Harry Short (baseball)

Harry H. Short (April 16, 1878 in Plymouth, Indiana – November 20, 1954 in Garden City, Kansas) was a minor league baseball player and manager. He played on two Texas League championship Austin Senators teams (in 1906 and 1907), and led the league in stolen bases in 1907 with 78.[1]

This article is about the baseball player. For the Canadian politician, see Harry Short.
Harry H. Short
Second baseman
Third baseman
Shortstop
Outfielder
Born: (1878-04-16)April 16, 1878
Plymouth, Indiana
Died: November 20, 1954(1954-11-20) (aged 76)
Garden City, Kansas
Batted: Right Threw: Right
Kansas State League debut
1905, for the Minneapolis Minnies
Last Central Kansas League appearance
1911, for the Concordia Travelers
Career statistics
Batting average.254
Stolen bases210
Teams
Playing career
Managerial career
  • Concordia Travelers (1910–1911)
Career highlights and awards
  • League leader stolen bases, 1907
  • League championships 1906, 1907, 1910, 1911

Playing career

Short grew up in Concordia, Kansas; his younger brother was Clyde Short who would go on to become Chairman of the Kansas Democratic Party.[2]

Harry Short attended Kansas State Normal College and played shortstop[3] on the college team.[4] After subsequently playing on semi-professional teams in Concordia, where he became known for his strong fielding and speed,[5] he entered minor league baseball in 1904 with a team in New Bern, North Carolina.[4] In 1905 he played for the Minneapolis Minnies of the Kansas State League.[4] In 1906, he was recruited by, and played third base (and other positions) for, the Austin Senators, who were part of the South Texas League that year.[6] The 1906 Senators won their league championship by default when the Houston Buffaloes refused to stop using non-league players. He remained with the Senators in 1907, a year in which he led the league in stolen bases with 78[6] and won another league championship.[6]

During 1907, the Senators would post one of the most lopsided victories in baseball history, by defeating the San Antonio Bronchos in the second game of a doubleheader 44-0.[7] During this game, Short scored seven runs on five hits, stole four bases and hit a double and a triple.[8] He was referred to in articles as "one of the fastest baserunners and best base-stealers in Texas",[9] and was also a fan-favorite that year to take over managing the Senators team.[10]

Short played again for Austin in 1908, then began 1909 with the Houston Buffaloes[11] before being traded to the Waco Navigators for Hub Northen[12] (who would go on to play for the Cincinnati Reds, Brooklyn Dodgers, and St. Louis Browns).[13] In 1910, he left the Texas League for the Central Kansas League, where he became player-manager of the Concordia Travelers.[14] The Travelers won league championships in 1910 and 1911, and during the latter season, the Travelers and Short were accused by the Clay Center Cubs of "throwing games" to the Junction City Soldiers, which was hotly debated in opposing newspapers columns in both towns.[15] After the Central Kansas League folded, he continued to play for local Kansas teams until at least 1915.[16]

Managerial career

Year-by-year managerial record
YearTeamLeagueFinish
1910Concordia TravelersCentral Kansas League1st[17]
1911Concordia TravelersCentral Kansas League1st[17]

During his early career as a player-manager, Short's teams were often referred to as "Short's Boosters" or "Short's Travelers". In his first two managing seasons, he played with and coached Chick Smith and the Travelers won their league championship.[17] After the South Kansas League folded, Short went on to manage and play for a number of other teams for other baseball leagues throughout Kansas.[18][19][16]

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References
  1. Alexander, Charles C. (April 16, 2015). Spoke: A Biography of Tris Speaker. McFarland. ISBN 9781476622446.
  2. staff (February 29, 1936). "Clyde Short Dies". The Frankfort Index. The Associated Press.
  3. staff (April 10, 1902). "College Team Chosen". Emporia Republican. p. 3.
  4. staff (August 23, 1910). "With The Ballplayers". Concordia Blade-Empire.
  5. staff (May 16, 1903). "An Errorless Game: Concordia's Second Shutout of Chapman Was Result of Fine Playing". The Daily Blade. p. 1.
  6. Wright, Marshall D. (2004). The Texas League In Baseball: 1888-1958. McFarland. pp. 99, 104, 116, 119, 123. ISBN 0786418028.
  7. Hagerty, Tim. "The time a minor league team lost 44-0". Sporting News. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  8. "Austin Senators: 44-0" (PDF). Diamonds in the Dusk. Retrieved 10 September 2017.
  9. staff (April 26, 1907). "Short's Great Slide". Concordia Blade-Empire. p. 4.
  10. staff (July 2, 1907). "A Gentle Roast for Gordon: Austin Wants a Change in Managers, Short Touted for the Job". Houston Post. p. 3.
  11. staff (May 3, 1909). "Takes a Bride in Texas-Concordia Boy's Capture". The Daily Blade. p. 1.
  12. staff (July 17, 1909). "Hits and Errors By Houston and Waco, Respectively, Defeated Navigators 4-1". The Houston Post.
  13. "Hub Northen". Baseball Reference. Retrieved 4 February 2018.
  14. staff (June 17, 1910). "Base Ball Notes". The Beloit Daily Caller. p. 4.
  15. staff (July 20, 1911). "Clay Center Kicks". Junction City Weekly Union. p. 4.
  16. staff (August 12, 1915). "Arrivals-Departures". The Beloit Daily Call. p. 4.
  17. Worth, Richard (February 27, 2013). Baseball Team Names: A Worldwide Dictionary, 1869-2011. McFarland. p. 82. ISBN 9780786468447.
  18. Sheridan, Hal (April 15, 1915). "Kansas State League Ball Team at Pratt: Harry Short of Concordia Probable Manager-To Raise Funds For Franchise". Barton County Daily Democrat. p. 6.
  19. staff (June 6, 1913). "Harry Short Will Manage Team". The Daily Blade. p. 1.
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