One Minute Talk: Hooks Dauss

In 1916, The Newspaper Enterprise Association ran a series of brief articles called “One Minute Talks with Ballplayers.”

George “Hooks” Dauss, Detroit Tigers pitcher, told the story of a teammate’s misfortune:

“Catchers are often put on the pan for mistakes which cost their teams ballgames but there are times when the mistakes are unavoidable.”

Dauss said his teammate Raymond “Red” McKee had made an “unavoidable” mistake recently that cost Detroit a game against the Cleveland Indians.

“(Ray) Chapman was on first base, one out and (Elmer) Smith at bat at the time. Chapman made a bluff to steal and McKee tore off his mask to see better where he was throwing. In doing so he hit one eye with the mask and temporarily blinded himself.

“McKee made a perfect peg, had anyone been covering second, but as Chapman didn’t go down no one was there and the ball sailed out to center field.”

Tags: Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Elmer Smith, Hooks Dauss, Ray Chapman, Red McKee