Charlie Callahan: A Ballplayer's Story

[Big Six]

The Home of Henry Blair
Canton, Ohio
July 23, 1899

Henry Blair sat back in his armchair and sighed. He thought the 1898 season had been stressful, as he agonized over ways to help the Canton Watchmakers climb out of the Eastern Division basement. This year, the Watchmakers were in a tough fight for first place with the Youngstown Steelmen, defending champions of the Buckeye League. Blair was learning that the job of running a contending club caused just as many sleepless nights, if not more.

The Watchmakers weren’t playing badly, but they weren’t pulling away from the Steelmen, either. More significantly, the team seemed to be losing its focus. They were losing winnable games, and that worried Blair. If the Youngstown club got hot, they could steal the pennant before the Cantons knew what hit them.

At a small table on the other side of the room, Blair’s son, Henry Jr., was poring over a sheaf of papers. He gazed at the neat rows of figures he had meticulously entered there as carefully as an accountant would examine a ledger.

After several long moments, Blair finally spoke. “I think the club needs some shaking up.”

Most men in Blair’s position would never have a discussion like this with a fourteen-year-old boy, but Henry Blair, Jr. was no ordinary fourteen-year-old. His agile mind and love of base ball had led him to become as thorough an expert on the Buckeye League and its players as any man alive. Furthermore, young Henry’s constant tinkering with the raw numbers of the sport had led him to develop statistics that, as far as anyone knew, nobody else had ever discovered.

“You could bring Tim Farrell up from Canal Dover,” Henry Jr. offered. Farrell, a young catcher, had been the Watchmakers’ second-round choice in the 1898 draft.

Blair got up from his chair and joined his son at the table, bending over young Henry’s shoulder so he could read the statistics of the Canal Dover team. He shook his head. “Farrell’s batting average is fine, but he hasn’t hit a triple or a home run all year.”

Henry Jr. smiled. He was expecting his father to point out that fact. “That’s true, but look at this.” He pointed to a row of figures headed “OBP.”

“Farrell gets on base more than any player in the Township League. “

Blair nodded. His son had explained the value of on base percentage before, and it had made sense. After all, a player couldn’t score a run unless he got on base, and an inning could go on forever if batters kept getting on base.

Based on that conclusion, the Watchmakers had chosen a third baseman named John Blau in the league’s entry draft a month ago. Blau’s ability to draw walks set him apart from a number of other young hitters of similar promise.

“I think I might do that, but I also think a trade might invigorate the team a little bit, too.”

Young Henry grinned again, and produced a sheet of paper on which he had listed a number of players under a heading titled OPS. “You might want to think about acquiring these men.”

Blair furrowed his brow. “OPS? What’s this? These numbers look much too high for a batting average.”

“That’s because I’ve added their on base percentages to their slugging averages. I’ve identified the players who are best at both getting on base and hitting for power.”

“Then here’s the man I want,” Blair said, pointing to the name of Pedro Cruz, an outfielder with the Sandusky club. Cruz headed Henry Jr.’s list, with an OPS of .844.

“He’s young, too,” young Henry pointed out. “He’s only 24. He won’t come cheaply, but it might be worth a try.”

“I’ll do that, Son.” Blair rested a hand on his son’s shoulder. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, Dad.”

By the next morning, Pedro Cruz, the king of OPS, was a Canton Watchmaker.

As Henry Jr. had predicted, the Sailors drove a tough bargain. Blair had to package outfielder Jose Villa, pitcher Lou Riley, and shortstop prospect Armando Ramos in order to persuade Sandusky to part with Pedro. The Canton rooters were disappointed at the loss of Riley, but the acquisition of Cruz quickly soothed their hurt feelings.

None of them knew it, but they had a fourteen-year-old boy to thank for their good fortune.

*****************************
I know; nobody in 1899 had ever heard of OPS, and I doubt if anyone had ever figured out an OBP or a slugging percentage, either. I wanted to be able to mention "modern" stats like those in my story, however, so I created precocious young Henry as the imaginary source of those sabermetric measurements.

[Big Six]

Canton Base Ball Grounds
August 8, 1899

"Charlie, you better go. Your manager will be angry at you for being over here talking to me, won't he?" Kate Black's eyes looked worried as she looked at her beau from underneath her wide-brimmed summer hat.

"Don't worry," Charlie Callahan replied. "I pitched yesterday, so I don't even have to warm up, really." With the Watchmakers in first place, manager Ryan Brock could let the reins off his boys just a bit. As long as they weren't drinking or carousing--both of which he had no tolerance for, whatsoever--Brock believed in rewarding his players when they earned it. The use of a lighter managerial touch was one simple way he could do this.

Kate's face fell a little bit. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to be here yesterday," she said softly. "It sounds like you pitched a magnificent game."

"Please don't worry," Charlie said reassuringly. "I suppose I'll pitch another good game or two before I'm all through." He laughed softly. Pitchers usually feel good the day after they throw a four-hit shutout that widens their team's lead in the standings to three games.

"I plan on doing just that, more than once, before I go back to school," Kate said, her smile brightening again. "I do have five weeks, after all. The season should be just about over by then."

"That should be just about the right amount of time. I hope you'll get to see us in the championship series."

"You wouldn't make me late for the start of classes, would you?" Kate teased.

"You're a big girl," Charlie replied with an equally teasing grin. "You'll do exactly what you want."

"Not always," she corrected him. "I wanted to be in two places at once this summer, and I couldn't do that."

Kate had been offered the opportunity to spend the summer as a governess for the family of one of Mount Holyoke College's trustees, a former Congressman from Stockbridge, a pretty town in the Berkshires. The trustee's son, a local attorney, and his wife had two lively children whom Kate had met and fallen in love with. Kate thought the offer was wonderful, but she'd politely turned it down because she wanted so much to come back home.

"The children you wrote me about do sound like a lot of fun," Charlie agreed. He idly tossed a baseball in his right hand, catching it and setting the grip for each of his pitches in turn.

"They are wonderful," Kate said. "The boy, Patrick, is completely mad about base ball. And Emily, his sister, is no shrinking violet, that's for sure."

"How old did you say they were?"

"Patrick is almost twelve, and Emily is nine."

"Bring Patrick back home with you next summer. We might need an extra man." Charlie winked playfully as the gong that signalled the end of infield practice sounded. He waved his hand as he jogged away.

Kate, who knew the drill perfectly, waved a gloved hand back. "I'll hopefully be able to see you before our trains leave this afternoon." Kate would be returning home to Canal Dover with her brother, while Charlie would be off to play a series in Lima.

"I hope so, too," Charlie called back.

A few of Charlie's teammates were pointing and snickering by now. "Come on, Romeo," Joshua Spesinger called out, laughing good-naturedly.

Charlie hoped the Watchmakers didn't see him blush, but he turned around and waved to Kate again, too, knowing they'd now give him the business all the harder.

[Big Six]

Lima Base Ball Grounds
August 9, 1899

James Travis was a swell, and he looked the part with his expensively tailored cutaway coat, his diamond stickpin, and his carefully waxed mustache. Compared to sports in cities like New York or Boston, Travis was nothing, but in Cleveland and Cincinnati, where he operated, he was a big shot, and he knew it.

The man with him, Charles Reed, was known to most of his associates as "Champ" because he'd done a bit of prizefighting around Ohio and Michigan. To say that Champ Reed's associates were not of the most reputable sort was putting it lightly.

"So which one's Spesinger?" Travis asked Reed.

"The tall guy playing third base." On cue, Spesinger stabbed a hot grounder off a Lima batsman's club and fired across the diamond to first, retiring the batter by three full steps.

"I'm impressed," Travis replied. "Can he hit, too?"

"He's probably the best on the team. If he's not, the guy in center field is. His name's Cruz. I don't know him well, though. He's new to the club."

Travis paused for a moment. "I hear the catcher is a religious man. I don't think he'd be willing to talk with us."

Champ grinned. He clenched his hand into a big, meaty fist. "It's been my experience that almost anyone will talk if you don't give them a choice."

The swell shook his head. "I don't want you pressuring anyone like that until I tell you, Champ. We don't want to draw attention to ourselves.

"We'll need two, maybe three pitchers. Otherwise, we will have to pick our opportunities very carefully," Travis observed.

"Callahan is the one I want to speak with first."

Champ pointed to the Canton team's bench, where Charlie Callahan was relaxing with the extra pitchers and substitutes. His cap was cocked back on his head, and he stretched his legs out comfortably. "That tall fellow there is Callahan."

Travis smiled. "I knew he was a kid, but he looks like he just got out of grammar school." Champ laughed along with him.

I know he's a farm boy, Travis thought. He looks like a real rube. I'll show him a wad of cash the likes of which he's never seen, and we'll have him in our pocket...

James Travis smiled wickedly. This will be easy, easier than I thought...

[muted79]

Er... I think those two gentleman are in the wrong state and a couple of decades too early somehow

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by muted79

Er... I think those two gentleman are in the wrong state and a couple of decades too early somehow

"Gents" like these have always shown up wherever, and whenever, there was money to be made. One article I read called baseball throughout the entire period from 1865-1920 a "Stinking Cesspool of Greed."

A researcher named Howard Rosenberg found well over 100 examples of ballplayers and team executives betting on baseball during the late 1800s, so I decided that a couple of unsavory characters of that sort would fit well in Charlie's world.

[muted79]

don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to finding out where the twist leads. Just that post made me pisture a couple of guys from Eight Men Out. Hopefully Team Charlies a little smarter.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by muted79

don't get me wrong, I'm looking forward to finding out where the twist leads. Just that post made me pisture a couple of guys from Eight Men Out. Hopefully Team Charlies a little smarter.

I was picturing the same kind of characters, too. The Gilded Age was full of those kinds of swindlers, and the Champ is around for...well, it doesn't take much to figure out what the Champ is around for, does it?

I hope you'll enjoy the story, muted. We'll see if a bunch of "rubes" from Ohio are a bit more honest, or if they'll be seduced by cold, hard cash...

[Big Six]

Hotel Fremont
August 10, 1899

Charlie Callahan lounged in a comfortable chair in the lobby of the Hotel Fremont, reading a newspaper, his feet propped on his bag. He and the other Canton Watchmakers would soon be walking the two short blocks to the Fremont depot, where they would board their train back home.

Charlie didn't see the portly man approach him until he was standing right beside his chair. "Excuse me," his visitor said. "You're Charlie Callahan, aren't you?"

"Yes, that's me," Charlie replied as he rose from his chair.

"My name is James Travis. I would like to speak with you for a moment, if I may." Travis extended his hand, and Charlie shook it.

Charlie nodded. He figured Travis was simply a rooter who wanted to make conversation. "Sure," he replied.

At that moment, Joshua Spesinger descended the large staircase that led to the lobby. He saw Travis shaking hands with Charlie and stopped dead in his tracks.

That's the gambler who approached me at the ballpark yesterday, Joshua thought. I figured I'd scared him off when I told him that if he came around here again, he'd get a bat in the teeth. Apparently not...

Spesinger wasn't sure what to do. He stood beside a large potted fern, where he was sure neither Travis or Charlie would see him, and tried to make out the jist of their conversation.

"Mr. Callahan, I have a business proposition for you," Travis said with a smug grin. "If you're agreeable, there could be a considerable amount of money coming your way."

Charlie paused, waiting for Travis to continue. He was surprised when Travis leaned closer, as if he were about to share a secret.

"You are pitching against Lima on Saturday, are you not?"

"That's right," Charlie said. Obviously Travis was a fan. Otherwise, how would he know so much about the Watchmakers' pitching rotation?

"Well, Mr. Callahan, it would be worth quite a bit of money to me to see the Lima club win on Saturday. If you were to make sure that happened, I would see to it that you were rewarded very generously."

Charlie's face darkened. "Listen, Travis," he said. "I'm as interested in making money as the next fellow, but I'm not going to throw a game to do it."

James Travis wasn't giving up. "I commend your honesty, Mr. Callahan," he went on, his voice as smooth as the silk cravat he had knotted around his thick neck. "But think about this. I'm not sure what your salary might be, but I am prepared to offer you a hundred dollars for one day's work. You're what, nineteen years old? Do you know any other way for a man your age to make that much money? Why, a farmer around these parts might not make that in two months."

Charlie shook his head. "I'm not interested, Travis. Good day."

"Think it over, Mr. Callahan. You don't have to make up your mind right away. I will be staying at the Grand Hotel in Canton. You may wire me tomorrow if you decide to accept my proposal."

"Good day, Mr. Travis," Charlie repeated, his face set firmly.

Travis nodded his head and walked away. Almost immediately, Joshua Spesinger approached Charlie.

"What did that [expletive deleted] want with you?"

Charlie saw no reason to be anything less than completely honest with Joshua, whom he'd known all his life. "He offered me money to throw Saturday's game."

"You didn't agree to that, did you?"

"You know me better than that, Josh. I'd never sell you and the boys out."

Spesinger smiled and clapped Charlie on the shoulder. "Good, good. He tried the same thing with me, and I told him to go to hell. I think he might have talked to a few of the other fellows, too."

"Do you think we should say anything to anybody?" Charlie asked.

Joshua paused. "I've been wondering the same thing. Why don't we wait and see if any of the boys look like they're playing less than their best? If everyone is playing well, then there's no need to say anything."

"Okay," Charlie replied. "I'd hate to think any of the fellows are in with a scoundrel like him. We're tied for first place..."

[muted79]

oh not... not so sure about that wait and see approach... especially with money flying around and ex boxers being used as muscle.

[Big Six]

Note: The events of August 12, 1899 are taken straight from the game log of the Canton-Lima game, I kid you not...

Canton Base Ball Grounds
August 12, 1899

By 11:00 that morning, over a hundred rooters were standing in line outside the Canton ball park. The gates wouldn't open for another two hours, but if you believed the columns in the Advocate, the biggest crowd ever to watch a ballgame in Canton, Ohio was on its way to the park to watch their Watchmakers take on the Lima Terriers.

Canton was tied with Youngstown for first place in the Buckeye League East, and the Watchmakers were sending their ace, Charlie Callahan, to the box. Callahan had already won 19 games, and his 117 strikeouts were thirty more than the next-highest man's total.

Any pitcher, especially one as young as Charlie, would be nervous under these circumstances, and Canton manager Ryan Brock knew that. He wasn't surprised, therefore, to see that Charlie seemed to have the worst case of the jitters he'd ever had.

Charlie was occasionally a bit wild during warmups, but today he couldn't seem to make the ball go where he wanted it to at all. Catcher Ted Cobb stood up and called out to him.

"Is everything OK, Charlie?"

Charlie nodded. "I'm fine," he said, as casually as he could. He had been far from fine, from the moment he saw James Travis standing by the grandstand rail, an ugly, muscular roughneck by his side.

As Charlie sent a fastball humming high and so far outside that Cobb couldn't get his mitt on it, Ryan Brock came out to speak with him. "Try to relax and trust your stuff, Charlie," the manager said, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You're the best we have. You don't have to be perfect; just keep us in the game and the batsmen will do the rest."

"Thanks, Skip," Charlie said, managing a smile.

Charlie knew he had done nothing wrong. He hadn't spoken to James Travis since Thursday evening back in Fremont, and he hadn't sent him a telegram. I'm on the up and up, and Josh knows it, at least, Charlie thought.

Travis and that hoodlum he's with still make me nervous, though...

When James Travis didn't hear from Charlie, he decided not to put any money down on the Canton-Lima game at all. He'd considered betting on Canton, since the Watchmakers had their best pitcher in the box against the fifth-place Terriers, but decided he'd wait for a surer thing.

There are far, far surer bets to be made than this one, Travis thought...

Charlie tried to block out the whirlwind of thoughts that raced around his mind as Lima catcher Juan Gonzales stepped in to lead off the game. Throw a strike, Charlie told himself. That will calm you down.

Charlie did just that, but it was too good a strike. Gonzales jumped on it and lined it sharply over shortstop for a single.

The young pitcher wiped his hands on his pants and looked in at the next batter, Luis Mosena. After taking a strike, Mosena tapped a bunt right back at Charlie, who could only snap the ball to first as Gonzales moved into scoring position.

The next Terrier hitter was Greg Poole, one of the league's most exciting young stars. Only 20, Poole was on his way to his second straight .300 season, and he hit with power, too.

Charlie had to work carefully but, just as he did with Gonzales, he made his first pitch too good. Poole turned on the pitch and drove it into the right-field corner. Mosena scored standing up.

At third base, Joshua Spesinger felt a chill run up his spine. He couldn't have...could he?

Josh quicky trotted over to the box. He needed to know that his teammate hadn't changed his mind about dealing with Travis. Catcher Cobb was on his way, too. Damn, Josh thought.

Spesinger reached Charlie first. He had to speak quickly. "You didn't, did you?"

Charlie shook his head just as quickly. "No! I swear to you, Josh. I swear."

Ted Cobb joined them. "What do you swear, Charlie?" he asked.

Again, Spesinger felt sick. What had Cobb heard?

"He swears he feels good, Teddy," Joshua replied quickly.

"Just calm down, kid," Cobb said reassuringly. "Throw to my glove."

Spesinger looked Charlie in the eye. "I believe you," he said with a smile.

The Terriers' cleanup man was Ricardo Alonso. Although he was 39, Alonso was still dangerous, and had been named the Buckeye League's best hitter in July. Alonso smacked a Callahan curveball down to Spesinger at third. Josh looked Poole back to second and fired to first for the out.

"See what I mean?" Cobb grinned as he called out to Charlie again.

To be continued...

[Big Six]

Canton Base Ball Grounds
August 12, 1899

Kate Black wrung her hands in her lap as she watched Charlie struggle through the first inning. "Charlie looks so nervous!" she exclaimed to her brother Tom, who sat beside her in the grandstand behind the Canton bench.

"You would be too, Kate. Look at this huge crowd."

When the inning ended, Charlie trudged back to the bench. "That's OK, Charlie!" Kate shouted. "We'll get that run back, and more!"

James Travis was confused. He turned to Champ Reed and spoke to him out of the corner of his mouth. "Callahan didn't say anything to you, did he?"

Reed shook his head. "You told me you didn't want me talking to him, remember?" He grinned. "He didn't seek me out, either."

"I was just wondering," Travis said. "He sure laid the ball in to those guys."

The second and third innings went much better for Charlie and the Watchmakers. Callahan was the third man due up for Canton in the bottom of the third, and by the time he stepped to the plate, "Stringbean John" Adams had retired eight consecutive Watchmaker batsmen.

Charlie was no slouch at the plate; he was batting .241 this season, and he'd hit .327 for Canal Dover last year. He took a ball and a strike from Adams before he saw a pitch he liked and swung from the heels.

The crowd roared as the ball bounced off the wooden fence in left-center. Charlie pulled into second with a double, doffing his cap to the crowd.

Nobody was happier to see that happen than Joshua Spesinger.

Three straight singles by Ed Hood, David Reese, and Pedro Cruz followed, and the Watchmakers scored twice to take the lead. The team's two-out rally energized the crowd, especially the young woman whose heart had been stolen by the man who got the rally going.

Kate's loud cheering and frantically waving handkerchief caught the eye of James Travis. He watched her for a moment, and his mind began to work. So that's Callahan's sweetheart. That might be a helpful thing to know...

The Watchmakers scored again in the fifth inning, and led 3-1 as the Terriers came to bat in the sixth. Charlie had been cruising along, and the crowd seemed confident that their young ace would easily put the finishing touches on his 20th win of the season.

Then, three straight Terriers reached base, on a single, a walk, and a hit batsman. James Travis was suddenly paying close attention again. He knew how a pitcher who was on the take operated. He grooved pitches to some hitters; he threw wildly on purpose to others. Charlie Callahan's performance was looking more and more like that of a pitcher who was trying not to win.

Lima outfielder Adrian Sosa bounced a grounder right back to Charlie. He gloved it and squared around to throw home for the force.

The ball sailed over Cobb's head. Two runners scored. The game was tied.

When Lima scored again in the seventh, James Travis grabbed Champ Reed by the arm. "Let's go," he said. "I think we just got double-crossed."

Reed wasn't the smartest man in Ohio. "Whatcha mean, Jim?"

"I mean Callahan's crossed us up. He told me he wasn't interested in working with us, and he's gone and made a deal with someone else! He's throwing this game, and someone else is making the money, not us!"

Reed snarled. "That [expletive deleted]! I'll pull his arm out of its socket and beat the hell out of him with it for that." The Champ punctuated his words by smacking his ham-like fist into his palm.

Travis shook his head. "No, Champ. I think I know a better way to get to him. Let's go."

Lima beat Canton that day, 4-3. Meanwhile, Youngstown won a 2-1 thriller at home against Fremont, the West Division leader. The Watchmakers were now a game behind.

Charlie Callahan was inconsolable, and the only person he could speak freely with was Joshua Spesinger. "I swear to you I didn't throw the game, Josh," he said to his teammate and friend. "I just screwed up."

"I said I believe you," Josh said, "and I still believe you."

"Thanks. I hope everybody else does, too."

[muted79]

No wonder he wanted to "wait and see". Poor Kate's enthusiasm will come back to bite her. Boy OOTP really threw up a great game to help the story along. Great writing as usual.

[Big Six]

Originally Posted by muted79

No wonder he wanted to "wait and see". Poor Kate's enthusiasm will come back to bite her. Boy OOTP really threw up a great game to help the story along. Great writing as usual.

Thanks, muted. The story would have taken a different path if the Watchmakers had won, but to have them lose...and in such a fashion...makes the plot a bit thicker, doesn't it?

After all, people don't act according to the truth of a situation, but according to what they believe the truth to be.

[Big Six]

Canton Advocate, August 19, 1899

WATCHMAKERS LOSE SEVENTH STRAIGHT
Callahan Pitches Well, But Relievers Hit Hard By Middletown

MIDDLETOWN--A week ago, the Canton Watchmakers' chances for a berth in the Buckeye League play-offs looked better than they ever had. The club was tied with Youngstown for first place, with a string of home games just ahead.

The Watchmakers promptly lost all six of those home contests, and things turned out no better in their first game at Middletown yesterday. After Charlie Callahan held the tough Red Sox batsmen in check for eight innings, two relief men allowed Middletown to tie the score in the ninth frame adn then defeat the Watchmakers, 6-5, in fourteen innings.

This treatment was nothing new for Callahan, who suffered a remarkably similar fate against Youngstown on Tuesday. "I am doing my best," Callahan said. "Sometimes you get lucky and win games you should not have won. I suppose it was time for me to be unlucky."

The Canton club's loss left them five games behind Youngstown, a club that appears to be playing its best ball of the season when it matters most...