Let's Play Ball

Written and Researched by Tina Easley

In Northeast Arkansas the word's " Let's Play Ball " have been beginning the awaited spring baseball season year after year , generations after generations .

In this series of articles , I will tell you a little history you may or may not know about some of our outstanding athletes that came from Northeast Arkansas .

Have you ever heard of Little Dickie " Kid " Kerr ?

Richard (Dick ) Henry Kerr was born on Monday, July 3, 1893 in St. Louis , Missouri . As a kid he dreamed of having a life in the ring and played baseball as a pastime in the sandlots of St. Louis . He turned out to be better at baseball than boxing .

He signed his first League contract with P.C. Ritter in the Old Northeast Arkansas League . P. C. Ritter was president of the Paragould Baseball Club. Kerr played two seasons for Ritter , in 1910 and 1911 . Joseph R. Bertig was at that time president of the Northeast Arkansas League. Even in those days playing in Northeast Arkansas , Kerr showed good athletic ability and gave promise of a national player .

When Kerr left Paragould he put off playing baseball for a couple of years before signing with the Texas - Oklahoma League and from there he signed with the Southern , Milwaukee in the American Association and then later landed with the Chicago team . Kerr began his Major League baseball career in 1919 with the Chicago White Sox. The 26 year-old played for 4 seasons on one team and ended his major league playing career in 1925.

It was said , " That he was not as tall as a walking stick and the tiniest of the whole team . Won't weigh 90 pounds sopping wet . Too small for a pitcher especially a left -handed pitcher . But would make someone a good watch charm . "

Damon Runyon , a famous baseball writer said the following about Kerr " When the fancy are pawing over the runt of the litter they always disdain the runt . Too small ! Sell him for a lead nickel ! Give him away ! Drown him ! Anything to get rid of him ! " . With all the ridicule Kerr played with determination , proving the old saying " Dynamite comes in small packages " , true.

William " Kid " Gleason , manager of the Chicago White Sox , being a small man of stature and who was once a pitcher in his early days . Did not agree with Kerr being to small of a man for a pitcher . He felt the little fellows needed to stick together and at least get a chance to prove theirselves . He said , that Kerr was going to make a good pitcher , because he had " the stuff " . Kerr doing just that helped prove " Kid " Gleason's theory of being small , when Kerr held the Reds to three hits in the series game . Kerr got the chance to play with some of histories greatest baseball athletes .

On October 15 , 1919 , Dick " Kid " Kerr made Northeast Arkansas proud when he pitched the winning World Series Game for the Chicago White Sox in the national contest .

Local baseball fans went wild with excitement , when it was announced that Kerr was to pitch . Lines of fans stood and gathered in crowds to cheer him on . Waiting patiently in front of Thompson's Drug Store at Paragould where the scores were phoned in and relayed to the nervously awaiting fans of the outcome of the World Series of 1919 .

Kerr pitched with suprisising coolness . He fired the ball with a quick sideways jerk of his left arm and it flew over the plate with tremendous speed . He also had a great curve which unnerved the left-handed hitters of the opposing team more than anything else. Kerr hurled the Reds back to a heartfelt defeat making the excitement even more significant when it was one of Arkansas's own local boys . Making Kerr the idol of the nation. The " Goliath of Baseball " . It was said , " He pitched one of the classiest games ever seen in a world's series. With nearly 30,000 people of the White Sox 's hometown in the stands. Kerr pitched the White Sox into baseball history . Making the White Sox the World series favorites over the National league rivals.

J.R. Bertig and P.C. Ritter , former contract owners . Sent this telegram before the winning game " Paragould fans are with you and betting on you. Hope you will be the sensation of the series and win your game ." Kerr received a second telegram after winning the game " Best pitcher in the world! Congratulations from all Paragould Fans ! "Mr. Ritter stated that he was going to locate the old contract signed by Kerr with the Northeast Arkansas team and send it to him as a souvenir.

Most of the players on the 1919 White Sox team were on the 1917 squad , but the team had gained in experience of working together. The 1919 White Sox Team Roster : Joe Benz , Eddie Cicotte ,Eddie Collins , Shano Collins , Dave Danforth , Red Faber , Happy Felsch ,Chick Gandil , "Shoeless" Joe Jackson, Bill James , Joe Jenkins , Dickie Kerr Nemo Leibold , Grover Lowdermilk , Byrd Lynn , Erskine Mayer , Harvey McClellan , Tom McGuire , Fred McMullin , Eddie Murphy , Win Noyes , Pat Ragan , Swede Risberg ,Charlie Robertson , Reb Russell ,Ray Schalk , Frank Shellenback , John Sullivan , Buck Weaver , Roy Wilkinson , Lefty Williams .

1919 World Series Games :

GAME 1: The Reds won 9-1. Cicotte was pulled in the fourth inning after giving up six runs. Cincinnati's Ruether was credited with the win.
GAME 2: Lefty Williams started for the White Sox and lost 4-2. Sallee got the win for the Reds.
GAME 3: Dickie Kerr pitched a 3-hit shutout and the White Sox won 3-0. The White Sox scored three runs on seven hits and with no errors. Dickie Kerr became suspicious that something was wrong with his team and pitched a 3-hit shutout. Chick Gandil, ironically, added a 2-run double.
GAME 4: Cicotte lost the game 2-0. Each team committed two errors.
GAME 5: The White Sox committed three errors and Lefty Williams loses 5-0.
GAME 6: Dickie Kerr pitched another complete game and the White Sox won 5-4. Kerr allowed 10 hits and the White Sox committed three errors in the game.
GAME 7: Cicotte returned to form and pitched the White Sox to a 4-1 win. The Reds committed 4 errors in the game.
GAME 8: Display of a fix was never stronger than this game. Lefty Williams was replaced in the first inning and the Reds jumped out to a 4-0 lead. The Reds won the game 10-5 and collected 16 hits off the White Sox.

THE 1921 White Sox featured a pitching lineup that mixed good, bad and worse. The good included Red Faber (25-15, 2.48 ERA) and Dickie Kerr (19-17, 4.72 ERA). From there, the pitching went down hill . Shovel Hodge ended with a 6-8 record and a 6.54 earned run average. Roy Wilkinson put up a 4-20 record with a 5.14 earned run average.

What was reported after the World Series is that eight players — Jackson, Felsch, Cicotte, third baseman Buck Weaver, shortstop "Swede" Risberg, pitcher Claude "Lefty" Williams and infielder Fred McMullen — allegedly grew tired of owner Charles Comiskey's shrewd ways and decided to accept money from gamblers to "fix" the World Series. Though cleared in a court of law of wrongdoing these eight players were banned from baseball for life in 1921 . The 1919 White Sox became known as the "Black Sox " in baseball history . Even though the wrongdoings of some of the players the fans still believed in Kerr.

Kerr made his first ML appearance since 1921. He had been playing semipro ball rather than accepting Charles Comiskey's salary offer. When he relieved Red Faber in the third inning against the Tigers, the play was stopped while fans presented him with a floral horseshoe in his honor . In two innings, he gives up three hits and walks 2. The White Sox go on to win 12-5.

His individual record as pitcher : most runs were 182 in 1921 His most earned runs were 162 in 1921. He played semi-pro ball and Commissioner Landis considered him unworthy for the major leagues. He finally returned for 12 games in 1925, but with an 0-1 record never returning to play for the majors again.

Dick Kerr died in Houston, Texas , May 5 , 1963 .

Tina Easley
Come Take A Trip In History !
Greene County , Arkansas Website
http://www.usgennet.org/usa/ar/county/greene/