- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Sox
- League: American League
George Daniel Weaver (1890-1956) climbed to a lofty height during his baseball career and plummeted to an historic low that would test any man. Buck’s dad insisted he forego his mother’s funeral to begin his pro career in the White Sox system. He ended his career when Judge Landis banished him from the game along with 7 fellow Sox. In between, this gregarious, cheerful soul basked in the shadows of the Great Pyramid sporting a fez during the 1913 world tour and danced for joy after Comiskey’s club locked up the ’17 Series, a team he had led in batting and afield. Although pilloried with his teammates for throwing the 1919 Series, Weaver played errorless ball, hit .324, and was never accused of taking money. He would spend the rest of his life trying to clear his name. After Cicotte and Jackson confessed, the Sporting News headlined: “Chicago Fans Grieve Most for Weaver and Still Hope for Him.”
- Played exclusively for the White Sox (1912-1920), averaging .272, and was the only banned player to remain in Chicago
- Buck successfully sued his penurious owner for his 1921 salary
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Sox
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Edward Augustine Walsh (1881-1959) still holds the ML record for ERA with 1.82 lifetime and hurled himself into the Hall of Fame as one of the most dominant and durable pitchers of the early 20th century. He needed a year off in 1913 but felt the White Sox needed him more. He ruined his arm and effectively ended his career demanding more of that right arm than it could give after 195 wins and 1,736 SOs.
- Reputed to have guided the owner’s architect into shaping the AL park to Walsh’s liking, making Comiskey Park a “pitcher’s park” for 80 years
- Earned “workhorse” status with an average of 395 innings per season 1907-1912
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Chicago
- Team: Cubs
- League: National League
James Leslie Vaughn (1888-1966) threw to his catcher for an easy out in the tenth inning of a game against Cincinnati one cold afternoon in Chicago. The catcher stood with his hands at his side, the ball bounced off his chest protector and Hippo’s no-hit bid ended, along with the ballgame. The opposing pitcher, Fred Toney, recorded three more outs to get his own no-hitter. Vaughn’s response after such a curious debacle?: “…I wasn’t sore, I’s just lost another ballgame, that’s all.” Clearly Vaughn shed any disappointment as he went out the next season and led the Cubs and the league, winning the “triple crown” for pitchers. Hippo was one of the premier hurlers in baseball over a six year span but his loss to the Reds in the game’s only “double-no-hitter” will forever leave an indelible mark.
- Recorded five 20-win seasons en route to 178 career victories
- Pitched for NY 1908-12, Washington in 1912 and the Cubs from 1913-1921
- No one knows how this strong 6’4” 215 lb workhorse acquired the unflattering nickname
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Chicago
- Team: Chi-Feds
- League: Federal League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Joseph Bert Tinker (1880-1948) sparkled at short, helping the Cubs to 4 pennants and 2 Series wins. He and fellow rookie Johnny Evers turned their first double-play to Frank Chance on Sep 13, 1902. A fight over a cab ride left Tinker and Evers estranged for years, but didn’t prevent them from playing 2nd “like one man, not two.” Tinker was widely held to be second only to Honus Wagner at SS, leading the league in many fielding categories. As skilled as he was afield, Tinker was also one of the great clutch hitters. Christy Mathewson deemed him the NL player he least wanted to see.
- On June 28, 1910 Tinker became one of a handful to steal home twice in a game
- Asked to leave the Cubs when Evers was made manager in 1913 but filled that role himself after a hiatus with the Federal League
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1946
- Series: Diamond Heads '15
- City: Chicago
- Team: White Sox
- League: American League
- Hall: National Baseball Hall of Fame
Raymond William Schalk (1892-1970) was too boyish and too small for the cop at Comiskey Park to believe he could be a ballplayer. But what Schalk lacked in physical stature he more than made up in energy, determination and innate talent. He redefined the role of the ML catcher, starring for the White Sox from 1912 through 1928 en route to the Hall of Fame. Along the way, Schalk proved that catchers can steal bases, they can make double-plays, they can back-up at every base. And Schalk didn’t merely field his position better than the others of his era, he had a gift for working with pitchers. He caught four no-hitters including a 1922 perfect game. And he knew something was wrong when his best mates wouldn’t throw what he called for in the ’19 Series. Absolved of any complicity, Schalk went on to be player-manager of the team.
- Still holds records at his position, including 11 straight years catching over 100 games
- Only Yogi Berra and Carlton Fisk caught more shut-outs
- Elected to Hall of Fame: 1955
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