Detroit's Kid Elberfeld intervenes, he is decked by Baltimore's Mike Donlin. Bill Keister also gets involved, as do some fans, and the police, who arrest the players and a fan. Judge Harry Goldman, a part-owner of the O's, releases the players and fines the fan a $100. » September 2, 1901: Detroit sweeps a Labor Day doubleheader from Washington, picking up an AL record 21 infield assists in game 2. This is still the AL record. SS Kid Elberfeld has 12 assists to back up Roscoe Miller. » June 10, 1903: Detroit SS Kid Elberfeld, suspended for abusing an umpire, is traded to the New York Highlanders for veteran infielders Herman Long, 37, and Ernie Courtney. The Highlanders' first trade is a good one as"The Tabasco Kid", currently hitting .341, will be a key ingredient in New York's rise as contenders in 1904. » August 1, 1903: Rube Waddell no-hits the Highlanders, except for Kid Elberfeld, who has four singles. These, plus a lavish six walks, down the A's 3-2. Waddell observes afterward, "If I would have walked him four times, I would have pitched a no-hitter." » May 11, 1904: In the opener of a 4-game series with the visiting Cleveland Blues, the New York Highlanders prevail, 4-2, on a 2-run HR by Kid Elberfeld and a pair of run-scoring singles by Deacon McGuire. The New Yorkers will take three of the four games to move into a tie 2nd place. » February 2, 1905: Hugh Jennings, now managing Baltimore in the Eastern League, is admitted to the Maryland bar after completing law studies at Cornell. In two weeks Yankees OF Dave Fultz, a Columbia graduate, passes the New York bar exam. Fultz will suffer a late September collision with teammate Kid Elberfeld, breaking his nose and jaw, and retire at 31. In 1912 he will organize and lead the Players' Fraternity. » September 3, 1906: Kid Elberfeld, the hot-headed Tabasco Kid, assaults umpire Silk O'Loughlin and is forcibly removed by police in the first game of New York's 4-3 win over the Athletics. In the 2nd game, New York base runner Willie Keeler collides with SS Lave Cross trying to field a ground ball, and two runs score. O'Loughlin sees no interference, a call so hotly disputed by A's captain Harry Davis that, after eight minutes of arguing, the umpire forfeits the game to New York. For New York, it is a major-league record 5th straight doubleheader sweep in consecutive days. » May 31, 1907: Kid Elberfeld of the Highlanders steals home twice against Boston, alone in the 6th and on a double steal with Hal Chase in the 7th. » June 12, 1907: The Highlanders make it easy for the Tigers by committing 11 errors in the 14-6 win by Detroit. Shortstop Kid Elberfeld leads the bobble gang with four errors; 1B Hal Chase, 3B Frank LaPorte, 2B Jimmy Williams, LF Wid Conroy, and pitchers Al Orth and Bill Hogg each add a miscue. Following the game, New York manager Clark Griffith gets into a fracas with a fan and is charged with assault. Griffith later argues self defense and receives a fine. » June 24, 1908: Charging the Highlander owners with refusing to spend money to build the team, manager Clark Griffith resigns; Kid Elberfeld replaces him following today's 6-6 tie with the A's. New York fades fast and finishes last with 103 losses. » July 25, 1908: With the Highlanders leading the Tigers 3–2 in the 8th, Detroit scores two runs on a Ty Cobb triple. With lefty Claude Rossman the next hitter, New York's new manager Kid Elberfeld moves righty pitcher Jack Chesbro to 1B and replaces him with first baseman Hal Chase. Chase allows a fly ball that scores Cobb, then goes back to 1B and Chesbro resumes his spot on the mound. It is Chase's only pitching appearance as the Tigers win 5–3. » December 15, 1909: Kid Elberfeld, who helped make the Highlanders a winner, is sold to Washington for $5,000. » September 12, 1936: Kid Elberfeld pinch-hits at age 61 for his Fulton (Kitty League) team and grounds out to 3B. » August 12, 1986: Boston's Don Baylor sets an American League record when he is hit by a pitch for the 25th time, breaking the season record he held with Bill Freehan (1968) and Kid Elberfeld (1911). The Royals Bud Black does the plunking in a 5–1 win. Baylor will end the season being hit 35 times: the major-league record is 50 by Ron Hunt.