Books and articles about Germany Schaefer

One of the zaniest characters in baseball history, Schaefer is most famous for causing a rule change with one of his antics. Actually he had a practical reason for stealing first base. Playing Cleveland, the Tigers had the speed Davy Jones on third base and Schaefer on first in the ninth inning and tried a delayed double steal, but the catcher, Nig Clarke, didn't throw. Schaefer ran back to first base on the next pitch, then shouted across to Jones that he was going to second base again. The catcher, rattled, threw down to second and Jones scored the winning run. That tactic was then outlawed.

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Schaefer was a powerless hitter and rarely hit for a good average, but his versatility afield kept him in the majors for 13 seasons (not counting his last two years, when he played in only one game each). In his first two years with the Tigers, 1905-06, he was their regular second baseman, leading the AL in putouts in 1905 and in total chances per game in 1906. He had only one more season in which he played 100 games at a single position. His best season offensively was probably 1908, when he reached career highs with 96 runs (third in the AL), 40 steals (third), and 20 doubles as the Tigers won their second of three consecutive AL pennants (1907-09). Traded to the Senators in mid-1909, he had one more significant season, hitting a career-high .334 in 125 games in 1911, but thereafter spent most of his time on the coaching lines, teamed with fellow clown Nick Altrock. An earlier vaudeville act with Tiger teammate Charley O'Leary was the inspiration for the MGM musical "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. Schaefer's friend John McGraw made him a Giant scout in 1919, and while on a scouting trip to Canada that year, Schaefer died of a massive heart attack. (WOR)

FROM THE BASEBALL CHRONOLOGY » August 13, 1902: In the 6th inning of a game with the Tigers, Harry Davis of the A's attempts a double steal with Dave Fultz, who is on 3B. But Davis does not draw a throw as he goes into 2B. On the next pitch he "steals" 1B. The next time he steals 2B he does draw a throw and Fultz scores from 3B. This double steal maneuver will be attempted in later years by Fred Tenney (July 31, 1908), and Germany Schaefer (September 4, 1908), though the details are contradictory. » September 13, 1902: Tinker, Evers, and Chance play their first game as a SS-2B-1B combo for Chicago. Germany Schaefer is at 3B as Chicago clips St. Louis, 12-0. » July 3, 1906: At Cleveland, the Naps top the Tigers, 5-0, in game called after six innings on account of rain. To underscore the soggy conditions, Detroit outfielder Germany Schaefer plays the last few innings wearing a raincoat over his uniform. » October 8, 1907: The Tigers have Game One of the World Series against the Cubs in their grasp—or in C Charlie Schmidt's glove—but it gets away from them. Leading 3–2 in the 9th, Bill Donovan faces pinch hitter Del Howard with two on and two outs. He fans Howard, but the ball gets away from Schmidt, and the tying run scores. Darkness ends the game after 12 innings. Jimmy Slagle of the Tigers is nabbed in the 1st by Bill Coughlin after Germany Schaefer pulls a hidden ball trick on him, the first in Series history. » October 9, 1907: In Game Two, the Tigers score just once against Chicago’s Jack Pfiester and lose 3–1. They will not score more than once in any of the remaining games in the WS. Jimmy Slagle gets nabbed in the first inning by a hidden ball trick, the only one in WS history. The play goes Germany Schaefer to Bill Coughlin (according to Bill Deane). Slagle redeems himself in the 4th by driving in the go-ahead run and then scoring on Sheckard’s double. » May 25, 1908: Detroit scores an unearned run in the 3rd against Washington lefty Bill Burns, but not until two are out in the 9th does a Tiger collect a base hit. Germany Schaefer singles to center off "Sleepy Bill" for the only Bengal hit as Detroit wins, 1-0. Washington will lose 29 games this year by shutouts, an AL record. » January 21, 1916: The Yankees buy left-handed P Nick Cullop from Kansas City (FL), infielder Joe Gedeon from Salt Lake City (PCL), and veteran Germany Schaefer from Newark (FL). Schaefer will announce that he is changing his nickname to "Liberty" because of the war. Schaefer noticed that sauerkraut had been renamed "liberty cabbage."