1914 West Baden Sprudels

A Calendar, Including Newspaper Clippings, of the 1914 West Baden Sprudels

1914 West Baden Sprudels

Stories are placed in order of the date they appeared.

January 25, 1914

Richmond, IN
"The secretary of the organization has sent letters to all the fast semi-pro clubs in the surrounding states, asking for their proposition in coming to this city. Some of the nines with which the local management is in communication are the Dayton Lily Brews, Independent champs of that city; West Baden Sprudels, the colored leaders of the national game; Muncie Shamrocks, Indianapolis T.T. outfit, Kokomo Red Sox and Connersville."

Februrary 14, 1914

West Baden, IN
"Mr. Otis Burnett is one of the most widely known men in the valley. He is head porter at the Hotel West Baden. He owns a fine home in the choice section of the town and has a wife and a young son of whih he feels proud. Mr. Burnett is a great baseball fan and prides himself as being the manager of the Sprudels, one of the best baseball teams in the country."

April 12, 1914

West Baden, IN
"Sprudels Open Season - West Baden, Indiana - The West Baden Sprudels opened their park last Sunday with the College Hill team of Cincinnati to an enormous crowd."

April 26, 1914

West Baden, IN
"Base Ball Sprudels vs Plutos."

May 11, 1914

Indianapolis, IN
"The West Baden Sprudels will meet the A.B.C.s next Sunday. This is Taylor's old team minus the part he brought to Indianapolis. Something good is expected."

Indianapolis, IN
"Sprudels Go Down Before the A.B.C.'s - More than 3,000 fans attended the downfall of the West Baden Sprudels Sunday at Northwestern Park, Bowser's A.B.C.s winning a grand uphill battle, 8 to 7. The crowd was so great that ground rules were necessary, there being fans packed down the left field foul line, in center field and far down the right field line. The A.B.C.s tried hard to hand the game to the visitors in the first inning, five runs crossing the plate. The Sprudels put another over in the second. Their last run came in the eighth frame. Bowser's club started their rungetting in the second when Ben Taylor connected with one of the Williams's slants for a home run over the left field screen. The local champs found their stride in the sixth and seventh innings, three runs in each frame putting the game on ice. The large crowd went wild in the seventh when the A.B.C.s took the lead. The fielding of both clubs was excellent, Shively, Ben Taylor, Hutchinson and J. Taylor carrying off the honors for the local club, while Kimbro and Jones starred for the boys from the Springs. The ABCs did some clever work with the stick, ten hits being good for nineteen bases. Iron Man Johnson pitched good ball after the second inning. He fanned nine men. The ABCs and Sprudels are battling for the colored championship of the state and a wide interest is being taken in the games. The same clubs will play again today at the local park. The second game of the city series between the Indianapolis Reserves and the ABCs will be played next Sunday."

May 14, 1914

West Baden, IN
"Kenney Loses - Dick Kenney and a picked team, including two local players, Novack and Merkle, are at West Baden this week for a series of three games with the Sprudels. Dick's men were downed in the first two games of the series. The final game will be played today."

West Baden, IN
"Kenny Shamrocks Lose Third Game - West Baden, Indiana, May 15. - The West Baden Sprudels handed Dick Kenney's Shamrocks the third consecutive defeat here yesterday, the score being 9 to 0. Five costly errors on the part of the Shamrocks paved the way for Baden."

May 15, 1914

Indianapolis, IN
"ABCs Win Again. - Down Sprudels, 7 to 2 for Second Time - Twelve Straight for the Local Club. - The A.B.C.s took the second game from the Sprudels at Northwestern Park yesterday 7 to 2, making twelve straight victories for this season's work. Both clubs played a snappy game in the field. DeMoss for the Sprudels and Scotland for the locals made sensational running catches. Bowswer's players had on their battling clothes, Hutchinson, Powell and Shively connecting for home runs. Hutchinson was the star batsman of the day three hits being his share, a triple, home run and single. Pitcher Ben Taylor for the local champs allowed only five hits and fanned twelve. The Indianapolis Reserves play the second game of the city title series at the local park next Sunday."

May 20, 1914

West Baden, IN
"West Baden, Indiana - The Sprudels defeated the Cuban Stars in a fast game May 20. The pitching of McLaughlin and the hitting of Lynch, Kennard and Shively were the features of the game."

May 24, 1914

Louisville, KY
"Play Fast Game - Sprudels Win a Hard-Fought Contest From White Sox by Score 6 to 1. - In one of the most interesting games witnessed this season at Spring Bank Park the Sprudels defeated the White Sox Sunday by the score of 6 to 1. The game was featured by spectacular plays on both sides. The fielding of Carter was sensational. Next Sunday the Memphis Giants appear at this park."

May 25, 1914

Louisville, KY
"The White Sox Defeat Sprudels. - In the second game of the series played at Spring Bank Park the White Sox defeated the Sprudels in another fast game by the score of 8 to 3. Moore pitched a nice game for the locals, while Allen was the star with the bat, getting a single, double and triple out of four times up."

June 4, 1914

West Baden, IN
"The West Baden Sprudels shut out the Memphis Giants out in the last game of the series at West Baden June 4, 11 to 0."

June 7, 1914

West Baden, IN
"Sprudels There With Stick - Lads From the Springs Easily Beat Cincinnati Shamrocks - Miller and Hockner Do Dirty Work. - Cincinnati, Ohio. - The West Baden Sprudels walloped the Cincinnati Shamrocks last Sunday at League Park by the score of 13 to 2. Loose fielding allowed the Sprudels to score their first three runs. The Irish lads started off well in the lead, but were soon overcome by the boys from the springs. The Sprudels got to Homelle in the eighth and pounded his curves all over the lot. Kimbro and McMurray getting triples, while Hockner and Miller poled the pill to left field for home runs. Fisher relieved the blond twirler and held the dark-skinned athletes pretty well. Stringbean Williams pitched good ball for the Sprudels, and outside of the third inning, when the Shamrocks scored two runs on Homelle's base on balls, Magnus' triple and Golden's single, he was invincible. Magnus played a star game at second, both in the field and at the bat. Next Saturday and Sunday, the Cubans play the Shamrocks at League Park."

June 12, 1914

West Baden, IN
"The Dolly Vardens defeated the West Baden Sprudels June 12 in an exciting contest at West Baden. The pitching of Merz was fine, the Sprudels getting only two hits off him in six innings."

June 13, 1914

West Baden, IN
"Base Ingratitude. - Three West Baden Sprudel Players Desert. - By Ben Knox - Mr. Rice, who owns the Rice Hotel in West Baden, and one of out leading business men, is also manager of the famous West Baden Sprudels baseball team. He is considerably wrought up over the treatment he claims he received from three of his players, Bringo, Bingham and Thornton. He was booked to play the Shamrocks, a strong semi-pro white team in Cincinnati. The three player mentioned above were approached by a white manager to play with them. Mr. Rice asked them what they intended to do and they all spoke in his favor, until Saturday, the last day, they decided to go with the white manager, leaving Mr. Rice in a very bad hole. Mr. Rice was very sorry, naturally, and didn't mince words in telling them what he thought of them. He claims to have held them up all winter and advanced them $40 a piece and that was his reward. But Mr. Rice was equal to the occasion and quickly replaced them by getting better players, and the colored fans were well satisfied when his team gave the white boys a good trimming."

June 14, 1914

West Baden, IN
"What's Doing in Sporting Circles. - West Baden, Indiana, June 15. - The Cuban Stars of Havana, Cuba were beaten here today by the Sprudels in the first game of a three-game series."

June 15, 1914

West Baden, IN
"Sprudels Fail to Score - West Baden, Indiana, June 16. - The Cuban Stars handed the Sprudels a shutout here today."

June 16, 1914

West Baden, IN
"Trim Cuban Stars. - West Baden, Indiana, June 16. - The Cuban Stars of Havana, Cuba, were beaten here yesterday by the Sprudels in the first of a three-game series.