From the Quad to the Diamond

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  In baseball's early years, almost no professional players attended college and by the early 20th century college-educated players were still a novelty. By the 1890s more college players began to join the professional ranks. When the Western League became the second major league as the renamed American League in 1900-1901, the move was viewed with favor because the league included a number of former college players. This cleaner image of the sport was further enhanced by the success of Christy Mathewson (Bucknell) with the New York Giants in the early 1900s, helping make baseball as a profession more palatable to the middle- and upper-classes. By the end of the Roaring Twenties one third of all starters in the major leagues had played some college ball.

  In addition to Mathewson, other former college athletes made their mark on the dead-ball era. Fred Tenney (Brown) was one of the first collegians to enter major league baseball, breaking in with the Boston Beaneaters (later known as the Braves) in 1894. When taunted about his college background by an opposing pitcher, Tenney calmly loosed a stream of tobacco juice at his abuser's feet, thus silencing any questions about his toughness. Tenney had a fine major league career with Boston and the New York Giants, developing a reputation as a sure-handed first baseman and consistent .300 hitter. Eddie Grant was graduated from Harvard in 1905 and become a dependable third baseman and clutch hitter with the Phillies, Reds and Giants. Grant was the first professional baseball player killed in action during World War I. A monument to his memory stood for many years in deep center field at the Polo Grounds. Eddie Collins (Columbia) enjoyed a remarkably long career in baseball as one of the finest second baseman in history. Nicknamed "Cocky" for his endless self-confidence, Collins became the lynchpin of Connie Mack's famous $100,000 infield of 1909-1914. Collins is perhaps best known today for being one of the few "Clean Sox" on Charles Comiskey's infamous 1919 Chicago White Sox team. He was elected to the Hall of Fame in 1939. Collins' double-play partner, Jack Barry (Holy Cross), was yet another of Mack's college finds, joining pitchers Jack Coombs (Colby) and Eddie Plank (Gettysburg) on the great Philadelphia Athletics teams of the early 20th century. Boston Red Sox outfielder Harry Hooper, a 1907 graduate of St. Mary's College in California, teamed with Tris Speaker and Duffy Lewis to form the Bosox's formidable "Million Dollar Outfield." He later coached at Princeton.

Russell and UGA Baseball

• Richard B. Russell entered the University of Georgia in September of 1915 and studied law until June of 1918. He brought with him a penchant for both baseball and football. He was a loyal fan of the Red and Black teams throughout his school career and his life, and was even mentioned in an April 1916 Red and Black school newspaper article for his cheerleading efforts at a baseball game against the Mercer Baptists. College baseball at the time differed from professional ball - few players made the transition to the major leagues. Most college players were in the game only for the duration of their college careers. Professional baseball was still considered by most middle class Americans as a diversion for the lower classes and therefore not a respectable career path for their sons. Since most university students came from upper and middle class backgrounds few considered professional baseball as a suitable career path. Some, like Georgia sports all star Bob McWhorter, entertained the possibility of a professional baseball career. Talking with and working out with the Cincinnati Reds, eventually McWhorter chose a law career instead, serving four years as Athens mayor. The game was played in a style very much like that of the professional game, although probably without the underhanded tactics more common in the Major leagues. "Dead ball" was the name of the game, and professional players would often lend some coaching aid to college teams in the off-season.

  Baseball was the major sport of the time at the University of Georgia. The war in Europe disrupted the football season and there was no football team at Georgia in 1917 and 1918. Baseball continued, however. The teams were successful in this time period, posting winning records and winning the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association Championship in 1917. A season was not truly deemed successful unless the Red and Black defeated state rivals Georgia Tech. The team was filled with All-Southern players despite several dropping from the team to help the war effort.

The UGA Baseball Season

• The typical baseball season at the University of Georgia during the years of Russell's attendance started in late March and continued through the middle of May. Twenty to twenty-five games were contested. Home games were played at Sanford Field (located off of Lumpkin Street), which was also shared with the football team. Opponents consisted mainly of southern schools such as Georgia Tech, Mercer, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Alabama, Oglethorpe, and Clemson (all of which were in the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association) as well as other schools.

Equipment

• Nationwide teams adopted the new cork-centered baseball, Bats continued to be made of ash or oak. The gloves were small and leather. The uniforms were wool, consisting of a button-down, mid-sleeve length collarless shirt and woolen trousers which came to just below the knees. Dark stockings were worn to cover the calves and shins. Players wore cleated leather shoes, and they donned caps with the letter "G" emblazoned just above the small bill.

The UGA Team

• The University nines had many standout players in the years of Russell's attendance. C.W. Rawson was a superb catcher and All-Southern player. G.H. Westbrook was laughed off the mound when he first matriculated from his hometown of Ila, but soon became a pitcher of outstanding repute, captain of the team, and occasional utility player. T.M. Philpot was the only southpaw in the Georgia bullpen and proved valuable in many games. Whitey Davis was an instrumental infielder, keeping a lock-down at third base and eventually becoming team captain. As for coaching, Joe Bean was the coach for the 1915 and 1916 seasons and was replaced by J.G. Henderson, who steered the team to a Southern Championship in 1917. Glenn Colby, former UGA standout on the 1908 team and South Atlantic League journeyman, returned to UGA to coach the team in 1918. No players from this era went into the major leagues.

Hughie Jennings and Baseball at UGA

• Baseball is the oldest varsity sport on the University of Georgia campus. The first UGA nine was formed in 1886, finishing the brief season with an unspoiled 2-0 record. Baseball at UGA received a boost when Hughie Jennings (1869-1928) was appointed the school's first baseball coach in 1895, a position he held until 1899. The popular and colorful Jennings starred at shortstop for the salty Baltimore Orioles of the 1890s, sparking a team that also included the legendary John McGraw, Willie Keeler, Joe Kelley and Wilbert Robinson. After his playing career concluded, Jennings managed the Detroit Tigers during the Cobb era, leading the team to three World Series appearances between 1907 and 1920. Jennings acquired his nickname, "Eee-Yah," from the distinctive cry he would utter when excited. During the off-season in his playing days, Jennings earned a law degree and had a successful off-season practice in his home state of Pennsylvania. He contracted tuberculosis and died in 1928 at the age of 59. He was elected to the Baseball Hal of Fame in 1945.