Fritz Maisel
Encyclopedia
Frederick Charles "Fritz" Maisel (December 23, 1889 - April 22, 1967), was a professional baseball player who played third base
in the Major Leagues from 1913-1918. He played for the New York Yankees
and St. Louis Browns
. Because of his speed on the basepaths, Fritz was known as "Catonsville Flash" or just "Flash" by his fans. In 1914, he led the American League
with 74 stolen bases, and was only caught stealing
17 times that year, an 81 percent success rate.
Maisel was born in Catonsville, Maryland
. In 1910, he was signed by Jack Dunn
of the Baltimore Orioles
, and started with an Orioles farm team (probably the Elgin Kittens) in Elgin, IL. (The Orioles were a minor league team during the period of 1903 through 1953.) After his major league career, he rejoined the Baltimore Orioles as team captain in 1919, and led the team to seven straight International League
pennants. In 1928, after the death of Jack Dunn
, Fritz became the manager of the Orioles.
Fritz Maisel was not a very successful manager for the Baltimore Orioles. At the time Maisel became a manager the Orioles were in National League. Fritz did not have much talent on the team and he became a laughing stock of the Baltimore press. He was blamed for all the misfortunes of the team. His biggest critic was a writer from The Sun, C M Gibbs. Gibbs was the main Orioles correspondent of the time and he criticized Maisel every chance he had. Maisel turned from hometown hero, to unsuccessful manger of the beloved Orioles. Despite lack of success as the team manager, Maisel stayed with the team till his death.
He was Chief of the Baltimore County Fire Department from 1938 to 1951. At the time of his death, he was a scout for the Baltimore Orioles
baseball organization. (The Orioles have been a Major League Baseball
team since 1954.) He was a lifelong resident of Catonsville
.
Third Base
is a 1978 Japanese film directed by Yōichi Higashi.-External links:...
in the Major Leagues from 1913-1918. He played for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
and St. Louis Browns
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
. Because of his speed on the basepaths, Fritz was known as "Catonsville Flash" or just "Flash" by his fans. In 1914, he led the American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
with 74 stolen bases, and was only caught stealing
Caught stealing
In baseball, a runner is charged, and the fielders involved are credited, with a time caught stealing when the runner attempts to advance or lead off from one base to another without the ball being batted and then is tagged out by a fielder while making the attempt...
17 times that year, an 81 percent success rate.
Maisel was born in Catonsville, Maryland
Catonsville, Maryland
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:In 2010 Catonsville had a population of 41,567...
. In 1910, he was signed by Jack Dunn
Jack Dunn
John Joseph Dunn was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball at the turn of the 20th century who later went on to become a minor league baseball club owner....
of the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles (minor league)
The city of Baltimore, Maryland has been home to two minor league baseball teams called the Baltimore Orioles.-Name history:"Orioles" is a traditional name for baseball clubs in Baltimore . It was used by major league teams from 1882 through 1899 in the American Association/National League and by...
, and started with an Orioles farm team (probably the Elgin Kittens) in Elgin, IL. (The Orioles were a minor league team during the period of 1903 through 1953.) After his major league career, he rejoined the Baltimore Orioles as team captain in 1919, and led the team to seven straight International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
pennants. In 1928, after the death of Jack Dunn
Jack Dunn
John Joseph Dunn was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball at the turn of the 20th century who later went on to become a minor league baseball club owner....
, Fritz became the manager of the Orioles.
Fritz Maisel was not a very successful manager for the Baltimore Orioles. At the time Maisel became a manager the Orioles were in National League. Fritz did not have much talent on the team and he became a laughing stock of the Baltimore press. He was blamed for all the misfortunes of the team. His biggest critic was a writer from The Sun, C M Gibbs. Gibbs was the main Orioles correspondent of the time and he criticized Maisel every chance he had. Maisel turned from hometown hero, to unsuccessful manger of the beloved Orioles. Despite lack of success as the team manager, Maisel stayed with the team till his death.
He was Chief of the Baltimore County Fire Department from 1938 to 1951. At the time of his death, he was a scout for the Baltimore Orioles
Baltimore Orioles
The Baltimore Orioles are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland in the United States. They are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's American League. One of the American League's eight charter franchises in 1901, it spent its first year as a major league...
baseball organization. (The Orioles have been a 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...
team since 1954.) He was a lifelong resident of Catonsville
Catonsville, Maryland
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of , all of it land.-Demographics:In 2010 Catonsville had a population of 41,567...
.
See also
- List of Major League Baseball stolen base champions
- List of Major League Baseball leaders in career stolen bases
Sources
- Baseball Reference
- Catonsville Herald-Argus newspaper article, circa 22 April 1967 entitled "Fritz Maisel, Catonsville's Famous Baseball Hero, Dies"
- Professional Baseball Franchises, by Peter Filichia, Facts On File, New York, NY, 1993
- The ESPN Baseball Encyclopedia, Fourth Edition, edited by Gary Gillette and Pete Palmer, Sterling Publishing, New York, NY, 2007
- Chadwick, Bruce, and David Spindel. The Baltimore Orioles: Memories and Memorabilia of the Lords of Baltimore. New York: Abbeville Press, 1995.
- Bready, James. Baseball in Baltimore: The First Hundred Years. Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1998.
- Gibbs, C M. “ARLETT IS HURT AS ORIOLES WIN: Shoulder Injured In Fall Believed Not Serious. Score 13 To 10.” The Sun, August 2, 1932. Microfilm. (Enoch Pratt Library, Periodicals -Microfilm. Accessed October 21, 2009).