The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-04-10
Brooklyn Dodgers May Slip To Second Division
Harry CoveIeskie Was Giant Killer,
And Brother Stanley Took Them All
BY HARRY GRAYSON
(NEA Shorts Editor

OVAusey came III as marry pOWeQ
out, so big league baseball had a
pitching Coveleskie for 20 years.
Southpaw Harry gained early
fame as the Giant Killer. but the
right-handed Stanley took them
all. Stanley had more stuff than
Harry. although the latter was good
enough to win % while losing 10
for Detroit to lead the American
league in 1915.
Stanley had a mania for fishing,
especially during the spring train
ing period. Once when the Cleve-
land Indians trained at Lakeland,
Fla, Covey and his roommate did
not once battle out of the clubhouse
at the park. Covey kept the hotel
room bathtub full Of live minnows
for bait. He always rose at and
went to the happy fishing grounds.
Some Of the minnowS grew to be as
large as trout by the time they broke
camp.
In 1921 the Cleveland club
trained In Dallas. One day iris
Speaker took the squad to his home
town, Hubbard, down the road a
piece, for. barbecue. Coveleskie
was the star pitcher. Joey Sewell
had come up the year before to take
Roy Chapman'S place at shortstop.
Coveleskie got rowboat, asked
Sewell to take q ride. A quarter of
a mile from shore, Covey asked
Sewell II he could swim. Sewell
said no.
Well, you're going to learn now"
said Coveleskie. And with that he
heaved Sewell overheard, and rowed
back to shore. Sewell struggled in
the water, nearly drowned. A rescue
party saved him. Covey had no ex-
PLANTATION. 1t simply was his idea of
good, clean fun.
BEAT GIANTS OUT OF FLAG
The CoveleskieS were out of the
coal mining country around Shamo-
kin, Pa. Harry worked in the mines,
began playing with the other miners
boys, attracted attention Of the Phil
lies, who took him south in 1903.
Sent to Lancaster of the Tri- State.
ne accumulated an unprecedented
number of strikeouts. He was re-
called in time to beat the New York
Giants three times in a five-game
series late In September.
1t was Harry Coveleskie who was
accountable for the Giants loss of
the famous three-way race in 1908.
not Fred Merkle, who has borne the
onus ever since.
The Giants drummed Coveleskie
out of the National league in 1909
first as Phillie and then as a
Red.
From some unknown quarter
arose story that the girl to whom
Harry was engaged eloped with the
orum major of a Shimokin band.
whenever Harry faced the Giants
they organized an impromptu drum
corps. The noise got on Harry's
nerves, ratified him to such an ex.
tent that his major league career
was temporarily ruined.
Branch Hickey tried to land
Coveleskie for the Browns In 1918.
When he bagged 20 and lost 8 for
Chattanooga, but Detroit agents
beat him to 1t.
Coveleskie was one of the lead
ing American league pitchers in
~, made a grand comeback. In
1915, when he showed the way with
~ and 10, he had an earned run
average Of 1877.
SPLITTER SHORTENS CAREER
Stanley Coveleskie had a trial
with the Athletics in ~, but was
polished workman, when he
came to Cleveland from the Port
land Coasters in '16. The fellow
had everything. including the spit.
Dali, the throwing Of which prob
ably shortened his career.
Covey permitted only 1872 runs
per nine innings In II, 1888 the
following campaign. He won 20
or more games five times, four in
Succession-in '18-19-2O-2l-25. He
topped the list in effectiveness in
% with 2.76.
iris speaker believed Covey was
through when he traded him to
Washington In the winter of "a.
but the Poles reply was to lead
American league pitchers with 20
and and in effectiveness with 2.04
to help the Senators to their sec.
ond consecutive pennant.
Only Christy Mathewson,s three
shutouts for the Giants against the
Athletics in '05 excelled Coveles-
kies World Series performance for
Cleveland against Brooklyn in 20.
In winning three, he in no game
permitted more than five hits or
one run.
Covey lost two games in the
World Series OF rs, 80 and G-3.
as the Pittsburghs outlucked
Washington.
Stanley won 211. lost 140 games
In the American league.
I saw Stanley pitch in an old
timers game in Cleveland In 40.
He didn't look much different than
ne did 20 years before, save that
his teeth were a bit more worn
down from chewing tobacco.
They said Harry Coveleskie didn't
have too much, but managed to
get away with his games.