- Herr Saw Spitball Working Well on Skin Diamond and Figured It Would Work Even Better on Green
- McGraw Made Big Offer to Get Young Blond Hurler From Manager Huggins.
October 23, 1913 Age 22
HARRY F. PIERCE The St Louis Star and Times
DURING the sweltering hot of late July and early August. a massive male human whose ponderous hands would lead one to suspect him of being either a blacksmith or a pugilist, followed the Akron team of the Interstate League around the circuit and was a spectator at every game for three consecutive weeks. The man, a perfect specimen of physical manhood whose keen intellectual powers enable him to converse fluently on almost any subject is big, blue-eyed Eddie Herr, scout for the St. Louis Cardinals.
Herr was signed to scout for the Cards last July and the day after affixing his signature to one of President Brltton’s contracts the new scout was sent to Akron, Ohio, to watch Catcher Glenn of the Akron, Ohio, Interstate League.
In the Akron grandstand, Herr recognized two other major league scouts who confided to him that they were watching Pitcher Willie doak, but had concluded that he possessed nothing unusual in the line of speed or curves.
Concentrated Then on Doak.
A word to the wise is sufficient and Herr noting that the youngster was obtaining fair results with a spitter on a skinned diamond, which tends to toughen the ball, decided that Doak would bear watching as well as Glenn.
After following the team for three consecutive weeks, his patience was rewarded at Zanesville, Ohio, where there was a grass covered diamond and Herr knew that the smoothness afforded by the grass would enable Doak’s spitter to show to its best advantage, and, as well as it would show in a major league ball yard.
Herr was so pleased with his discovery that he bought Doak’s release that dav and when the Interstate League disbanded a few days later he also signed Catcher Glenn for the Cardinals.
Doak was secured for $500, and was allowed to remain with the team a few days, or until the league disbanded, as he wanted to report to the Cardinals along with Glenn.
In the very last game played at Zanesville, Catcher Glenn twisted his foot in a close play at the plate and suffered a badly sprained ankle, which kept him from reporting to the Cardinals, and Doak alone joined the team in New York, Where he was allowed to pitch the last two innings of a game, already irretrievably lost.
Doak completely baffled the Giants during his stay on the mound and after the game McGraw offered Huggins $5,000 for the young phenom, but Huggins refused it. When the Cards returned home Hug sent Doak in to start a game against the Giants, who were then making the Western trip, and on this occasion Doak held the McGrawites to two hits. McGraw then added two players to his original offer, but Huggins would not consider anything but the whole New York pitching staff in exchange for Doak.
Herr Still With Cards.
McGraw tried to induce Herr to join the NY scouting staff, but owner Britton gave him a substantial boost in salary and secured his signature to a contract for 1914.
Joseph “Ed” Herr (March 4, 1865 – August 1, 1936) was an American professional baseball infielder during 1887–1890. He played for the St. Louis Browns and Cleveland Blues. (wikipedia)
Bill Doak’s primary mode of transportation in the major leagues.
