Adam DeBus
Encyclopedia
Adam Joseph DeBus, Jr. (October 7, 1892 – May 13, 1977) was a German American
professional baseball
player whose career spanned three seasons, one of which was spent with the Major League Baseball
(MLB) Pittsburgh Pirates
(1917). Over his MLB career, DeBus, an infielder
, compiled a .229 batting average
with nine runs scored, 30 hits
, five doubles
, four triples
, seven runs batted in (RBIs) and two stolen base
s in 38 games played
. Originally, Debus signed with the MLB St. Louis Cardinals
out of the Northern League, but his contract was waived
after never making an appearance. He then signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates and made his MLB debut on July 14, 1917 against the Brooklyn Robins. During his career, DeBus weighed 150 pounds (68 kg) and stood at 5 in 11 in (180.34 cm). He batted and threw right-handed.
. Josephine DeBus, who came to the United States
in 1882, became a naturalized citizen in 1931. Adam DeBus, Sr., who came to the United States in 1878 and was naturalized in 1887, worked as a cook
in Chicago. Adam Joseph DeBus, Jr. was his parent's only child. He was raised to speak German.
DeBus' professional baseball
career began in 1914 as a member of the minor league
Green Bay Bays of the Class-C Wisconsin-Illinois League. He was under the management
of Robert Lynch with the Green Bay club. Two of Debus' teammates on the Bays roster, Frank Scanlan
and Joe Weiss
, had experience in Major League Baseball
(MLB) one time or another over their careers. On the season, DeBus compiled a .234 batting average
with 91 hits
, 14 doubles
, three triples
and three home run
s in 108 games played
. All of his 108 games were played at shortstop
. His next professional baseball season came two seasons later in 1916 as a member of the minor league Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers of the Class-C Northern League. The Graingrowers represented Fargo, North Dakota
and Moorhead, Minnesota
. Three of his teammates on the Graingrowers, Ralph Bell
, Moxie Meixell
and Bob Unglaub
, were MLB players at one time in their careers. The Fargo-Moorhead club was managed by Bob Unglaub, who also played first base for the team. DeBus batted .284 with 96 hits in 100 games played.
In 1917, DeBus re-signed with the Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers. On July 2, he was sold by the Fargo-Moorhead club to the MLB St. Louis Cardinals
. On July 11, DeBus was waived
after never making an appearance with the club. He was then signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates
and reported to the team in Brooklyn, New York. He made his MLB debut in the second game of a doubleheader
on July 14, 1917 against the Brooklyn Robins at Ebbets Field
. He was sixth in the Pirates batting order
. In four at-bats against Brooklyn pitcher
Rube Marquard
, DeBus went hitless. His first MLB hit came on July 17 against Boston Braves
pitcher Art Nehf
. On July 20, The Pittsburgh Press wrote that DeBus was a "better than ordinary hitter" and that he could "field with the best of them". In August, it was reported that Pittsburgh manager Hugo Bezdek
was pleased with the services of DeBus. The syndicated column "Diamond Dust" compared DeBus to former MLB player Art Devlin. His final MLB appearance came on September 1 against the St. Louis Cardinals. In two at-bats against St. Louis pitcher Oscar Horstmann, DeBus went hitless. On the season with the Pirates, he batted .229 with nine runs scored, 30 hits, five doubles, four triples, seven runs batted in (RBIs) and two stolen base
s in 38 games played
. Defensively, he played 21 games at shortstop and 18 games at third base
. DeBus committed 19 errors
, 92 assists
and 61 putout
s. He also converted 10 double play
s. Despite initial success in impressing Pirates manager Hugo Bezdek, by the end of the season The Pittsburgh Press wrote that DeBus "[had] probably donned a Pirate uniform for the last time".
. After his baseball career was over, he was working for an electrical company based in Chicago, Illinois. By 1930, he was living with his parents in Chicago working as an electrical auto mechanic
. On August 1, 1931, DeBus and his mother boarded the ocean liner
SS Bremen
in New York City
, New York
to Germany. By 1942, DeBus was working for Stewart-Warner
, a manufacturer of electrical automotive parts. DeBus died on May 13, 1977 in Chicago. He was buried at St. Boniface Cemetery in Chicago.
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
professional baseball
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
player whose career spanned three seasons, one of which was spent with the Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB) Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
(1917). Over his MLB career, DeBus, an infielder
Infielder
An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field.-Standard arrangement of positions:In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns playing offensive and defensive roles...
, compiled a .229 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with nine runs scored, 30 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, five doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, four triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, seven runs batted in (RBIs) and two stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in 38 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. Originally, Debus signed with the MLB St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
out of the Northern League, but his contract was waived
Major League Baseball transactions
Major League Baseball transactions are changes made to the roster of a major league team during or after the season. They may include waiving, releasing, and trading players, as well as assigning players to minor league teams.-25-man and 40-man rosters:...
after never making an appearance. He then signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates and made his MLB debut on July 14, 1917 against the Brooklyn Robins. During his career, DeBus weighed 150 pounds (68 kg) and stood at 5 in 11 in (180.34 cm). He batted and threw right-handed.
Early life
Adam Joseph DeBus, Jr. was born on October 7, 1892 in Chicago, Illinois to Josephine and Adam DeBus, Sr., both of GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. Josephine DeBus, who came to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1882, became a naturalized citizen in 1931. Adam DeBus, Sr., who came to the United States in 1878 and was naturalized in 1887, worked as a cook
Cook (profession)
A cook is a person who prepares food for consumption. In Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Canada this profession requires government approval ....
in Chicago. Adam Joseph DeBus, Jr. was his parent's only child. He was raised to speak German.
Baseball career
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
career began in 1914 as a member of the minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
Green Bay Bays of the Class-C Wisconsin-Illinois League. He was under the management
Manager (baseball)
In baseball, the field manager is an individual who is responsible for matters of team strategy on the field and team leadership. Managers are typically assisted by between one and six assistant coaches, whose responsibilities are specialized...
of Robert Lynch with the Green Bay club. Two of Debus' teammates on the Bays roster, Frank Scanlan
Frank Scanlan
Frank Aloysius Scanlan , was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played in with the Philadelphia Phillies. He batted and threw left-handed. Scanlan had a 0–0 record, with a 1.64 ERA, in six games, in his one year career. He was born in Syracuse, New York and died in Brooklyn, New York.-External...
and Joe Weiss
Joe Weiss
Joseph Harold Weiss was a first baseman for the Chicago Whales professional baseball team in 1915.-External links:...
, had experience in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
(MLB) one time or another over their careers. On the season, DeBus compiled a .234 batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
with 91 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 14 doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
, three triples
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and three home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s in 108 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. All of his 108 games were played at shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. His next professional baseball season came two seasons later in 1916 as a member of the minor league Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers of the Class-C Northern League. The Graingrowers represented Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo, North Dakota
Fargo is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Dakota and the county seat of Cass County. In 2010, its population was 105,549, and it had an estimated metropolitan population of 208,777...
and Moorhead, Minnesota
Moorhead, Minnesota
Moorhead is a city in Clay County, Minnesota, United States, and the largest city in northwest Minnesota. The population was 38,065 at the 2010 Census. It is the county seat of Clay County....
. Three of his teammates on the Graingrowers, Ralph Bell
Ralph Bell
Ralph Albert "Lefty" Bell was a professional baseball pitcher from 1909 to 1916. He appeared in three Major League Baseball games for the Chicago White Sox in 1912. Bell was 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weighed 170 pounds....
, Moxie Meixell
Moxie Meixell
Merton Merrill Meixell was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for one season. He played for the Cleveland Naps for three games during the 1912 Cleveland Naps season.-External links:...
and Bob Unglaub
Bob Unglaub
Robert Alexander Unglaub was an American first baseman and utility infielder in Major League Baseball who played for the New York Highlanders, Boston Americans, and Washington Senators....
, were MLB players at one time in their careers. The Fargo-Moorhead club was managed by Bob Unglaub, who also played first base for the team. DeBus batted .284 with 96 hits in 100 games played.
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
. On July 11, DeBus was waived
Major League Baseball transactions
Major League Baseball transactions are changes made to the roster of a major league team during or after the season. They may include waiving, releasing, and trading players, as well as assigning players to minor league teams.-25-man and 40-man rosters:...
after never making an appearance with the club. He was then signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
and reported to the team in Brooklyn, New York. He made his MLB debut in the second game of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
on July 14, 1917 against the Brooklyn Robins at Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field
Ebbets Field was a Major League Baseball park located in the Flatbush section of Brooklyn, New York, USA, on a city block which is now considered to be part of the Crown Heights neighborhood. It was the home of the Brooklyn Dodgers of the National League. It was also a venue for professional football...
. He was sixth in the Pirates batting order
Batting order (baseball)
The batting order, or batting lineup, in baseball is the sequence in which the nine members of the offense take their turns in batting against the pitcher. The batting order is the main component of a team's offensive strategy. The batting order is set by the manager before the game begins...
. In four at-bats against Brooklyn pitcher
Pitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
Rube Marquard
Rube Marquard
Richard William "Rube" Marquard was an American left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball in the 1910s and early 1920s...
, DeBus went hitless. His first MLB hit came on July 17 against Boston Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
pitcher Art Nehf
Art Nehf
Arthur Neukom Nehf was an American baseball pitcher. He played 15 seasons in Major League Baseball for the Boston Braves , New York Giants , Cincinnati Reds , and the Chicago Cubs...
. On July 20, The Pittsburgh Press wrote that DeBus was a "better than ordinary hitter" and that he could "field with the best of them". In August, it was reported that Pittsburgh manager Hugo Bezdek
Hugo Bezdek
Hugo Francis Bezdek was a Czech-American sports figure who played American football and was a coach of football, basketball, and baseball. He was the head football coach at the University of Oregon , the University of Arkansas , Penn State University , and Delaware Valley College...
was pleased with the services of DeBus. The syndicated column "Diamond Dust" compared DeBus to former MLB player Art Devlin. His final MLB appearance came on September 1 against the St. Louis Cardinals. In two at-bats against St. Louis pitcher Oscar Horstmann, DeBus went hitless. On the season with the Pirates, he batted .229 with nine runs scored, 30 hits, five doubles, four triples, seven runs batted in (RBIs) and two stolen base
Stolen base
In baseball, a stolen base occurs when a baserunner successfully advances to the next base while the pitcher is delivering the ball to home plate...
s in 38 games played
Games played
Games played is a statistic used in team sports to indicate the total number of games in which a player has participated ; the statistic is generally applied irrespective of whatever portion of the game is contested.-Baseball:In baseball, the statistic applies also to players who, prior to a game,...
. Defensively, he played 21 games at shortstop and 18 games at third base
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
. DeBus committed 19 errors
Error (baseball)
In baseball statistics, an error is the act, in the judgment of the official scorer, of a fielder misplaying a ball in a manner that allows a batter or baserunner to reach one or more additional bases, when such an advance would have been prevented given ordinary effort by the fielder.The term ...
, 92 assists
Assist (baseball)
In baseball, an assist is a defensive statistic, baseball being one of the few sports in which the defensive team controls the ball. An assist is awarded to every defensive player who fields or touches the ball prior to the recording of a putout, even if the contact was unintentional...
and 61 putout
Putout
In baseball statistics, a putout is given to a defensive player who records an out by one of the following methods:* Tagging a runner with the ball when he is not touching a base...
s. He also converted 10 double play
Double play
In baseball, a double play for a team or a fielder is the act of making two outs during the same continuous playing action. In baseball slang, making a double play is referred to as "turning two"....
s. Despite initial success in impressing Pirates manager Hugo Bezdek, by the end of the season The Pittsburgh Press wrote that DeBus "[had] probably donned a Pirate uniform for the last time".
Later life
At the end of the 1917 baseball season, DeBus joined the United States Military to fight in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. After his baseball career was over, he was working for an electrical company based in Chicago, Illinois. By 1930, he was living with his parents in Chicago working as an electrical auto mechanic
Auto mechanic
An auto mechanic is a mechanic with a variety of car makes or either in a specific area or in a specific make of car. In repairing cars, their main role is to diagnose the problem accurately and quickly...
. On August 1, 1931, DeBus and his mother boarded the ocean liner
Ocean liner
An ocean liner is a ship designed to transport people from one seaport to another along regular long-distance maritime routes according to a schedule. Liners may also carry cargo or mail, and may sometimes be used for other purposes .Cargo vessels running to a schedule are sometimes referred to as...
SS Bremen
SS Bremen (1929)
The SS Bremen was a German-built ocean liner constructed for the Norddeutscher Lloyd line to work the transatlantic sea route. The Bremen was notable for her bulbous bow construction, high-speed engines, and low, streamlined profile. At the time of her construction, she and her sister ship were...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Germany. By 1942, DeBus was working for Stewart-Warner
Stewart-Warner
Stewart-Warner is a US manufacturer of vehicle instruments, a.k.a. gauges. The company was founded as Stewart & Clark Company in 1905 by John K. Stewart. Their speedometers were used in the Ford Model T. In 1912 John Stewart joined with Edgar Bassick to make vehicle instruments and horns...
, a manufacturer of electrical automotive parts. DeBus died on May 13, 1977 in Chicago. He was buried at St. Boniface Cemetery in Chicago.