Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-29
MERCER WAS STAR
Pitcher of Decade Ago as
Prominent as Johnson.
WAS A PITCHING ARTIST
Was Drawing Card Everywhere in
Old National League
Circuit.

Circuit.
BY JOHN H. GRUBER.
| Winnie Mercer was one of the most
| artistic all-around players the game has
known. lie could pitch. bat, run bases
and play a banS-up game in any portion
of the infield or outfield. He was unfor-
tunate to have been connected with a
| tail-end team in the National League
since his entry into fast company. His
individual brilliancy was recognized by
every body. and it was also universally
conceded that he was deserving of
better success. which he would have
gained had be been d member of
stronger team.
Mercer was born June 20. 1874, at
Wheeling, and his people moved to East
Liverpool. Ohio, when he was quite young.
Here it was that he got his first lessons
in base bail. There are probably few
nickname. The majority of his short
biographers in the past. to lend proper
dignity to his worth and position and
also to explain the contraction. have
called him ''Winfred." While in East
Liverpool Mercer was considered the best
little pitcher in three states. The pot
teries there each had team, and when
a visiting team came along that APP
peared particularly strong, Mercer was
hunted up and put in the box. The fans
shouted as they saw him: Here comes
the winner And Winner he was,
which by little twist of affection soon
changed into Winnie" which nickname
he retained from those days to the day
of his tragic death.
Started in New England.
Mercer played his first professional en-
gagement in 1898 with the Dover, n. H..
team of the New England League, which
that year ended in fourth place. 1t was
the second year of Tim Murnane's presi-
dency, a position he has held ever since.
with the exception of one year, 1909,
when there was no league. Tim is I'M
doubtedly the grand old man of base ball
in New England, for he has held his
forces together and made the league one
of the most successful in the minor Or
ganization. He had his troubles, as all
presidents have had and this was the
case in Winnies day, in 1893. The league
then began with six clubs, in Fall River.
Lewiston, Portland, Dover. Brocket and
Lowell. All stuck to the end. except
Lowell. whose team was transferred to
Manchester on June 26 Manchester be-
came wobb1y in less than IA month, and
Tim, on July II, heroically transferred
the team to his own town of Boston, Civ
ing it the name of Boston Reds, and 1t
remained in line to the end The present
American League team of that town,
therefore. has no valid claim as orieina-
tors of the red color.
Guy SchmeltZ was then the manager Of
the Washington team of the National
League twelve-club organization. He
watched Winnie pitch a game against
hi, -toEac
for 1871 Winnie did not make a success
full start in the big league. for he did
not score victory until he had figured
in ter defeats in succession. In six of
which he pitched from first inning to
last. Finally. on May -, he defeated the
Louisville. which had George Hemmlng in
the box, by score of II to = During the
remainder of the season he won his pro-
portion of games, and before the close
had made permanent reputation.
Saw Stars Come and Go.
Winnie remained with Washington six
years. and saw some of the most noted
pitchers on his team go and come. In
this time ne served under no less than
four managers, Gus SchmelZ. Tom
Brown, Jack Doyle and Arthur Irwin.
When he joined Washington in 1894 the
principal pitchers on the team were Al
Maui Otis Stockdale, Charles Esper and
Charles Petty None of these pitchers
was with the Washington team five
years later and that made Mercer the
premier pitcher, not only in name, but in
fact.
In 1899 Joe Corbett and Jimmy Nc
James joined the Washington team. both
late in the season. Their acquisition did
not better the position of the team by
more than one point. 1t finished in
eleventh place in 1894 and zenith place in
1889 In 1896 Silver King and Lester Ger
man were added to the pitching staff, but
the team again landed in tenth place.
In 1897 the Washington team made the
best record it ever made in the Ma
tiOnal League by finishi, G in sixth place,
a tie with Brooklyn, and Winnie worked
his head off to accomplish the feat. That
wear he witnessed the incoming of Roger
Bresnahan, who came from the Lima lOD
team near the end OF August, and was
touted a pitching wonder. Tom Brown
had succeeded Gus Schmelz as manager
about two months before the arrival of
Bresnahan. who pitched his first game
in fast company against st. Louis Au-
gust u. shutting out the Mound City lads
by a score of 3 to q. William 'Sudhof
Tho had just been secured by St Louis
from the Paducah club. then pitched his
first ball game in the National League
st. Louis got six hits off Bresna han
while Washington got but I'VE off Sud
| hon. but Washington played an error
less game. and made its hits at timely
periods. Bresnahan lost his next game
10 Pittsburgh, but after that never fig
ured in losing contest Yet he was let
out in 1898, going to Toledo mainly be-
cause of his youthful appearance, he
then being only nineteen years of age.
Later, as base ball history relates, he
became one of the best catchers on the
dia mond.
Tries to Come Back.
In 1898 Winnie saw two pitchers, who
became noted boxmen later, break into
| the National League. They were wild
| Bill Donovan, now president of the
| Providence club, and Bill Dineen, NOW
on the umpire staff of the American
! League Both failed to make good. and
| both were let 90. Donovan being sent to
! Richmond and Dineen to Toronto
| The year 1899 was the last for Winnie
! with the Washingtons. In 1900, when the
| Washington club was bought out by the
| National League to reduce Its circuit to
eight clubs. Winnie Joined the New York
| Giants, and while with them he well
| coined the arrival of Matty' Mathew
| son and Luther Taylor. Mathewson came
| from the Norfolk team, and Taylor from
| the Albany team In 1901 Winnie was
| back with Washington. which had Joined
| the American League under the manage
| mont of linn Manning taking the Mace of