A photograph taken in 1924 of Lerton Pinto, the only player of the Crisfield Crabbers team of that year who made the major leagues, albeit for a total of 12 games over two seasons, 1922 and 1924. Pinto was familiar to residents of the Lykens Valley area, where he was a regular with the Harrisburg Senators in seasons 1924 through 1926. During that time he got good local area press.
In 1924, James “Jim” Clough, of Wiconisco, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, played baseball for the minor league team, the Crisfield Crabbers of the Eastern Shore League.
Newspaper reporting on James Clough‘s 1924 year with the Crisfield Crabbers nearly always included other players with a geographical proximity to the Lykens Valley area. Most often mentioned in the articles was Jim’s brother Edgar George “Ed” Clough who was under contract with the St. Louis Cardinals National League team. Other area players mentioned either have already been profiled here in posts, or will be the subject of future posts.
Some of the articles are from 1925 or 1926. They also reflect somewhat on the 1924 year, the only year that Jim actually played in “legitimate” minor league baseball.
Charles Schaeffer “Pop” Kelchner (1875-1958), of Pennsylvania Dutch ancestry, was a scout for the St. Louis Cardinals at the time his path crossed with the Clough brothers. He is considered by baseball researchers the most prolific scout in major league history and is credited with signing 86 players, including Ed Clough, Stan Musial, Danny Murtaugh, and Jim Thorpe. In 1925, Kelchner advised Jim Clough to stay with the minor league team, the Crisfield Crabbers through that season, assuring him that he had the talent to rise to the major leagues. The discussions did not convince Jim. By “jumping” his contract and joining what was then considered “outlaw” teams in the coal regions, he made it next to impossible for any professional level team to allow him to return.
It is believed that Jim Clough‘s choice to return to the Lykens Valley was for financial reasons. In 1925, Jim’s family was growing and he had to support them. Jobs were available in the mines close to home. Unfortunately, Jim was injured in the mines after he returned to Wiconisco, and this was actually the fact that ended the possibility of any major league career.
For Jim Clough‘s professional baseball stats, see: Baseball Reference.
The articles that follow are a sampling of what was reported in the press about Jim Clough and his year with the Crisfield Crabbers.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, July 8, 1924:
JIM CLOUGH WORKING
Jim Clough, brother of Ed Clough, and also a resident of the Lykens district, is a regular hurler on the staff of the Crisfield Club, in the Eastern Shore League, and has been giving a fairly good account of himself.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, July 12, 1924:
BOBBY YAKE RETURNS
Bobby Yake, former Lebanon Valley College star hurler, is back at his home in Lebanon after several weeks with the Crisfield club of the Eastern Shore League. Yake twirled two games for the Crisfield and won both, it is said. In addition he played first base in several games. He had several other offers for the remainder of the summer, but has not signed up with any club. Jim Clough, of Williamsport [sic], is now with the Crisfield club.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, August 7, 1924:
CLOUGH-PINTO
Jim Clough, the upper county hurler who has been pitching good ball in the eastern Shore League all this season, is a teammate of Pinto. New York-Penn League twirler, who was recently sold by the Phillies to the Criswell, Maryland, Club.
Clough hails from a point near Lykens, and he joined the Crisfield club early this season. His record to date has been unusually good, his latest victory having been a 5 to 1 win over the Easton club several days ago, in which he allowed but five hits.
His brother Eddie Clough, is traveling well as a hurler for the Fort Smith club in the West. Both are scheduled for berths with higher established teams next year.
That there is something other than a straight sale in connection with Pinto is the general belief here. The western Shore League is three classes lower that the New York-Pennsylvania circuit, and when it is taken into consideration how well Pinto was going here prior to his recall, there is evidence that probably the Phils are looking out for their own interests.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, January 28, 1925:
LANDIS HAS HAD TRIAL
Joe Landis, the Halifax twirler who is to be given a trial by Buck Ramsey, manager of the Frederick team of the Blue Ridge League, has had some experience in organized baseball, he having been connected with the Crisfield club, of the Eastern Shore League, for a time last season. His ability, it is said, was good until a touch of homesickness together with an injury, caused him to drop from the running. It is apparent that Crisfield gave him his release, for his name is not included in the official list of Crisfield holdovers. Jim Clough, of Lykens, a brother of Ed Clough, with the St. Louis Cardinals, has his services tied up with Criswell for another season.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, February 27, 1925:
Jim Clough, Lykens twirler who was with the Crisfield club of the Eastern Shore League last year, is regarded as a sure thing by the same team this year, and is counted upon as being a dependable regular. There are only six others who will return for a second year at Crisfield.
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From the Evening News, Wilkes-Barre, March 4, 1925.
MARTY BRESLIN HAS PROSPECTS FOR CLUB
Crisfield, Maryland — March 4 [1925] — While many of the clubs of the Eastern Shore League are signing practically a new roster for their 1925 teams, Crisfield expected to have many players this year who did much to help the Crabbers cause last season. Martin Brislin, Crisfield’s star first baseman, last year, was recently elected playing manager by the club’s officials, and is now in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, where he is said to be actively engaged in rounding out his club. He already has several promising players in tow.
The Crisfield club consummated a deal this week for the sale of Emmit J. Athey to Greenville, South Carolina. In addition to a large cash consideration for Athey, the Crisfield club also will get shortstop Henderson. Henderson was purchased by the Greenville club during the latter part of last year for $1,000 [?] and has a good record, Prior to being sold to the Greenville aggregation last year, Henderson batted around .300 with the Kingsport club of Tennessee.
Nalari, who played with the Crisfield team during the 1924 season and who led the league in home runs, has been drafted by Danville, Virginia, but that club has since transferred its franchise to Salisbury, North Carolina, and Nalari’s activities will be watched with much interest by all fans of the Shore League during the approaching season.
From present indications it looks as is the following players will return to Crisfield for their second season: Munda, Wilkes-Barre, left field; Kane, center field; Hanratty, third; Schofield, short; Wileman, short; Wise and big Jim Clough, pitchers. It is probable that Hanratty will be transferred to right field and Manager Brislin will have a new face at third when the seasons opens.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, April 16, 1925:
Edgar George Clough, listed as a pitcher, was born in Wiconisco, adjoining Lykens, on October 28, 1906. He is six feet tall, weighs 185 pounds, and is a southpaw. He also bats form the left side of the plate. He was with Fort Smith, in the western Association, on option from St. Louis last year, being recalled late in the season and finishing with the Cards as a outfielder. His home is in Wiconisco, and he played with Lykens in the Twin-County League. A brother, Jim Clough, is listed for another year with Crisfield, in the Eastern Shore League. Ed Clough, although only 19, has been in professional baseball two full seasons. He is the youngest probable regular on the St. Louis squad. His heavy hitting powers may lead Rickey to play him in the outfield at time, although his ability as a pitcher is worthy of his being kept on the mound permanently.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, May 2, 1925:
JIM CLOUGH UNDECIDED
While Jim Clough, of Lykens, brother of Ed Clough, is not eager to return to the Crisfield team of the Eastern Shore League this season, he is carefully considering his advantages in joining outlaw circles. It is understood that the Cressona Tigers claim to have signed him, but this has not been confirmed, other than an article appearing in the Pottsville Journal which asserts that Cressona has landed Dick Clough, “formerly of St. Louis.”
A message of this possible move on the part of Jim led “Pop” Keichner to bring in some advice to the big lad. Jim is six years older that Ed, but at 24 is still young in baseball. He is a good pitcher, and can hit well. To jump the Crisfield team for one in the anthracite circuit would mean suspension for Jim, and there are some of his friends who feel that he would be making a bad move in doing so this time because of his ability.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, September 7, 1925:
BOYS FROM NEAR HARRISBURG
Les Bell, with St. Louis Nationals, is a Kelchner find. He is a Harrisburger.
Edgar Clough is also the property of the St. Louis Cards, although he has been with the Fort Smith club of the Western Association for several seasons. Clough is from Lykens.
Smith and Schmidt , two players give a trial by the Harrisburg New York-Penn club last spring, were sent here by Keichner.
Jim Clough, brother of Ed, and also from Lykens, was with Crisfield in the Eastern Shore League last year.
Freddie Frankhouse, of Port Royal, was signed for the St. Louis Cardinals as a hurler, and was with the Syracuse Internationals in that capacity until a few months ago when he was struck into the outfield and is still there.
Moore, a young Palmyra hurler, was with Cambridge in the Eastern Shore League last year.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, September 8, 1926:
JIM CLOUG’S TOUGH BREAK
Jim Clough, a brother of Ed’s showed promise, too, as a hurler several years ago, and might have followed his brother to the major ranks but for an unfortunate injury which is understood to have wrecked his baseball career.
Jim’s shoulder was so badly injured in a mine accident, that his throwing power was lost, and he has been out of baseball since that time. A boulder fell upon his shoulder, we are told, and ruined his arm for pitching. Jim has played with independent teams in this section, and was with teams in several professional minor leagues.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, September 9, 1926:
LYKENS BOY DEVELOPING WIT ST. LOUIS CARDS
In speaking of a number of young baseball players now making good in the big league baseball teams, a sports writer of one of the Harrisburg papers mentions Edgar Clough, of Lykens, who is with the St. Louis Cardinals, National League baseball team, as one “who will share in the World Series spoils should the combination he is with: win the bunting of that circuit.
“Pop” Kelchner of Lebanon, scout for the St. Louis aggregation spotted Clough as likely timber and recommended him to the St. Louis leader, who signed him, and sent him to the Fort Smith club, Texas, where he made good for three seasons, this year playing in exhibition games and pitching a fine brand of ball. St. Louis used him this year in a number of league games as a hurler, but he toiled mostly in the outfield as he has a good arm and is a good batsman. The sports writer claims Clough is yet too young, having entered the big show at less than 15 years of age, and being only nineteen now, but he predicts Clough to be known yet, as the “youngest pitcher in the big leagues.” Continuing, the writer says that “one more year is held sufficient to put Clough in trim for the majors. In fact, he may be ready next year, and St. Louis will take him along to the training camp to determine that.”
Jim Clough, a brother, also showed signs of big league twirling, but it is claimed that an accident in the mines, when a rock fell on his shoulder, injured his arm so badly, and slowed up his throwing power, as to ruin his big league career.
Residents and fans of this section together with players of the old Twin County Circuit will remember (and some too well) the Clough brothers on the Lykens team, both being used on the mound for that team, as well as playing first base and outfield positions.
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Some information for this post was obtained from Lynda Wiest, of Reno, Nevada, formerly of Wiconisco.
Articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.