Bronson Heflin

Bronson Heflin pitched in three games for the 1996 Phillies.

Bronson Wayne Heflin was born August 29, 1971, in Clarksville, Tennessee. He went to high school at Donelson Christian Academy in Nashville, where he pitched and was also the kicker for the football team. After graduating in 1990 he pitched for Nashville Twitty City in the Connie Mack amateur baseball Southeast Regional, then entered Central Florida Community College. He pitched the 1991 season at Central Florida, after which he was drafted in the 45^th round by the Yankees. He didn’t sign, and instead in the fall of 1991 he committed to the University of Tennessee, choosing the Vols over Mississippi State; the Knoxville News-Sentinel reported that his fastball had been clocked as high as 90 MPH.

Apparently, though, Bronson changed his mind and pitched one more season for Central Florida, going 9-3, averaging a strikeout an inning, and being selected North Central Florida Conference Pitcher of the Year. In June 1992 he recommitted to Tennessee. On February 14, 1993, the News-Sentinel reported that he would possibly be the opening day starter, adding:

Heflin, once drafted by the New York Yankees, has the basic repertoire—fastball, curve, slider and change-up—with added emphasis this season on developing his off-speed pitch.

“They’ve really stressed the change-up,” he said. “They want me to use it a lot more. I’m happy about the way I’ve been able to locate it.”

Bronson started the Vols’ third game of the year, combining with two relievers on a one-hitter. On March 20 he was taken out after six innings, to his chagrin, with a no-hitter going; the win gave him a 3-0 record and a 1.93 ERA. He finished the season with an 8-4 record and 4.17 ERA with 87 strikeouts in 103 2/3 innings; Tennessee made the NCAA tournament but lost in the second round, as reported in the May 30 News-Sentinel (and were eliminated from the double-elimination tournament in the third round):

Troll’s luck doesn’t hold in UT loss

It was a bad hair day for Tennessee.

The good-luck troll doll with the long orange hair in UT’s dugout wasn’t voo-doo enough, as the Vols fell to Kansas 3-2 in Saturday’s second round of the NCAA Mideast Regional at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Pitcher Bronson Heflin—who won the first game of the tournament for the Vols on Friday—tugged, twisted and pulled on the locks of the troll to try to bring his team good luck.

With Tennessee trailing 3-1 in the eighth, the troll was placed inside a circle Heflin drew in the gravel in front of the dugout. No luck.

Then in the ninth, it looked like he had something going. Heflin held the troll by its hair and waved it in a hexing motion at Kansas pitcher Jamie Splittorff. Fred Carr tripled and scored on Todd Helton’s sacrifice fly. The troll was in business.

Heflin handed the good-luck charm off to coach Rod Delmonico’s five-year-old son, Tony. Before long, young Tony had the troll looking like boxing promoter Don King with orange hair.

But the supernatural powers of the dwarf wilted when Rob Curry flied out to center for the third out…

Bronson had a better year for the Vols in 1994. From Gary Lundy’s column in the May 12 News-Sentinel:

‘Road Warrior’ provides spunk for Vols’ staff

He wore a mohawk haircut with a huge “K” shaved into one side of his head, and his baseball number buzz-cut over the other ear.

Opposing teams weren’t quite sure whether the “K” was shorthand for strikeout or kook. See this guy on the mound, and you’d have to think twice before digging in the batter’s box.

“I was a ‘Road Warrior,’” Tennessee pitcher Bronson Heflin said of his days at Central Florida Community College. “That’s what we all called ourselves. I look back now and can’t believe I did that stuff.

“I had a ‘bad boy’ image. Other teams thought I was cocky and had a bad attitude. Somebody from the other team would yell something at me, and it was like pouring gasoline on a fire.”

The fire is still burning in his senior season at Tennessee, but it’s more of a controlled burn. The flamboyance of youth has subsided a bit, and the Road Warriors are but a memory.

Heflin has 76 Ks this year, and his head doesn’t have any.

His 2.16 ERA is best among the starters for the fifth-ranked Vols. The No. 2 pitcher in the rotation, he’ll make his final regular-season start Saturday when UT takes on Florida at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.

Known as “B” or “B Rock”—a nickname he says he picked up in junior college from being as hard-nosed as a rock—Heflin is a fierce competitor…

When he’s not on the mound, Heflin finds it difficult to stay still in the dugout. He paces, yells and kids his teammates.

“Yeah,” he says. “I get a little fired up. I like to show my spirit.”

Ever the Road Warrior at heart.

Bronson went 13-4 with a 2.43 ERA, with 106 strikeouts and just 83 hits in 126 innings. He got a win in the Mideast Regionals, but the Vols lost in the regional championship game. He was named to the All-SEC first team, and on June 6 he was drafted in the 37^th round by the Phillies, with whom he signed a contract. He was sent to the Batavia Clippers of the Short Season Class A New York-Pennsylvania League. From the July 12 News-Sentinel:

Heflin, Helton like wood

Ex-Central star hits .300 at Cape Cod

By Gary Lundy

In the New York-Penn League, rookie pitcher Bronson Heflin likes a wooden bat because he can saw it off in hitters’ hands.

In the Cape Cod League, Todd Helton seems to like the wood as well—for a different reason…

In the New York-Penn League, Heflin and Bubba Trammell, former UT teammates, have posted some solid numbers in their first month of pro baseball…

“I’m pitching a lot better than I felt I was at Tennessee. I really like throwing against the wooden bats. You can jam hitters inside and I’d say I’ve broken 15 or 20 bats already. I’m throwing about 88 to 91 mph. At UT, I was around 88 the whole time.”

Heflin said an exercise regimen prescribed by the Phillies’ major-league trainer has strengthened his arm and enabled him to pitch without worrying about soreness the next day.

“By the second day after a start, I’m throwing in the bullpen again,” Heflin said. “I’ve added a sinker and it has been real effective in the ‘pen, but I haven’t tried it in a game yet.

“One thing I really like is that you call your own pitches. I’m putting my heart into every pitch and feeling more and more confident.”

Bronson had a 3.58 ERA in 83 innings in 14 games, 13 of them starts, for the Clippers, striking out 71 and walking just 20. In 1995 he was moved to the bullpen with the Clearwater Phillies of the Class Advanced A Florida State League, where he led the league with 21 saves; he had a 2.95 ERA with 84 strikeouts and 21 walks in 61 innings. He also pitched one hitless inning for the Reading Phillies of the Class AA Eastern League.

Bronson started 1996 with Reading, where he had a 5.22 ERA in 29 1/3 innings with an uncharacteristic 15 walks; despite those numbers he was promoted to the AAA Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Red Barons of the International League. He did much better there, and was called up to Philadelphia at the end of July.

Bronson made his major league debut on August 1, at home against the Cardinals. He pitched the eighth and ninth and allowed the final run in a 7-1 loss; he retired six of the seven batters he faced, the exception being Ron Gant leading off the ninth with a home run. From the August 8 News-Sentinel:

Pinpoint control reason Heflin earns spot in Phillies’ bullpen

Ex-Vol beats odds by mastering sinker

By Nick Gates

The fastest way to the major leagues for a pitcher is to throw strikes. Just ask Philadelphia’s Bronson Heflin.

The Phillies had an opening on their ravaged staff and the main reason the former University of Tennessee right-hander was called up from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre last week was his impeccable control. Heflin, who will turn 25 later this month, did not walk a batter in 27 innings in Class AAA.

“I’m just throwing strikes and letting them (the hitters) beat the ball into the ground and get themselves out,” the Nashvillian said.

Heflin plans to use the same philosophy with the Phillies.

His call-up came out of the blue.

“Disbelief,” he said. “It’s something you always wanted to hear. You dream about it all of your life. When the time comes, you don’t know how to act.”

UT coach Rod Delmonico wasn’t completely surprised.

“He always believed in himself,” Delmonico said. “That’s the key many times.”

So how did Philadelphia’s 37^th -round pick in the 1994 draft, who signed for virtually nothing, make such a meteoric rise in the farm system?

Heflin, who always has had a powerful arm, relied on a nasty slider in college. But the development of a sinker at Class AA Reading was the pitch he needed to hold his own against left-handed hitters.

Once Heflin mastered the two-seam fastball, he was on his way. In fact, he is so confident in his new pitch, he claims to throw it more than the slider.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder credits Reading (Class AA) pitching coach Larry Andersen for the expert tutelage.

“Larry was the main reason,” he said. “I started throwing it (sinker) every day on the side. He was that type of pitcher and he caught me every day and kept tracking the movement.”

Andersen, who was a sinker-balling relief specialist on two Philadelphia World Series teams (1983 and 1993), made certain Heflin didn’t lose confidence in the sinker.

“I was closing at Scranton,” Heflin said. “It’s nothing new for me. I started out last year (at Class A Clearwater) doing that and had a decent season.”

…But he started 1996 at Reading in a middle relief role because of the presence of Wayne Gomes, Philadelphia’s top pick in 1993.

“It was a different situation with Gomes there,” Heflin said. “I really didn’t know what role I had.”

But after a midseason promotion to Scranton, Heflin was closing again.

The Phillies are bringing Heflin along slowly. Manager Jim Fregosi won’t thrust his rookie into any game-winning or game-saving situations.

“I know I’m not going to be closing,” he said. “He didn’t say much to me, except to congratulate me on getting to the big leagues. He told me to do what I’ve been doing and get people out.”

Heflin’s debut was in a mop-up role last Thursday in the second game of a doubleheader against St. Louis. He retired the Cardinals 1-2-3 in the eighth.

“It gave me some confidence to build on,” Heflin said. “I didn’t really expect it to be easy.”

Heflin made his first mistake in the ninth. Ron Gant homered into the seats.

“It was a first-pitch fastball,” Heflin said. “It was a terrible pitch about belt high and he did what any major-league hitter would do—he hit it out.”

Heflin kept his composure and retired the next three Cardinals.

“I thought it would rattle me, but it didn’t,” he said.

His teammates were quick to console him in the dugout. They pointed out that Gant’s homer wasn’t his first nor would it be his last.

“It made me feel good, but you never want to give up any runs,” he said.

The Phillies have a 47-66 record and are mired in the National League East cellar. But Heflin said you’d never know the team was struggling unless you checked the newspaper.

“I’ve only been here a week, but if I didn’t know any better, I wouldn’t think this was a last-place team,” he said. “The team plays hard on the field and is trying to get better. Nobody is giving up.”

With friends and family in the stands Tuesday night in Atlanta, Heflin was understandably jittery. The Braves scored two runs on four hits off him in 2 2/3 innings. He led to his downfall with a pair of walks.

However, it would take more than two runs to tarnish the thrill.

“My parents were here to see me in a major league uniform for the first time,” he said. “A lot of people were watching me at home on TV.

“There is no feeling in the world like it,” he said. “It’s the ultimate. But now that I’ve made it, I want to set higher goals for myself and maintain my status in this league.”

The night before this story appeared Bronson had made his third Phillies appearance, pitching the fourth and fifth innings of a 14-1 loss to the Braves and allowing four runs, two of them earned. This gave him a 6.75 ERA in 6 2/3 innings and, it turned out, concluded his major league career; he was sent back down to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Between his two stints there he had a 2.61 ERA in 38 innings in 30 games, allowing just 25 hits and three walks, and saving twelve games.

Bronson played winter ball in Venezuela, and in 1997 he returned to the Red Barons and spent the entire season there. He had a 2.28 ERA in 43 1/3 innings in 35 games, with 13 saves; he allowed just 29 hits but his walks skyrocketed to 25.

Bronson started the 1998 season back with the Red Barons, but after a bad start he was released, in late May. He was signed by the Cardinals and sent to the Arkansas Travelers of the Class AA Texas League, where he pitched two games before being promoted to the AAA Memphis Redbirds of the Pacific Coast League. From Thomas Harding’s Redbirds column in the June 14 Memphis Commercial Appeal:

Redbirds righthanded pitcher Bronson Heflin’s luck has quickly changed for the better.

Heflin started the season with Scranton-Wilkes Barre, Philadelphia’s Class AAA team, but he knew his days in the Phillies organization were numbered. This year’s difficult start—0-0, 7.20 ERA—led to his being released.

The Cardinals signed him and sent him to Little Rock for a brief stint. Right before he was called up to Memphis, he suffered a groin pull.

But Heflin finally pitched a perfect inning Friday night in the Redbirds’ 6-5 loss at Oklahoma.

Even before the successful debut, Heflin was all smiles. He is getting a fresh opportunity in his home state, after playing high school ball at Donelson Christian Academy near Nashville and college ball at Tennessee.

“I finally can relax and just pitch,” Heflin said. “Being in my home state and in the Cardinals organization is a great opportunity for me.”

The same night that column appeared, Bronson made his second Redbird appearance and allowed a three-run homer. On June 20 he was released.

In April 1999 Bronson signed a contract with the Madison Black Wolf of the independent Northern League Central. He had a 3.34 ERA in 29 2/3 innings in 25 games, finishing fifth in the league in saves with eight.

Bronson returned to the Black Wolf in 2000, and had a 3.00 ERA with 17 saves in 26 games, striking out 43 batters in 30 innings. He was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates and assigned to the Nashville Sounds, their AAA affiliate in the Pacific Coast League. He pitched 4 2/3 innings in four games in September, allowing no runs and just one baserunner. After the season the Pirates signed him to a minor league contract for 2001.

On March 30, 2001, Bronson was cut from the Pirates’ minor league camp, ending his professional baseball career.

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/H/Pheflb001.htm

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/heflibr01.shtml

Clayton Van Alstyne

Clayton Van Alstyne pitched in a handful of games for the Senators in 1927 and 1928.

Clayton Emory Van Alstyne was born May 24, 1900, in Stuyvesant, a small town on the Hudson River in upstate New York, south of Albany. He was the youngest of 12 children born to Dudley, a blacksmith, and Anna Van Alstyne.

In the 1905 New York state census, the family lives in Stuyvesant, all nine surviving children living at home. 26-year-old Anna Jr., the eldest, is a dressmaker; Eva, 23, does housework; Harry, George, William, Marion, Florence and Howard go to school; and Clayton is five years old. Apparently at that time houses did not have addresses in Stuyvesant.

In the 1910 US census, the two eldest girls have moved out, while Harry, George and William are all blacksmiths, seemingly working for their father. Marion, Florence, Howard, and Clayton are all in school.

On September 12, 1918, 18-year-old Clayton filled out his draft registration card. He gives his occupation as student, his nearest relative as Dudley, and his appearance as medium height, slender build, blue eyes and brown hair. (He apparently filled out later, as he is listed now as having been 5-11, 180.) In 1919 Clayton was pitching for the semi-pro Bonackers of Rensselaer, directly across the Hudson from Albany; they won the inter-city championship that season.

In the 1920 census Clayton is living at 1300 2^nd Street in Rensselaer, with sister Anna, her husband Frederick Ham, a clerk for an electrical company, their son, and Frederick’s mother. Clayton is listed as having no occupation. On March 29 the Albany Times-Union reported that he was among the attendees at the Alumni Dance at School No. 1. He re-signed with the Bonackers; the Times-Union reported on April 22:

Another Rensselaer boy, Spike Van Alstyne, will do his share of the pitching and also cover right field when not working in the box. Van Alstyne is a splendid hitter and Jim Ronin wishes to keep him in the game at all times for his hitting ability.

In October Clayton went to Brooklyn to attend the World Series. Over the winter he played basketball for the Rensselaer East Siders, a team affiliated with the Phi Epsilon Delta fraternity. In January he was among the members of the fraternity who attended a stag party at the new fraternity president’s home, in February he played a piano solo at a fraternity “theatre party,” and in March he attended an American Legion post dance.

Clayton returned to the Bonackers for the 1921 season. On May 12 the Times-Union said that:

Van Alstyne is now recognized as one of the best drawing cards among the semi-professional stars in this section. The fans love to see him cut at the ball and he affords almost as much amusement as Babe Ruth himself even if he fans the old air.

Same paper, August 26:

Spike Van Alstyne, the Babe Ruth of semi-professional ball, will be back in the uniform of the local boys. Spike is noted for driving them over the fence, having registered at least one home run in the last ten consecutive games.

On September 10 the Schenectady Gazette reported that he was pitching for another team in the championship series of another league:

SWITCHBOARDS ANNEX FIRST OF SERIES FOR SUNSET LEAGUE TITLE

Switchboards defeated the Edison club, 3 to 1, Thursday night at G.E. park in the first of two games to decide the championship of the Sunset league. The next game will be played next Saturday between Switchboard and the General Engineering team.

The victory of Switchboard was made possible largely through the individual efforts of “Spike” Van Alstyne, who excelled in the box and at bat. Van Alstyne secured four of mates [sic], one of them a triple and another a double. He struck out fifteen men, stole two bases, had a pair of put-outs and as many assists [pitching a three-hitter].

Over the following off-season Clayton was again active with his fraternity, playing basketball and attending parties. An article in the Times-Union of April 26, 1922, on the Bonackers, reported that:

It is also said that “Spike” Van Alstyne, champion fence buster of these parts will be seen on the pitching staff this year. “Spike” is one of the most popular players ever performing in this city, and one of the few who enter the game merely for the sport of it.

Despite that, Clayton left the Bonackers for a pro contract, with the Pittsfield (Massachusetts) Hillies of the Class A Eastern League. On April 26 the North Adams Transcript reported:

Clayton Van Alstyne, the Rensselaer twirler, who has signed with the Hillies, pitched one season for the Albany Southerns [this is the only reference I found to this—it would have had to be when he was 18] and three seasons for the Bonackers. Manager Gardella liked his work on the mound yesterday. Gus is delighted when he sees a twirler with a fast ball and he says the Rensselaer hurler has such a thing as well as a good change of pace. Van Alstyne is recuperating from throat trouble and will go along easily for a little while.

According to the Springfield Republican of July 21:

“Spike” Van Alstyne has a tendency to weaken with men on the sacks and frequently pulls a wild pitch with a runner on third. Manager Gardella knows he has great curves and speed and is trying to inspire confidence in the young pitcher.

On August 23 it was reported that Clayton was “laid up with blood poisoning in the foot and is expected to be out of the game for 10 days;” yet on September 5 he won his third game in a week. He went 9-4 for Pittsfield, with a 2.94 ERA in 141 innings in 28 games, despite walking 93. And despite his semi-pro batting prowess, he hit just .180 with no homers. From the September 21 Albany Times-Union:

Spike Van Alstyne, former pitcher for the Bonacker club is expected to return to this city next week, his contract with the Pittsfield team of the Eastern league having expired. Van Alstyne has made an excellent showing in organized baseball and his friends predict he will go higher. His first showing in this city will be with his former team, a week from Sunday, at Riverside park. The Phi Epsilon Delta fraternity is planning a reception in his honor.

That fall Clayton spent five weeks that fall hunting and trapping with teammate Del Capes. From the November 22 Times-Union:

Ball Club To Dine

The annual fall meeting of the Treat-‘Em-Roughs, the only baseball fraternity in this district, will be held Saturday evening, Nov. 25, at Keeler’s State st. restaurant. Among the guests of honor who will attend the meeting are “Mickey” Devine, star backstop of the International league; Gene Lansing of the Boston Braves, “Spike” Van Alstyne and Del Capes, of the Pittsfield club of the Eastern league…

The music will be in charge of Spike Van Alstyne and Gene Lansing.

North Adams Transcript, February 16, 1923:

HILLIES MANAGEMENT SIGNS VAN ALSTYNE

Pittsfield, Mass., Feb. 16—C.E. (Spike) Van Alstyne of Rensselaer, who made a good showing with the Hillies last season as a pitcher, has signed for 1923. Van Alstyne has been working at the General Electric plant in Schnectady.

Van Alstyne was inclined to be erratic at first, but before the season was over steadied down and looked like a promising hurler.

On June 14 the Berkshire Eagle reported:

“Spike” Van Alstyne is finding the going tougher in the league this year than last. He was wild last season, but had a good record as to wins and losses. So far he has been unable to show much this season. He loses his control when a man gets on base.

On June 28 it was reported that he was at home caring for a bad shoulder, and on June 30 the Springfield Republican said that:

“Spike” Van Alstyne, who was suspended because of failure to get in condition, has been called back and if his arm is right he will get a chance to pitch either against Waterbury here tomorrow or in the doubleheader at Bridgeport Sunday.

Clayton finished out the year with the Hillies, doing much worse than in 1922: a 3-8 record with a 4.27 ERA in 139 innings in 34 games, walking 74. Though to be fair, hitting was way up in the league, as the number of pitchers with sub-2.00 ERAs went from 23 to five. (And Clayton’s hitting was way up as well, as he hit .333 in 63 at-bats, though still with no homers.) A September 24 article in the Berkshire Eagle on what the Pittsfield players would be doing in the off-season said:

“Spike” Van Alstyne will return to Rensselaer. He and Del Caper probably will rig up a radio equipment and spend a few weeks in the fall hunting as they did last year.

On November 30 the Berkshire Eagle reprinted an item from the Albany Knickerbocker Press:

When “Spike” Van Alstyne, the Rensselaer pitcher who was with Pittsfield last season, decided [sic] that he no longer wants to pitch, he should try the outfield. Van Alstyne, the 1923 records show, batted .333 in 36 games. He always was a good hitter even when he played in the semi-professional ranks.

Lack of control is Van Alstyne’s chief pitching fault. And he shows no signs of being able to overcome this handicap.

Van Alstyne played the outfield for semi-professional teams and also was used in several games by Pittsfield last season. He should develop into a good outfielder if he ever decides he wants to become one.

Albany Times-Union, March 27:

VAN ALSTYNE TO HELP CONDITION ACADEMY

Spike Van Alstyne, pitcher of the Pittsfield Eastern League club and one of the hardest hitting twirlers in the O’Neil circuit, will take charge of the Albany academy battery candidates starting Monday. Van Alstyne will also assist Coach Jim Ronin later with the main squad.

The Rensselaer youth is in tip-top form this spring and he is anticipating having one of the best seasons he has ever experienced in case he decides to go back into professional baseball. [I don’t understand this sentence, as he was at that time in spring training with Pittsfield.] Van Alstyne will have a collection of ambitious young pitchers and catchers working for him at the academy, and he should be able to help them a great deal.

He was one of the best semi-professional pitchers ever developed in this section but his main drawback since going into professional baseball has been lack of control. A great many players in the Eastern League claim that Van Alstyne has as much stuff on the ball as any twirler in the circuit and when he is right it is almost impossible to beat him.

Last season the East Side boy was troubled with a bad arm but this spring it has rounded into great shape, and barring accidents, Van Alstyne should be a wiz.

Coach Ronin is well pleased that Van Alstyne has been selected as an assistant coach for the Red and Black.

On May 13 the North Adams Transcript reported that “Spike Van Alstyne is expected to be dropped,” but he hung on and on June 9 pitched a two-hitter. He ended up with an 11-15 record and 3.11 ERA in 214 innings in 37 games, walking 102 for his best ratio so far. He hit .234, with still no professional home runs.

In October Clayton pitched a game for a team of pro players from Albany, against Chapple Johnson’s Stars, an African-American team. On November 12 the Albany Times-Union reported:

BASEBALL FRAT PLANS DINNER

The annual fall get-together party of the Treat-‘Em-Roughs will be held on Saturday, November 15. The evening’s doings will start with a theatre party at Harmanus Bleecker hall, which will be followed by the annual banquet and entertainment at Keeler’s, State street. The entire grill has been reserved for the affair.

The Treat-‘Em-Roughs body is the only baseball fraternity in this section and has been in existence five years. “Spike” Van Alstyne of the Pittsfield Eastern league club, who is an accomplished musician, will be in charge of the music…

On February 22, 1925, it was announced that Clayton had been traded to the Albany Senators, also of the Eastern League, for catcher Fred Hager. Three days later he married Martha Atchison (or Atchinson) in Stuyvesant. From the May 14 Times-Union:

Van Alstyne Day Is Arranged For Sunday

“Spike” Van Alstyne, Rensselaer boy, who has been hurling winning ball for the local Eastern league club, will be honored at Chadwick park Sunday. The day has been set aside as “Van Alstyne Day,” the banner crowd of the season is expected to be on hand…

On June 1 the New York state census was taken, showing Clayton and Martha living with the Ham family in Rensselaer, now at 1235 2^nd Street; Clayton is listed as a professional ball player.

Clayton went 15-15 for Albany, with a 3.80 ERA in 258 innings in 40 games, and leading the league by comfortable margins with 142 walks and 24 wild pitches. In November he was again in charge of the music for another Treat-‘Em-Roughs banquet.

On February 17, 1926, Clayton Jr. was born in Albany. On April 9 the Times-Union reported:

Clayton “Spike” Van Alstyne, Rensselaer boy, yesterday refused terms offered by Owner Hawkins. After a lengthy conference, Hawkins told the East Sider he could accept the terms or remain idle. Van Alstyne asked for a raise in pay.

Clayton eventually signed, as he pitched for Albany on April 29 and on May 9, but by May 28 he was pitching for the Bridgeport Bears, also of the Eastern League, though I didn’t find an explanation. On July 14 he pitched a three-hitter in his first game back after missing three weeks with a “badly injured finger.” In his first three games back he went 3-0 while allowing just 15 hits and two runs in 27 innings.

On August 1 Clayton was purchased for $10,000 by Clark Griffith of the Washington Senators, to report on September 16, one day after the end of the Eastern League season. A report in the August 12 Sporting News said that “Van Alstyne is a big right-hander, 23 years old [actually 26], with great speed and good curves, but is sometimes a little shy on control.”

Later in August Griffith started lobbying to get Clayton sooner. On September 8 the Washington Evening Star reported “Griff asked Bridgeport to have Pitcher Clayton Van Alstyne report immediately, and on the refusal of Bridgeport to do so Griff told the Bridgeport officials that all negotiations for the young twirler are off.”

With Albany and Bridgeport combined, Clayton went 15-8 with a 2.60 ERA while walking 114 in 201 innings in 30 games; he batted .293 in 99 at-bats and hit his first three professional homers. On October 24 it was again reported that he had been obtained by Washington, and on December 30 that he had signed a contract. From the January 11, 1927, Times-Union:

VAN ALSTYNE RECEPTION

Clayton “Spike” Van Alstyne, who last year excelled as a pitcher in the Eastern Baseball league and who is soon to join the Washington club of the American league, will be given a farewell tomorrow night at Kapps’ hotel, Sixth street.

From the February 11 Washington Times:

That shrinking violet, standing close to six feet in height and filling his overcoat to perfection, is one Clayton Van Alstyne. He is said to be a marvelous flinger; he was that in the Eastern Association last season. He won 15 and lost eight games last year.

“Yes,” says [Senators coach] Uncle Nick Altrock, “if that guy can’t make good I’ll give you baseball writers a party down in Tampa. No, he’ll last longer than that. Make it Chicago or Detroit, I know a lot of places in both towns.”

Albany Times-Union, February 24:

Clayton Van Alstyne, Rensselaer, N.Y., lad, came to life with a real bang yesterday. He had everything—excellent pitching motion, good speed and excellent control. He’s a bit older than some of the others and shows it in the way he works. He is almost ready now to fact the batters, though he has yet to uncork any hooks.

Washington Evening Star, February 27:

The most notable advance in the scale has been made by Clayton Van Alstyne, the Eastern league acquisition, who was snared on the recommendation of Altrock. The coach, after seeing him in action last Summer, while doing a bit of clowning in New England, reported that the native of Rensselaer, N.Y., shaped up in his estimation as a fine prospect and this youth of 26 years gradually is adding corroborative evidence to the fact that Uncle Nick is a reliable scout.

Washington Times, March 4:

VAN ALSTYNE ATTRACTS ATTENTION OF PREXY OF GRIFFMEN

By Louis A. Dougher

TAMPA, Fla., March 3.—Clayton Van Alstyne, working quietly but not earnestly, has begun to attract attention here and now ranks as the best of the staff given the second squad. President Griffith braved yesterday’s cold wind long enough to see the former star of the Bridgeport club in the Eastern Association uncork his stuff in the batting spree.

“I wanted to see him before I’d go to lunch and I’m glad I did,” explained the Washington magnate. “He’s coming ahead fine and may soon graduate into the first squad. I saw him pitch a game last summer and he looked good in every way. Wait ‘till he begins using his curve ball. That’s his best asset. He’ll have some of these birds breaking their backs going after it. He’s got a real hook, believe me.”

Van Alstyne is a heavily build young man of 26 years. He seldom speaks but he keeps his eyes open and nothing gets away from him. To strengthen his hands and thus get a better grip on the ball, he carries around a rubber ball and is squeezing it all the time. This is an old trick, but a new one on the Washington club.

Van Alstyne weighs 185 pounds and looks like a stone house out there on the rubber.

He had a world of speed in yesterday’s batting drill and was whizzing the ball past the batters’ heads while he performed. Johnny Berger was behind the plate and he, too, looked good to President Griffith. Berger displayed a fine throwing arm in the fielding…

With four exhibition games on next week’s schedule, Van Alstyne is almost certain to be seen on the hill for three innings. Manager [Bucky] Harris says that Jack Onslow reports Van Alstyne one of the quickest to learn he has ever coached and that he is about ready to pitch now…

Same paper, next day:

Dick Coffman was the first to open with curves, but Clayton Van Alstyne followed suit when the second team swung into action and Van Alstyne’s sweeping hook made Coffman’s look like a mere wrinkle. The former Bridgeport slinger banks on his curve ball, and he has a beauty, easily the best of all on the squad.

Despite all the praise, on March 12 Clayton was optioned to the Birmingham Barons of the Class A Southern Association after racking up a 6.00 ERA in exhibition games. On the 14^th the Washington Times reported:

Clayton Van Alstyne has refused to accept a transfer to Birmingham and last night left for his home in Rensselaer, N.Y., to think things over. He fears Dixie’s hot summers but may change his mind later and report to Johnny Dobbs.

The Bridgeport Telegram, March 16:

Spike Van Alstyne May Yet Be Returned to Bears as Hurler Refuses to Play in South

FORMER BEAR HURLER WANTS TO RETURN HERE; REFUSES TO REPORT TO BIRMINGHAM CLUB

By Joseph F. Kraynick

Clayton E. (Spike) Van Alstyne, one of the best pitchers in the Eastern League last year who bore the brunt of the Bears staff last year may yet be returned to the Bridgeport club, Manager Frank Stapleton optimistically announced last night.

Spike has been released on option by the Washington club to the Birmingham club of the Southern League but upon his release Van Alstyne flatly refused to report to the team designated. Van Alstyne, who is more careful of his physical condition than a majority of pitchers and who is ambitious enough to take every advantage in the game, fears that his pitching would be weakened by the extremely warm weather in that section of the country.

Van Alstyne is admittedly a cold weather pitcher and goes great under these conditions. He communicated with Manager Stapleton shortly after his release by the Senators asking aid to have him come back to the Bears. The local team will pay him a like salary offered by the Birmingham club Manager Stapleton said.

Clayton did report to Birmingham. From the May 5 Decatur (Alabama) Daily:

Van Alstyne Checks Bruins In Hitting; Gillis Hits All Around

The gent who goes by the fancy handle of Clayton Van Alstyne and who scowls nobly between a pair of overgrown ears, can do more than frown, he can likewise chunk a baseball, for which unfortunate ability his is [sic] well paid by John Dobbs & Co…

In league stats published on May 17 he had struck out 23 batters in 69 innings—which was good enough for second in the league. On May 18 he pitched a complete game that was scoreless through nine innings; he gave up a run in the top of the tenth but hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning to win it. On May 25 he got called a “fancy-name pitcher” in an AP story. The next day the Washington Evening Star reported:

Van Alstyne, Washington Farm Hand, Proving Sensation in Southern League

ROOKIE IS LEADING DIXIE LOOP WITH MARK OF .875

BIRMINGHAM, Ala., May 26.—“The finest young pitcher it has ever been my good fortune to work with,” said Jonathan G. Dobbs, manager of the Birmingham Barons, who are leading the Southern Association race by the slim margin of one-half game over Atlanta, in commenting yesterday on the brilliant showing that Clayton Van Alstyne, his pitching ace, has been making. Van Alstyne has won 7 games and lost only 1 in his career as a Baron, giving him a winning percentage of .875, which is easily the best in the league of hurlers that have appeared in a considerable number of games.

“Van Alstyne is by far the best pitcher Washington has farmed out to us since we have had any relationship with the Senators,” continued Dobbs. “[Bump] Hadley served me in good stead last Summer, but Van Alstyne is steadier than Hadley.”

Van Alstyne’s performance has been the bright spot of a drab collection of pitching for the Barons, who are leading the league through sheer ability to swat the ball rather than through dependable pitching…

Van Alstyne, who is married and the father of a fine youngster, while satisfied with Birmingham and the Southern association as a minor league location, naturally is anxious to work himself back to the big show.

“If I have got to stay in the minors, Birmingham is a fine place, but Washington is my goal and if hard work plus whatever ability I have will get me back up, I hope to be there in another year,” says Van.

The Barons have Van for the Summer, however, and there is no chance of the Senators getting him away from Dobbs as long as the club has a chance at the bunting.

In late June Clayton’s record was 14-3. On July 6 Martha gave birth to son Allen. On July 17 the Washington Evening Star reported:

GRIFFITH GOES SOUTH ON SCOUTING EXPEDITION

…The Nationals’ prexy was noncommittal about his plans, but it is possible he may try to bolster his mound staff by persuading the Birmingham management to immediately return Clayton Van Alstyne, the Washington farmhand, who has proved the pitching sensation of the Southern Association to date and who is not due to come back until the close of the season.

On July 31 it was reported that Clayton was being sent to Washington; on August 1 the Pittston (Pennsylvania) Gazette had a follow-up:

SOUTHERN PITCHING STAR JOINS SENATORS

Clayton Van Alstyne, who has been burning things up in the Southern Association this year, has rejoined the Washington Senators, but will not see service with Harris’ club for ten days at least. Van Alstyne has, to all appearances, gone “stale” due to overwork in the South and Trainer Mike Martin has prescribed a complete rest for ten days at some country place near the District of Columbia in order that the youthful pitcher may regain his strength.

Clayton’s final Birmingham stats do suggest that he may have gone stale toward the end of his stint there; while he had been 14-3 he wound up at 16-9, with a 3.74 ERA in 195 innings in 32 games. He hit .291 with one homer. On August 6 the Washington Times reported:

Van Alstyne’s hook was what attracted Uncle Nick Altrock, on a scouting trip up in New England last year. At Tampa, tipped to conserve his energies because there was “lots of time,” Van Alstyne kept his hook under cover too long and suddenly found himself booked for Birmingham. Others with less ability were retained.

On August 11 the Times reported that Clayton had arrived in town, adding:

Instead of coming to Washington at once, Van Alstyne continued on to his home in Rensselaer, N.Y., where he left his wife and small children, the youngest but a month old or so. Then he hurried here, getting in today.

Taking ten days on the road has provided him with the rest he needed after a strenuous service with Birmingham in Dixie’s summer heat and Bucky Harris expects to have him in condition to enter the box in two or three days.

Next day, Times again:

Clayton Van Alstyne, with a gain of six pounds while motoring from Birmingham to Rensselaer, N.Y., and much refreshed by more than a week’s absence from the diamond, begins light work tomorrow and will be ready for relief duty by the time the Griffs open their last Western tour in St. Louis next Tuesday.

Still the Times, three days later:

Clayton Van Alstyne, considerably thinner than when working out at Tampa last spring, will hardly start any games on this swing through the West, but he is available for relief duty.

“I was pretty down in Birmingham,” says Van Alstyne, “and I just about escaped in time. I’m glad Griffith happened along when he did. I was fading away to a shadow. Joe Engel told him I was being overworked, but I hardly think that’s quite true.

“The heat was getting to me, that’s all. I wasn’t working out of turn, but it just so happened that my day to pitch was becoming a scorcher more and more. In New Orleans, Mobile and Birmingham they have real hot weather, and I was taking off weight as you would an overcoat. It finally killed my desire to eat. I just didn’t want to eat anything at all. Then along came orders to report to the Washington club. That was like a Christmas present, I’ll tell you.

“I gained six pounds on the trip North and four more pounds have been packed on since I arrived in Washington. I’ll be myself inside of another week and hope to get into some games.”

Clayton made his AL debut on August 20 in Detroit, relieving Tom Zachary for the bottom of the seventh after Zachary was pinch-hit for by Walter Johnson. Clayton pitched two scoreless innings, finishing off a 5-0 loss to Earl Whitehill. In the eighth he retired Charlie Gehringer, Harry Heilmann, and Heinie Manush in order. On the 24^th he pitched the eighth in a 7-1 loss in Cleveland; he gave up a run as Joe Sewell led off the inning with a double and Luke Sewell singled him in. On the 28^th he was injured during fielding practice, as reported in the next day’s Washington Times:

His Shoulder Out, Van Alstyne May Be Done For Year

CHICAGO, Aug. 29.—Clayton Van Alstyne, the Griffs’ young pitcher, who injured his left shoulder before yesterday’s game at Comiskey Park, has been found to be suffering from a dislocation and may be done with baseball for the year. Van Alstyne was hurried to Mercy Hospital shortly after tumbling while trying to catch a fly ball in the outfield. He remained there all night, and x-ray pictures were taken.

Today those pictures showed a separation between the shoulder and arm. The injured hurler will have his injury dressed and he will accompany the squad to Washington tonight.

Clayton did in fact miss the rest of the season. On October 14 it was announced that he had been voted a half share of the Senators’ third-place portion of the World Series money, which meant that he received $332.87.

From the Washington Evening Star of February 2, 1928:

Van Alstyne has earned an opportunity for a thorough test to prove his fitness for a place on the pitching staff of the Nationals and he is mighty well thought of by those close to the club. “If Van Alstyne can show me control,” opines a club official, “I predict for him a permanent position on the staff. He has a whale of a curve ball, a fast one, and, best of all, a heart of steel.”

I remember his general deportment in Chicago last Fall, when he injured his shoulder while chasing a fly ball. I accompanied him to the hospital and he “sold” himself solidly to me as to his nerve by the manner in which he conducted himself then.

“Van Alstyne won 14 out of his first 16 starts with Birmingham after being sent to that club last year following his trip here with the Nationals in the Spring. His palpable overworking precluded his getting an opportunity to demonstrate just how much he had improved over his Spring trial. But I would not be at all surprised if Van Alstyne dd not prove the star of the recruits here this Spring.”

Tampa Morning Tribune, March 1:

Clayton Van Alstyne, the chunky right-hander from Birmingham, was permitted to throw a few “hooks” in yesterday’s practice. He is the first to receive this permission and he stopped after handing up 20 or so for the delectation of President Griffith, Coach Milan and Sir Mique Martin.

Van Alstyne is primarily a curve ball pitcher and he has already progressed so well with his training that it is not believed yesterday’s performance will bother him in the least. A year ago he held back and so failed to hang on in the big show, but this spring finds him intent on making good from the beginning and he seems well on his way.

Clayton made the team, and he made his first appearance of the season on April 22, in the team’s ninth game of the year, at home against the Red Sox. He relieved Bump Hadley with one out in the top of the second, runners on first and third, and the Senators down 4-3. He allowed a sacrifice fly to the first batter, Ken Williams, before retiring the side; he lasted 4 2/3 innings, allowing two runs of his own, before being pinch-hit for in the sixth. The Red Sox won 8-5.

On April 25 in New York Clayton relieved Firpo Marberry and pitched the last five innings of a 12-4 loss, allowing five earned runs on eight hits and five walks. On May 1 he again finished up a Marberry loss to the Yankees, this time in Washington, allowing the final two runs in four innings in an 8-5 loss.

On May 7 Clayton pitched 7 2/3 innings of relief at home against the Browns, the last of three Senators pitchers in a 15-2 loss. He allowed five runs on nine hits and four walks—and he scored both Washington runs. His first time up to bat, in the bottom of the third, he hit a solo home run off Lefty Stewart; he led off the bottom of the ninth with a single, also off Stewart, and came around to score on a single by George Sisler.

Clayton sat on the bench for the rest of the month, until on the 31^st he was optioned to the Minneapolis Millers of the Class AA American Association. With the Millers he went 7-7 with a 4.69 ERA in 119 innings in 25 games; he was recalled by the Senators on September 11 but did not get into any of their last 14 games. On October 22 Washington sold him to Birmingham.

The 1929 Albany city directory shows Clayton and Martha living at 61 Partition Street in Albany, though 61 Partition Street seems to have been, and still is, across the river in Rensselaer. On March 16 the Worcester Evening Gazette reported:

VAN ALSTYNE IS GIVEN A SHOCK

Clayton Van Alstyne received quite a shock when he heard that he had been sold by Washington to Birmingham. Van Alstyne pitched for Minneapolis last season on option from the Senators and presumed that he would at least get another fling at Class AA ball.

Two days later it was reported that he had not yet arrived at spring training because he had been detained by illness in his family. But he did get there, and he spent the year with Birmingham, going 12-7 with a 4.76 ERA in 155 innings in 35 games, walking 81. In December the Barons traded him back to Minneapolis.

The 1930 US census was taken in April. Clayton and Martha are living in a rented home at 3 Kinderbrook Road in Stuyvesant, with four-year-old Clayton Jr., two-year-old Allen, and new baby eight-month-old Richard. Clayton’s older brother Howard, a beekeeper, lives with his family at 4 Kinderbrook Road.

Clayton pitched for the Millers until being sold to the Chattanooga Lookouts on May 30, taking him back to the Southern Association. He made his debut on June 9, starting but lasting just 3 1/3 innings and giving up seven runs on six hits and three walks. He then missed some time with an injured foot, and he was returned to Minneapolis on June 21. On June 26 the Millers sold him to the Indianapolis Indians, also of the American Association. He finished up the season there; his American Association stats between the two -apolises included a 3-15 record and 5.95 ERA in 124 innings in 32 games, with 67 walks.

In February 1931 Clayton was sold to the Reading Keystones of the International League, keeping him at AA, the highest class of the minors. From Ed Hill’s “One Word More” column in the August 28 Reading Times:

Clayton Van Alstyne Due For Promotion

Reading Has Seen a Parade of Catchers

At least one more—if not two—Reading Keys should be in line for a promotion before the International league season draws to a close.

We refer to Clayton Van Alstyne, the husky right-handed star of the twirling corps who has won 16 games thus far for Reading, and Doc Legett, the peppery backstop.

Van Alstyne seems to have regained his health this season after having been ailing for several years and with it his fast and curve ball. Players throughout the league say that Van has the best control of any chucker in the circuit. [Were they nuts?] He is also a good hitter and can help himself in a lot of games by driving in tallies when they are needed. He is a young fellow as pitchers’ ages go and has a lot of good baseball years ahead of him.

In the big show, where control is probably the mainstay, Van should be a winner. In this respect we have but to recall the case of Socks Seibold.

Clayt is not of the nervous type. He is calm and collected during his sojourn on the mound. He is not inclined to be bothered when one of his teammates boots one in a pinch. With a fair chance, he should be able to hold his own in the big leagues any time and will undoubtedly be up there sooner or later.

Clayt walked 94 in 215 innings that season, very far from the best control in the league, but went 17-7 despite a 4.77 ERA. He did not get a promotion, though peppery Doc Legett, who had played for the Boston Braves in 1929, did make it back to the majors with the Red Sox in 1933. From the Reading report in the November 12 Sporting News:

ROWLAND MUST FIND NEW KEYS

Pitching Staff Needs Bolstering, With Van Alstyne Only Winning Hold-Over

READING, Pa.—President-Manager Clarence Rowland is confronted with the problem of rebuilding every department of the Reading club, when he starts swinging deals during the winter meetings. The pitching staff requires special bolstering with only Clayton Van Alstyne remaining as a steady winner. Clayton, no doubt, would have passed the 20-mark in victories this year had injuries not hampered him, but outside of Van there were practically no reliable twirlers.

In March 1932 Clayton and a teammate trained on their own in Hot Springs, Arkansas, before joining the rest of the club. Clayton got the opening day start on April 13, pitching seven innings of a game the Keystones won in ten. He was removed after a third of an inning in his next start; the Reading Times reported on the 21^st that: “Clayton Van Alstyne has been having trouble in getting started due to the cold weather and also has put his salary flipper under the care of an osteopath.” In his third start he gave up six runs on five hits and five walks in eight innings, and lost.

Things didn’t get much better for Clayton, and on July 21 he was released. The team relocated to Albany later in the season, and as Albany they picked him back up toward the end of the year. He pitched in at least one more game; his final stats for Reading/Albany were a 6-11 record and an eye-catching 9.26 ERA in 136 innings in 26 games, allowing 74 walks and 193 hits.

Clayton signed another contract with Albany in early 1933. He relieved on May 3, opening day, and got a start on May 7, allowing 18 hits and four walks in a 12-1 complete game loss. On May 11 he was placed on the inactive list to make room for a new pitcher, and the next day he was released, ending his professional career.

Clayton pitched some semi-pro ball in 1933 and 1934. On August 19, 1934, fourth son Roger was born. In 1937 the Columbia County Democratic Committee named Clayton as a candidate for the county assembly but he lost to Republican incumbent Fred A. Washburn by 3022 votes—he won within the city of Hudson but lost outside the city. In 1939-40 he played more semi-pro ball, now as an outfielder. On October 25, 1939, an insurance advertisement appeared in the Albany Times-Union, reading in part: “While it is fresh in your mind, consult one of the members of the ALBANY ASSOCIATION OF LIFE UNDERWRITERS listed below,” with Clayton one of the listed members.

The 1940 census shows Clayton, Martha, and the four boys living in a house in Stuyvesant, no address, rent $15; they are noted as having lived in the same house in 1935. Clayton is in life insurance with a 1939 income of $1850.

On February 14, 1942, Clayton filled out another draft registration card. He gives his address as Stuyvesant, the person who will always know your address as Martha, his employer as Connecticut General Life Insurance Company, Albany, and his appearance as 5-9 ½, 185, blue eyes, brown hair, light complexion. From the February 18, 1943, Sporting News:

Clayton (Spike) Van Alstyne, who pitched for Washington, Albany, in the old Eastern League, Albany in the International League, Minneapolis, Birmingham, Reading and several other minor league clubs, recently was stricken ill while bowling in a Hudson, N.Y., City League match. A resident of nearby Stuyvesant, he was taken to the hospital, where it was reported he was making satisfactory progress. Van Alstyne has played with and managed semi-pro clubs since retiring from Organized Ball. He performed in the outfield after leaving the mound.

In 1948 Clayton Jr. made his professional baseball debut; he was a middle infielder in the Pirate organization for three seasons, getting as high as Class A. The 1950 census shows Clayton, Martha, and 15-year-old Roger living in Stuyvesant, still with no house numbers. That year Allen, an outfielder, signed a pro contract with the Red Sox organization. From the Boston American of March 10, 1952:

Sox Van Alstyne ‘Doing It for Dad’

By Mike Gillooly

SARASOTA, March 10.—Al Van Alstyne’s a kid outfielder who wants to make good in a hurry. He’s got the incentive. He’s got the ability. He can hit; he can go after a ball. He wants to wear a Red Sox uniform for his dad’s sake, as much as his own…

“I’d like to get to the top in a hurry so my father could watch me play,” tells Al. “He had a heart attack a few years back, and it would certainly do him good to see me in a big league uniform. That’s always been one of his ambitions. To see one of his boys in the majors.

“Dad’s able to get around again now. He’s in the insurance business. He’s rooting for me every day to get in some long pokes that will catch the eyes of the Red Sox.”…

“My father was Clayton Van Alstyne, a pitcher with the Washington Senators years back. He had moved up through the minors and was considered a fine prospect. One day, he fell on his shoulder while in the outfield and hurt his arm. He pitched the next day, really hurt it, and never did too much in the majors. [Of course, we know that it was not his pitching arm he fell on.]

“But I’ve had a bat in my hand since the day I could hold one. I guess that sore arm he got convinced him it would be better for his boys to be outfielders. He always taught us to hit, rather than pitch. He never forced baseball on us, just coaxed the four boys along. If we liked it, okay. If we didn’t, we could try other sports.”

Al’s brother, Clayton, Jr., had three shots with the Pittsburgh Pirates; his brother Dick, now in engineering school, suffered a back injury so he now confines his baseball to semi-pro leagues; youngster Roger, 17 years old, is playing the outfield on his high school team at Stuyvesant, N.Y.

They all had the benefit of their father’s experience. Every minute of his spare time when he was playing in various leagues around New York state, he had the four boys out on the field; in the back yard, reaching them tricks that would make them better baseball players.

Two days later Al got married, with brother Clayton as his best man. Al lasted in the minors through 1956, but never played a regular season major league game.

On July 26, 1959, Clayton (Sr.) was one of the former players appearing at Old Timers Day before the Reading at Albany game. Less than six months later he was dead. From the Troy Times Record, January 6, 1960:

“Spike” Van Alstyne, Former Pitcher, Dies

Clayton E. “Spike” Van Alstyne, Sr., 59, of Stuyvesant, an ex-pitcher who reached the pinnacle of his career in 1927 and 1928 with the Washington Senators, died suddenly yesterday in Columbia Memorial Hospital. He had suffered a heart condition for many years and was moved from his home to the hospital only several hours before his death…

His athletic career began in the early 20s when he starred at Rensselaer High School in baseball and basketball after which he continued his diamond success with the semi-pro Bonackers.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at the Dutch Reformed Church in Stuyvesant with interment in Firwood Cemetery, that city.

And from the January 20 Sporting News:

Clayton E. (Spike) Van Alstyne, former Washington hurler and father of two former minor leaguers, Allan [sic] and Clayton, died at Columbia Memorial Hospital in Hudson, N.Y., January 5. He was 59.

The former righthander was with the Senators in 1927 and ’28, appearing in a total of six games.

A resident of Stuyvesant, N.Y., he was in O.B. from 1923 to 1933, In addition to Washington, he was with Pittsfield, Albany and Bridgeport (Eastern), Birmingham (Southern) and Minneapolis (American Association).

He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Martha Van Alstyne, and two other sons, Richard and Roger.

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/V/Pvanac101.htm

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/vanalcl01.shtml

John Magner

John Magner played center field in one game for the 1879 Cincinnati Reds.

John T. Magner was supposedly born in Missouri in 1855, but this may be confusing him with John F. Magner, a college instructor turned newspaperman who died in 1907. I found nothing on baseball John until the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported on September 9, 1875:

John Magner and Tom Loftus, of the Empires, have joined the St. Louis Red Stockings, to fill the positions formerly occupied by the seceders, McSorley and Ellick. They join the Reds in Cincinnati, and will strengthen the nine materially.

And two days later:

John Magner, of the Empires, and Martin Welsh, of the Stocks, both St. Louis boys, left on Thursday to join the Reds at Louisville. Owing to a painful felon [apparently a bacterial infection of the fingertip], Loftus did not go. Welsh is a tip top general player, and was formerly connected with the Elephants. Magner is first-class at the bat and in the field.

It seems as though the Reds/Red Stockings were an independent professional team. John’s name next pops up July 2, 1876, in the Globe-Democrat:

Some fair damsel presented Johnny Magner with a magnificent bouquet at New Castle, Pa., for his fine batting and base running in the Reds-Neshannock game.

Four days later the same newspaper reported that:

John T. Magner severed his connection with the St. Louis Red Stockings at Reading, Pennsylvania, having been released by Mr. McNeary. He did not participate in the 11-0 game at Philadelphia.

A March 4, 1877, Globe-Democrat story on ballplayers gathering in St. Louis after the winter included among them “Johnny Magner, who will make some brilliant catches in left field at Columbus, O., this season, and put on more airs than a peacock.” At some point during the season he moved from Columbus (the Columbus Buckeyes, of the International Association) to the London, Ontario, Tecumseh club of the same league; London won the pennant.

A later story said that John played for Davenport of the Northwestern League in 1878, though I didn’t find any contemporary evidence of that. The next I found of him was July 15, 1879, when he showed up in the box score for the previous day’s Boston at Cincinnati game, his only major league appearance. He batted second and played center field for the Reds, and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, and a putout and an error in the field. His teammates included Deacon White, King Kelly, Cal McVey, and pitcher Will White; the opposing pitcher was Curry Foley, and others in the Boston lineup included Charley Jones, Jack Burdock, John Morrill, and Ezra Sutton.

I found no information about how John happened to make his way to the Reds, or what happened to him after the one game. On March 6, 1880, the Cincinnati Daily Star reported:

John Magner, of last year’s Cincinnati Stars, is about town, waiting for something to turn up. Mag is a fine fielder and a heavy hitter and should be gobbled up by some enterprising club.

On April 19 the same paper reported that John had umpired a game between the Buckeyes and Americus. On July 11 it was reported that he had been released by Rochester of the National Association (not the same National Association mentioned earlier) and had returned to Cincinnati; he played in two games in the outfield for Rochester and went 0-for-7. By July 17 he was back in St. Louis, where he umpired a game between the St. Louis Brown Stockings (a semi-pro team two years away from becoming a major league team in the American Association) and S.C. Davis and Company; then through September he was back with the St. Louis Reds/Red Stockings. On December 23 the Globe-Democrat reported that “John Magner, the well-known ball tosser, who is quite expert with the cue” would be playing a pool match that evening at Lupe’s billiard-room.

I found no trace of John during 1881, though later reports said that he had played for the semi-pro Brown Stockings that year. On February 28, 1882, the Globe-Democrat reported:

The new Standard Base Ball Club held a meeting yesterday afternoon in the rooms of the Standard Social Club. At the first meeting a uniform of gray flannel, with red stockings, was adopted. Yesterday by a vote of those present it was decided that the uniform should be of white cricket flannel, with blue stockings, caps, belts and neckties. When uniformed the team will present the handsomest appearance of any that has taken the field here in years…The playing nine was named in this way: [John was named as one of the substitutes].

From the same newspaper, the same day:

John J. [sic] Magner, the well-known ball player, challenges any man in St. Louis to play him a match of pyramid pool, best eleven out of twenty-one games, for from $50 to $100 a side. He would rather hear from Little Henry or Pluck than any other players that he knows of.

John played for the Standards in 1882; on August 8 he debuted as a major league umpire, filling in for a no-show ump in a game between Cincinnati and St. Louis in the brand-new American Association. The August 13 Globe-Democrat reported that:

John T. Magner, known the world over in base ball circles, and Henry Leist (Little Henry) have arranged to play a match game at pyramid pool for $50 a side. Little Henry is the champion pool player of St. Louis, and John T. has always been looked on as the next best expert in that line.

I don’t know what John had done to make him known the world over in base ball circles. The next day the Globe-Democrat mentioned him in their coverage of the Brown Stockings’ game:

John T. Magner wore a sunflower at yesterday’s game. Asked what he thought of the Browns’ play, he frowned and said, “Hams, my boy! Hams, all of them!”

On September 12 the Globe-Democrat reported that “John T. Magner accompanied the Standards to Louisville and played with all his old-time skill.” Which seems like an odd thing to say about a 27-year-old, making the 1855 birth year seem suspect. Also during September he did some umpiring of semi-pro games. On October 5 he played outfield for the Louisville Eclipse of the American Association in a post-season exhibition game against the Brown Stockings. On November 22 the Globe-Democrat said that “John T. Magner is wanted by the Peoria Club for next year.”

In 1883 John applied for a job as an American Association umpire, and at the league meetings in March he was named a substitute. On March 27 the Globe-Democrat reported that “John T. Magner has sent his measure to Secretary Williams, and in a few days will blossom forth in his new uniform, brass buttons, peaked cap, sunflower and all.”

During April John umpired St. Louis Browns’ exhibition games. He umpired some regular season AA games in May and June; on June 22 the Columbus Evening Dispatch reported:

The Baltimore club has been censuring Magner, the umpire, for decisions in the Louisville games, and have asked for his removal.

On June 28 John umpired the Baltimore at Columbus game; the Philadelphia Times reported that “his decisions were very unsatisfactory in several instances,” and after the game he resigned. On August 7 the Globe-Democrat reported:

Among those out practicing at the Grand Avenue Park yesterday afternoon was John J. [sic] Magner. Not long ago John was as graceful and useful a player as graced the profession. Yesterday he played as prettily as ever, but he was heavily handicapped by the weight he carried. John intends going into training, and from this time forward will be a regular member of the Grand Avenues. John’s friends are legion and they will be pleased to see him back in the old place.

On August 20 the Fulton County Tribune of Wauseon, Ohio, reported that “John J. [sic] Magner, late American Association umpire, has received the appointment of letter-carrier from the St. Louis postmaster.” On March 5, 1884, Sporting Life reported:

John T. Magner, ex-umpire of the American Association, is now a post office employee in St. Louis. His short term of service as umpire so disgusted him that he resigned in a few weeks. He now stands ready to give would-be professional umpires a friendly tip at any time and without charge.

John did continue to umpire amateur and semi-pro games around St. Louis in 1884, and on July 4 he actually filled in to work an American Association game between the New York Metropolitans and the Browns when the assigned umpire was unable to make it.

On August 5, 1885, Sporting Life mentioned him as being one of “the ex-professionals now living in St. Louis.” On October 16 the Globe-Democrat reported that he had been nominated as an officer for the Athletic Parade and Flambeau Association of St. Louis at a meeting at Elks’ Hall:

The report provides that the organization be styled the St. Louis Athletic Parade Association, and all persons connected with gymnasiums or turner societies, rowing, bowling, gun, foot ball or base ball clubs, or of any other athletic organizations whatsoever, to be entitled to membership…Active members of the Flambeau Battalion must be over 21 years old and 5 feet 1 inch or over in height.

Apparently turner societies were gymnastics clubs that promoted physical fitness and German culture.

In 1886 John organized a benefit baseball game. From the May 10 Sporting News:

SULLIVAN’S BENEFIT

A Splendid Crowd and a Day of Royal Fun.

The Veterans Crushed by Their Youthful and Lively Opponents

The benefit game for Tom Sulllivan was played at the Union Grounds last Sunday afternoon, and there was an immense crowd in attendance. It was the biggest success, in the way of a benefit, scored in this country, and great credit is due for the able manner in which John T. Magner managed the affair…The game between the Vets, and the Peach Pies brought to the memory of the oldest inhabitant the days when base ball in St. Louis was in its infancy. In the veteran team appeared Joe Chambers, who did the pitching for the Empires twenty years ago…At short field was John T. Magner, looking like Falstaff, with “good round belly,” not as reliable though as when the great fielder of the St. Louis Reds of ’76 and the Browns of ’81.

Mr. Magner alone sold $300 worth of tickets. The gate receipts were $560. Lew Simmons, of the Athletic Club, sent $39, the contribution of himself and players. Harry Wright sent $20. The Detroits also purchased a lot of tickets. Mr. Magner desires to return thanks to Jack Sheehan, the Cullinane boys, Danny Lyons and all others who assisted him in making the benefit a success. Over $900 was realized in all, which will set Tom up in business.

July 26 Sporting News:

John T. Magner, the old professional ball player, was out guying the “press gang” last Sunday. They had often guyed John, and he made the best of his opportunity to get back at them.

December 4 Sporting News:

Around the post office no one is better loved than round and plump John T. Magner. They say that when the postmaster goes home at night the boys who remain on deck amuse themselves singing:

A great many say that Sullivan’s a daisy,

But we think that John T. can knock ‘em all crazy.

     That’s a matter of taste.

McCaffery likes a glass of wine—

     That’s a matter of taste.

Bill Ray likes beer; he says it is fine.

     That’s a matter of taste.

Billy Flynn likes ale and old Dublin stout—

     That’s a matter of taste.

But John T. wants lager and good sauer kraut—

     That’s a matter of taste.

 

In February 1887 John resigned from the post office. Sporting Life reported on March 16:

John T. Magner, the old-time ball player, has decided not to go South, but will remain in St. Louis awhile longer. I think that John is after an umpireship in one of the minor leagues. I hope you’ll get there, John.

In April John was again named a substitute umpire by the American Association; I came across one game that he officiated, Metropolitans at Browns on May 25.

On January 4, 1888, the St. Louis correspondent to the Sporting News wrote:

Now I am going to surprise you, Mr. Editor. Old-time John T. Magner will re-enter the arena next season. He has reduced himself from 218 pounds to 172, and he claims that he can outrun Latham. John has received an offer from a Southern League club and he will probably accept it. His many friends wish him success.

Same source, March 7:

Grandpa Magner left for the South a few days ago. The old man is in the pink of condition and he will make some of the colts hustle the coming season. The Dallas Club could do worse than to make Magner captain of the team. His twenty-five years’ experience [more evidence that he was not born in 1855] on the diamond would be of great value to his club.

On March 28 Dallas released John. On April 15 and 17 he umpired two Texas League games, Fort Worth at Austin and Dallas at Austin, but that’s the last I found of him during 1888. In 1889 he returned to Texas, unless he had stayed there; from the January 23, 1889, Fort Worth Daily Gazette:

BALL BALL.

What Mr. McCloskey Has to Say About a Texas League.

J.J. McCloskey of Houston, in company with several other base ball men, were in Fort Worth yesterday, with the object of stimulating the people here in the direction of forming a club to go into the Texas league [they had been in the Texas league the year before]. Among those with McCloskey was John T. Magner, at one time left fielder for the St. Louis Browns, who has a national reputation as one of the most proficient exponents of the national game in the world. McCloskey’s idea now is to have Magner stay in Fort Worth to work up a club here and to manage it when organized, the funds to be raised as in Houston, Waco and Galveston, by subscription, donation and sale of season tickets…

Same newspaper, January 26:

A BALL CLUB.

A Meeting to be Held To-Night to Discuss the Matter.

It has about reached a point where, in the minds of those prominently interested, it is necessary for active steps to be taken to organize a base ball club in Fort Worth, if it is sought to secure a club that will be capable of holding up the North Texas end of the state league. With this end in view a meeting of citizens has been called to be helded [sic] at the Ellis house this evening at 9 o’clock. There have been several methods of organization suggested, but that which has received most encouragement appears to be to secure the services of John T. Magner, who is now in the city, to manage the club, he to set about, in conjunction with a local committee, securing the necessary funds, and to at once start north to secure players before the choice men have been picked up by competing organizations. Magner is well known in base ball circles in the North as one who has had and still possesses great ability in the profession, with a wide acquaintance among players, and as he has been strongly recommended for this position by McCloskey, who has the interests of the game in Texas as much to heart as the success of the individual club of which he is manager. It is probable a better man for the position could not really be found…

As it turned out, the people with money in Fort Worth lined up behind someone other than John, so he moved on to Austin. The Fort Worth Gazette reported on February 7:

John T. Magner, the base ball man, who has been unsuccessful in Fort Worth in organizing a club, has decided to go to Austin to work up the game. Magner is admitted in Fort Worth to be capable of taking hold of any club, and he would have secured an engagement in the capacity of manager for Fort Worth if he had come before arrangements had been made with another man, so it is likely he will have no trouble catching on in Austin.

But no, Austin got along without him as well, so it was on to San Antonio. From the San Antonio Light, February 23:

Base Ball.

Mr. John T. Magner, an old ball player New Orleans [sic], is in the city for the purpose of interesting our citizens in putting forth a good ball team in the Texas league this season. Mr. Magner wishes to have a meeting of citizens at some place next Monday night, to be designated by them, when committees can be appointed to solicit subscription and make other arrangement, and a treasurer can be appointed. A subscription amounting to $1,000 will be enough to begin working with and will be needed to sign players with. After this, the sale of season tickets and the gate receipts will support the club. There are now, including Mr. Magner, seven well known players in this city. San Antonio’s mistake last season was that she did not get into the field soon enough after players and signed hers after all the best players had been secured by the other clubs.

Things didn’t go well for John in San Antonio either; on March 19 the Light reported on the city council proceedings, including: “Petition from John T. Magner to fence in a portion of San Pedro park as a base ball ground, not granted.” San Antonio did not field a team in the Texas League that year. But on March 26 it was announced that John had been hired to manage Austin. A March 31 Dallas Morning News report on the Austin team included:

John T. Magner, manager of the team, is of St. Louis. He played with the St. Louis browns, center field; aged 33 [unlikely], weight 174, height 5 feet 7 ½ inches.

A similar feature in the April 11 Austin Weekly Statesman had more detail:

JOHN T. MAGNER

Manager and center field, commenced playing ball with the amateur clubs of St. Louis, his first professional engagement being with the famous Red Stocking club of that city in 1875-76; in 1877 he was with the noted Tecumseh club of London, Canada, that won the international championship; with Davenport, Northwestern League champions in 1878; the Cincinnati Stars in 1879; Rochester in 1879, and was with the famous St. Louis Browns as centerfield from 1879 to 1882. After which, he retired from the diamond, entering it again last year with the Dallas team, but never played a game, owing to the great number of men signed.

By this point the season had begun; four days later the Senators had an 0-7 record and John was released. On June 26 the St. Louis report in Sporting Life included a quote from John:

M’Nab, of the Texas League, is said to be one of the speediest pitchers in the country. John T. Magner, who played in the Texas League for a short time this season, has this to say of McNab:--“I wish some  of the League or Association magnates could see him pitch. He’s a wonder, and no mistake. You remember the jumping ball that the boys used to say Bob Caruthers delivered? Well, this McNab has the same jumping ball, and a man can’t hit it with a cellar door. And speed! Well, if Mac hasn’t speed, then I’m a fool. He’s as fast as King, if not faster, and he has perfect control of the ball. There’s two or three good twirlers in the Texas League, and it’s a wonder to me that some of the managers of the major league clubs don’t go down there and scoop them in; and their releases would not cost a fortune.”

On July 6 the Globe-Democrat named John as one of the riders in a special railroad car that took “sporting men” to the Sullivan-Kilrain prize fight. Soon after he was hired as an umpire by the Central Interstate League. He was not well-regarded in Evansville, Indiana; from the Evansville Courier, July 11:

The home team did most excellent work, and it is only truth to say that the game rightfully belonged to it, and only for misjudgment on the part of Umpire Magner, the score would have been just the reverse of what the score books show. Some of the decisions were entirely wrong but were doubtless made honestly, but that does not compensate for the result, as these, and these alone, gave the game to Springfield. Mr. Magner, according to the verdict of the audience as well as the players, displayed anything else but evidence of being a satisfactory man in his position, and it is said with some show of reason that much of the condemnation heaped upon Dundon for Tuesday’s game, should have been meted out to Umpire Magner, for his rank decisions on balls and strikes. It is evident that he desires to be honest, but it is also evident that he is deficient in judgment in this particular. He was also surely wrong in at least two base decisions in yesterday’s game.

After the next day's game they weren’t giving him the benefit of the doubt:

…In the fourth inning it was plain to everybody that the Evansvilles would win the game, but this proved a snare and delusion as in this inning Umpire Magner came to the assistance of the visitors, and more open, notorious and shameless dishonesty was never indulged in by an umpire. This conduct was so bare-faced as to preclude the possibility of the audience excusing him on the ground of incompetency, or even imbecility. His calling of balls on McGill was so palpably unfair that the audience became disgusted and before the seventh inning was completed anger had taken the place of contempt and the crowd soon became almost wild with indignation and calls were made to have the “miserable loafer” put out of the grounds.

Bittman, captain of the locals, in the most courteous way possible protested against the actions of Magner, but to no purpose, and the robbery continued to the end of the game. In the eighth inning Magner, feeling that he merited rough handling, called upon Chief Newitt for protection, his conscience, if he possesses any, convincing him that the spectators would be justified in throwing him over the fence. How Secretary Pritchard could be led to employ such a character as Magner as umpire is one of the curious things in base ball. He must have known something of his previous history, the unsavory reputation he bears wherever he is known, particularly at Dallas, Texas, and Vicksburg, Miss. To inflict such a fellow on the patrons of the National game is inexcusable in the face of such a name as he has established for  himself, and which, by such conduct as that of yesterday, he seems to take a pride in maintaining.

The truth of the quotation, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth,” was fully established in the case of Magner yesterday, when he asked to be escorted to his hotel after the game by a squad of police, saying he feared the wrath of the spectators. Notwithstanding there was no necessity for such a request, Chief Newitt granted it, and the fellow was escorted to town by a squad of seven members of the force.

At his hotel last night Magner declared his intention to umpire the game to-day if he died in the attempt, and he will probably put in an appearance this afternoon as a walking arsenal. Mr. Magner will not be molested, but with him as umpire the Evansville club will be again defeated if Magner can bring it about…

It was common talk yesterday and last night that some of the wicked boys who bet on base ball had been given “tips,” and it is an open secret that they have taken all bets offered on the Evansville club, and have in many instances given odds of fifteen to twenty on the last three games against the locals. Who these “tips” were given by is only conjectured, but there was certainly sufficient reason developed yesterday for a strong surmise.

I’m very curious about John’s alleged unsavory reputation, given how highly he was spoken of in earlier articles. Sporting Life, in its Central Interstate News column in its July 14 issue, had a different take on the aftermath of the game:

John T. Magner needed seven policemen to escort him from the Evansville grounds to  his hotel. He was followed by a jeering crowd that would have broken him in two had they been able to reach him.

John did not in fact umpire the following game, the Courier observing:

Magner, the great Central Inter-State “What-is-it,” was still in the city yesterday evening. He should be given hours to leave town.

From the Courier of July 18:

It was common talk on the streets yesterday that the alleged umpire, Magner, was paid a stated price to defeat the Evansville club in the two last series played on the home grounds. The names of three prominent young men are used in connection with this disreputable business, and the story as told is very damaging to them. THE COURIER has their names.

A year later the Courier had not forgotten John. On May 18, 1890, it compared a “dishonest and contemptible” umpire to “a fellow named Magner who acted as umpire last season,” and on July 13 it said:

John T. Magner, who so completely disgraced himself in this city last year while attempting to fill the position of umpire, has got up a petition in St. Louis, asking to be appointed to the position of umpire in the American Association. A peculiar feature in the case is that an alleged sporting paper of St. Louis [presumably the Sporting News] whose proprietor and manager was instrumental in foisting Magner on the Interstate League, is now the fellow’s champion. If the Association has any regard for itself or patrons it will let Magner severely alone.

Meanwhile, in the winter of 89-90 John was again playing pool in St. Louis. He did not get the AA job. The St. Louis report in the April 19, 1890, Sporting Life included:

A game was advertised for last Sunday at Brotherhood Park in which McGinnis, Baker, Johnny Peters, Magner, Cunningham and several other old-timers were to take part in [sic], but most of those announced to play were either at home with their head on a pillow taking a “snooze” or witnessing the game at Sportsman’s Park. Quite a crowd gathered to see the contest, but the people were disappointed.

John played a lot of pool in 1891-92. On July 17, 1892, the Globe-Democrat reported that “John T. Magner, the pool-player, will be tendered a benefit at Social Turner Hall, Thirteenth and Monroe streets this evening.” I didn’t find any more about the benefit, or why he needed one. The Post-Dispatch reported on April 14, 1895, that:

The St. Louis Browns will play the Fairs at Sportsman’s Park Wednesday, April 17, for the benefit of John T. Magner. The Fairs will have their famous battery, Talbot and Quinn. Game called at 3 o’clock, sharp.

There is then a big gap in the information about John, until January 17, 1910, when Billy Murphy, in his “Timely Sport Comment” column in the St. Louis Star and Times, wrote:

Undoubtedly there are lots of people who believe that Ty Cobb is one of the fastest runners that ever engaged in a game of baseball…

Now, as we’re handicapping this column, we’re going to put you wise to the fact that the fastest man who ever played baseball lives in this city.

‘Tis John Magner, who played with the Browns in the early 80s. Magner was not speedy—he was lightning.

A man as fast as this old chap, never put on a baseball shoe.

Remember that name, boys, when you are discussing the fastest men in baseball.

And pronounce that name Magner—with the accent on the Z.

Almost five years later, on January 9, 1915, an unnamed individual wrote in the Star and Times:

We have no idea of the identity of the person who deposited a box of cigars in our desk but after smoking one of the perfectos we strongly suspect that John T. Magner had something to do with it and we humbly request that John return the penknife he borrowed at the time.

And that’s it as far as information on John. I found nothing about him after this, and no obituary. It is not known when he died.

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/Pmagnj102.htm

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/magnejo01.shtml