Ray Schalk

Schalk honored by Litchfield

2010-10-03T16:07:00.001-07:00

While researching my Ray Schalk biography, I observed to Litchfield civic leader Bill Dees that Litchfield is the boyhood home of a major league Hall of Famer but has nothing to inform visitors of this.

As local awareness of Schalk increased with release of my book, Dees was able to raise money to have a sign erected at the Litchfield city limits.

Dees today sent me this photo and this caption information:

Almost 95 years to the day after the first Ray Schalk Day in Litchfield (October 15, 1915) City of Litchfield Street Department workers Curt Evans, Jerry Hull and J.R. Beckham put the finishing touches on the installation of a sign recognizing the impact Ray Shalk had on future baseball players in Litchfield.

On May 8^th 2010 a rededication plaque was unveiled at Ray Schalk Field. During this event a number of people indicated that the City needed a sign at the West edge of the City marking Mr. Schalk's entrance into Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame. Volunteer funds were received from the BRS Baseball Museum in Nokomis with the assistance of Steve Johnson, Litchfield Baseball, Litchfield Rotary, Litchfield Park District, Contemporary Service, Ben Schwab, Mike and Paula Hall, the Todd Neuhaus family, other anonymous donors along with the Author of the Ray Schalk biography, Brian Cooper.

Litchfield tourism director Carol Burke reviewed the graphic and local sign artist Jerry Dever produced the paint on aluminum sign with the assistance of the George Press Inc. and MD Designs by Metal Décor.

It was nice of Dees to mention me, and to credit others involved, but this would not have happened without former Mayor Dees taking the lead.

Streak of perfection

2010-05-30T14:55:00.001-07:00

For only the second time ever, Major League Baseball has had two perfect games in the same season. And, like the other occasion, in 1880, they occurred in the same month.

May 2010 is when Oakland's Dallas Braden and Philadelphia's Roy Halladay (pictured) recorded 27 consecutive outs to notch only the 19th and 20th perfect games in major league history. Some 130 years ago, Lee Richmond of Worcester and Providence's Monte Ward threw perfect games just five days apart in June 1880.

The subject of my latest published biography, Ray Schalk, was the catcher the fifth perfect game ever. On April 30, 1922, Charlie Robertson, making only his fourth major league start, blanked Ty Cobb and the Detroit Tigers.

MLB, which has gone years and even decades between perfect games, has now seen three perfect games in less than a year. Mark Buehrle of the White Sox had one last July. Note that after Robertson (with Schalk's help) threw a perfect game in 1922, the next perfecto did not come until Don Larsen's historic performance in the World Series of 1956 -- a span of 34 years. This span was less than 34 days.

Here is the list of perfect games, and a list naming the catchers with a hand in history.

Photo: Associated Press

Higher than face value

2010-05-18T17:02:00.001-07:00

Thanks to Google Alerts, I receive e-mail notices and web links to mentions of the subjects of my past and future books, Red Faber, Ray Schalk and Jay Berwanger.

Some alerts tag blog references. Many of those are comments by supposed experts categorizing Schalk as a terrible pick for the Hall of Fame because of his .253 career batting average -- ignoring, apparently, that he was a long-time star because of his defense.

Anyway, the alerts also notify me when memorabilia or, occasionally, my Faber or Schalk biographies hit ebay or a blog.

Today I learned that someone is trying to sell copies my Schalk biography for $33.36 (plus $4 for shipping). Thing is, the book lists for $29.95 (plus $4 shipping) from the publisher's web site.

Quite the bargain. I'd autograph and ship the book for less than $37.36.

Ray Schalk Field re-dedicated

2010-05-10T19:09:00.000-07:00

On a bitterly cold and windy Saturday morning, Litchfield (Ill.) staged its annual Little League parade to open the 2010 season.

Ceremonies included re-dedication of Ray Schalk Fields, named after the Hall of Famer who grew up in Litchfield (and was the subject of my latest biography). I was listed as the "keynote" speaker, and I had to ad lib somewhat. I couldn't hold my script and the microphone without having one or the other blow away. (Yes, it was THAT windy.)

The ceremony brought to Litchfield about 18 members of the Schalk family. The baseball star's grandson Jim Schalk (pictured), with his wife, Laura, drove all the way from Florida to be there. Other Schalks traveled the 250 miles from the Chicago area.

After the unveiling of the plaque to honor Ray Schalk, we adjourned to the new Maverick restaurant, where I presented my slideshow and visited with family members and folks from the Litchfield community. Some of the relatives had lost track of each other through the years, so they had some catching up to do.

Despite the February-like weather, it was a great day.

Nice to have been in the running

2010-04-08T05:02:00.000-07:00

I received word today that my book Ray Schalk: A Baseball Biography was not selected for the 2010 Larry Ritter Award of the Society for American Baseball Research. The award goes to the year's best book focusing on the Deadball Era (1900-1919).

The honor went to Robert Peyton Wiggins for The Federal League of Base Ball Clubs, which was published by McFarland (publisher of my Schalk and Red Faber biographies).

The Schalk biography was among the 10 or so finalists did not advance to the top three in the judging. Congratulations to Mr. Wiggins.

Though it would have been great, obviously, to have a book rank higher, it was nice to have a book nominated for the award.

I doubt that my next book will even be considered for this award. After all, it's a football biography.

Schalk and the Super Bowl

2010-01-26T04:37:00.000-08:00

I set Google Alerts for various topics of personal interest, including the name Ray Schalk. Usually, it hits listings for memorabilia sales and blogs by guys who look at Schalk's low batting average (.253) and decree that he should not be in the Hall of Fame, no matter how great he was at defense. (As if the Hall has no offensive stars whose defensive liabilities were overlooked by electors...)

However, about the last place I expected to see Schalk's name pop up was in a story related to the Super Bowl. Yet, there he is, mentioned in a Major League Baseball feature about ex-Major Leaguers who once played in this season's Super Bowl cities.

Schalk managed Indianapolis of the American Association in 1938 and the first half of 1939, when he "resigned." Schalk also has a link to the home state of the other Super Bowl city, New Orleans. When he was player-coach of the Chicago White Sox (1927-28), the team trained in Shreveport, La., in the extreme northwest corner of the state, some 340 miles from New Orleans.

Another review

2010-01-06T05:56:00.000-08:00

I came across another review of my Ray Schalk biography. It is more a summary of the book than a review, but it did get this person's rating of 5 -- out of what? 5? 10? 100? I hope it's 5!

One fan's White Sox all-star team

2009-12-22T05:17:00.000-08:00

Today I came across a YouTube slideshow of baseball fan avalsonline's picks for an all-time Chicago White Sox lineup. It's a fun little show, including the Sox fight song in the background.

I was glad to see that two of his starters are the subjects of my biographies, Red Faber and Ray Schalk. Though I don't claim to be an expert on White Sox history, in my opinion, these picks were for the most part solid -- lots of recognition for the old-timers -- with only a couple of questions.

Though I think Schalk deserves his place in the Hall of Fame and is under-recognized by the Sox and their fans, I wondered about Schalk and Sherman Lollar both coming in ahead of Carlton Fisk in the catcher's position. Also, Eddie Collins might deserve more recognition at second base.

Anyway, watch the slideshow and make your own judgment.

Biography takes balls -- four of 'em

2009-12-05T10:05:00.000-08:00

From the Toot Your Own Horn Department:

My book Ray Schalk: A Baseball Biography received a top rating from a reviewer on a baseball blog. Apparently it was posted nearly three months ago, but I just learned about it.

The review by Richard Coreno appears on the blog At Home Plate.

Coreno gave the biography a rating of four balls, defined as "An exceptional book that truly earns a walk straight to the local book store to get a copy."

Thanks, Mr. Coreno!

Schalk relative reflects and remembers

2009-11-28T11:03:00.000-08:00

Since the Schalk biography was released this fall, I have heard encouraging words from several of his relatives. This week, I received a nice letter from a great-nephew. It reads in part:

I just finished reading your book "Ray Schalk" and wanted to say how much I enjoyed the reading. Thank you so much for taking up the subject of my Great Uncle Ray Schalk. Mom had told us of all the correspondence back and forth between you and she and I was very much looking forward to the completion and the arrival of the book.

As we have all said in family long after his passing, we wished we would have had more time with Uncle Ray when he was around, and had more knowledge of his playing days and background. But as a youngster, you don't know the magnitude of someone like that until it's too late and they are gone. I remember thinking that yeah he was someone big back "in the old days" but I want to hear about Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Johnny Bench and those guys who hit the big home runs and so forth.

What really struck me about the book was how big a personality he was during his prime in Chicago. Being the second largest city in America at that time, he was a household name to anyone who followed baseball in Chicago, if not the rest of the country. I always thought he was kind of just there, sort of in the background on a team with Joe Jackson and the star pitchers. He really was something else and was very durable over those years. Not to mention all the celebrities he associated with, that was another story altogether.

He was quite a guy, a small man from a small town who made big in the big leagues. I remember when he came down, he always had his cigars with him and always dressed very well.

He was still pretty gruff at times. I recall one time he took us to an Illinois-Purdue football game in Champaign, III. My Mom and brothers went, for some reason my Dad didn't go, and I don't recall if Aunt Vin was there or not. Anyway we have great seats, probably on the 50-yard line. Later during the game and he asks me who I'm rooting for. Naturally, I'm from Illinois and I say "Illinois." He says something like "what the hell you doing, I bring you over here to see Purdue and you're rooting for Illinois!" I think it was half show and half serious, he didn't know that I didn't know his connection to Purdue. I believe I was about 11 or 12 at the time. Ah the fun old days with Uncle Ray.

A fun tour to Montgomery County

2009-10-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

Folks in Montgomery County, Ill., were hospitable, friendly and enthusiastic during my mini-tour promoting my biography of the late Chicago White Sox star Ray Schalk. I gave a slideshow and autographed books on three occasions -- Saturday morning, Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. (In between the first and second events, I traveled to Chicago for research on another book. But I'll save stories about that for the next post.)

Schalk was born in Harvel and raised in Litchfield, both Montgomery County communities.

The first event was at the Bottomley-Ruffing-Schalk Baseball Museum in Nokomis, where my hosts were Jim Eisenbarth (left) and Steve Johnson. More than 40 folks attended, making it a standing-room-only affair.

Tuesday night about 15 people squeezed into the Litchfield Public Library; my hostess was library director Sara Zumwalt. Then, at 7 Wednesday morning I was the guest of the Litchfield Rotary Club, whose member Bill Dees provided encouragement and assistance with the biography and with arrangements this week.

Dees and some other baseball supporters in Litchfield are working on a project to re-dedicate Ray Schalk Fields in the spring of 2010. Seems that many folks know of the ballfields but not of the man for whom they were named. I hope that book will help raise local awareness.

Thanks to all who made it such a fun experience.

Booksigning venue featured on front page

2009-10-07T18:51:00.000-07:00

In just a few days -- at 10 Saturday morning, to be exact -- I will present a slide show and sign copies of my Ray Schalk biography at the Bottomley-Ruffing-Schalk Baseball Museum in Nokomis, Ill.

Coincidentally, and conveniently, The State Journal-Register in Springfield featured the museum today in a front-page story. Unfortunately, the article didn't mention my upcoming appearance. But the article certainly can't hurt.

Back to the airwaves

2009-09-25T05:01:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, I was the guest on Voices of the Tri-States, the KDTH-AM interview program hosted by veteran Dubuque broadcaster Tom Berryman.

The topic was the Schalk biography.

I thought the interview went well -- particularly because it was evident that Tom had read the book. He had some good questions.

KDTH archives the programs, so if there is any interest in hearing me bluff my way through an interview, click the link.

Hillsboro paper mentions Schalk bio

2009-09-11T04:52:00.000-07:00

The Journal News of Hillsboro, Illinois, recently printed an article announcing publication of the Schalk biography.

The paper apparently plans to do a review of the book in the future -- hopefully (if the review is favorable, of course!) before my programs and booksigning events in the late White Sox star's native Montgomery County, Oct. 10-14.

Library adds Schalk book to collection

2009-08-29T04:39:00.000-07:00

My friends at Dubuque's Carnegie-Stout Public Library, 11th and Bluff streets, have added my Ray Schalk biography to the collection.

The development made the library's official blog, which is handled by Mike May.

During my research on the Schalk biography, as well as my Red Faber project before that, the library staff was great help. A special shout out goes to Mirdza Berzins, who helped with many Interlibrary Loan transactions and many other searches.

Thanks, Mike, Mirdza and the crew at Carnegie-Stout!

Shameless plug

2009-08-20T19:07:00.001-07:00

I was interviewed today by Iowa Public Radio concerning my new book, Ray Schalk: A Baseball Biography (McFarland & Co.)
The interview, which runs more than 40 minutes, airs statewide on "The Exchange" 10-11 a.m. CDT Monday, Aug. 24.
The network also offers live streaming.
The program will be available as a podcast (for 10 days afterward) and as an MP3 (indefinitely).

To the catcher goes no glory

2009-07-31T04:40:00.001-07:00

A baseball fan just noted on his blog that when a major league pitcher throws a perfect game, the catcher -- the one calling the pitches and keeping the hurler focused through 27 straight batters -- gets little or no recognition. Sure, the pitcher has to make the pitches, but he has eight players supporting him -- and none more important than the other member of the battery.

Ray Schalk, who caught Perfect Game No. 5 in the majors, appreciated that fact. (He also caught 2 or 3 no-hitters, depending on how and when the records were kept.) Throughout his life, Schalk made it a point to personally congratulate the catcher of every no-hitter or perfect game.

Buehrle's gem and the Schalk connection

2009-07-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

When Mark Buehrle threw a perfect game this afternoon, it was only the second such gem in Chicago White Sox history.

Until today, the only Sox perfecto occurred in Detroit on April 30, 1922, when rookie Charlie Robertson, making his third start of the season, blanked the Tigers. His catcher that afternoon was the subject of my upcoming book, Ray Schalk.

With 25,000 Tigers fans booing and howling at him, the 26-year-old Robertson kept throwing whatever Schalk signaled. In the bottom of the fifth, the Tigers tried to rattle the Texan. Batter Harry Heilmann complained that Robertson was doctoring the baseball. Umpire Dick Nallin found no evidence. Later, Tigers star Ty Cobb walked to the mound and boldly inspected Robertson’s uniform for foreign substances or a device to scuff the ball. Cobb then walked over to first baseman Earl Sheely and did the same.

Decades afterward, Schalk said, “They did everything they could to upset Charlie,” he recalled. “But it didn’t bother him a bit. I could have caught every pitch sitting in a rocking chair.” Following Schalk’s signals, Robertson continued to mow down each Detroit batter.

The Chicago defense was not particularly challenged. The 1922 game featured no record-saving catches like Dewayne Wise's homer-stopping catch in the ninth inning today.

By the time Robertson stepped on the mound in the eighth inning, the spectators in Navin Field were well aware that they might witness something special. Though they booed him just an inning earlier, Detroit fans in the eighth started cheering Robertson to keep it going.

Having retired all 26 opponents to that point, Robertson coaxed pinch-hitter Johnny Bassler to lift a fly to left fielder Johnny Mostil, who squeezed the ball for the historic final out.

Afterwards, Chicago Tribune reader “R.F.” made this observation: “All praise to Pitcher Robertson of the White Sox for his perfect game – he surely deserves it – but I have not read one word of commendation for the wonderful little player who caught him. Schalk probably called, as a conservative estimate, 90 percent of the balls pitched. Why not give him a share of the glory? Think the result would have been the same with a second- or third-rate catcher?”

To that end, Schalk made it his personal practice to personally contact and congratulate the catcher of every no-hitter (or perfect game). He appreciated their contribution to history.
For the record, the catcher for Buehrle was Ramon Castro.

By the way, when Buehrle threw a no-hitter in April 2007, the home plate umpire was Eric Cooper (no relation). Today, the ump was -- yes -- Eric Cooper.

Back to work on Schalk book

2009-07-08T20:10:00.000-07:00

My inactive period during the Ray Schalk biography process is over.

After a few months away -- the manuscript was submitted at the end of January -- I'm back on duty for Ray Schalk: A Baseball Biography. Today, a box containing page proofs of the book reached my doorstep.

My task is to proofread the book and complete an index -- and do so in short order. The publisher expects to receive my changes and index, make the fixes and print the book in less than one month. The book is scheduled for printing on August 6.

I start this work with some sadness. On Monday, I learned of the death of Gene Carney, the leading expert on the Black Sox scandal, who provided me feedback on the Black Sox section of my manuscript and wrote a favorable advance review of my work. I regret that Gene won't receive a copy of the finished product with my note of appreciation.

What the heck is this?

2009-06-06T10:03:00.001-07:00

The Iowa chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research, of which I am a member, recently received a photo and communication from Shona Frese of the baseball museum in Norway, Iowa.

Seems a gentleman donated a piece of equipment, explaining it was his father's in the 1920s.

What is it?

The donor and museum speculate that it is related to spectacles.

"It is made similar to a catcher's mask but it only fits over the eye area (that is my opinion)," Frese wrote. "It has small leather pads. I tried it on over my glasses and it seems to fit pretty well. I am thinking a player might have worn it so he would not break his glasses or perhaps to help hold the glasses on."

Schalk did not wear glasses during his playing days -- at least on the field. Few players did.

Anyone have any insight on this?

Open for business

2009-05-23T06:52:00.001-07:00

In the last day or two, the publisher of my upcoming Ray Schalk biography, McFarland & Co., added the book to its web site, indicating that it is ready to take advance orders.

Another sign that there will be a book about this late star of the Chicago White Sox!

As noted previously, release is targeted for late summer or early fall.

Memorize this: 978-0-7864-4148-8

2009-05-20T05:10:00.000-07:00

What do have in common with 978-0-7864-4148-8?

Well, 978-0-7864-4148-8 is the International Standard Book Number (ISBN) for my biography of Ray Schalk.

Assignment of the ISBN represents another step in the process of the publishing of the book, which is tentatively scheduled for release in the late summer or early fall.

I'll take any signs of progress that I can get!

Book on publisher's fast track

2009-04-28T04:58:00.001-07:00

In late January, when I submitted the manuscript for my biography of Ray Schalk, I hoped that my publisher, McFarland & Co., would have a finished product released in the fall -- in time for holiday sales. McFarland says it usually takes 9-15 months from receipt of manuscript.

Those hopes will be exceeded.

Over the weekend, McFarland informed me that I can anticipate a summer release -- anywhere from June to September -- with a firmer date pending. Apparently the manuscript was reasonably clean, so copy editors got through it in pretty good order.

Still, in pre-preparing an index, I found some typos/errors that I will need to fix during the page-proof stage.

In any case, I'm thrilled that there will be a book by the fall season.,

Additional Schalk photos surface

2009-03-07T17:36:00.000-08:00

The same day that I learned the title and saw the cover of my Ray Schalk biography, I also got a look at some Schalk photos that recently surfaced.

Fortunately, my publisher has agreed to consider adding them to the biography, even though the "final" manuscript, photos and captions were submitted more than a month ago.

The photos come courtesy of Lillian Hendricks, widow of a Schalk nephew, and Debbie Brinson, widow of a Schalk grandson. Debbie's husband, Roy, died last October after an extended illness (so extended that I was unable to interview him for the book).

The image above is the Ray Schalk Family -- Pauline, Lavinia, Ray and Ray Junior -- in 1929 in New York's Polo Grounds. This was the one and only season Ray Sr. was player-coach of the New York Giants (and his last season as a player, during which he appeared in five games). The family story is that "Vin" drove herself and the two children from their home in Chicago to New York to visit Ray.

Below is Ray with his kids. As adults, the siblings were not particularly close -- far from it, actually.

I especially like these photos because they give a glimpse of late 1920s fashion -- in baseball uniforms and civilian attire.

We have a title and cover

2009-03-05T05:11:00.000-08:00

The publisher of my Ray Schalk biography, McFarland & Co., has decided a title and cover design for the book.

What do you think?

Still no word on when the book will be available. I'm assuming (hoping for) it will be Fall 2009.

Schalk's (lack of) offense analyzed

2009-02-26T04:55:00.001-08:00

RAY SCHALK

Bain Collection, Library of Congress

The subject of my second biography, Ray Schalk, made the National Baseball Hall of Fame for his defense. He could move along a player with a bunt or a sacrifice, but he was never considered an offensive threat. Back in his day (MLB 1912-28) , catchers were looked upon much like pitchers -- on the field for their defense, and if they could help with the bat, so much the better. His career batting average of .253 is the lowest among all position players enshrined in the Hall of Fame.

Anyway, I came across a blog post by a gentleman named Joe Dorish who analyzed Schalk's offense. Not much to write home about, but facts are facts.

Maybe the slightly built Schalk could have improved his average by using something smaller than a tree trunk for a bat.

It's a wrap!

2009-01-27T19:22:00.001-08:00

After more than two years and 400-some pages, on Monday I shipped my Ray Schalk biography manuscript to my publisher, McFarland & Co.

My suggested title is Cracker: Ray Schalk, Hall of Fame Catcher of the Chicago White Sox. I can't predict whether McFarland will like that title (or my suggestion for a cover photo), but it's not my call.

The photo shows the manuscript binder, which, with the CD of the entire text, photos and captions, weighed 7 pounds, 9 ounces. That is about the weight of a newborn baby, and this was my "baby" for the past couple of years.

An acquaintance who is prolific with these books observed to me, "You are never really finished writing a book. You finally just have to stop." I know what he means. I could have added this or polished that. But this book needed to be done.

Now the wait begins. It will be many months before I receive page proofs. My hope is that a finished book will be out by Thanksgiving, but that is optimistic. McFarland says books take 9-15 months after submission.

Meantime, I'll catch up on long-overdue projects around the house -- and think about my next project.

Sibling Elves

2008-12-30T05:18:00.001-08:00

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

'Action' photo of Schalk

2008-12-29T05:18:00.000-08:00

I am one month and three days from my self-imposed (well, it's now on my publishing contract) deadline to submit the manuscript, photos, captions and release forms for my Ray Schalk biography. I think I will make it, but it will be a busy time.

The other day, while working up captions, I came across some additional photos on the Library of Congress web site. Either I missed them on my previous visit(s), or the LOC has added more images, many of which are copyright-free.

Here is one of the few game action shots of Ray Schalk I've seen. He is waiting at home plate to congratulate Johnny Mostil upon scoring a run in Washington. The year was 1925.
Mostil’s failed suicide attempt during spring training in 1927 added unexpected drama to Schalk’s first year as White Sox manager. Mostil recovered but played just one complete season afterward. He left the team in early 1929.

(Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division,
National Photo Company Collection, LC-F8- 36908.)

Schalk in clip of vintage baseball video

2008-11-02T07:21:00.000-08:00

Fellow members of the Society for American Baseball Research called my attention to a film montage posted on YouTube showing various scenes from the game's Deadball Era.

It included a short clip of the subject of my next biography, the Chicago White Sox' Ray Schalk, successfully executing a squeeze bunt during the 1919 World Series. (This, of course, was the Black Sox series, after which eight White Sox players were banned for life for conspiring to lose the series to the Cincinnati Reds. Schalk was probably the first honest player to suspect the fix was occurring.)

This is a video you might want to watch several times. Each time, you might note another little aspect of the game. Compare the condition of the fields, even in a World Series, to today's manicured diamonds. The uniforms. The attire and enthusiasm of the fans. The advertisements on the outfield walls. And on and on.

Thanks to InitialNoticeBlack for posting this and other rare baseball film clips.

Schalk contributed to clincher 91 years ago today

2008-09-21T16:01:00.000-07:00

Boston Globe, Sept. 22, 1917

The blog White Sox Journal reminds us that 91 years ago today (Sept. 21), the Chicagoans wrapped up the American League pennant in dramatic fashion.

Key players for the victors were the subjects of my past and future books.

Ray Schalk, whose biography I am currently writing, hit a double and scored the go-ahead run in the 10th inning in Boston.

Red Faber, the subject of my first book, pitched all 10 innings and ended the game by inducing Babe Ruth to hit into a double play.

Schalk statue-worthy

2008-07-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

Steve on CHICAGO SPORTS LIVE takes issue with the Chicago White Sox' selection of former players to honor with statues at ~~Comiskey Park~~ U.S. Cellular Field.

On his list of players more deserving -- topping it, in fact -- is Ray Schalk.

Schalk, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame on this date 53 years ago, receives short shrift because of his low .253 batting average. Some "experts" don't look past that to consider his other attributes, starting with his defense, his hustle and his handling of pitchers (and, some might say, umpires).

Schalk is in the Hall of Fame and he doesn't need me to make his case. But he caught more than 100 games a year (when the seasons were 140-154 games) for 11 straight years. While being a workhorse, he suffered numerous broken fingers, bruises, etc., and kept at it. Playing hurt that often can't help one's batting average.

Anyway, considering how Schalk is so often overlooked, it is nice to see that Steve remembers.

I would add to his list Ted Lyons and Red Faber, still No. 1 and No. 2 on the Sox' all-time victories list.

Ray receives a mention

2008-05-21T04:46:00.000-07:00

With another no-hitter by a Boston Red Sox pitcher, Jason Varitek on Monday entered the record books for catching the most no-nos -- four.

For a long time, the subject of my next book, Ray Schalk (pictured), was considered to have caught four no-hitters (including a perfect game) as well. However, Major League Baseball in 1991 ruled that a no-hitter must be just that -- allowing no hits -- and it must be in a game of at least nine innings. As a result a New York Times article mentions Schalk's "old" mark.

That knocked one no-hitter off Schalk's list. On May 14, 1914, Jim Scott of the Chicago White Sox pitched nine no-hitter innings in Washington. In the 10th, the Nationals (also called the Senators) recorded a lead-off single. Scott gave up another hit in the frame, and wound up losing, 1-0. Less than three weeks later, Schalk caught another no-hitter, and this one counted.

Schalk made it his practice to phone or write to the catcher of every major league no-hitter. He knew that the pitcher got the glory of the achievement (as is his due), but the catcher, calling pitches and positioning defenders, usually played a big part in the event.

Schalk's 'official' no-hitters as a catcher:
May 31, 1914 -- Joe Benz, vs. Cleveland, in Chicago.
April 14, 1917 -- Eddie Cicotte, at. St. Louis Browns.
April 30, 1922 -- Charlie Robertson, at Detroit. (Perfect game)

38 years ago ...

2008-05-19T04:58:00.000-07:00

It was on this date 38 years ago -- May 19, 1970 -- that Ray Schalk died.

Schalk, the National Baseball Hall of Fame catcher and subject of my next book, had battled throat cancer for nine months, and he caught pneumonia 10 days before his death in Wesley Memorial Hospital, Chicago.

The former Chicago White Sox catcher and manager was 77 years old.

One of his grandsons last week told me that so many people showed up to pay their respects, the funeral home had to devote all four of its viewing rooms to Ray's wake. The grandson and his sister counted 168 cars in the funeral procession to Evergreen Cemetery in suburban Evergreen Park.

Widely regarded in the first two decades of the 20th century as the game's best catcher, Schalk is not well-known today. It doesn't help that the team for which he labored and showed devotion does not even honor the Hall of Famer with other White Sox greats on its outfield wall. Some on the outfield wall are not even in the Hall. (Red Faber has suffered the same fate.)

Mini-bio of Schalk online

2008-04-26T05:47:00.000-07:00

A chapter-length biography of Ray Schalk, the subject of my next book, has been posted on the Society for American Baseball Research's Baseball Biography Project site.

Here is the link to the article.

The author, Brian Stevens, originally wrote the piece a few years ago for the SABR book, Deadball Stars of the American League. I proceeded with my idea for a full-length Schalk book only after confirming that Stevens did not have similar plans. (No need for two books on the subject!) In fact, he was kind enough to send me all his notes and newspaper clips used in his research. A resident of the Northeast, Stevens visits the National Baseball Hall of Fame annually and before each trip has asked me if there is additional information he can look up on my behalf. That has been a nice assist in my efforts.

Stevens did a solid job with his article.

Under contract

2008-04-14T19:13:00.001-07:00

Ray Schalk, 1914
Bain Collection, Library of Congress

It was no surprise -- we've communicated off and on over the past year -- but today I received a publishing contract for my next book, the biography of Ray Schalk.

The book about Schalk, the Hall of Fame catcher for the Chicago White Sox (1912-28), will be published by McFarland & Co., Inc., of Jefferson, N.C.

McFarland also published my Red Faber biography.

Even knowing that a contract was likely, I felt some relief when it arrived. It represents an important step in the process. Having an "outside publisher" lends credibility to the effort.

My self-selected deadline is January 31, 2009. That seems a long ways off, but there is much to be done!

Who are these guys?

2008-02-10T07:59:00.000-08:00

A distant relative of Red Faber recently reconnected with some snapshots that Red apparently took when he was on the World Tour of 1913-14.

He sent me this photo, looking for help with identifications. Aside from the fact that Red is not in the photo (I'd assume he was taking the photo), and it appears that we have two Chicago White Sox players and one member of the New York Giants, I'm not any help.

(By the way, Ray Schalk started on the domestic leg of the tour but left the entourage before it embarked across the Pacific.)

Anyone who can assist? (Click on the photo to enlarge the image.)

More Schalk photos in lineup

2008-01-22T11:08:00.001-08:00

Thanks to a heads-up from the publisher of my Red Faber biography, I have located a few more photos for my Ray Schalk biography. And, best of all, they are in the public domain -- free and copyright-free. After paying -- well, more than nothing -- for 20 images from the Chicago History Museum, this was an economical find!

The images are part of the George Grantham Bain Collection recently digitized by the Library of Congress.

The photo above is the best of the half-dozen of Schalk I downloaded. It shows the White Sox catcher in 1914, his second full season in the majors.

Here is an image I found of particular interest. It shows Clarence "Pants" Rowland, whose hometown was Dubuque, when he managed the Chicago White Sox (1915-18). He is shown with his daughter Buelah. This photo was taken during the 1917 World Series, which Rowland's White Sox won.

Montgomery County research trip

2008-01-13T16:17:00.000-08:00

I used a vacation day Friday to conduct further research on the subject of my next biography, baseball Hall of Famer Ray Schalk, in his native Montgomery County, Illinois.

The day opened with a breakfast meeting with Bill Dees and Bill Cornman, two community leaders of Litchfield, Ill., Schalk's hometown. (He was born in the tiny town of Harvel, but the family moved to Litchfield about the time Ray started school.) Litchfield sits along I-55 (and on the former famed Route 66), roughly midway between Springfield, Ill., and St. Louis.

The two Bills answered my questions about the geography and history of the community, and they offered contact information for further information. They also provided directions to the former Elks Club building (current photo above), where Ray's father was the long-time janitor.

Litchfield became Litchfield largely because of its connections to 4-5 railroads, and it remains on a key rail route. That point hit home when Bill and I, on our way to the site where Ray Schalk played his first semi-pro game, sat in our cars for more than 15 minutes while a couple of freight trains did their thing.

My next stop was Hillsboro, the county seat, where I spent a couple of hours in the clerk's vault searching for birth, marriage and death information on the Schalk family. The result was not as complete as I had hoped. Curiously, a few of the Schalk children's birth certificates were not filed until 1941 -- nearly six decades after the fact -- and some couldn't be found at all. That stumped even the county clerk's aide Tricia (sp?), who so graciously stepped up to help me. I also checked in with Mike Plunkett, editor of the local paper, The Journal-News.

Finally, I drove over to Nokomis, home of the Bottomley-Ruffing-Schalk Baseball Museum -- dedicated to Montgomery County's three members of the National Baseball Hall of Fame. There, Jim Eisenbarth allowed me to computer-scan several photos for use in my book. The prize was an image of Schalk, as a scrawny 16-year-old, barely filling out his first semi-pro uniform (representing the Litchfield Arcos).

All in all, it was a most productive day!

New buzz on the Black Sox

2007-11-25T15:19:00.001-08:00

While researching my biography on Ray Schalk, I learned that the Chicago Tribune today carried a blockbuster story -- at least for people interested in baseball and Chicago sports history -- reporting that a box full of letters, memos and documents related to the Black Sox scandal, heretofore thought lost forever, have resurfaced.

Scanning the few samples posted on the Tribune's web site, I saw Schalk's name mentioned once -- where apparently he was to come in to White Sox offices for an interview about what he know of the affair.

It was Schalk, perhaps before any other of the honest players, who smelled a rat during the team's 1919 World Series against the Cincinnati Reds. After all, if a pitcher isn't hitting his spots, showing his stuff or following signs, the catcher would be the first to know.

This is a fascinating event for folks interested in what went on in October 1919. But it doesn't necessarily help the cause trying to clear the names of two of the eight banned players, Buck Weaver and Shoeless Joe Jackson.

Museum to assist

2007-10-28T08:30:00.001-07:00

Ray Schalk recorded 1,811 assists in his major league baseball career (1912-29). Recently, I received an assist on his behalf.

The directors of the Bottomley-Ruffing-Schalk Baseball Museum (Nokomis, Ill.) have agreed to allow me to publish the Ray Schalk photos in their collection in my Schalk biography.

The only hitch is working out the details of acquiring digital files of the images without the actual prints leaving the museum premises. However, that can be arranged, I'm sure.

Part of the collection is this shot of a young Ray Schalk.

Happy birthday, Ray

2007-08-13T04:55:00.000-07:00

A belated note: Sunday marked Ray Schalk's birthday. The late White Sox catcher would have been 115 years old.

Raymond "Cracker" Schalk was born Aug. 12, 1892, in the downstate Illinois community of Harvel (not to be confused, as some people do, with the Chicago suburb of Harvey). He died in 1970.

After recently receiving positive feedback on my intention to write a full biography on Schalk, I need to get cracking on "Cracker." Otherwise, it will be 115 years before the book is completed.

Schalk part of Faber exhibit

2007-07-03T05:01:00.000-07:00

I had the privilege of attending Monday's private preview of the Tri-County County Historical Society's new and improved Red Faber exhibit.

The exhibit makes note of Ray Schalk's connection to Faber's connection and his life, noting that Cracker caught in more than half of Faber's games -- by far the most of any White Sox receiver. The caption under Schalk's photo also notes that he and Faber were lifelong friends and neighbors in Chicago.

The official opening of the exhibit is Wednesday (Independence Day) morning, after the parade in Cascade.

The exhibition room exceeded my expectations. It's organized well, features beautiful specially made display cases, memorabilia and dozens of photos provided by the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y. The instigator of the project was Lee Simon (at right in this photo), who, with Mary Lee Hostert (above) were extremely supportive of my Faber biography project.

Fans of baseball and local history should pay the museum a visit. Regular hours are on Sunday afternoons.

40 years ago: "Fore!"

2007-04-22T09:43:00.000-07:00

I know what Ray Schalk did 40 years ago today. This is not a monumental development, but whenever I can pick up a tidbit about the off-the-field activities of the baseball Hall-of-Famer, I enter it on the spreadsheet I use to track his life events. These items can help me weave the story that I intend to make into a full biography.

Thanks to Google Alerts, I was directed to a brief mention of Schalk toward the end of a Daily Southtown article. I now know that Schalk, then 74, played a round of golf at his home course, the Beverly Country Club in south suburban Chicago, on April 22, 1967.

At first glance, there is nothing terribly significant in that -- except that his round with Chris Smits occurred the day after the course and its facilities were severely damaged in a killer tornado. Dozens were killed and hundreds injured -- many of the victims not far from the course.

Apparently Smits and Schalk played around the debris-strewn course, which had nearly three dozen of its large trees uprooted in the twister. They were the only golfers that day.

No word on Schalk's score.

Deadball book subject of web interview

2007-04-13T04:52:00.000-07:00

David Jones, editor of Deadball Stars of the American League, which includes my chapter of Red Faber, on Thursday was interviewed by Casey Stern on MLB.com Radio on Thursday. The 10-minute interview was archived. Though Faber, a spitball pitcher was not mentioned, Jones and Stern do discuss the spitball and its impact on the game. The book also has Brian Stevens' chapter on the subject of my next biography, White Sox star Ray Schalk.

Curve ball

2007-04-08T20:26:00.000-07:00

After things started to quiet down around the house on Easter afternoon, I resumed my research on my Schalk biography.

Turns out that Ray and the New York Telegram, both deceased, threw me a couple of curve balls that cost me a couple of hours of research time.

In 1929, Schalk described for the New York paper one of the funniest things he ever observed on a baseball diamond.

The situation involved an apparent Washington Senators home run that wasn't. It seems that baserunner Frank Ellerbe hearing the crowd react after teammate Ed Gharrity sent a long drive to left field, thought Chicago's Shoeless Joe Jackson had made a great catch to end the inning. (Actually, the ball cleared the fence on the fly.) Ellerbe stopped running the bases and headed to his defensive position, shortstop, and passed Gharrity, who was making his home-run trot. Passing a teammate is an automatic out, and Gharrity was credited with being the first man to end an inning on a home run.

In the article, the year of the incident was wrong, and the names of the two Senators were misspelled. That makes it tough to do accurate Internet searches. Finally, after straightening out the name spellings, and re-thinking my search parameters, I found accounts of the incident -- which occurred two years later than Schalk stated (1920 instead of 1918). In addition, sportswriters' accounts at the time differed from Schalk's recollection more than eight years later.

The moral of the story is that even witnesses get their facts wrong and that journalists -- then, as now -- can be challenged by name spellings.

Tidbits among the reels

2007-04-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

Though my time for such work has been limited, I took a day off Friday (I was "on duty" Saturday) and spent it researching Ray Schalk at the Chicago Public Library.

After about six hours of poring over a hot microfilm reader, I had a few dozen articles from Chicago newspapers (the ones I can't access over the Internet through the Carnegie-Stout subscription to ProQuest Historical Newspapers) about one of the greatest catchers ever.

I found sportswriter Bill Gleason's recollection in the Sun-Times of visiting Schalk's home for an informal get-together that included three aging Hall-of-Famers -- Schalk, Red Faber and special guest Ty Cobb.

I located more information about the tragic death of Schalk's son, Ray Jr., who took his own life just a few months before his father died.

My account of the brazen robbery of Schalk's bowling alley in 1948 -- during which the criminals locked up Schalk, his wife and a couple of dozen employees -- will be more descriptive now that I know the make of Schalk's car (which the robbers also stole).

There are just a few of the tidbits from that fuzzy microfilm that I hope to bring into focus in the Schalk biography.

Research boost

2007-01-21T07:49:00.000-08:00

My intermittent research into my next biography subject, Ray Schalk, received a boost this weekend.

The wife of a Schalk relative mailed me a stack of photocopies. They were of all of the newspaper articles her husband had in his scrapbook concerning the late Hall of Famer.

Several of the articles, primarily those from the Chicago Tribune, I already had. However, there were many articles that I might never have uncovered. Particularly illuminating were those from his hometown paper in Litchfield, Ill. (Schalk was born in nearby Harvel and grew up in Litchfield.) The articles recounted Schalks early years and contained several details that can help round out a book. "Little things," such as the name, location and condition of the ballfield in Litchfield and the name of his first semi-pro team, the Arcos.

Also in the stack were articles from Schalk's days at manager in Buffalo and Milwaukee -- including a feature story on Schalk's wife.

This type of assistance is so important, and so appreciated. It helps build the foundation for telling the story of Schalk's boyhood and his family.

On the right track

2006-12-18T16:41:00.001-08:00

A few weeks and a few hundred newspaper articles later, I am confident that Ray Schalk will be a viable subject for a full biography.

Though much of my free time the past four years has involved Red Faber, I can say with some confidence that Schalk was a better catcher than Faber was a pitcher. Both outstanding. Both Hall of Famers. But I found no newspaper articles from the first quarter of the 20th century, quoting baseball experts, that described Faber as the best player anywhere in his position. Many did say just that about Schalk.

My opinion about Schalk was reinforced by the acquisitions editor at McFarland & Co., which published my Faber biography. He thinks Schalk would be a "terrific" subject for a biography.

I hope that we're both right.

Researching

2006-11-28T11:42:00.000-08:00

I spent a good chunk of the weekend after Thanksgiving poring through old newspapers (via the Internet) to research Ray Schalk.

There was plenty to be found, including:

Appearances in two World Series, including the tainted 1919 (Black Sox) affair.
The tributes from some of the game's greats, including Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and John McGraw, who rated Schalk the game's top catcher.
Catching a baseball dropped from the top of Tribune Tower.
His retirement endeavors as a college coach and bowling alley proprietor.

And more.

There is plenty of information available for a full biography of this Hall-of-Famer. Full speed ahead!

About Ray Schalk

2006-10-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Ray Schalk (National Baseball Hall of Fame web site)

Ray "Cracker" Schalk, was a member of the Chicago White Sox 17 of his 18 seasons in the major leagues, 1912-29. (He appeared in only 21 games in those last three seasons, including five games for the New York Giants in his final year.)

A gritty competitive and defensive standout, Schalk was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1955.

Here is a link to Schalk's major league playing statistics.

He managed the White Sox in 1927 and part of 1928.

Schalk was born Aug. 12, 1892, in Harvel, in downstate Illinois, and died May 19, 1970, in Chicago.