Harry Vahrenhorst
Arthur Vahrenhorst
| |||||
|
St. Louis Position: ph-of First game: May 6, 1913 Last game: May 8, 1913 # of games: 3 |
Vahrenhorst pinch hit in the Terriers first two games on May 6 and May 7. On May 8, Hooker started in centerfield, walked in the first inning and scored a run, and then Vahrenhorst had four at-bats playing centerfield. Given that manager O'Connor had just a couple of weeks to put the club together, the likely options are Harry Vahrenhorst, who appeared in one game for the St. Louis Browns in 1904 as a pinch hitter, and his brother Arthur. Both were born in St. Louis, Henry in 1885 and Arthur in 1887, and both were still living there in 1913. Name confirmed as Varhenhorst in the St. Louis Republic game articles and boxscores.
| ||||
The following night, Vahrenhorst pinch hit for pitcher Arbeiter in the ninth and made an out in a 10-5 loss. In the third game of the series, on May 8, Hooker started in center field, and the box score credits him with no at-bats and one run scored after a walk leading off the first inning. Vahrenhorst is also in the box score as playing center field, with four at-bats, no hits, one run, and one error. (The article in the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reports that Hooker reached on an error in the eighth and scored, but that most likely was Vahrenhorst.) No explanation was given for why Hooker was replaced; he was released after the game.
Most boxscores identified the player as Van Horst. The St. Louis Republic, however, identified him as Farenhorst or Varenhorst in the text and boxscores. (The Chicago Tribune for the game of May 8, 1913 has "Varenh't".)
So who was Vahrenhorst? A few weeks earlier, the La Grande Observer (La Grande, Oregon) identified one of its players for the season. "Arthur Vahrenhorst, better known as Van Horst, and sometimes answering to the beckon of 'Blondy', has his history pretty well uncovered to local fans" (April 12, 1913, pg. 7). It lists his history to date as having played for Jacksonville in the Iowa League, then Denver, then Savannah. He then went west to play in Vancouver, and then came to La Grande in 1909, followed by Salt Lake City that same season. He was sold to Des Moines but refused to report and spent the next three seasons suspended. He then rejoined La Grande in the spring of 1913. He was still with club at the start of May (playing second base in their game at Walla Walla on May 1), but the La Grande paper reported on May 5 that he had been released.
Arthur Vahrenhorst was the younger brother of Harry Vahrenhorst, who appeared in one game for the St. Louis Browns as a pinch hitter on September 21, 1904. Baseball-Reference shows his last season in professional baseball as 1907, when he played for four different clubs. Manager Jack O'Connor was from St. Louis, and was a backup catcher with the St. Louis Browns in 1904, so he likely would have known both brothers. While Harry was presumably already in St. Louis, Arthur may have been able to get back to St. Louis by Opening Day on May 6, depending on exactly when he was released. However, the Salt Lake City Telegram reported on May 15, 1913 that Vahrenhorst was released by Baker City (Oregon). It is not clear that they are refering to his release by La Grande, or if he briefly joined a club in Baker City after La Grande released him. If the latter, than he couldn't have been in St. Louis for the three games against Chicago.
There is no conclusive proof that either Vahrenhorst was the pinch hitter/outfielder for those three games. However, both had the background to be on the bench for manager O'Connor for that opening series, as he scrambled to put a club together. Both were born in St. Louis, Harry in 1885 and Arthur in 1887, and both were still living there in 1913. Absent additional information, I would bet that Harry was the player used.
|
Harry Vahrenhorst |
Arthur Vahrenhorst |