Lincoln Links 1933
The league contracted to four teams in 1933. Grand Island, McCook and North Platte dropped out as the depression took its toll. Sioux Falls came into the league. All of the towns except Sioux Falls had stadiums with lights allowing for night baseball.
The year started with great hope as Lincoln hired "Doc" Bennett as their manager. He drove down from Chicago to take over the links. He remained as manager through June. At that time he took over as an umpire and Hruska took over as manager of the Links. The chill of the cellar was felt by the Links for most of the 1933 season.
The infield of the Links was in flux for the entire year.
George Silvey started the year at first base for the
Links. The young man from St. Louis was their regular at first in 1932. He
played in 98 games and averaged .262. He finished the year with
Norfolk.
Pete Filbert started the year with the City Hall club in
Lincoln's City Amateur League. He was picked up by the Links and played
27 games for the Links at first base.
His .157 average did not result in him becoming a regular. Owens
played 28 games at first and Jimmy Callahan
from San Antonio Texas played in 22 games.
Second base was also a problem for the Links. The Links started the season with Gene Strother from Kentucky at second. He played in a total of 34 games in the league in 1933. Ray "Rabbit" Brann from Indiana, played 34 games at second and batted .235. He was an excellent fielder with no errors in his first 73 chances. He then had four errors in one game. His twin brother Roy Brann also saw some action for the Links.
Short stop was one of the few stable positions for the Links. Phillips batted .271 and played in 84 games for the Links.
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The regular at third base was a twenty one year old from Pittsburg Kansas, Don Gutteridge . He played 27 games at second base, 10 games in the outfield and 66 games at third, batted a league leading .360 for the year. He was acquired by St. Louis at the end of the year and promoted to Houston of the Texas league. He made it to the major leagues in 1936 and played until 1948. |
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Don Gutteridge 1944 Play Ball Card -- 1983 TCMA Card as there was no Play Ball Card in 1944 |
The outfield also saw a lot of players for the Links in 1933.
Four different players were tried in center field; Ray
Zimmerman was a seventeen year old semi-pro player from Lincoln
who was given a chance in the outfield in August. He went on to play for
Lincoln in 1934.
Others who saw center field action were Finck,
Ray Mondron, who was released during August and
Herman Mauer from Chicago.
Right field saw George "Butch" Rohde who played for Lincoln in 1932. Others included Owens and Morris.
Left field was fairly stable with Callahan playing in over 70 games and batting .274 for the year. C. Cox played in only 12 games but hit for a .400 average in those games.
Catcher was a position that was split between Hruska who caught for 49 games and had a .265 average. Homan and Bill LeMay from Quincy Illinois also caught games for the Links.
Pitchers
Railsback was their best pitcher for the year with a 7-7
record.
Floyd Underwood a right handed pitcher from St. Joseph Missouri returned for the 1933 season. The underhanded pitcher was 7-12 for the year. He spent his winter in Superior Nebraska as a hotel clerk. In 1934 he was 14-10 for the Links.
Glen Salmon was back for the 1933 season. The right handed pitcher from Climax Springs Missouri was 1-7 as a starter in 1933.
Other pitchers included J. Smith 3-2, Potter 4-6, Neely 2-6, Cauble 0-3 and Flowers 0-3.
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