The Brewers' Goat Had a Name

by Dennis Pajot

In a previous post I gave some history of the Brewer mascot goat, owned by Ralph Cutting and Larry Chappell.

The pennant-winning 1913 Milwaukee Brewers

In at least two recent books the goat was given the name "Woozy". In my research I did not run across this name, or any name for the goat in 1913. But in 1914 the goat had a name — Fatima.

Close-up: pitcher Joe Hovlik and Fatima

I first ran across this name in the Milwaukee Sentinel of April 19, 1914, during the newspaper's description of the previous day's game against the Minneapolis Millers. The article reads:

In spite of the weather it was also a good afternoon for goats. Fatima, Ralph Cutting's nanny, jumped out on the field in the sixth inning, and stopped the game while half the Brewer team chased it around the lot. Fatima has all the sly habits of her sex, and she led the athletes a merry chase. A handsome youth finally inveigled her into the grandstand with a bag of peanuts and the pastime proceeded after the bugs had been given a big laugh. Last night the club physician reported that Fatima was suffering from a stomach ache, the many peanuts having been stuffed into said stomach. She was put on a diet of tin cans and old baseball shirts and was resting easily, and is expected to be back on the job this afternoon.

Milwaukee Sentinel columnist A.J. Schinner even wrote a poem about Fatima this day:

Every ball player must obey
And listen to what he doth say.
For the umpire doth rule the play,
But not Fatima.

Most carefully she browsed and fed,
As if it were a clover bed.
And did she list' to what was said?
Nay, not Fatima.

When, advent'rous, she slipped her anchor,
Her soul was not filled with rancor
Until they tried to catch and spank 'er,
Our own Fatima.

Then she kicked up one great big fuss,
Evading every spurt and rush
For she was a real clever cuse,
Was our Fatima.

Around she flew like a to a bug
Until she spied Cantillon's nug.
And then beneath the stands she dug.
Wise Fatima.

Shinner said the only trouble with Fatima was that she had a New England education and was unable to comprehend the Milwaukee north side diction.

The Sentinel referred to Cutting's goat as Fatima again on numerous occasions. (See May 4, May 8, May 14, June 8, June 9, August 19, 1914.)

In the May 3, 1914, we learn the goat could communicate, although the Milwaukee Journal did not give the goat a name. The goat was meandering around second base after a Brewer win, explaining "Mah-ah-ah-ah". Luckily there was a goatologist at the park and translated what the mascot had said. The mascot had said it tickled his chin whiskers to see the Clarkmen win, but he was sorry that they were not hitting home runs as they used to. [It appears the goatologist was not very good with determining the sex of the mascot!]

In the Milwaukee Journal of June 25, 1914 , we learn the entire life history of the goat, written by none other than herself.

THE TALE OF A GOAT, OR FROM POVERTY TO LAND OF PLENTY.
Written by A. Goat

I have been a goat all my life and I want the fans to know it. My father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. Goat, always objected to my earning a livelihood in a sporting capacity, but through the poverty of my parents, I was forced into my present position. As a lad playing about the city dumps with my goat chums, I created an appetite for an outdoor life. My father had a hard time supplying tin cans for our large family, so one day, packing a few nails and some scrap in a sack, I started out to seek my fortune in the world.

I was quietly nibbling a barbed wire fence at a farmer's house on the outskirts of Milwaukee, when one of the farm hands sneaked up and made me a prisoner. My main work here was to keep the yard clear of rubbish and as a reward for my work, I was given every Wednesday and Sunday afternoon off. During my rounds of the yard one day I came upon a mess of fresh beer bottle corks, and, feeling extremely hungry, downed about twelve. For weeks I lay at death's door and every goat specialist in that part of the country had given me up. I lived on nothing but shingle nails for weeks and finally when my strength returned, I was sold to Ralph Cutting, now with the Milwaukee Brewers, and Larry Chappell, now with the Chicago White Sox.

They bought me on a fifty-fifty basis, the front half belonging to Cutting and the rear to Mr. Chappell. I have always been very thankful that they never decided to break up the partnership and each take their share. I was then moved into the Milwaukee ball park, where I have since made my home.

The flood of Monday completely upset me and with my nerves in a shattered condition, I was forced to witness the brawl of Tuesday. I have been given quite an amount of publicity and my parents have learned of my whereabouts and are pleased with my success. My mother's birthday was last week and I sent her a little remembrance in the way of a two pound box of rusty washers.

I am very happy in my present position but some days I find it rather hard picking for food at the ball yard. The fans seem to take a real interest in me and I would appreciate it very much if they would throw the soda and beer bottle corks out on the field so that I can gobble them up.

In conclusion I will say that I have but one worry; no matter what I do or where I go, I simply can't get away from it, I'm always the goat.

The next morning A.J. Schinner published another poem dedicated to Fatima. This one regarding the goat's behavior during of the speech of Mayor Gerhard A. Bading on the occasion of the Brewers' raising the 1913 American Association pennant flag in the outfield of Athletic Park.

Thoughtful she looked across the Timme field with titled head.
She alone did not smile or heed what G.A. Bading said.
What cared she for pennants, plaudits or blare of the brass band?
For Fatima was a goat, and goats do not understand.

And as I watched the Saints rake ye Brewer from stern to stern
And witnessed that old batting eye to Happy Felch return,
I laughed and roared, but she, complacent, never showed her hand,
For Fatima was a goat, and goats do not understand.

Once only did I envy her—that was early in the day—
She did not have to strain to hear what Bading had to say;
She did not have to fidget or sit silent in the stand,
For Fatima was a goat, and goats do not understand.

In the September 28, 1914, edition of the Milwaukee Sentinel a team photo was published. Sitting on the lap of Cy Slapnicka is the goat, named Fatima in the accompanying caption.

Top Row—Griesel, Braun, Smith, Powell, Jim Jones, Lewis, Tom Jones, McGraw, Skechan, Shakelford.
Middle Row—Randell, Dougherty, Felch, Beall, Hovlik, Young, Cutting, Miller.
Bottom Row—Bausch, Hughes, Clark, Barbeau, Berg, Slapnicka and Fatima, Carlson.

1937 Radio Appreciation Day

This sharp team photo shows us the 1937 Brewers. It was a premium for "Radio Appreciation Day" at the Orchard.

The smiling fellow in the lower-left corner is Alan Hale, the WISN's "Wheaties-Mobilgas Sports Announcer". He was known for his home run call:

"Hang on to your rocking chair, Grandma! There it goes!"

Hale was the Brewers' announcer through 1941. He was succeeded behind the Borchert Field microphone by former Brewers manager Mickey Heath and then Earl Gillespie, who was later known for calling Milwaukee Braves and Green Bay Packers games. Hale moved on to San Diego, where he called games for the Pacific Coast League's Padres.

Jolly Cholly as a Beer Barrel Man, 1951

I have several 1951 progams in my collection, all with this unusual Beer Barrel Man on the cover:

It wasn't until very recently that I realized that the picture was actually of manager Charlie Grimm. The original image comes from this 1941 wire photo:

GRIMM TAKES OVER AS MANAGER OF BREWERS

Milwaukee, Wis.: Charley Grimm, former manager of the Chicago Cubs, coaching back of first-base in night game between Minneapolis and Milwaukee Brewers, after he had taken over job as manager of the Brewers. The Brewers lost the game, 8-4, the first since William Veeck and Grimm joined the Brewers with several of the Cub players.

(collection of Paul Tenpenny)

The two uses of this image, wire photo and program cover, reflect Jolly Cholly's two periods at the helm of the Brewers.

His first managerial stint, started in 1941, lasted through the beginning of the 1944 season, when he was hired away by the Chicago Cubs. While Grimm was in Chicago, the Brewers were sold and resold, ending up in the hands of the Boston Braves in late 1946 (a move which spelled the end of the Brewers' long run as an independent ballclub).

Grimm was fired by the Cubbies in 1949, and the Braves hired Grimm to manage the top rung of their farm system ladder... the Milwaukee Brewers. To celebrate his return to Borchert Field, the Brewers dug out an old wire photo of the skipper from his previous stay in town, dressed him up in Owgust's beer barrel, and put him on the program cover.

The Packers and the Badgers, 1924

(cross-posted with The Wearing of the Green (and Gold))

Eighty-seven years ago today, on October 19, 1924, the Packers welcomed their intrastate rivals the Milwaukee Badgers to City Stadium.

This program from that game comes from the current Heritage Auction:

Heritage Auctions

1924 Green Bay Packers vs. Milwaukee Badgers Program - Only Known Example! Up until only a few years ago, no Green Bay Packers 1924 one-sheet program was known in the hobby. However, on a typical day at a popular "Titletown" antique shop, that day turned into an important collectible discovery when a small handful of of early 1920's programs walked through the door, and that missing piece of Packers history made an unprecedented appearance. Offered here is an original 8.75x11.5" program, issued by the "Green Bay Football Corporation" for the October 19, 1924 meeting between the Packers and Milwaukee Badgers. The game ended in a 17-0 victory for the home team Green Bay squad at Bellevue Park, in front of a typical crowd of approximately 4,000-5,000. This amazing gridiron treasure exhibits EX quality, with minor folds throughout. Its front displays both teams' rosters, including important names such as Lambeau, Buck and Lewellen, while the program also displays an advertisement for the Packers' Northwest Championship future meeting versus the Minneapolis Marines. A remarkable piece, which we are sure even the most discerning Packers collectors have yet to see. Guide Value or Estimate: $2,000 - $3,000.

An outstanding piece.

I'm intrigued not only because it's a rare look at the 1920s Packers, but also because of the glimpse it offers of the Badgers, the Cream City's short-lived entry in the young National Football League, who made their home at Borchert Field.

There's also the added interest of the "Championship of Northwest". What other teams might have been involved in that race? There were several teams representing "northwestern" states by the 1924 NFL's standards. Minnesota had the Marines and the Duluth Kellys. Wisconsin had four teams in the league at the time; the Packers, Badgers, Racine Legion and Kenosha Maroons. Then there were the two Chicago teams, the Rock Island (Illinois) Independents, the Hammond Pros in Chicago's Indiana suburbs and any number of local semi-pro or independent teams that could have wanted in on the action.

Raise the Roof, Part 2

I have come across a great new series of photos of the storm which tore part of Borchert Field's roof off during a game in 1944. The original post has been updated.

"Brewer News" 1945, Vol 3, No. 5

Today we continue our ongoing look at Brewer News, the club newsletter published throughout the year to keep fans appraised of the latest news and upcoming events.

This is Volume 3 Number 5, from September 1945, covering the last seven games of the season. The Brewers were "roaring down the home stretch toward their third straight pennant", and team president Bill Veeck was recovering from a fourth operation on his right foot, injured while he was in the Marines.

Veeck's return gets top billing, with a plug for the remaining home games. The team was also gearing up for the American Association's playoffs and looking ahead to the Little World Series.

The middle of this particular issue of Brewer News features a gorgeous two-page photo spread of the club:

This photo was prized, as evidenced by the tape marks around the edge. I picture this hanging on the wall of some kid's bedroom in Milwaukee in the early Autumn days of 1945.

This beautiful uniform style was first introduced to the Brews by Veeck in 1942. The elegant script helps visually define his era at the helm.

The photo itself must have been taken just before publication; Veeck sits right in the center, cane in hand. Other notable figures pictured are team skipper Nick Cullop (immediately to Veeck's right), general manager Rudy Schaffer and vice president/radio voice Mickey Heath.

I also love the two batboys. On the right is Nick Cullop, Jr., who would be instantly recognizable as the skipper's son even if he didn't share a name. The batboy on the left is identified as "McGee" Liedtke. I don't know what the nickname means—his real name was Clyde E. Liedtke—but I bet it's a very good story.

The real meat comes on the back page; lots of good stuff here including a fine photo of the Brewers' slugging left-fielder laying down "a perfect bunt."

"FLICK HEADED FOR BATTING CROWN" – Lew Flick was about to wrap up a spectacular offensive season. At the time this issue went to press, Flick's average was .372 and well above his Association competition.

I think it's interesting that Veeck's Brewers made a specialty of slugging, taking home batting titles every year of his ownership to date. In 1941 it was Leo Novikoff, 1942 Heinz Becker, 1943 Grey Clarke and George Binks in 1944.

"ANNUAL PLAY-OFFS COME NEXT" – As the pennant winner, the Brewers were scheduled to face the third-place club in the playoffs. The second- and fourth-place finishers would square off, and then the winners of those two series would face each other in the second round to determine which team would represent the American Association in the Little World Series. This arrangement, known as a "Shaughnessy playoff", was one of the banes of Veeck's tenure in Milwaukee. No matter how strong his clubs, even the pennant-winning ones couldn't get out of the playoffs, and he lobbied unsuccessfully to change the postseason format every year.

"NICK CULLOP NIGHT SEPTEMBER 5TH" – The Brewers had a special fondness for honoring players and managers with nights of their own. I wonder how Nick Cullop felt about being referred to as "tomato faced." For that matter, I wonder how Nick Cullop, Jr. felt about it.

Brewer News continues to give us a great look at the way the club presented itself to its fans at the time. The hindsight of history lets us fill in the blanks; Lew Flick continued his slugging prowess in those last seven games, ending the season with a batting average of .374 and the Association crown.

The end of the year wasn't so happy for the Brewer organization. They did indeed claim the 1945 American Association pennant, but were ousted in the first round of the playoffs by the Louisville Cardinals. Veeck's playoff struggles continued; the Brewers wouldn't win a Little World Series until 1947, after he had sold his interest in the team.

Veeck's operation was ultimately unsuccessful, and after a series of additional operations, his right foot was amputated in 1946. Three months after that, in true Sport Shirt Bill fashion, Veeck threw a party to celebrate the delivery of his first prosthesis. A dance, of course.

And so, mere weeks after this issue of Brewer News was distributed, the 1945 season came to an end. Perhaps this copy remained taped to that bedroom wall throughout the winter, as thousands of Milwaukee fans looked forward to 1946.

Hope Springs Eternal: Eddie and Lin, c.1937

Today's photo features half of the Brewers' infield in the mid- to late-1930s.

Lin Storti, on the right, was a reliable infielder for the Brewers from 1934 through 1938, starting out at second before finding a regular home at third base. He also played for the St. Louis Browns, who owned by the Brewers at the time he came to Milwaukee.

His partner in the infield, Eddie Hope, was primarily a second baseman. Hope was of Polish descent (his family name had been changed a few generations back from "Nadzieja", Polish for "hope") and as such was popular among the Poles on Milwaukee's South Side.

Hope came to the Brewers with a reputation for a strong bat and soft glove. Within his first few seasons, the Brews found that inverted; his fielding improved dramatically—Hope was instrumental in the Brewers turning three triple plays during the 1934 season—but his work at the plate struggled, and for years he was widely known as the weakest hitter in the Brews' lineup. He was called a "banjo hitter," as the balls he did hit were mostly looping flies just out of the infield.

The club went to some unorthodox lengths to improve Hope's hitting—including trying to convert him from a right-handed batter into a lefty—with little success.

By the spring of 1939 those attempts had become almost comical, as this March 23, 1939 Milwaukee Journal photo illustrates:

Eddie Hope Practices Swing Nightly Before Mirror

—Journal Staff Photo

On orders from Manager Mickey Heath, Eddie Hope, second baseman, practices a new swing for 15 minutes every night in front of a mirror. Joe Just, catcher, who rooms with Hope at Oscala, Fla., has been instructed by Heath to keep time on Hope's mirror drill, as he is doing in the picture.

This "mirror drill" didn't work, the Brewers' patience finally ran out, and Hope was released just weeks later. He signed with the Brooklyn Dodgers' farm in Elmira, New York. After a couple years kicking around the lower minor leagues, Hope retired from baseball in 1942 and returned to Milwaukee, where he joined the police force.

Although this photo is undated, I believe it to have been taken in 1937 or 1938. Lin Storti's presence puts it no later that that, but no earlier than 1934. The uniform style allows us to narrow it down. The 1935 uniforms had a fancier "M". In 1936, the Brewers' uniforms had red and blue piping, not the single-color soutache shown here.

Those caps are nice - hard to make it out exactly, but looks like a red serifed block "M" on a navy cap.

The back of the photograph has a beautiful purple stamp bearing the copy's origin:

FROM
THE NEWS BUREAU
OF
THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BUILDING
COLUMBUS, - OHIO

Check out the serif-heavy typeface on "MILWAUKEE". Very cool.

Hats off to the Beer Barrel Man

The Beer Barrel Man gets another issue, this time on an unstructured cap by '47 Brand (which used to be known as Twins Enterprise and Twins 47, and is still the best cap manufacturer out there).

A version of this cap was released last year, but without the white keyline around the logo, causing the bat's speed lines to be lost against the background; this embroidery is a clear improvement.

Even the little logo tag on the back is period-appropriate, in this case a gold 1970s block "M".

This is now my absolute favorite cap: perfect headwear for a run through the postseason.

So far as I know, this cap is currently available only at Miller Park. Hopefully it will be available online soon for those of us not fortunate enough to visit the ballpark on a regular basis.

The Chicago Cubs Come to Milwaukee, 1913

by Dennis Pajot

Major league clubs playing post season exhibition games in minor league towns was not new in 1913, and it would continue for many years. On occasion the major league club would play the minor league club of that town, but many times an "All-Star" local team was put together for the barnstorming big league club to play. One such game took place at Athletic Park in October 1912, against the Chicago Cubs in Milwaukee. This game is of some historical interest, as the Milwaukee Sentinel reported it was Johnny Evers first appearance as the manger of the Bruins. (MS 10-28-12)

Another barnstorming exhibition game, again with the Cubs, took place on October 19, 1913 at Athletic Park. The local team of All-Stars (or "All-Professionals" as called in some circles) in this 1913 match was billed as coming from, or now making their homes, in Milwaukee. That Milwaukee could field a team of home talent strong enough to take on a National League team was a tribute to the ball playing abilities of Milwaukee ball players of that time.

The All-Star team had played the previous Sunday at Athletic Park, beating the All-Black Leland Giants of Chicago at 9 to 8, with essentially the same team that would meet the Cubs. (MJ 10-13-13; MS 10-13-13)

The Milwaukee All-Star team was selected by Fred Luderus, star first baseman of the Philadelphia Phillies. (MS 10-19-13) Luderus was born in Milwaukee on September 12, 1885. He broke into the National League with Chicago in 1909, being purchased by the Cubs from Freeport of the Wisconsin-Illinois League for $2,200 on August 10, 1909. He played with the Cubs in 1910 and was traded to Philadelphia for Bill Foxen, where he would play until 1920. In 1913 he had hit .262 with 18 home runs and 86 RBI. In 12 big league seasons Luderus would play in 1346 games, hitting .277 with 84 home runs.

At second base the Milwaukee All-Pros had long time north side Milwaukee resident Walter Bauman. Bauman had played 1910 and 1911 with Green Bay of the Wisconsin-Illinois League. The 1912 season saw him with Keokuk of the Central Association, and he then returned to Green Bay for 1913, where he hit 255 in 88 games (TSL 12-13-13- p15) He would play 1914 in Green Bay, his last season in organized ball. In the Milwaukee Sentinel of February 22, 1914, A.J. Schinner wrote he thought Bauman was the finest all-around athlete in the Milwaukee area. Bauman, 24 at the time, was "Dutch from his heels to the top of his head." Bauman had been a welterweight boxer of some renown in the area but had been out of the boxing ring for two years. By 1914 he was getting back into shape to recover his old form. Bauman's athletic career started back in 1900, when he played ball with some unknown team in the Third Ward. Being Dutch in this cosmopolitan area gave him "a very fine opportunity of working up his fighting instincts" and he soon took up fighting in amateur tournaments at the Milwaukee Athletic Club. As his career advanced, he beat such boys as Jack Sanders, Tommy Gavigan, Billy Morehead, Frank Kuchler and the immortal Sailor Kelly. Bauman was also credited with a six round draw with Jimmy Ciabby. In February 1914 he would be back in shape stopping Jack Lepper in three rounds "of fast milling." But before this boxing comeback Bauman had become very proficient in the wrestling game. He took on all the best boys at his weight, 142 pounds, and defeated most. He wrestled the Greek Demetral at Larkin's gym one night for one hour and forty minutes before winning. Walter was given $7 for this feat and the Greek received $3 for his share of the receipts. As a result of the match, Demetral had two tin ears and was in the hospital for one month. Bauman had also been a swimmer, football player and indoor baseball shark. He used handball as a good conditioner, and he was good enough in the sport to compete in several tournaments at Larkin's gym, winning a few. (MS 2-22-14; MJ 2-27-14) The local star was also a good enough baseball player that in the winter of 1914 the newly formed Federal League approached him. (MS 1-28-14) Bauman did not think his athletic accomplishments any great wonder. He explained that Nature gave him a fine physique and he let himself drift toward sports. (MS 2-22-14;MJ 2-17-14 for all this.

The shortstop of this team was to be Fred Thomas. After graduation from high school in Milwaukee Thomas played with Fond du Lac in Wisconsin-Illinois League. He signed with the Green Bay club in the same league in 1912 and 1913 as a shortstop (MJ 10-20-19) During the 1913 season he hit .290 with 10 home runs for Green Bay. After the 1913 season he would be drafted by Omaha of the Western League. He played 1914 in Omaha and was drafted by Cleveland of the American League after the 1914 season and assigned to New Orleans. In April 1916 Thomas was traded to the Boston Red Sox (with Sam Jones and $55,000) for Tris Speaker. However, he continued playing with New Orleans. In 1918 Boston third baseman Larry Gardner was traded to Philadelphia and Thomas made the Boston roster as a utility player. He cracked the regular line up, but in July joined the navy and played ball at the Great Lakes Navy base in Illinois. He received a furlough to play with Boston in the World Series against the Cubs. 1919 would find him Thomas in Philadelphia with the A's, and he finished his big league career in 1920, before being demoted to Reading of the International League. Returning to Reading in 1921 he drew a salary of $3,500—one thousand dollars more than he made with Connie Mack. Fred Thomas would play in Reading until 1923 and finished his professional career in Buffalo in 1924. (Much of this from "When Boston Still Had the Babe; The 1918 World Champion Red Sox" –Craig Lammers article on Fred Thomas. Also BB-ref)

Art Bues was the third baseman of the All-Professional team. Bues, born in Milwaukee in 1888, was reported as being 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 158 pounds. He had played with La Crosse and Racine of the Wisconsin-Illinois League from 1908 to 1910. He was drafted by the Boston Red Sox, but never played there, being traded to Seattle of Northwestern League. In the great northwest the right handed hitter belting 27 home runs, and had 219 hits for an average of .352. (MS 3-5-12, 12-13-12) After the 1911 season Bues was drafted by the New York Giants, on the recommendation of Amos Rusie. (MS 1-19-12, 3-5-12) In April 1912 the Giants released Art to Buffalo of the International League. (MJ 4-13-12) Bues started 1913 with the Boston Braves, where it was believed he would be the Braves' regular shortstop, even though he lacked major league batting skills. (TSL 4-5-13) However, he fell ill for two weeks in the spring with an ulcerated throat and became very weak. (TSL 4-12-13) After playing two games for the Braves, Bues was traded to Buffalo for Les Mann on April 16, 1913. On July 15 Bues was traded to Jersey City in the International League for shortstop Bobby Vaughn, where he stayed until 1915. (TSL 7-19-13 pg 22, 7-26-13 pg17) Arthur would remain in various minor leagues until 1920, this last season playing with the Brewers. In 13 minor league seasons he would hit .273. Art also played in 14 games with the Chicago Cubs in 1914. Two months after the 1913 exhibition game in Milwaukee, Bues was married out west with a story worth telling. Bues secured a marriage license for himself and Miss Vivian Barber in Seattle on December and then eloped with her to Tacoma to be married. In the company of another ball player and a female companion the happy couple drove to Tacoma, where they were arrested for speeding. When the situation was explained, the judge he remitted the fine for the violation of the speed laws and married the happy young couple. (TSL 12-20-13p2)

Slated for left field was Paul Wachtel. Wachtel had been purchased by the Milwaukee Brewers the previous fall, after winning and losing 14 games with Green Bay as a pitcher. He had also been scouted by Cleveland of the American League, but signed with Milwaukee for 1913. The 6-foot right hander, who was 25 on opening day 1913, had been sent to the Milwaukee Mollys of the Wisconsin-Illinois League for seasoning. He would be 8 and 6 with the Mollys in Milwaukee and transfer to Fond du Lac with the team at the end of June. He finished the season with a 15 and 15 record with the Milwaukee/Fond du Lac Mollys. After his Wisconsin-Illinois seasons Wachtel would go on to pitch four seasons in the Central League with Dayton and Muskegon. Paul Wachtel pitched two games (six innings total) with Brooklyn in the National League in 1917. He posted neither a win nor a loss. Wachtel then stayed in the minor leagues for some time, pitching for Fort Worth in the Texas League from 1918 to 1928. He finished his career in 1930 in the Texas League, splitting time between Waco and Dallas. In nineteen minor league seasons the right hander won 312 games and lost 224. As far as I can tell Wachtel had no other connection with Milwaukee than playing for the Brewers and Mollys.

Charles "Toddy" Kroy was the All-Professional center fielder. Toddy was a Milwaukee north side boy. (MJ 10-20-13), who had but one thumb and little more than a half-finger on his right hand. He lost his fingers in an accident a number of years prior to his playing baseball professionally. (MJ 3-6-14) In 1906 and 1907 he played with Wausau of the Wisconsin State League, and then in 1908 at Fond du Lac of the same league. The 1909 and 1910 seasons found him in South Bend of the Central League; while in 1911 he played with South Bend/Grand Rapids and Grand Rapids/Newark franchises of the same Central League. Kroy started the 1913 season in Grand Rapids, but was turned over to Terre Haute in May. (TSL 5-24-13 p29) In July Kroy and third baseman Charles Pick were purchased by the New York American League club for $2,000 each. The two players were sent to Toronto of the International League, for future delivery to the New York club. (TSL 9-6-13 pg29 TSL 7-5-13 pg9, TSL 8-9-13) Kroy hit .299 in 59 games with Toronto. He would play 1914 in Toronto, then 1915 and 1916 with Utica of New York State League. The left hander was said to be a fine defensive outfielder. It appears he either did not wear a fielding glove, or perhaps had a modified one, as his lack of an error by dropping a ball caused the Journal to report "so the mitt is not missed when it comes to grabbing them out of the air." (MJ 3-6-14)

The right fielder, Fred Mollwitz, was born in Koburg, Germany, on June 16, 1890. His family immigrated to Milwaukee when Fred was 4 years old. (MS 3-28-14) At age 14 he was playing baseball with a steam laundry team in Milwaukee. Then he entered the City League as a first baseman. After leading the City League in batting he went to Green Bay in 1910. He did not hit very well in his first two years there, but broke out in 1913, hitting .311 and stealing 52 bases. (MS 3-28-14) Mollwitz was drafted by the Chicago Cubs in September, getting into two games, going 3 for 7 at the plate. (BB-ref and MJ 10-20-13) At 6-2 and 170 pounds Mollwitz was "long and narrow". (MS 3-28-14) Joe Tinker said "Mollwitz is one of the best first baseman I ever have seen and he is bound to become one of the greatest in the game." (MS 1-9-14) In the 1913/14 off season Tinker would offer him double the money he signed for with the Cubs to play with the Chicago Whales of the Federal League, but Mollwitz stayed with the Cubs. He would play in the National League with Chicago, Cincinnati, Pittsburg and St. Louis, finishing in 1919 with a lifetime .241 average. Mollwitz would later play five years in Sacramento of the Pacific Coast League and end his career in 1927 in Moline.

Luderus used two catchers in the game. Joe Custer was the catcher for the Milwaukee White Sox of the City League. (MS 10-4-13) In the 1914 season he would play for Manitowoc of Lake Shore League. (MJ 7-12-14). Charles Gehrike played with the Wollen Mills team in 1911 and then had been a catcher for the Kosciuskos of the City League in 1912 and 1913, before going to the Milwaukee White Sox of the Lake Shore League in the summer of this 1913 season. (MJ 4-17-12, MJ 4-2-13; MJ 10-7-12; MS 8-3-13) Gehrike would continue with the local White Sox in 1914. (MJ 7-16-14)

The All-Stars' pitcher was Erwin Lange, originally from Forest Park, Illinois. Lange pitched for the Kosciuskos during the later part of the 1913 season and was considered the star of the Lake Shore League. (MJ 10-19-13) It was reported he was thought to be one of the best spitball pitchers around, behind Ed Walsh. He was on the reserve list of the Chicago White Sox, but refused to re reported owing to "a cheap contract." (MJ 2-14-14) He would pitch in the Federal League for the Chicago Whales in 1914, posting 12 and 11 record. Lange was back with the Kozys in 1915.

Even the umpire for this contest was a Milwaukee professional. Bill Kuhn had been an umpire in the Ohio State League since 1912, the same year the Wisconsin-Illinois let him go because he was too young. (MS 7-24-12 TSL 5-10-13 p24) It was reported he had umpired such fine ball in that league that big league scouts were looking at him. He would umpire again in the Ohio League in 1914. (MS 9-12-12; MJ 3-25-13; MS 9-30-14)

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The game was played before a crowd of 2,000 at Athletic Park on Sunday, October 19, 1913. The Cubs downed the local All Stars 5 to 3, before a crowd of 2,000. The Milwaukee Sentinel reported "it was a fine exhibition from beginning to end and the result was in doubt until the last man was retired." Erwin Lange pitched superb ball, only losing due to costly errors by his fielders, resulting in four of the Cubs five runs. Larry Cheney went the distance for the Cubs, giving up 6 hits. Two of these hits off the Chicago spitballer were home runs over the left field wall by Walter Bauman. (MS 10-20-13; MJ 10-20-13)

All-Stars     R  H  P  A  E   Cubs          R  H  P  A  E
Kroy, cf      0  0  0  0  1   Leach, cf     1  0  0  0  0
Baumann, 2b   2  2  2  6  2   Ever, 2b      2  1  1  3  0
Bues, 3b      1  2  0  2  1   Schulte, lf   0  3  1  1  0
Mollwitz, rf  0  1  1  0  0   Phelan, 3b    1  0  0  3  0
Luderus, 1b   0  1 19  0  0   Saler, 1b     1  0 14  0  0
Thomas, ss    0  0  1  6  1   Miller, rf    0  0  2  0  0
Wachtel., lf  0  0  1  0  0   Corridon, ss  0  1  0  2  0
Gehrke, c     0  0  2  0  0   Archer, c     0  0  8  1  0
Custer, c     0  0  1  0  0   Cheney, p     0  0  1  4  0
Lange, p      0  0  0  4  0
Totals        3  6 27 18  5   Totals        5  5 27 14  0

All Stars .... 0 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 – 3
Cubs.......... 0 0 0 2 0 1 1 1 0 – 5

Two base hits—Bues, Evers, Corridon
Three base hit—Luderus
Home runs-Bauman 2
First base on balls—Off Lange 2; off Cheney 1
Struck Out—By Lange 3; by Cheney 7
Double play—Schulte to Evers to Saler
Umpires-Kuhn and Arndel
Scorer—Griebe
Time 1:29

Green Bay's *Other* Team

With the Packers' season in full swing, it's good to remember that Green Bay has been home to other professional sports clubs, including one with a significant connection to our Milwaukee Brewers.

This is the 1941 Green Bay Blue Sox, a Wisconsin State League farm club of the Brewers. As a significant independent club, the Brewers were large enough to have affiliates in lower leagues.

With the exception of that single year, the team was known from 1940-1959 as the Green Bay Bluejays, which would explain the beautiful sleeve patch those Sox players are sporting. Note the one-word nickname, unlike the later American League franchise in Toronto.

Standing in the back row, far right is team manager Red Smith.

Smith had a long history with the Brewers as a player, manager and executive. Originally brought to the club as an injury-replacement catcher in 1936, was assigned to manage a Brewer affiliate the following season. Within two years he had worked his way up to director of the Brewers' entire farm system. In early 1941, he was hired to lead the Bluejays.

Smith was already well-known in Green Bay. He himself was a Packer in 1927 and 1929 (making him the only man to have worn a Brewer and Packer uniform) and was a member of the Packers' first pennant-winning squad. After hanging up his cleats, Curly Lambeau hired him as an assistant coach and in 1941 was in his eighth year walking the City Stadium sideline.

After taking the job at Joannes Stadium, Smith would continue to coach the Packers in the fall and winter while managing the Bluejays in the spring and summer.

Baseball Reference indicates that Smith also took the mound to pitch a single inning during that 1941 campaign. He gave up two hits, no runs and recorded a strikeout.

Smith led his Blue Sox to the Wisconsin State League championship in 1941, with a record of 76-35, 6½ games up on the second-place LaCrosse Blackhawks.

Interestingly, one of the players on that 1941 Green Bay roster was George Binks (known as "Bingo"), although he does not appear to be in this team photo. It was during his stay in Green Bay that Bingo had the tattered leather pocket of his beloved old mitt rebuilt in wire by an unknown clubhouse hand.

Also a member of the Blue Sox was future big league outfielder Andy Pafko (back row, next to Smith). Although his contract was owned by the Brewers, Pafko never made it up the ladder to Borchert Field. Milwaukee traded him to the Chicago Cubs farm system after the 1942 season, and he quickly found himself playing at the two Wrigley Fields, first the minor league park in Los Angeles and then its namesake on the North Side. Pafko would finally make it to Milwaukee in 1953 as a member of the relocated Braves, but is perhaps best known for the brief time in between, when he wore a Brooklyn Dodger uniform. He was playing left field in the Polo Grounds when Bobby Thomson hit "The Shot Heard Round the World", and was captured by the cameras standing helplessly, watching the ball sail over his head.

Smith continued his two-sport career until 1943, when Lambeau decided that he needed his assistants year-round. Faced with a choice between the diamond and gridiron, Smith chose to leave Green Bay altogether and take a job coaching the Brewers under Charlie Grimm. He followed Jolly Cholly to the Chicago Cubs in 1945 and back to the Brewers as the club's general manager in 1950.

After winning the a second Wisconsin State Baseball League championship in 1946, the Bluejays severed their ties with the Brewers, becoming a Cleveland Indians farm team starting with the 1947 season.

I do like the interlocking "GB" logo worn by the Bluejays/Blue Sox, whether worn on the cap, chest or sleeve. The initials lend themselves to a good-looking monogram.

Today, the Green Bay Bluejays are largely forgotten. Ebbets Field has in past years offered a 1953 throwback jersey and handsome 1959 cap, although neither is currently available except as a special order.

Green Bay will always be famous for its football team, but Titletown has also contributed much to Wisconsin's rich baseball history.

(ht: Indians/Bluejays photo via Uni Watch)