Evening star., 1914-01-25
BY JOHN H. GRUBER.

Charles B. Baldwin. for his quiet ways
known as Lady" Baldwin, nearly thirty
years ago stood in the limelight for
| brief period as an expert left-hand pitch
er. His fame is to a great eStenN sup
ported by his odd and feminine title. as
| he was actually successful as a pitcher in
| only one year, 1886. He was born in Ale
! gany county, n. Y, April 10, 1889. When
| he was eighteen years old his people
| moved to Hastings, Mich, where he
| learned the rudiments Of the game. His
| first work in the box was for team Of
| his native city, when he proved puzzle
| to all his opponents, including some nifty
| teams in the days of Independent ball in
the west.
In 1884, a troublous year on account of
the opposition Of the Union Association
to organized base ball. Baldwin was en-
gagged by the Milwaukee club Of the
Northwestern League. This league which
commenced with twelve clubs, began to
crumble early in the season, was soon re-
duced to fragment of four CLUBS. ana
early in September collapsed altogether.
Milwaukee, however, was one of the last
to disband, and then for short period
took up the burden of a disbanded team
in the Union Association.
In 1885, his work having attracted the
attention of National League teams, Bald
i win was secured by the Detroit club.
There such catchers as Charley Bennett
and Jim Mcclure put the finishing touches
to his base ball education. SO that in 1886
he shared with Charley Getzein the pitch
| ing honors.
The Pretzel Battery.
Getzein, by the way, had Joined the De-
troits in 1884, coming from the Grand
% - hot yAar
he and George Weidman were the chief
pitchers of the Detroit team in 1885. In
1885 Charley Camel succeeded Jim Nc
| CURE as second catcher of the team, and
| then the Pretzel battery@Ietzein and
| Ganzel-began to make a lasting reputa-
ton.
| That year. 1886. was the best for the
! Lady who did the bulk Of the work in
| the box, winning forty-two out of fifty
| five games. In that year also Peter Con-
way joined the Detroits. and the three
! pitchers-Baldwin, Getzein and Conway
remained with the team until it left the
| National League after the season of 1883.
! In 1885 the big four were secured by
Detroit, the team finishing in second
place. In 1887 it won the championship.
! Baldwins 8 start in 1887 was not happy
| one The great Detroit team from the
very beginning Of the year was set on
| winning the pennant and nothing less.
| 1t went south for spring training early
in the year, and by the time the season
| opened. April 2S had won thirty more
| exhibition games. Sam Thompson, the
right fielder, not only took part in all
| the exhibition games but also in every
championship contest thereafter, playing
| III 1874 games. the standing record of the
number played by any man in the Ma
| tional League.
! The Detroits opened the championship
season at indianapolis and won the en-
| tire series of three games by scores of
4 to 3. 10 to and IA to T.. Then they
went to Pittsburgh. In the first game
| there Baldwin was selected to pitch
against Jimmy Calvin. The Lady lost
| the game. S to 3, and was Immediately
| shipped home, for he apparently needed
rest. 1t may be stated that after this
| first meeting with the Detroits the Pitts
| burghs Won only three games from them
| during the balance of the season and
lost thirteen.
New Rules Hurt Lady.
| III that year. 1887. Baldwin was used in
| only twenty-five games, most of the
4 work in the box developing upon Getzein.
1t was the first year in which a pitcher
| was compelled to keep one foot on the
| rear line of the box, and take only one
step in delivering the ball Hitherto the
| pitcher was permitted to jump, twist and
step as much as he liked before. during
and after delivering the ball. The new
rule probably. in addition to another
new one requiring four strikes to retire
! a batsman, crippled Baldwin, as it did
many another star pitcher. including Ed
| Norris the crack left-hander of the
Pittsburgh team, who. the day after
| BaIdwin's defeat, was beaten IA to by
| the Detroits.
In 1888 Baldwin pitched in only six
games. The last game he pitched for
Detroit was at Chicago July IS, 1885.
and it resulted in one of the biggest
scores in National League history, Chi
cago winning, y to II. total of thirty
eight runs In that game the Lady pitch
ed eight innings and Larry Twitchell, the
left fielder. pitched the NINTH For Chi
cago Mark Baldwin pitched two innings
and was relieved by Jimmy Ryan. the
center fielder In the meantime both
| Baldwins took to the outfield. because.
in those days no substitute was allowed
! unless a regular player was disabled by