Friday Stuff
Cool Old Newspaper Headlines Edition
Monday
“Erratically.”
That’s how the Philadelphia Inquirer described how their newly acquired outfielder played in his most recent season before being acquired by trade on this date in 1917.
The outfielder in question was Cy Williams. They six-year veteran was a year removed from leading the National League in homers and OPS as a member of the Cubs, but the scribes in his new city were more interested in the off year he had in 1917. Williams got into the doghouse of new Cubs manager Fred Mitchell, in large part because Mitchell had a thing about outfielders with outstanding throwing arms. That was reportedly the weakest part of Williams’ game, though it seems silly in retrospect since he had 23 outfield assists that year, third-most in the league.
No matter the reason, he fell out of favor in Chicago, and since he was also only 29 and remained subject to the military draft with World War I ongoing, the Cubs decided he needed to go. The Phillies were happy to take him, for a couple of reasons. The first was that the price to get him was only 36-year old Dode Paskert, a relatively run-of-the-mill center fielder who had seen better days. He had been a speedy outfielder with good range who could steal some bases, but that skill set was starting to slip.
