Category: Ice Box Chamberlain

Icebox Chamberlain On Umpires

9/7/2015

Pitcher Chamberlain says: "I don't see why anybody can't make a good umpire. The way I figure it out there are only two requisites. One is to keep your eye on the ball at all times. Then there is no chance of missing the play, for no play can be made without the ball. Another thing is to keep the players from talking back. Don't let them argue with you under any circumstances. That is how Lynch and Gaffney succeeded. They make mistakes just as other umpires do; but they won't allow any back talk and the consequences is their decisions are now roasted from the stands."

-The New York Times, September 6, 1892

Keep your eye on the ball and don't take any guff-that's good advice for anybody.

0 Comments

Completely Disorganized

2/24/2014

0 Comments

Yesterday affairs culminated. Chamberlain, who had been suspended for a month and reinstated, was put in to pitch. He was batted hard, and, besides, had very little control of the ball. This made Von der Ahe so angry that he suspended Chamberlain indefinitely without pay, released Jim Davis and signed Joe Herr to play third. He then lectured the team and sent them to bed. The team is completely disorganized.

-Sporting Life, June 14, 1890

Ice Box Chamberlain would be sold to Columbus on June 18, for $1500. He had been terrible for the Browns in 1890 and I have to think that a lot of that was him simply being unhappy in St. Louis. He had always had a difficult relationship with VdA and the whole Players League thing was going on, adding to his dissatisfaction. When he got to Columbus, Chamberlain pitched well, reverting to his old form and throwing six shutouts in twenty-one starts. This, of course, lends evidence to the idea that his poor pitching in St. Louis in 1890 was more about his attitude than his form.

And the Browns were indeed completely disorganized in 1890. The team was a mess and used thirty-five players over the course of the season. VdA ran through five different managers, in an attempt to replace Charles Comiskey. Count Campau may have been the best player on the club. The Great Players' Revolt left the club a mess and the 1890 Browns never recovered, finishing fifteen games out.

0 Comments

Icebox Chamberlain On Umpires

Completely Disorganized

Categories

Start your own free website