Earle Gardner
1911 baseball card of Gardner
Second baseman
Born: (1884-01-24)January 24, 1884
Sparta, Illinois, U.S.
Died: March 2, 1943(1943-03-02) (aged 59)
Sparta, Illinois, U.S.
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 18, 1908, for the New York Highlanders
Last MLB appearance
June 22, 1912, for the New York Highlanders
MLB statistics
Batting average.263
Home runs1
Runs batted in108
Teams

Earle McClurkin Gardner (January 24, 1884 – March 2, 1943) was an American professional baseball second baseman. He played in Major League Baseball for the New York Highlanders from 1908 to 1912.

Career

Gardner played for the Springfield Foot Trackers of the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League in 1903. Springfield released him before the 1904 season. He got a tryout with the Chicago Cubs of the National League in 1904, but was farmed to the San Antonio Bronchos of the South Texas League for the 1904 season. San Antonio sold Gardner to the Beaumont Millionaires of the South Texas League during the 1905 season.[1] In 1906, he played for the Austin Senators of the South Texas League.[2] The Senators sold Gardner to the St. Paul Saints of the American Association after the 1906 season,[3] but purchased him back from St. Paul before the 1907 season.[4]

During the 1907 season, the St. Louis Browns of the American League purchased Gardner's contract.[5] He tried out with the Browns in spring training in 1908, but did not make the team. Gardner played for the Hartford Senators of the Connecticut State League during the 1908 season.[6]

The New York Highlanders of the American League drafted Gardner from Hartford in September 1908,[7] and he made his major league debut with the Highlanders. In 20 games played, he had a .213 batting average.[8] He caught malaria during spring training in 1909, and missed his chance to make the Highlanders' Opening Day roster. After he recovered, New York farmed Gardner to the Jersey City Skeeters of the Eastern League.[9][10] After his strong 1909 season with Jersey City, the Highlanders recalled Gardner in September.[10] He played 22 games for the Highlanders, and batted .329.[11] In 1910, Highlanders pitcher Russ Ford, who had learned how to throw the emery ball, confided his secret only with Ed Sweeney, his catcher, as well as Gardner and Eddie Foster, his roommates.[12] That year, he batted .244 in 86 games, and hit his only major league home run.[13]

Gardner batted .263 in 102 games during the 1911 season.[14] As part of a shakeup of the team, the Highlanders released Gardner and some of his teammates in July 1912. He signed with the Cleveland Naps of the American League,[15][16] who traded him to the Toledo Iron Men of the American Association for Ray Chapman.[17] Gardner had batted .281 in 43 games for the Highlanders before the release.[18]

While playing with Toledo in 1912, Gardner taught Cy Falkenberg how to throw the emery ball.[12] Gardner returned to Toledo in 1913.[19] When the Toledo franchise relocated to Cleveland as the Cleveland Bearcats, Gardner played for them during the 1914 and 1915 seasons.[20][21] The franchise moved back to Toledo in 1916, and he remained with the team.[22] Toledo released Gardner before the 1917 season,[23] and he played for the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League that year.[24]

Personal life

Gardner's brother, Dewitt, also played baseball.[25]

Gardner was a native of Sparta, Illinois.[26] He died in Sparta on March 2, 1943.[27]

References

  1. ↑ "A New Second Baseman". The Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. November 25, 1905. p. 3. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Brilliant Ball Play". The Austin Statesman. August 9, 1906. p. 3. Retrieved April 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Baseball Directors Confirm Pending Deal". The Austin Statesman. October 10, 1906. p. 2. Retrieved April 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Gardner And Sutor May Be Here Sunday". The Austin Statesman. April 19, 1907. p. 3. Retrieved April 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "Gardner Sold: Fast Second Baseman Goes to St. Louis Browns". The Fort Worth Telegram. August 22, 1907. p. 8. Retrieved April 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ "Joe Connor A Good Hitter". Hartford Courant. May 19, 1908. p. 10. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "New York Drafts Hartford Players". Hartford Courant. September 2, 1908. p. 11. Retrieved May 11, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ "1908 New York Highlanders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  9. ↑ "21 Apr 1909, 14". Hartford Courant. April 21, 1909. Retrieved April 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  10. 1 2 "Tribute to Earl Gardner". The Buffalo Enquirer. September 22, 1909. p. 8. Retrieved May 5, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ "1909 New York Highlanders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "Nothing New About Emery Ball; Ed Sweeney Says Russ Ford Discovered It 9 Years Ago". Dayton Daily News. May 16, 1916. p. 12. Retrieved April 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ "1910 New York Highlanders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  14. ↑ "1911 New York Highlanders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  15. ↑ "A Shakeup In New York Lineup". The Kansas City Star. July 7, 1912. p. 11. Retrieved April 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. ↑ "13 Jul 1912". The Washington Times. July 13, 1912. p. 10. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. ↑ "21 Jul 1912, 13". The Kansas City Star. July 21, 1912. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. ↑ "1912 New York Highlanders Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved May 4, 2021.
  19. ↑ "7 Feb 1913, 16". Wilkes-Barre Times Leader, The Evening News. February 7, 1913. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. ↑ "Cleveland Approves Continuous Baseball". The Anaconda Standard. March 8, 1914. sec. 3, p. 2. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. ↑ "27 Jan 1915, 6". The West Virginian. Fairmont, WV. January 27, 1915. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. ↑ "7 Mar 1916". The Cincinnati Enquirer. March 7, 1916. p. 6. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. ↑ "10 Mar 1917". The Pittsburgh Post. March 10, 1917. p. 8. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  24. ↑ "21 Mar 1917, 8". Los Angeles Record. March 21, 1917. Retrieved April 28, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  25. ↑ "4 Apr 1912, 3". Lexington Herald-Leader. April 4, 1912. Retrieved April 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  26. ↑ "15 Sep 1907, 8". The Austin Statesman. September 15, 1907. Retrieved April 27, 2021 – via Newspapers.com.
  27. ↑ "Obituary for Earle Gardner". Newspapers.com. March 10, 1943. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
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