Germany Schaefer

After my bar mitzvah my parents gave the choice between getting a new bicycle or a strat-o-matic baseball game.   I was perfectly content, as I recall with the bike I already had and opted for strat-o-matic.

For those of you who don’t know, strat-o-matic is a game which comes with game cards for each player on each team.  The player cards are based upon each player’s particulars statistics that are calculated based upon that player’s performance for the prior year.  I still have my strat-o-matic game.

Strat-o-matic later published old timer teams from earlier seasons and from this game I developed a love for baseball history during the years between 1900 and 1919.  This time period is better known as the “deadball” era of baseball.

One of my favorite “deadball era” players is Germany Schaefer.   Germany Schaefer played for five major league teams from 1901 to 1918. 

Germany Schaefer played all infield positions and was regarded as both a brilliant baseball tactician as well as a clown prince of the game.   For example, where there was a light rain during a game or where there was a rain forecast prior to a game, Germany would take the field with rain gear on in an attempt to convince the umpire to cancel or postpone a game.  Indeed on one occasion the umpire sent Germany back to the dugout to remove his rain gear.  Upon entering the dugout, the skies opened up with rainstorm forcing the umpire to cancel the game. 

My favorite Germany Schaefer story occurred on August 4, 1911.  On this date, while playing for the Washington Senators, Germany singled and advanced the runner on first to third base.   Germany, in the hopes of drawing a throw to second base so as to allow the runner on third to score, stole second base.   The catcher did not take the bait and allowed Germany to reach second base.  Germany then decided to steal first base on the next pitch.  Sure enough Germany ran to first.  The opposing team was stunned and as a result the opposing manager ran out of the dugout to argue that this was against the rules and that Germany should be declared out.   During the mayhem the runner on third broke for home but was thrown out.  Nevertheless Germany Schaefer became the first and only player to steal first base.

  Unfortunately he was stricken with Tuberculosis and passed away in 1918.   He never attempted to steal first again but in 1920 major league baseball passed a rule banning the play.