Augustus “Gus” Dorner suddenly became a successful pitcher in 1904. He had brief trials with Cleveland in the American League in 1902 and ’03, he was 6-6 and control was a problem; on May 23, 1903, walked 11 batters in a game against the Philadelphia Athletics. He finished the 1903 season with the Columbus Senators in the American Association posting a 7-7 record.
The next two seasons in Columbus Dorner was 18-10, and 29-8. The Fort Wayne Daily News said:
“The big German attributes his success to condition, control, study of the batsman and mastery of the spitball.”
Dorner said, “I use the spitball a great deal.” As a result of his new pitch he said:
“(I) have not had the slightest trouble with my arm this year. I have worked hard to get control and perfect the spit ball.”
The magic was short-lived. Dorner earned a return to the big leagues in 1906 but was a combined 8-26 with the Cincinnati Reds and Boston Beaneaters. Overall he was 29-62 in parts of four seasons with Boston.
Gus Dorner
He didn’t fare much better in the minor leagues, going 25-29 his last three seasons as a professional. After his release from Boston in May of 1909, he finished the season with the American Association’s Kansas City Blues with a 9-18 record. The last two years of his career were spent with the Wilkes-Barre Barons in the New York State League and the Harrisburg Senators in the Tri-State League.
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