Yanigans--two more items from 19cBB discussion group

[Gerald Cohen]

   Below my signoff are two items on baseball Yanigans sent today to
the 19th Century Baseball discussion group.

Gerald Cohen


To: <19cBB at yahoogroups.com>
From: "marty payne" <martyp at toad.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 17:21:27 -0500
Subject: [19cBB] yanigans


In 1897 the Baltimore Orioles sponsored a team called the Yanigans.
They were composed of the Oriole non roster reserve players and "a
few other choice professionals" from the Baltimore area.  They were
often managed by Wilbert Robinson.  They toured the area playing
against city and rural semi pro teams.  The purpose was to keep their
non roster players sharp in case they were needed.

                                                 Marty Payne


***********


To: <19cBB at yahoogroups.com>
From: "Peter Morris" <moxbib at voyager.net>
Date: Wed, 4 Dec 2002 18:28:43 -0500
Subject: RE: [19cBB] yanigans
Reply-To: 19cBB at yahoogroups.com

In the Grand Rapids (MI) Herald of May 24, 1903, Frank Kitson gave this
explanation of the term's origin: "in 1896 when Ned Hanlon had his old
Baltimore Orioles, we went to Macon, Ga., for our training trip.  Wilbert
Robinson, the chunky Baltimore catcher, was picked by Hanlon to captain the
Colts' team.  That year we had a bunch of youngsters who were very fast, but
Hanlon did not think well of them and the day before the practice there was
all sorts of 'kidding' around the hotel about 'Robbie's' team.  Baltimore
had her old-time team [including John McGraw, 'Wee Willie' Keeler, Hugh
Jennings, Joe Kelley, 'Steve' Brodie, etc.] . . . 'Robbie' had for his
players a bunch of youngsters, seven of whom were either pitchers or
catchers.  I played second base and what we did to the regulars was a
plenty.  We beat them 19 to 4 and that night 'Robbie' was so tickled, the
little old American house in Macon would not hold him.
        "Hanlon naturally was sore and when 'Robbie' came from the
diningroom he
laughingly said to Hanlon: 'You have a h--l of a nice team.  Even my
Yanigans can beat you.'  'What's the Yanigans?' asked Hanlon.  'That's my
kid team in Baltimore,' was the reply. 'They're only 14 years old.' ...
'Y-a-n-i-g-a-n-s - Yanigans,' mused Hanlon.  'Yanigans, that's a pretty good
name for a practice team.'  And from that day to this all the younger
players who work against the regulars during training trips are called
'Yanigans.' "

Peter Morris

>  -----Original Message-----
>  From: marty payne [mailto:martyp at toad.net]
>  Sent: Wednesday, December 04, 2002 5:21 PM
>  To: 19cBB at yahoogroups.com
>  Subject: [19cBB] yanigans
>
>
>  In 1897 the Baltimore Orioles sponsored a team called the
>  Yanigans.  They were composed of the Oriole non roster reserve
>  players and "a few other choice professionals" from the Baltimore
>  area.  They were often managed by Wilbert Robinson.  They toured
>  the area playing against city and rural semi pro teams.  The
>  purpose was to keep their non roster players sharp in case they
>  were needed.
>
>                                                  Marty Payne
>
>
>  [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>  In order to unsubscribe, send any message (even a blank) to
>      19cBB-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com
>
>  Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
>
>
>
>


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