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March 24, 2007
What About Kirk, Marvel, America, Kangaroo & Beefheart Too?
Via the Times -
Who could possibly question Derek Jeter’s place in Yankee history?
Meet Howard W. Rosenberg.
“Derek Jeter is not the 11th captain of the New York Yankees,” said Rosenberg, 41, an author and baseball historian who lives in Arlington, Va. “Based on my research, he is either the 14th or 15th captain of the Yankees.”
When Jeter was named the Yankees’ captain in June 2003, it was widely reported that he was filling big baseball shoes worn by Hal Chase, Roger Peckinpaugh, Babe Ruth, Everett Scott, Lou Gehrig, Thurman Munson, Graig Nettles, Willie Randolph, Ron Guidry and Don Mattingly.
But while Rosenberg was doing research for a series of books he was writing on Cap Anson, the first major leaguer to reach 3,000 hits, he began finding evidence in old newspapers that four other players had served as Yankee captains.
The forgotten foursome, according to Rosenberg, are Clark Griffith, a pitcher; Kid Elberfeld, a shortstop; Frank Chance, a first baseman; and Roy Hartzell, an infielder who was mainly a third baseman.
“This is a significant piece of research related to a notable player of today,” Rosenberg said. “If the Yankees wish for this to become historically accurate, they must correct this mistake.”
All I want to know is this: If Yankees fans were booing Frank LaPorte, the team's third baseman, in 1906, would Kid Elberfeld have told the fans not to boo? Now, if Howard W. Rosenberg could dig out that info, well, then we'd have something, huh?
Posted by Steve Lombardi at March 24, 2007 11:15 PM