If you go back to yesterday's post, you will see a wonderful article regarding Gehringer's playing ability and passion. That article was republished in The Fowlerville Review from a New York paper. Today's article was another reprinted (similar) article, this time from the Detroit Free Press:
~~Chas. Gehringer Making Good
Charlie Gehringer, a Fowlerville boy, who went to Toronto International league club from the Long Minters via Detroit, has in the past two weeks proved the sensation of the international league. Experts on that circuit pick the youthful Gehringer as the international's leading second sacker and his work recently substantiates this opinion.
He has been batting exceptionally well of late and has boosted his average from .270 to .319 in about ten days. He has played 27 games and made 31 hits including three home runs. In addition to this, his fielding has been extraordinary. In the last eighteen games, he has accepted 118 chanced without a slip. In two games he accepted a total of nine chances each. He has only made one error since the season opened.
Toronto fans hail him as the best second sacker the Leafs have had since Larry Lajoie played there in 1917. Gehringer brings back memories of the graceful Frenchman as he has the same easy style of fielding the difficult chances and he is a great man in the middle of double plays.
Gehringer is barely twenty years old. He is with Toronto on an optional agreement, the Detroit Tigers having a string on him. He played his first year in professional baseball last season with the London Tecumsehs in the Michigan Ontario league. His work with London attracted the notice of several big league scouts and Gehringer reported to the Tigers after the Mint league closed and figured in three or four games toward the latter end of the American league season.
Gehringer takes his baseball seriously. He is ambitious and his one aim is to become a regular big leaguer. When with London, he field exceptionally well but showed a tendency to worry too much over errors. On one occasion in a particularly tight game, Gehringer booted a grounder that paved the way for a run which eventually defeated the London team. The second sacker was considerably upset and when one of the London players "rode" him a little for the miscue, Gehringer actually wept.
With the tears streaming down his face, he came in to the bench when the inning was over and Mike Baker, the genial little shortstop, who is now manager of the Tecumsehs, put some humor into the situation by rushing up to Gehringer and offering him a handkerchief with the remark, "Come over into the crying room, kind, and weep a bucketful."~~Detroit Free Press
In the above article, you will see Larry "Napolean" Lajoie's name in bold. That means you can click on his name and it will take you to a wiki page on his career. In a short article a few weeks later, comparisons between Lajoie and Gehringer were becoming more numerous.
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
1925 Gehringer with the Leafs
In my continuing chronology of articles found in The Fowlerville Review during the years Charles Gehringer was playing for the Detroit Tigers (Tygers) and its farm team, the following article reports of some of his skill from a May, 1925, game. He had gone to the Ontario Mints from the Detroit pro-team, and was now with the Leafs.
~~Chas. Gehringer Making Good
The many friends of Charley Gehringer will be interested in knowing that he is making a splendid success in the ball game as the following clippings from the press will show:
Rochester, N.Y., May 17 -- Winning two games from the trio today, 8 to 8 and 9 to 3, while the Jersey City Skeeters were dropping a couple to Reading, the Leafs went into second place in the International League pennant race. Only three games separate the Leafs from the Orioles on top. Perhaps the Tool circuit will have a race at last.
The games were featured by the hitting of Charlie Gehringer, the Leafs' youthful, able guardian of the Keystone sack. In nine trips to the plate, the youngster got seven hits, including a triple and a home run. He had six straight hits in the two games, singling in the ninth of the first, and nothing stopping him in the second. His circuit clout was one of the longest inside the park here, coming with Thomas on base and was made off Gresett. He got plenty of applause from the 8,000 fans who saw the contests.
A perfectly good ball game, likewise a nice new specimen of the Spalding sphere making industry, was knocked lopsided when Charlie Gehringer "homered" himself into the hero class along about the sixth session of the second set with the Skeeters. Gehringer, who had previously provided the season's sensational stop when he sprinted astern of second to scoop a slush from Sheridan's stick that was steering straight for Gilhooley's sector, came up to bat with the sacks full, and Jim Roberts feeling likewise. The score was knotted and there were two out.
Gehringer didn't stand on ceremony, but picked out the first pitch that was to his liking and lined it to the far confines of the park. It was a terrific slam, so hard hit that Gaudette, who turned with the crack of the bat and ran for the fence, almost got it on the rebound. He fielded the ball home quickly with the assistance of Malone, but Gehringer was over the plate and on his way to the bench when the relay was completed. Master Charlie himself never ran faster than the tongue-tied recruit from the London club. By the same token, it is doubtful whether Ty Cobb, who some day will endorse the youngster's pay checks, ever connected in more solid fashion. It was Gehringer's day to shine, and in that respect he had a decided edge on the atmospheric conditions which prevails most of the afternoon.
Nice plays by Harrington and Heath illuminated the pastime, the latter grabbing a near-hit for the final out of the game, while the former got in front of several hard wallops.
For more reading on the Leafs, click here. There is a link toward the bottom of the wiki page for Charles Gehringer.
~~Chas. Gehringer Making Good
The many friends of Charley Gehringer will be interested in knowing that he is making a splendid success in the ball game as the following clippings from the press will show:
Rochester, N.Y., May 17 -- Winning two games from the trio today, 8 to 8 and 9 to 3, while the Jersey City Skeeters were dropping a couple to Reading, the Leafs went into second place in the International League pennant race. Only three games separate the Leafs from the Orioles on top. Perhaps the Tool circuit will have a race at last.
The games were featured by the hitting of Charlie Gehringer, the Leafs' youthful, able guardian of the Keystone sack. In nine trips to the plate, the youngster got seven hits, including a triple and a home run. He had six straight hits in the two games, singling in the ninth of the first, and nothing stopping him in the second. His circuit clout was one of the longest inside the park here, coming with Thomas on base and was made off Gresett. He got plenty of applause from the 8,000 fans who saw the contests.
A perfectly good ball game, likewise a nice new specimen of the Spalding sphere making industry, was knocked lopsided when Charlie Gehringer "homered" himself into the hero class along about the sixth session of the second set with the Skeeters. Gehringer, who had previously provided the season's sensational stop when he sprinted astern of second to scoop a slush from Sheridan's stick that was steering straight for Gilhooley's sector, came up to bat with the sacks full, and Jim Roberts feeling likewise. The score was knotted and there were two out.
Gehringer didn't stand on ceremony, but picked out the first pitch that was to his liking and lined it to the far confines of the park. It was a terrific slam, so hard hit that Gaudette, who turned with the crack of the bat and ran for the fence, almost got it on the rebound. He fielded the ball home quickly with the assistance of Malone, but Gehringer was over the plate and on his way to the bench when the relay was completed. Master Charlie himself never ran faster than the tongue-tied recruit from the London club. By the same token, it is doubtful whether Ty Cobb, who some day will endorse the youngster's pay checks, ever connected in more solid fashion. It was Gehringer's day to shine, and in that respect he had a decided edge on the atmospheric conditions which prevails most of the afternoon.
Nice plays by Harrington and Heath illuminated the pastime, the latter grabbing a near-hit for the final out of the game, while the former got in front of several hard wallops.
For more reading on the Leafs, click here. There is a link toward the bottom of the wiki page for Charles Gehringer.
Saturday, January 5, 2013
1924 Gehringer Sent to Minors
For a very few months in 1924, Charles Gehringer was on the Detroit Tigers pro-baseball team. But in April of that same year, it was reported "Gehringer Sent to Minors" in the local newspaper. The article, which was republished from the Daily Paper, read as follows:
Augusta, Ga.~~Here is one for the well known ledger. Ty Cobb has been trying to land a second baseman for the Tygers for the past four years. Ty thinks he might have won the pennant last year if he had had a star second baseman.
This year he has what he calls the "best looking young second baseman I ever saw." And he is sending him away.
The gent in point is Charley Gehringer of Fowlerville, Mich. Gehringer has hands like Lutzke of the Indians and is built like Kamm of the White Sox. And in field skill he is the equal of either.
"I never saw a man who was surer on a ground-hit ball," Cobb says.
Gehringer, however, has never played a professional game of ball in his life. He came up to Cobb in Detroit last fall and asked for a tryout. That's how he happens to be here. Naturally he is terribly green, and he has no style at all at the plate.
Cobb figures a year in the minors will just about make him. "I'd give my right arm to be able to use him now," adds the Tyger leader.~~Daily Paper
The Detroit team released Gehringer and he moved on to the Mint League in London, Ontario, to play ball. In an article giving this information, a little bit of insight into his personality was relayed. The article was published in the Detroit News. A couple of paragraphs follow:
Cobb and other judges of playing talent say that Gehringer has more mechanical (*) skill than any youngster they have ever seen. With some experience at infielding, he should become a major league player. Cobb would not be surprised if Gehringer played second base for Detroit next year.
Gehringer got into Detroit's line-up once this year and that was in the first exhibition game the team played, opposing Rochester at Savannah, Georgia.
Cobb sent up Gehringer as pinch batter. The Rochester pitcher struck him out on three pitched balls, all fast ones. Gehringer looked bad and he was never tried again.
There has never been a recruit who said as little as Gehringer. He never uttered a word. He sat on the bench day after day absolutely silent. Only once did he break his silence and that was during one of the Detroit-Cleveland games. Tris Speaker needed a relief pitcher and he sent in Guy Morton. After Morton pitched a few innings, Bob Fothergill observed: "This Morton is throwing one of the best curves I ever saw. Look how that ball is breaking over the plate."
A moment's pause and then Gehringer remarked: "If he's got any better curve than the one that guy struck me out on in Savannah that day, I'd like to look at it."
It was the only remark he ever made.
(*) Maybe this is how he became known as the "Mechanical Man"?
According to another article, he started perfecting his bunt while also playing second baseman. Unfortunately, in one game "he was badly spiked in the hand while sliding to a base in a game at Flint a few days since and will be laid up for a short time."
Augusta, Ga.~~Here is one for the well known ledger. Ty Cobb has been trying to land a second baseman for the Tygers for the past four years. Ty thinks he might have won the pennant last year if he had had a star second baseman.
This year he has what he calls the "best looking young second baseman I ever saw." And he is sending him away.
The gent in point is Charley Gehringer of Fowlerville, Mich. Gehringer has hands like Lutzke of the Indians and is built like Kamm of the White Sox. And in field skill he is the equal of either.
"I never saw a man who was surer on a ground-hit ball," Cobb says.
Gehringer, however, has never played a professional game of ball in his life. He came up to Cobb in Detroit last fall and asked for a tryout. That's how he happens to be here. Naturally he is terribly green, and he has no style at all at the plate.
Cobb figures a year in the minors will just about make him. "I'd give my right arm to be able to use him now," adds the Tyger leader.~~Daily Paper
The Detroit team released Gehringer and he moved on to the Mint League in London, Ontario, to play ball. In an article giving this information, a little bit of insight into his personality was relayed. The article was published in the Detroit News. A couple of paragraphs follow:
Cobb and other judges of playing talent say that Gehringer has more mechanical (*) skill than any youngster they have ever seen. With some experience at infielding, he should become a major league player. Cobb would not be surprised if Gehringer played second base for Detroit next year.
Gehringer got into Detroit's line-up once this year and that was in the first exhibition game the team played, opposing Rochester at Savannah, Georgia.
Cobb sent up Gehringer as pinch batter. The Rochester pitcher struck him out on three pitched balls, all fast ones. Gehringer looked bad and he was never tried again.
There has never been a recruit who said as little as Gehringer. He never uttered a word. He sat on the bench day after day absolutely silent. Only once did he break his silence and that was during one of the Detroit-Cleveland games. Tris Speaker needed a relief pitcher and he sent in Guy Morton. After Morton pitched a few innings, Bob Fothergill observed: "This Morton is throwing one of the best curves I ever saw. Look how that ball is breaking over the plate."
A moment's pause and then Gehringer remarked: "If he's got any better curve than the one that guy struck me out on in Savannah that day, I'd like to look at it."
It was the only remark he ever made.
(*) Maybe this is how he became known as the "Mechanical Man"?
According to another article, he started perfecting his bunt while also playing second baseman. Unfortunately, in one game "he was badly spiked in the hand while sliding to a base in a game at Flint a few days since and will be laid up for a short time."
Friday, January 4, 2013
1924 Gehringer Heading South
In January, 1924, the following article showed up in the local newspaper:
Thursday, January 3, 2013
1923 Three Ball Players and a Signing
And then, by October of that same year, "Charley" -- as the local publisher started calling him -- signed with the Detroit Tigers.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
1922 Gehringer in Indiana
In November, I posted a picture of Charles Gehringer with the Fowlerville high school team. You can check out that article and picture by clicking here. That team picture was taken in 1919.
Charles Gehringer graduated from the high school in 1922. By August of that year, he was in Indiana. The following little blurb was found in The Fowlerville Review announcing this:
Since it is blurry, it reads, "Charles Gehringer is pitching for a club in Indiana and is doing some fine work, playing several errorless games and being the main spoke in the club with which he is working."
There are two very good sites for Charles Gehringer's biography, which you can find by clicking here and also by scrolling down this page and clicking on the link to Mike Grimm's Fowlerville History site.
As for this series of posts, there will be more articles as found in the local newspaper.
Charles Gehringer graduated from the high school in 1922. By August of that year, he was in Indiana. The following little blurb was found in The Fowlerville Review announcing this:
There are two very good sites for Charles Gehringer's biography, which you can find by clicking here and also by scrolling down this page and clicking on the link to Mike Grimm's Fowlerville History site.
As for this series of posts, there will be more articles as found in the local newspaper.
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
1929 Checkers Basketball Team
Fowlerville used to have a basketball team called "The Checkers" and, right after the first of the year in 1929, they appeared to be playing very well -- especially against a Laingsburg team. Does anyone remember ever hearing about a basketball team by this name?
There are numerous books on the life of Charles Gehringer, a professional baseball player from Fowlerville, but tomorrow I will start a series of articles that were published in the local newspaper that I have accumulated on him. For those interested in his life and times, these articles may add a few new tidbits of interest.
If ever you, my readers, are interested in a subject, please let me know and I will see what I have gathered in my research.
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