Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-05-27
.SCHAEFER UNIQUE FIGURE
IN ANNALS OF BASEBALL
Was Great Player With Detroit Club
Before His Advent as Diamond
Eunmakcr.
NEVER BOTHERED BY GRoUcH
Hated to Retire From Active Service
to Take Part Of Comedian, but
Got Pleasure From Making Thou
sands Happy.
BY JAMES =. CoRBETT.

The death OF Germany Schacfer
has removed from the big league spot
light one OF the most lcvablc fellow
ever connected with il; a man who
. numbered his friends by the legions
and MS admirers by countless thou
sands
Schaefor ever viii he remembered
as character unique in the annals
OF the national pastimc. Through the
sung throughout the land as a really
great bail PLAYER. lis work around
. the Kew re sack for the Tigers dur.
ms that era when they were win
Ming pennants with astonishing re
Eularity Mas one OF the outstanding
factors In the success Of the Detroit
SsCr"gation.
Schaefer never ranked IS player
rs brilliant or as spectacular as Laioie
or Collins. But year in and year out
Schaofcr MAS dependable and ever re-
liable. He was hrainy far beyond the
average fielded hr position beautiful
tors in the whole hard hitting De
Troit crew. II was his strategy. his
splendid work atield. or his bat that
saved one game after another and then
added j; TO the winnine side OF the
Tigers account.
Never Afflicted With Crouch.
Eut Schaefer was valuable even
beyond that. lie was mixer" and
dinomat par excellence. His un
falling good humor was one o. his
outstanding traits. Whenever Ger
many was around Crouchcs were al
most Impossible. He never was ar
Hic-ed with one himself and never
could understand why others should
have them And in tho toughest bat
Ting for the pennant when his tenn
peramental teammates were suffering
from NERVES" ii was Schae;er VINO
rose 70 tho hcizhts as a gloom chaser
and. by his antics, saved the Tigers
from cracking
were ended he made his official debut
ms a fin-makor in baseball. Teamed
with Nick Altrock, OF the Senator's.
schaefer prG,voked lauehter on The
fore His shadow boxing. MS iiEh:
rope walking his solo wrestling mat
ches and all MS other tricks were
more than worth the price Of admis-
on TO any ball park. AS comedy
,ehnl. they were marvellous.
Rolc OF Clown Distnstcfui.
Yet. odd as il may seem. the role
of clown in the big leagues was one
That was d.stastetu!. in 4 certain
sense 10 Germany Schaeter. only
last winter ! had dinner with Aim
and during the course OF conversa-
After fellow has been a bis leas-
Z! tor many years i; hurts his pride
Z l..:lc 20 KNOW tAat ne = pc!NS le-
famed only because he can amuse the
SAME crowds that he once used 70
en,4-ta!u and thrill But | have Will
nsly suffered the nurt 10 my pride
,o- the privilege ot staying IN the
80 show: o: lingering around in the
81. leagues and living on the ball
ialt ;hs: I have loved eve: since
vas a Kid big enough 70 hold a oat
~ don't think tina; any boy wa. ever
[
10 me my first big league chance. And
v hen I made good and had regular
lob. !, brought me JOY that cannot
w5rkcd as faithfuNy as could and IS
honestly in an effort to give my ON
p.oycrs the best that was in ms And
! th.nk did
Decided TO Employ Ability
Finally. In" time came when, as a
IA sebau performer. l had reached my
limit II then was a case OF passing
out into The minors and being slfted
gradually into baseball oblivion or so
Ing into some commercial enterprise.
Just as it seemed that had 70 accept
one or tho othY. | recalled that, during
Right .fta and'',hcre decided TO can
TO stay IN the big lcaEues
Sometimes il hurt q bit TO BE- out
thcrc on he ball fed only as 2 come
dian and forced to SEQ others play tn"
game that loved; TO realize mat
had pa ssed that period in liie when J
was useful Is An athlete and was only
funmakcr, 20 feel within nc the
ycarnlnr 10 Gct out and play the game.
and then come 70 Tho awakenin. that
! never could play again
'Eut there had been some solace fOi
me m tho fact That have made some
people happy We live but once, and
mink INC hnes' thing In LIE is 20 He
T. so that when You pass along there
viii sc som" pcrs.u- glad because YOU
lived. have uicd to bring q little