Burich: Researcher unpacks county baseball mystery
From Michael Burich at the Salem News on November 23, 2017:
George Barclay “Win” Mercer seemingly had everything to live for on the day of Jan. 12, 1903.
The 28-year-old veteran of seven National League and two American League campaigns was a part of a barnstorming tour featuring a strong pool of baseball talent from across the country including Cleveland stars Nap Lajoie and Addie Joss.
Mostly known for his exploits on the mound, the East Liverpool resident was set to make a salary $8,500 as a Detroit Tigers player-manager and was also in line to make $2,400 as the manager of the University of Michigan baseball team (college baseball seasons ended before the start of the professional baseball season in those days). The total sum of those salaries was about equal to $280,000 in today’s money.
As far as his pitching skills were concerned, Mercer had just posted a career-best 3.04 ERA during the 1902 season with the Detroit Tigers. On the personal front, he was engaged to be married to Martha Porter of East Liverpool.
Read the full article here: http://www.salemnews.net/sports/local-sports/2017/11/researcher-unpacks-county-baseball-mystery/
- Related link: Read the SABR biography of Win Mercer
Originally published: November 27, 2017. Last Updated: November 27, 2017.