Red Faber

We lose a link to Iowa sports history

2010-01-15T10:33:00.001-08:00

Don Crawford with another Cascade native, Gary Dolphin, "Voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes," July 4, 2007.

I received a sad bit of news today, when Paul Crawford reported the passing of his Dad, Don Crawford. He was 95. I met Don in mid-2007, after he contacted me about my Red Faber biography. I visited him in his apartment in Des Moines.

Unfortunately, my book was already out; otherwise, Don could have helped round out my project. That's because Don had the distinction of likely being the last living person to have batted against Faber. It was in a 1933 exhibition in Dubuque, just a week or two after what turned out to be Faber's last major league game. Don was 18 at the time; Faber was 45.

Don, who grew up in Cascade, might be the only person to have ever batted against both Faber and another Hall of Famer with Iowa roots, Bob Feller. That contest occurred in an amateur tournament a few years later, when Feller was still a teen but soon to enter the majors.

On Independence Day 2007, when the Tri-County Historical Society unveiled its newly remodeled museum wing dedicated to Faber, officials asked Don to snip the ribbon. He was thrilled.

On the occasion of our visit in Des Moines, I wrote a blog post that ended: One of the great pleasures of writing the Faber biography is getting the opportunity to become acquainted with people I otherwise would never had occasion to meet. Don Crawford, a real gentleman, certainly is at the top of the list.

Some 2½ years later, I still feel that way. Peace, Don.

One fan's White Sox all-star team

2009-12-22T05:18:00.001-08:00

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.

Authors take issue with Faber as source for "Eight Men Out"

2009-09-07T18:35:00.001-07:00

Urban "Red" Faber in 1917

An extensive article in Chicago Lawyer challenges the account of the Black Sox Scandal as presented in the 1960s by the late Eliot Asinof in "Eight Men Out."

The article is making the case that Shoeless Joe Jackson was innocent in the 1919 World Series fix and should be enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

It's an interesting article, but I'm not convinced.

That Red Faber was an Asinof source was affirmed when the late author's notes were reviewed. No surprise there.

However, the authors took issue with Faber as a source, apparently, because Faber did not actually pitch in the 1919 Series. They made it seem that Faber was laid up with the Spanish Flu, which had reached pandemic levels in 1918, and not in a position to observe.

That someone did not play does not mean he was not present. Faber was on the Sox roster for the Series, but after being ineffective or inactive for much of the last half of the 1919 season -- after-effects of the flu earlier in the year caused weight loss and no doubt contributed to his ineffectiveness -- he was not used. He attended each of the eight games of the series.

Further, the article does not address Asinof's contention that the Black Sox figures continued to lose some games in 1920. Faber himself told Asinof about it -- and Red was a victim of indifferent and bonehead play by the Black Sox figures, including Jackson.

Jackson's defenders point out that Shoeless Joe played errorless defense and hit the only home run of the 1919 Series. True. However, defenders can hurt their team without being charged with an error. A throw a little late to a base. Or thrown to a wrong base. Or missing a cutoff man. And the home run? It came in the third inning of the final game, when the Sox already trailed 5-0. Hardly a game-changing moment, but a homer nonetheless. Does that prove that Jackson played his best throughout the series? No one alive will ever know for sure.

Asinof is not necessary the last word in Black Sox research -- the recently deceased Gene Carney was a contemporary expert, and he expanded upon, affirmed and clarified Asinof's findings. I don't consider myself an expert. But after researching Faber and Ray Schalk, I am not ready to go along with the magazine article's authors, who focus on Asinof, overlook questionable events in 1920 games, disregard that Faber was present during the 1919 Series and ignore subsequent research and findings about the Black Sox.

Did Shoeless Joe get a raw deal? Let the debate continue.

Review: Spitball-Knuckleball Book

2009-05-09T14:12:00.000-07:00

In his first two non-fiction books, historian Tom E. Mahl wrote about espionage. His third dealt with covert operations of a different sort - baseball's "trick pitches."

"The Spitball/Knuckleball Book: How They are Thrown, Those Who Threw Them" (Elyria, Ohio: Trick Pitch Press) has the shape and typography of a coffee-table book. However, it is jammed with so much information it qualifies as a serious history of the men who threw the spitball, knuckleball and its many variants - and shows how they did it.

Mahl, who earned a doctorate in diplomatic history from Kent State and teaches at Lorain County (Ohio) Community College, presents dozens of mini-biographies of trick-pitch practitioners, including Red Faber, about whom this author wrote a full biography.

Faber was one of 17 major leaguers grandfathered into the 1920 rule otherwise banning the spitter and trick pitches (such as the emery ball, grease ball and the like). When Faber retired after the 1933 season, he the last American League regular to legally throw the spitball in the majors.

Mahl hit a couple of bumps in the Faber chapter, falling prey to an error first published in the 1930s regarding Red's middle name (it is Clarence) and stating that the White Sox star had three 20-win seasons (he had four, not three). Still, those bobbles hardly detract from a nicely paced, compelling volume.

An interesting feature of the book is that it goes beyond who threw trick pitches, but shows how they threw them. Several pages of illustrations and diagrams show the techniques pitchers used to cause the ball to flutter and dive away from frustrated batters' furious swings.

Readers who love baseball history, with a particular interest in pitching, will enjoy Mahl's book.

Ready to circulate

2009-02-14T10:13:00.001-08:00

I was in Dubuque's Carnegie-Stout Public Library last weekend, researching a possible subject for my next book, and spotted two copies of Red Faber in the Iowa Books shelves.

So, if you had been waiting for the lines to die down before checking out the biography, now is the time. Two books, no waiting.

Faber clinched pennant 91 years ago today

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

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 and Faber statue-worthy

2008-07-25T05:29:00.000-07:00

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.

Late-inning review

2008-03-26T17:19:00.000-07:00

It's been about 16 months since the first copies of my Red Faber biography reached bookstores, so I sort of figured that the time for book reviews had passed.

As usual, I was wrong.

The book recently received a nice write-up in NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture. The journal "seeks to promote the study of all historical aspects of baseball and centers on the cultural implications of the game wherever in the world baseball is played. The Journal reflects an eclectic approach and does not foster a particular ideological bias." It is published by the University of Nebraska Press.

Reviewer Harry Jebsen, a history professor at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio, described the biography as "a nicely done, easy-to-follow book on one of the lesser-known residents of the Cooperstown museum."

I'll accept reviews such as those whenever they come.

Faber biography receives surprise nomination

2008-03-06T04:54:00.000-08:00

I received a surprise in my e-mail this morning, when I learned that my Red Faber biography is among 10 finalists for the prestigious Larry Ritter Award of the Society for American Baseball Research.

The award honors "the best book published each year, primarily set in or primarily about the deadball era."

The award subcommittee announced the books under consideration. The other nine finalists:

Balloting begins this month, and award is presented at the SABR convention this summer.

You've heard it said, "It was an honor just to be nominated"? Well, that's my feeling here. And it's a surprise to be nominated, because I had no hand in it.

I haven't read the other eight books, but I'm just finishing Macht's biography of Connie Mack, and it's tremendous. (More on that soon.)

More images uncovered!

2008-02-12T18:59:00.000-08:00

A great-nephew of Red Faber has posted more of the snapshots that Red took on the World Tour of 1913-14, when he was a rookie-to-be with the Chicago White Sox. The pictures were just now uncovered from storage in the home of another relative.

I suspect that someone using Red's camera snapped the top one. It appears that the man seated in the middle of the front row (not looking at the camera) is Red himself.

The entourage also visited the Great Pyramids and sphinx.

Click on the photos to enlarge them.

Click here to see the rest of the images.

Who are these guys?

2008-02-10T07:51:00.000-08:00

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.

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

Red's camera uncovered!

2008-01-23T19:32:00.002-08:00

As I've mentioned here before, publication of my biography of Red Faber has put me into contact with a great many people -- folks I otherwise never would have met (in person or via the Internet).

My most recent episode apparently will result in a donation to the Red Faber wing of the Tri-County Historical Museum in Cascade, Iowa.

(I'll leave out the names and addresses, pending finalization of the arrangements, but I have to say SOMETHING about it now.)

During the off-season of 1913-14, before his rookie season with the White Sox, Faber joined the White Sox and NY Giants (and a few other major league teams) in an around-the-world exhibition tour. It lasted four months, and Faber saw Asia, Australia and Europe.

In the book, I wrote:

In his letter home, Faber indicated that he had a camera and promised to have many pictures to share with family and friends upon his return to Iowa. Unfortunately, his snapshots apparently have not survived the subsequent nine decades.

Well, that may not be the case. (Good thing I used the qualifier "apparently"!)

This week I opened an e-mail from a distant relative of Red's, who received my book as a Christmas gift from his wife. He read my passage mentioning the camera and contacted because, he has that camera!

Not only that, he thinks a close relative of his might still have some of Red's snapshots! He remembers seeing them many years ago.

This gets better: The gentleman would like to donate the camera to the museum in Cascade. And if some of Red's snapshots from the World Tour turn up, they might find their way to Cascade someday. What a boon that will be to the museum's collection.

The donor-to-be sent me a couple of images of Red's camera, now 95 years old.

What are your favorite nicknames?

2008-01-23T19:32:00.001-08:00

Red Faber: Nickname too common.

An uncle in suburban St. Louis called my attention to a feature story in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch concerning unusual nicknames for baseball players.

Among those the paper profiled is Hall of Famer Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourne, who, before hitting the National League played professionally in Dubuque in 1879. That team included Charles "The Old Roman" Comiskey, who later owned the Chicago White Sox and entered the Hall himself.

The article also lists "Cool Papa," "Ducky," "Big Poison" (and, of course, "Little Poison"), "Highpockets" and a host of others.

The Post-Dispatch didn't mention either of the two players I have spent the most time researching Urban "Red" Faber (pictured) or Ray "Cracker" Schalk. Not a surprise regarding Faber; it seemed that every team in every sport had a "Red" on its roster during the 20th century. "Cracker" is more unusual, and might have qualified for the Post-Dispatch, but, hey, it's a newspaper article, not a novel.

Audience participation time: What nicknames do you consider the most interesting or unusual? Send in your choices.

Photo credit: George Bain Collection, Library of Congress

10 libraries

2007-11-02T20:31:00.000-07:00

Thanks to a new e-mail newsletter service from Carnegie-Stout Public Library, I was able to learn which Iowa libraries have copies of my Red Faber biography.

There are 10 of them. Some, such as Dubuque and Cascade, where Faber once lived, are naturals. So too for Loras College, which houses the Center for Dubuque History and which named one of its athletic fields after Faber.

I'm proud that both libraries of the State Historical Society of Iowa (in Des Moines and Iowa City) also have the book.

Regarding some of the remaining libraries, I don't see a Faber connection -- but apparently they have an appreciation for Iowa history, and I commend them for their remarkably good judgment.

Anyway, here are the Iowa libraries with the biography in their collections:

Iowa State University, Ames
Cascade Public Library
Cresco Public Library
Des Moines Public Library
State Historical Society of Iowa Library, Des Moines
Carnegie-Stout Public Library, Dubuque
Loras College Library, Dubuque
State Historical Society of Iowa Library , Iowa City
Manchester Public Library
Pleasant Hill Public Library

It was 90 years ago today (well, Monday)

2007-10-17T07:41:00.001-07:00

The timing was coincidental, but it was fitting that I presented my Red Faber slideshow to the Cascade Lions Club on Monday.

Monday, Oct. 15, 2007, marked exactly the 90th anniversary of the Chicago White Sox' clinching victory the 1917 World Series.

The winning pitcher in that final game -- Game 6 -- was Urban "Red" Faber, native of Cascade. In fact, Faber was the pitching hero of the series, winning three games (a record for a six-game series).

Facing the New York Giants, Faber won Game 2, lost Game 4, won Game 5 in relief and then, after a travel day, turned around and won Game 6 in a complete-game clincher.

Things were quiet in Cascade on Monday, when the Lions heard my presentation, based on my biography, and then toured the newly reopened Faber wing of the Tri-County Historical Museum. The community was much livelier 90 years ago that evening, after news of the Cascade boy's accomplishments arrived at the telegraph office.

Favorable review

2007-09-03T18:11:00.001-07:00

When I noticed that the newest edition of the Society for American Baseball Research's Deadball Era Committee newsletter included a review of my Red Faber biography, I held my breath.

SABR membership roll is full researchers, historians and sticklers for detail and accuracy. What would the reviewer think?

I exhaled when I got to the end of Les Masterson's review. He was quite generous.

Here is the review, in PDF format. It begins on Page 5.

Faber exhibit open for business

2007-07-04T12:01:00.000-07:00

Independence Day 2007 marked the official opening of the renovated Red Faber exhibit at the Tri-County Historical Museum in Cascade, Iowa. Immediately after Cascade's July 4, the ribbon-cutting ceremony and exhibit opening enjoyed a strong turnout.

Cascade native Don Crawford, 92, who in October 1933 played in an exhibition game with Red Faber (the last competitive game in which Faber appeared) , cuts the ribbon to open the renovated Faber exhibit. At right is Lee Simon, historical society member and driving force behind the museum project.

Baseball and local history fans line up to enter the Faber exhibit. I estimate that 150-200 people came in during the first two hours.

Don Crawford, now of Des Moines, poses with another Cascade native, Gary Dolphin, "Voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes." Dolphin donated to the museum a simulated radio broadcast of the last half-inning of the 1917 World Series, when Red Faber of the White Sox closed out the New York Giants.

Most of the exhibit features photographs -- of Faber, his teammates (including the Black Sox), Hall of Fame opponents and other baseball notables of the era. Other features include Faber memorabilia; the most recent item came in as the museum opened -- the loan of a baseball that Faber autographed at the same October 1933 exhibition in which Crawford played!

If you would like to see the Faber exhibit, it might be wise to check ahead first. Regular hours are Sunday afternoons during baseball season, or by appointment (563-852-3589).

Faber exhibit a hit

2007-07-03T05:01:00.001-07:00

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 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.

Two of the features are audio: Gary Dolphin's simulation play-by-play broadcast of the 1917 World Series' conclusion, and Faber's brief and modest acceptance speech upon his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1964.

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

Improved Faber exhibit in Cascade taking shape

2007-06-26T07:53:00.000-07:00

Volunteers are working feverishly to finish the building renovation and displays for the new Red Faber exhibit at the Tri-County Historical Society's museum in Cascade, Iowa.

If all goes as planned, the exhibit will open on Independence Day.

Lee Simon is heading the project, which moves the Faber exhibit to the ground floor of the museum, 608 Second Ave. SW. It will feature more photographs, more Faber memorabilia and even a simulated radio play-by-play of the final half-inning of the 1917 World Series, where Faber shut down the New York Giants to secure the championship for the Chicago White Sox. The play-by-play is provided by sportscaster Gary Dolphin, a Cascade native and Voice of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

The historical society has invited me, as Faber's biographer, to take part in the re-opening the morning of July 4 by autographing copies of the book. With pleasure!

Faber to be topic at symposium

2007-06-24T17:15:00.000-07:00

Folks interested in Iowa history and in baseball might want to check out a two-day symposium at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Aug. 17-18 in West Branch, Iowa.

"Farm Team: Iowa's Contributions to Baseball," will open at 1 p.m. Friday, August 17 with a panel discussion entitled, "Hard Ball: Memories of Life in the Major Leagues," featuring former catchers Bruce Kimm and Bob Oldis, umpire Don Denkinger and former Negro Leagues player Art Pennington.

I'm honored to be part of the lineup. I've been asked to discuss the Hall of Fame career of Dubuque County native Red Faber. at 10 a.m. Saturday, August 18.

Other programs include the Rise of the Midwest League and fall of the Three-I League (of which Dubuque was once a member), African-Americans' influence on baseball, Rudy Laskowski and the Keokuk Kernels of 1952-53, Ozzie Smith and the Clarinda Cardinals, development of the baseball cartoon, Ray Doan (the P.T. Barnum of Baseball), Iowa's historic ballfields, 19th century lithographs and photos, barnstorming teams, the Iowa state baseball championship of 1870, an all-time, all-Iowa team, Cal McVey, Iowa's first pro baseball player, and a look at the recent making of the movie, "The Final Season."

For more information about the seminar, contact the Herbert Hoover Museum 319-643-5301. Registration is required and the cost is $25.

This Moe no Stooge

2007-06-18T20:21:00.001-07:00

Red Faber (left), Moe Berg and Chuck Comiskey

I was in Carnegie-Stout Library over my lunch hour today, working on some baseball research (for the Tri-County Historical Museum) when another patron, a man in his mid-20s to early 30s, spied baseball photos spread on the desk in front of me.

He mentioned that he had just finished reading a book about Moe Berg. He asked if I had heard of Moe Berg.

Indeed I had. Berg is one of the most interesting, intelligent and complex men to have ever worn the uniform. Just a backup catcher for the Chicago White Sox and some other major league teams over 15 seasons, Berg was a genius and a spy for the U.S. Government. He is the subject of at least two biographies.

Berg and Red Faber, the subject of my biography, were teammates on the White Sox from 1927 through 1930.

A player of modest abilities, it was said of Moe Berg, "He could speak seven languages -- but couldn't hit in any of 'em." That wasn't exactly true. He knew 12 languages.

(Photo courtesy of the Tri-County Historical Society, Cascade, Iowa)

Faber program Saturday afternoon

2007-04-13T05:03:00.000-07:00

After being snowed out of a public presentation Wednesday (Dubuque County-Key City Genealogy Society), I am next scheduled to present my Red Faber slideshow and sign books 1 p.m. Saturday, April 14, at Borders bookstore, Kennedy Mall in Dubuque.

I plan to be there until 3 p.m. Hope to see you there!

Deadball book subject of web interview

2007-04-13T04:37:00.000-07:00

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.

He saw Red pitch

2007-04-01T14:27:00.001-07:00

One of the unintended benefits of my Red Faber biography project is hearing from people who have their own stories and connections to Faber or the White Sox. On Thursday, for example, I received an e-mail from a great-nephew of Red's second wife, Fran. During my research, I was unable to locate any of her relatives.

It was been nearly 74 years since Faber pitched his last Major League Baseball game. He retired at age 45 after the 1933 season, when he was the majors' oldest player.

Thus, I was pleasantly surprised Saturday when I received an e-mail from someone who saw Faber pitch one of his last games. Merrill Smith Jr., the son of a former Dubuque sportswriter and Guttenberg (Iowa) editor, contacted me after reading the Faber biography. Now in his early 80s, and living in Florida, he shared a story of own:

In 1933 I was 8 years old and went to the world's fair in Chicago. But the real highlight of the trip was that August 18-inning game between the Sox and the Yankees. I never believed the game was stopped because of darkness. It was really stopped because the Yanks had to catch the train.

I don't know about the train aspect, but it is true that on Aug. 21 1933, the White Sox and Yankees played 18 innings before the game was declared a 3-3 tie. After 4 hours and 11 minutes of play - remember, there were no night games in Chicago yet, and the contest started about 3 p.m. - visibility might well have been a factor.

I looked up accounts of that game. Some other interesting features that day:

The Yankees broke a scoreless contest with a run in the top of the ninth inning. The White Sox scored in the bottom of the ninth to send the contest into extra innings.
The Yankees scored twice in the 11th - and the White Sox again matched them in the bottom of the frame.
Over all 18 innings, neither team committed an error.
Faber, soon to turn 45, pitched seven scoreless innings and game up only two hits.
The game featured no fewer than TEN future Hall-of-Famers, not including Babe Ruth, who sat out with an injury. (Yankees: Pennock, Lazzeri, Dickey, Gehrig and Sewell. White Sox: Dykes, Simmons, Appling, Lyons and Faber.) Pitcher Ted Lyons' contribution was as a pinch-hitter in the 11th inning.

What a great game for any fan - let alone an 8-year-old boy -- to attend!

This could be expensive

2007-03-10T07:23:00.000-08:00

I was honored to be invited to a local Meet the Authors night hosted by the National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium in Dubuque. For details, click on the graphic above. I'll be signing my biography of Red Faber.

Looking over the list of the nearly three dozen authors who will participate, I saw that I own several of the books already. However, there are many other books I have yet to acquire. And with the authors present to autograph? Impulse buying might run rampant. It could prove to be a very expensive evening for me.

The (well, some) reviews are in

2007-02-25T11:44:00.000-08:00

In the few months since the Faber biography was released, I have received some nice comments from some tri-state folks and Faber relatives and acquaintances. However, what about other readers? I heard that some reviews had been posted on Amazon.com, so I held my breath and looked them up.

Exhale!

The three reviews were quite favorable. (You didn't think I'd mention this if they weren't, did you?) That scorecard could change, of course, but for now the early comments have been quite gratifying.

Red whited-out

2007-02-24T14:42:00.000-08:00

My Red Faber presentation and book-signing was dealt an icy blow this afternoon. Wintry weather – with a blizzard warning issued – doomed my appearance at the Borders bookstore in Dubuque.

The only thing that could have made it worse would have been having no one show up while the weather was perfect.

Anyway, I scraped the thin layer of ice off the windshield, drove the few blocks to Borders and faced the expected – zero attendance. Actually, it wasn’t a total shutout. Gary Gansemer, an acquaintance of many years and a White Sox fan, showed up to have me sign the book he bought at Borders a few days earlier. We ended up talking about Faber, the White Sox and baseball research for the balance of the hour. A fun way to spend a snowy afternoon.

The folks at Borders want to have me back – probably in April. The weather will be better then – won’t it?

Another book

2007-02-17T09:12:00.001-08:00

It is not that I am a prolific writer. Far from it! However, it has happened that for the second time in four months, I have a new book on the market.

Actually, this time I am just one of many authors who contributed to Deadball Stars of the American League, a compilation of mini-biographies of standouts in the first two decades of the so-called "junior circuit."

I contributed the condensed biography of Urban "Red" Faber, who is the subject of my full biography released in November by McFarland & Co.

The title refers to the period in baseball prior to 1920, when the composition of the baseball, the rules and, not coincidentally, the transition from "small-ball" to "long-ball" strategy changed the nature of the game.

Edited by David Jones, the AL Deadball book is the companion to Deadball Stars of the National League, which was released three years ago.

Public radio interviews

2007-01-21T08:08:00.000-08:00

On Friday, I experienced role reversal. Instead of being the journalist/interviewer, I was the interviewee.

Rob Dillard, of Iowa Public Radio, interviewed me in Des Moines concerning my Red Faber biography. Rob is a fan of the game and its history, and his questions reflected that background.

A broadcast time for the segment has not been set.

Meanwhile, on Feb. 7, I will be interviewed on "About Books" on WVIK, the public radio station on the campus of Augustana College, Rock Island, Ill. (90.3 FM in the Quad Cities and 95.7 FM in Dubuque.) My interviewer will be Faye Clow of the Bettendorf Public Library.

On the road again

2007-01-21T07:49:00.001-08:00

Three weeks after making a couple of Chicago-area presentations about Red Faber, I will be back in Chicago to promote my biography of Faber and to promote Chicago baseball history.

This event is the White Sox FanFest, at the Palmer House. I will be helping a former high school classmate promote his major project, creating a Chicago Baseball Museum, by working a shift at the museum's booth. Meanwhile, I hope to sell a few copies of the Faber book available and make some contacts for my Ray Schalk project.

I don't have much feel for how productive this trip will be, but I'm overdue for a visit to downtown Chicago anyway.

Chicago presentations Saturday/Deadball photos

2007-01-05T08:09:00.000-08:00

I will be presenting two slide shows on Red Faber in the Chicago area on Saturday, Jan. 6.

Grayslake Historical Society
9 am Saturday, Jan. 6
State Bank of the Lakes community room
50 Commerce Drive
Grayslake, IL

Chicago Chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research
1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 6
Roden Branch/Chicago Public Library system
6083 Northwest Highway
Chicago, IL

Books will be available for sale. If you are in the Chicago area on Saturday, I hope to see you there.

MEANWHILE, here is a link to a YouTube slideshow featuring photos from baseball's "Deadball Era." Though Faber is not shown, there are plenty of Chicago photos (as well as one of the great Honus Wagner). Note what access the news photographers received during game action.

Shoeless Joe on film -- as a spectator?

2006-12-19T19:07:00.000-08:00

As a member of the Society for American Baseball Research, I am on a couple of researcher lists. A post today especially caught my interest, because of my research of Red Faber and other members of the Chicago White Sox before, during and after the Black Sox scandal.

Some folks are waging a campaign to get John Wesley Donaldson, an early 20th century pitcher barred from the big leagues because of the color of his skin, inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame. A web site promoting Donaldson has some extremely rare film footage of the star in action, most likely in one of the hundreds of barnstorming contests in which he appeared.

The camera pans to show spectators. Wait! Look closely at the group appearing at 25 seconds on the timer. Who is that man whose straw hat is partially obscured by a foot in the foreground? Could it be Joe Jackson, the virtually shoo-in for the Hall of Fame who wound up banned from organized baseball because of the Black Sox scandal? Some researchers think it is a possibility.

Researching Red's teammate and friend

2006-12-18T16:49:00.000-08:00

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. Schalk and Red Faber were long-time teammates and, subsequently, lifelong friends.

Though much of my free time the past four years has involved 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.

Second printing

2006-12-13T18:33:00.001-08:00

My biography of the late baseball star Red Faber isn't hitting the Best Seller list, but it is going into a second printing.

I learned today from my publisher, McFarland & Co., that the book is temporarily "out of stock."
The folks at the publishing house in Jefferson, N.C., hope to have more copies printed yet this month.

While I am encouraged that book sales apparently exceeded the publisher's (low?) expectations, I hope folks who want books as Christmas gifts will be able to get them.

The Dubuque retail outlet for the biography, River Lights Book Store, ordered more books late last week. Hopefully, its order was shipped before the "out of stock" sign went up. The Tri-County Historical Society and I have served as "interim supplier" until River Lights' next shipment arrives.

Tonight, I dropped off another half-dozen books to River Lights. As I entered the store, a customer asked the clerk about the whereabouts of the Faber book. She was a little startled to have the author step forward, pull a copy from his grocery bag and offer to autograph it. Before I left, another customer asked me to sign two copies.

So far, we have been able to arrange supply to meet demand. But we're all crossing our fingers for UPS or FedEx to deliver River Lights' order on Thursday.

Great turnout at Carnegie-Stout

2006-12-08T10:01:00.001-08:00

More than 50 people attended my presentation Thursday night on the late Dubuque County Baseball star Red Faber. The program was presented at Carnegie-Stout Public Library.

Thanks to all who turned out and added to the evening with some interesting and challenging questions!

I have no further public appearances in the tri-state area confirmed, but I have had some communication with possible hosts.

Meanwhile, I get calls about where the book may be purchased. In Dubuque County, your best bets are River Lights Bookstore, Wacker Plaza in Dubuque (immediately east of Kennedy Mall, and south of Shopko); and the Cascade Pioneer office (on behalf of the Tri-County Historical Society).

Thursday night, I was asked whether I had heard from Red's son about the book. Then, the answer was no (except for the phone call that the book had arrived). Urban II phoned on Friday and said he is in the chapter detailing his father's 1915 season. (His reading was delayed by some health problems.)

Red and the Iron Horse

2006-12-03T07:08:00.000-08:00

I have appearances at Carnegie-Stout Public Library the next two Thursdays.

At 7 p.m. Dec. 7, I will give a 30- to 40-minute slide presentation on Red Faber's life. Afterwards, for folks who are interested, there will be a sale (thanks, River Lights) and autograph session for my new Red Faber biography.

At 6 p.m. Dec. 14, I am the "host' for the Dubuque Film Society showing of the classic baseball movie, "Pride of the Yankees," the Lou Gehrig story. My duties are to introduce the award-winning movie and, after the showing, moderate a brief discussion among audience members. Popcorn and refreshments are free, courtesy of the library foundation. In preparation, I watched the movie over the weekend. Because the careers of Gehrig (1923-39) and Faber (1914-33) overlapped, I checked into how many home runs the Iron Horse hit against Red. The answer: Four. When? July 13, 1925; May 6, 1928; May 4, 1929 (one of three homers Gehrig hit that day); and July 14, 1930.

It's an interesting movie. Hope to see you the next two Thursdays.

Favorable review

2006-11-27T07:36:00.000-08:00

When I saw the envelope, with the return address of Richard Lindberg, I knew what it was about. Lindberg is the unofficial historian of the Chicago White Sox and author of several books, including the authoratative "Chicago White Sox Encyclopedia."

Lindberg was good enough to give me a "dust jacket blurb" for the book. However, his comments were prepared in advance, after reading a handful of chapters, before the manuscript was final. What would he think now?

With your indulgence, I will share his critique:

"I received the book in the mail this weekend, and wanted to commend you for the engaging and thought-provoking narrative. It is a fine book, well-written and thoroughly researched. It appears that you have solved the Mostil-Faber riddle nicely, although new questions are are raised about Barrett and Mostil!

"McFarland did a nice job of design and layout, and the picures enhance the strength of the text. A biography of the old Redhead was long overdue, and you have succeeded in filling an important gap in the historiography of the White Sox, as well as Iowa baseball.

"My congratulations to you, and all the best!"

Whew! After working on such an extensive project, and becoming immersed in it, it's hard to know whether others will be interested or whether it will be accepted. It's exciting (for me at least) to receive this affirmation from an author and a leading expert on White Sox history.

Writer's cramp

2006-11-19T18:38:00.001-08:00

Good night at River Lights

I was gratified by the healthy turnout at River Lights on Friday night, when co-workers, friends and baseball fans stopped by for my booksigning. I don't know how many books I autographed, but there was only a lull of five minutes during the two hours I was "on duty."

Thanks to all of you who stopped by, and others who couldn't make it but left books for me to sign.

Some folks asked when else I would be available to sign. Here are a couple of opportunities, one here in Dubuque and the other in Chicago.

Thursday, Dec. 7 -- Carnegie-Stout Public Library, 11th and Locust, Dubuque. 7 p.m. I will give a presentation about Faber and the biography project in the Auditorium, on the third floor.

Saturday, Jan. 6 -- Emile Roth chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research (Chicago). Chicago Public Library Roden Branch, 6083 Northwest Highway, Chicago, Ill. 60631. 1 p.m.

Book 'opens' in Cascade

2006-11-14T19:57:00.000-08:00

The first book-signing for Red Faber: A Biography of the Hall of Fame Spitball Pitcher took place Monday evening in Cascade, Iowa, Faber's hometown.

The occasion was the annual meeting of the Tri-County Historical Society, the organization that first stepped up to support and encourage my pursuit of the biography project. The group made its archives available to me, and generously granted permission for publication of several historic Faber photos from its files.

Monday night, I presented a slide show on Faber's life, answered questions, signed a few books -- and experienced a sense of closure. My three-year project started in Cascade, and I was pleased to bring it home to that community.

Arrival!

2006-11-06T20:28:00.000-08:00

The book is here!

The UPS truck today delivered the first copies of the Red Faber biography to the house today. I'm not sure what that means for deliveries of online orders or the shipment to River Lights Bookstore, but they can't be far behind.

My first book-signing event will be in Faber's native Cascade, at the annual meeting of the Tri-County Historical Society. The program starts at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 13, at the Knights of Columbus Hall.

Hotel Faber

2006-11-05T12:27:00.000-08:00

Red Faber's parents, Nicholas and Margaret Faber, owned and operated the Hotel Faber in downtown Cascade.

With the exception of a few years around World War I, when they leased the facility, the Faber family operated the hotel from its construction in 1893 until Mrs. Faber, then a widow, sold it in 1944.

(Photo courtesy of Judy Donovan.)

Book release events scheduled (11/2 update)

2006-10-28T07:01:00.000-07:00

Release of the Red Faber biography is just a couple of weeks away, and some associated events are hitting my calendar.

Monday, Nov. 13 -- Tri-County Historical Society annual meeting. Knights of Columbus Hall, Cascade, Iowa. 7:30 p.m. I will give a presentation on Faber, followed by a book-signing. This will be my first signing event, and I'm pleased that it will be with the organization that was so cooperative and supportive during my project.

Friday, Nov. 17 -- River Lights Book Store, Wacker Plaza, Dubuque. Book signing. (5-7 p.m.)

Thursday, Dec. 7 -- Carnegie-Stout Public Library, 11th and Locust, Dubuque. 7 p.m. I will give a presentation about Faber and the biography project in the Auditorium, on the third floor.

Saturday, Jan. 6 -- Emile Roth chapter of the Society for American Baseball Research (Chicago). Chicago Public Library Roden Branch, 6083 Northwest Highway, Chicago, Ill. 60631. 1 p.m.

There are other events pending. When those are confirmed, I'll post an update.

To the printer!

2006-10-19T06:14:00.000-07:00

Lisa Camp, the managing editor of McFarland Publishers, informed me this morning that my Red Faber biography is going to print today.

Allowing some time for packaging, shipping and delivery, books should reach the tri-state area in 2-3 weeks, or, as Lisa said (to play it on the safe side?), "before Thanksgiving."

Return to sender

2006-10-16T22:03:00.000-07:00

While the Chicago Bears were somehow staging an improbable, offense-less rally to win on Monday Night Football, I was wrapping up hours of work on the index for the Red Faber biography.

The index -- with 720 entries containing thousands of page citations -- was e-mailed to my publisher a few minutes after the Cardinals place-kicker missed what probably would have been the game-winning field goal.

I hope that, during that distraction, I didn't inadvertently add a Brian Urlacher entry.

Six days ago, I shipped back the page proofs to McFarland, publisher of the biography. Now, the waiting game resumes.

I still have reason to believe that the book will be released in November.

Anniversary overlooked

2006-10-10T14:09:00.000-07:00

It's been an extremely busy time for me -- so much so that I failed to note an important anniversary a couple of weeks ago. (That's my story and I'm sticking to it!)

Thirty years ago -- on September 25, 1976 -- Red Faber died. He was 88.

He is buried in Acacia Park Cemetery in Chicago. I visited his gravesite a few months ago. His marker does not mention his 20-year, Hall of Fame career with the Chicago White Sox. Instead, it mentions his Navy service, which lasted less than a year.

The rush is on

2006-09-30T06:51:00.000-07:00

On Sept. 27, just 10 days after a representative of my book publisher said the page proofs of the Red Faber biography will arrive at the "end of October," the proofs were on my doorstep.

Apparently, she typed "end of October" when she meant "end of September."

In any case, I now must proofread the 250+ pages and create an index for the book. The publisher now says it wants to put the book on the press Oct. 25.

After months of waiting, the rush is on! I've already changed weekend plans to carve out more time to get to work on this.

Now, off to proofread!

Red Faber's nephew dies

2006-09-24T12:12:00.000-07:00

An obituary in Thursday's Telegraph Herald caught my attention. Alfred J. Faber, a nephew of Urban "Red" Faber, had died a few weeks earlier in Surprise, Ariz. He was 86.

Dr. Faber, whose father Alfred was Red Faber's brother, was one of my sources for my Faber biography. In our telephone conversation, in 2003, Dr. Faber remembered visiting Comiskey Park for Red Faber Day in August 1929 and watched his uncle pitch. He recalled the sound of the White Sox star's fastball "as a thousand bees."

Here is the obituary as it appeared in the TH.

SURPRISE, Ariz. - Dr. Alfred J. Faber, 86, of Surprise, died Monday,
Aug. 28, 2006, in Surprise.

Memorial services were held Sept. 1 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Sun
City West. Burial was in All Saint Cemetery, Des Plaines, Ill. The
Sunland Memorial Chapel, Sun City, was in charge of arrangements.

Dr. Faber served as a family physician in Des Plaines for more than 33 years, where he opened Clinical Associates, adding additional physicians. He was instrumental in the building of Holy Family Hospital and served as its chief of staff. After retiring in Illinois, he practiced another 10 years in the Sun Cities area in Arizona.

He was born on June 13, 1920, in Cascade, Iowa, son of Alfred and Lulu
Mae Faber.

After receiving his bachelor of science degree from Loras College, Dubuque, and his medical degree from Loyola College of Medicine, Chicago, he served in the Navy at Great Lakes Naval Station and Samoa in the South Pacific.

He served as chairman of the Chicago Medical Society, president of the Illinois Academy of Family Physicians, as well as many committees and boards of medicine in Chicago, the state and national levels, including that as vice chairman of Legislation for the American Medical Association. He also was on the Cardinals Advisory Committee of Chicago.

Surviving are two daughters, Carol (Terry) Langan, of Des Plaines, and Ellen (Scott) Bryson, of Helena, Mont.; four grandchildren, John (Kelly) Langan, of Chicago, Ashlie Langan, of Des Plaines, Katie (Jeremiah) Petersen, of Missoula, Mont., and Laura (Gerrick) Grover, of Stevensville, Mont.; a great-grandchild, Mikayla Hall; and Marie Kehr, his close friend and companion.

He was preceded in death by Ruth, his wife of 57 years, and a son, Michael.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be given to your favorite charity.

Latest from McFarland

2006-09-17T19:13:00.000-07:00

Dear Mr. Cooper:

Your manuscript has entered the preliminary design phase. At this point
it seems likely that you'll receive proofs by the end of October.
November is still a good target date for publication, depending on how
things go within the next six weeks.

Sincerely,

Virginia Tobiassen

Editorial Development Chief

McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers

One wait to soon come to an end?

2006-09-08T19:44:00.000-07:00

I have been waiting many months -- since Christmas, actually -- for acceptance, editing and release of my Faber biography. Actually, I have been waiting even longer for the Society of American Baseball Research's compilation of mini-biographies, Deadball Stars of the American League. I have written the chapter on Faber.

In June, authors were told release was imminent. And then it wasn't.

The wait for the Deadball book might be coming to an end. The editors said that page proofs will be available for authors' review starting next week. Apparently the proofs will be released by section, according to each player's team. I can't decide whether I want them to release the Chicago White Sox at the beginning or the end. Either way, there will be more waiting involved.

Waiting game continues

2006-08-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

I'm checking the mailbox every day, expecting to see page proofs any time now, based on the general timeline I received regarding my Faber biography.

I checked in with the publisher of the Faber book, via e-mail, and today received a minor disappointment: I'm now told expect to receive the proofs "in the fall."

How the book will be proofed, indexed, corrected, printed and distributed by the "estimated" release month of November, I'm not exactly sure.

I've been warned by other authors that these projects take longer than one expects, and just hang in there. I guess I don't have much choice about that.

Another catalog

2006-08-18T20:25:00.000-07:00

McFarland, the publisher of my upcoming biography of Red Faber, today notified me that my book is listed in its Fall 2006 catalog. (It was also previously listed in its baseball catalog.) The listing is on page 29.

Unfortunately, the publisher repeated the outdated reference to Faber's heroics in the 1917 World Series as "the last time the Chicago White Sox won it all." That was accurate when I wrote it in my proposal -- but the 2005 White Sox made that statement inaccurate. I pointed that out to McFarland when the baseball catalog was released, but obviously no change was made. Oh, well. Not a big deal, in the grand scheme of things. The real baseball students know all that.

Anyway, this is some indication that my project is still on McFarland's radar. I still await page proofs. And wait. And wait. If the book is to be released in November, as per the previous catalog, those proofs have to be arriving soon.

Historic day in Cascade

2006-07-11T05:16:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a special day for Cascade, Iowa. That evening, the son of the late Red Faber, a National Baseball Hall of Fame pitcher and Cascade native, came to town to present some of his father's memorabilia to the Tri-County Historical Society.

In a ceremony after the Telegraph Herald Semi-Pro All-Star Game, Urban C. Faber II presented four items to the society, which operates a museum in Cascade. As Red Faber's biographer, I had gotten to know Urban II, and was pleased to help facilitate the donation.

The items are:

A baseball autographed by Red Faber in 1960 at a ceremony honoring the 50th anniversary of his minor-league perfect game. (The baseball is also signed by Dennis Ribant, a minor leaguer who threw a perfect game in 1960.)
A wristwatch presented to Faber by Loras College in 1964. Faber once attended the college's prep academy and later pitched for the college varsity in 1909, shortly before turning pro.
A paperweight-plaque from Campion Academy, the Prairie du Chien, Wis., prep school that Faber attended for two years. At the time, it was known as Sacred Heart.
A gold pocketwatch that was a gift to Faber from the fans of Cascade in 1916. It is engraved to mark the occasion.

Of the four items, the treasure is the pocketwatch. Here is the background:

Early in his career, for three straight seasons, Red Faber and the Chicago White Sox traveled to Dubuque for exhibition games.

On May 3, 1916, the White Sox played against the institution today known as Loras College. In the third inning, when Faber came to bat, the game paused for a special ceremony. A delegation of Cascade residents, headed by Mayor F. J. Keefe, walked to home plate and presented Red Faber an engraved pocket watch as a gift from the people of Cascade.

That gold watch has remained in the Faber family the past 90 years. On Saturday, Urban Faber II returned that watch to Cascade by donating it to the Tri-County Historical Society.

The watch will be proudly displayed in the museum once updating and relocating the Faber exhibit is completed.

Red's son to visit Cascade

2006-07-02T17:34:00.000-07:00

Urban C. Faber II, the only descendant of the Hall of Fame pitcher, plans to visit his father's hometown -- Cascade, Iowa -- on Saturday, July 8.

The occasion will be the Telegraph Herald Semi-Pro All-Star Game, where ceremonies will include a tribute to Red Faber and a special presentation of memorabilia to the Tri-County Historical Museum by Red's only son. (The photo of Urban was taken in the Chicago area several weeks ago, when Urban signed over the items to the museum.)

I'm pleased to have played a small part in these arrangements -- and thrilled that the museum's Faber exhibit will be bolstered by Urban's donation.

Bookwork progressing

2006-06-15T19:58:00.000-07:00

More recent evidence that there will actually be a published book about Red Faber:

The publisher contacted me Wednesday with four questions about the manuscript. Only four?! That surprised me.

And, the book is now posted as available for ordering on the McFarland web site.

Faber's son donates to museum

2006-06-04T07:39:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, I paid a call on Red's son, Urban II, at his home in the Chicago suburbs. My wife came along, and did a great job navigating, counting out change for the toll plazas and keeping me awake.

The occasion was to accept, on behalf of the Tri-County Historical Society, memorabilia to be displayed in the Red Faber wing of the historical society's museum in Red's native Cascade, Iowa.

We are still hoping that Urban will come to Cascade next month for a presentation at the annual semi-pro all-star game. However, due to his upcoming change of residences and health issues, that is uncertain.

I will leave it to museum officials to decide the time and method of revealing what the items are, but I will say that they were worth the trip.

Historical society officials are thrilled with the donation. The museum is short of actual Faber memorabilia, so this will be a huge help.

Getting closer

2006-06-01T18:18:00.000-07:00

Today's mail included a package from McFarland Publishers of Jefferson, N.C.: Promotional materials for my Faber biography.

I learned a few things about my book. The list price is $29.95. It will be 256 pages, in paperback. And its ISBN (International Standard Book Number) is 0-7864-2721-3. (No, I do not plan to memorize that.)

All in all, it is further evidence that there really, truly will be a book published later this year.

Soon, I'm told, I will receive page galleys to proofread and to use for compiling the index.

McFarland also sent me order forms for the book. I guess I'll soon see who my friends are!

"Brief" Faber bio posted; Hoerner profile coming

2006-06-01T18:05:00.000-07:00

The Society of American Baseball Research has posted my condensed Faber biography as part of its online-only "BioProject."

This article is less than 3,000 words -- compared to the more than 100,000 words I submitted for the full biography McFarland will publish this fall.

The BioProject is an ambitious endeavor by SABR to produce at least a brief biography of every man to have ever appeared in a major league game. To date, 343 biographies have been posted. There is a long way to go.

To that end, I am writing a BioProject article on another Dubuque County native who achieved major league success: Joe Hoerner. A left-handed relief specialist, Hoerner's best years were 1966 until 1970, when he made the National League All-Star team. Overall, his major league career covered the years 1963-64, when he saw limited action with Houston, and 1966-77.

AL Deadball Stars book due soon

2006-06-01T17:47:00.000-07:00

Release of the Society of American Baseball Research book, "Deadball Stars of the American League," is imminent. I haven't heard a definite publication date, but the book is available for advance order.

Red Faber is among the stars profiled in this book, and I was honored to be asked to write his chapter.

The "Deadball Era," 1901-19, got its name from the composition of the baseball, which had a softer core than the ball put into play starting in 1920 (hence the start of the "Lively Ball Era"). Over-the-wall home runs were a rarity, and teams followed a "small ball" strategy -- singles, stolen bases, hit-and-run, etc.

Faber is among the stars who enjoyed success in both the Deadball and Lively Ball eras. His best three-season stretch, based on won-lost figures, coincided with the start of the Lively Ball Era (1920-22). However, it was during the Deadball period that he won three World Series games (1917), posted a 24-win season (1915) and won 82 games (1914-19).

This American League book is a companion to the National League volume that SABR released three years ago. When it is (finally) released, I'll update the blog.

Story time

2006-05-07T14:12:00.000-07:00

The Dubuque Area Writers Guild honored me with an invitation to read excerpts from my Red Faber manuscript.

I haven't finalized my selections, but I am leaning toward passages describing Faber's family and the final inning of his record-setting 1917 World Series performance.

The meeting will be 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 10, at Isabella's, 1375 Locust St. (downstairs in the Ryan House). The public is welcome.

Coverage

2006-04-22T05:46:00.000-07:00

I have not heard much from the publisher of my Red Faber biography, and I'm told that is to be expected. Other authors cautioned me that there is lots of silence after the manuscript is submitted.

McFarland Publishers told me a couple of months ago that my manuscript, which was submitted just before Christmas, will be a fall release.

After sending an inquiry this week -- I asked, "May I assume that no news is good news?" -- McFarland surprised me with a preview of the book's cover. I was happy to see that McFarland's art department showed the good judgment to use the design developed (as a suggestion) by Brian Davis, an artist at the Telegraph Herald.

McFarland confirmed that the book will be part of its fall catalog. So, I guess this book really is going to happen!

Exhibitionism

2006-04-20T19:25:00.000-07:00

The Tri-County Historical Society, which was extremely helpful to me in researching and writing the Red Faber biography, hopes to improve the Faber section of its museum in Cascade.

On Wednesday evening, I met with Lee Simon, a board member and baseball afficianado, to kick around ideas for a fresher exhibit. There are challenges.

Challenge 1: The historical society and I have a great deal of information and many photographs -- no problem there -- but the museum lacks much in the way of memorabilia and bona fide Faber items.

Challenge 2: Lee is not a museum curator. Nor am I. We need professional help. We need someone who could suggest how the historical society might improve its exhibit. Our search has begun.

Faber to be commemorated

2006-03-21T08:58:00.000-08:00

I don't want to steal anyone's thunder, but when this year's semi-pro all-star baseball game moves to Cascade, event organizers plan to honor their native son, Hall of Famer Red Faber.

The game is scheduled for Saturday, July 8.

Organizers are trying to make contact with Red's son, Urban Faber II, to invite him to the festivities.

Stay tuned.

Red Faber (1888-1976)

2006-02-05T17:53:00.000-08:00

Red Faber
(1888-1976)
Photo courtesy of Tri-County Historical Society, Cascade, Iowa

Why no Faber in the "Black Sox" Series?

2006-01-10T17:39:00.000-08:00

In a listserv discussion the other day, some baseball researchers were comparing notes on why Red Faber did not play in the 1919 World Series which, as we all know, was "thrown" by eight of his teammates. Since I have just spent three years researching Faber's life and career, a SABR member asked me if I had any insight into the question. My reply:

Faber had a bout with influenza – apparently, part of the Spanish Flu pandemic – about the time he was leaving the Navy in 1918-19. He lost about 30 pounds, and in his weakened condition he tired easily and lost velocity and movement on his pitches. As early as spring training, newspaper accounts reported that Faber did not look well. In his season preview, I.E. Sanborn of the Chicago Tribune wrote, “Faber, who combines both youth and experience in ideal quantities, was expected to have his best year this season, but for some reason which neither he nor any one else can understand he cannot deliver the goods.” Faber did not pitch well throughout the season. His ERA ballooned to 3.83. His winning record (11-9) could be attributed to the fact that he had the American League champs playing behind him. Sometime in late summer he reportedly suffered an ankle injury. After a five-week layoff, in a test of his preparedness for possible World Series duty, Faber earned the victory – but was shellacked by the Athletics in a slugfest. The White Sox kept him on the World Series roster, but he rode the bench throughout.

Receipt acknowledged

2006-01-01T12:56:00.000-08:00

The existence of backup copies, etc., somewhat eased my trepidation about handing over three years of my work (evenings and weekends) to the U.S. Postal Service. However, the USPS came through nicely, and McFarland Publishers has acknowledged receipt of my shipment. Now, I'll wait to see what McFarland thinks of what is inside that box.

What a relief!

2005-12-23T14:38:00.000-08:00

That sigh you heard Thursday noon was by yours truly, walking out of the Dubuque Post Office. Three years of my work on the Red Faber biography is complete (for now). The manuscript is en route to McFarland Publishers in Jefferson, N.C. Proofing galleys, revising and indexing await, of course, but it is a relief to have (most of) the work behind me. I am looking forward to straightening up my research files, cleaning up my office area and even reconciling the family checkbook. Free time awaits!