The Washington times., 1938-03-29
Softbdll Hurting Stdr
Native of Argentine
Abe Rosenfie|d
Boosts Game
=
In District
BY GINO SINH

Washington'S mound wizard Of
the softball diamonds couldn't
speak word of English until 1921,
but he could give Spanish a ter
rifle walloping.
It was q years ago that the
RoSenfield family, of Buenos
Aires, Argentine, greeted a little
stranger whom they soon named
Albert A., but who is now known
throughout the Capitals ever-in-
creasing balloon ball circles as
abe"
It was in 1921 that Abe suddenly
discovered that the United States
was more than a geography les
son. for at that time his parents
decided to leave Argentine for
Minnesota, U. s. A., where Albert
could learn to speak "Ingles" while
Ell veto Rosenfield promoted some
adequate method of livelihood as
the Minnesota sun shone.
GOT THEMSELVES TOLD
Long before he could speak par
lor English, ABE" had learned
to tell softban umpires where to
''head-in" in language they might
not have been able to parse but
they could not mistake in mean
ing. Minnesota, especially around
st. Paul, was hotter than a pistol
on softball. Every body but Aunt
Minnie played it and she spent
her time in the grandstands giving
vent to unflattering opinions re-
garding umpireS. Abe has played
before as many as $4,000 people
in st. Paul. Better look into
this, Mr.. Griffith.
When Arthur Dutch" Bergman
became coach at Catholic U.
Rosenfield, an ardent admirer OF
Dutch" decided that that was
the school where he would shine
athletically and so in 1881 he en-,
rolled at the Brookland institu.
ton. He played football and bas-
ketball, guard positions in both
sports, and became captain Of the
Quint, graduating in 1885.
PEBBLE IN AVALANCHE
But it was in 1884 that he kicked
the pebble which started the soft
ball avalanche sweeping through
the city. RoSenfield found a kin
bred softball enthusiast in Dick
O'Brien, Herald's sport scribe. Be.
tween them they concocted a game
under official regulation on the
washington Monument field. Abe
recruited his team from Catholic
o., including Bergman and Fod
Cotton, Dick gathered his crew
from the four corners of the city
and played under the Victory Post,
American Legion banner. c. UE
won with Rosenfield in the box.
In 1884 there were a few scat
tered teams playing by hit and
miss rules. Today there are
around $50 teams following strictly
the rules Of competition
PITCHES WITH EITHER ARM
That Rosenfield is a pitcher is
due to his ambidextrous ability.
He can pitch with either arm,
claiming to have more speed with
his left, but more stuff with the
right flipper. At St. Paul, Abe, a
powerful hitter, was used in the
outfield and occasionally at first
base. His team was scheduled to
face the ace southpaw pitcher of
Minnesota, Red Duvanney, so
Abe's manager, who knew of mis-
twohanded ability, asked Abe to
"southpaw" a few for the teams
sluggers in batting practice. Rosen-
field got so good that the man
ager decided to use him as reg
ular pitcher. The next time ne
hurled against Duvanney, Abe
won.
Since he started locally, Rosen-
field has lost few games. In 1884,
pitching for Hole, out Of 35
games he dropped two. In 1885
he copied IS straight for the U.
S. Aggies, and lost a 2-1 game,
allowing only one hit, in Chicago
to the ultimate winners Of the
tournament.
With the Aggies again in 1885,
he went down to the last game un-
beaten, losing that one by a 10
score. Last year, as Zupnick's
ace moundsman, RoSenfield was
beaten once, dropping a 81 de-
cision after four extra innings.
A two-handed, rootin', tootin'
softball pitcher. That's Abe.