Horace Fogel

Abstract

Time after time Fogel defended honor of national game.... As a writer did much to build up game here and helped it clean in conduct of players and free from any taint as to dishonesty.-William Weart, The Sporting News, December 5, 1912An enduring mystery of Deadball Era is extent to which games in general-and World Series games in particular-were compromised by gamblers. Harold Seymour and Dorothy Seymour Mills wrote of those years, Crooked players were quietly banished, and occasionally some of facts did penetrate fog of rumor surrounding secrecy and mystery of magnates. But much of what is now known dribbled out only later, and without doubt there is more that still lies hidden.1What if we have overlooked leads and evidence that have been right in front of us? What if there was an insider who was willing to talk, a whistleblower of sorts, but we ignored him?Who would have had a inside view?* a sportswriter or, better yet, a sports editor of one or more major newspapers* a major league manager* a league president* a major league team executive* a major league team ownerWhat if there was one person who held all these positions? He certainly would have known where the bodies were buried.Consider, then, Horace S. Fogel.* born in Macungie, Pennsylvania, on March 21, 1861* started working for Baltimore Day, 1882* worked for Philadelphia Press, 1885-1886* manager and scout of Indianapolis Hoosiers (National League), 1887* writer for Sporting Life, 1888-1889* sports editor, Philadelphia Public Ledger, 1891-1900* president of Atlantic League, 1900* sports editor of various Philadelphia newspapers, 1901-1909, including North American (1901-1902), Evening Telegraph, Times (1908), Star, and Public Ledger* manager and scout of New York Giants, 1902* president and part-owner of Philadelphia Phillies, 1909-19122As manager of New York Giants early in 1902 season, Fogel been blamed and ridiculed for trying to convert Christy Mathewson into a first baseman.3 This is but one example of Fogel having been relegated to a footnote in history of National Pastime. In his Mathewson biography, Ray Robinson gives a more nuanced account, noting that several members of club, unhappy with pitcher's performance and high salary, pressured Fogel to move Mathewson offthe mound.4 Fred Lieb said that idea was not Fogel's, who has been unjustly maligned as stupid oaf who tried to move.According to Lieb, Giants owner Andrew Freedman did not want to spend much money on a bench. When first baseman Dan McGann was injured, Fogel agreed to play Mathewson there between starts. But Fogel said continued to pitch young hurler in turn.5 Another account went further and said that Fogel had to resist Freedman's suggestions to convert Mathewson.6 In his 1934 classic book, City Editor, Stanley Walker mentions that Freedman had many peculiarities and was the genius who insisted that Christy Mathewson should be a first baseman.7Early on, Fogel did reveal a tendency to talk too much for his own good. As Giants' manager in May 1902, was unhappy with Mathewson's performance and threatened to bench him if did not make good in upcoming starts. Fogel felt that Mathewson was riding on his laurels from 1901 season and was capable of pitching better in 1902. Fogel made mistake of giving an interview with a Cincinnati paper in which spoke of this matter.8 The dispute was probably blown out of proportion, and dissension in clubhouse soon emerged as players took sides. Freedman fired Fogel in early June 1902.9 The Sporting News reported that Fogel was a lenient manager and players loafed, but he talked just a trifle too much.10 Fogel continued working for Giants as an agent (scout) before returning to a career as a Philadelphia sport editor. …