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Rube Foster

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Andrew "Rube" Foster, born September 17th, 1879 in Calvert, TX, was a Negro League Baseball pitcher and pioneer. He briefly lived and worked in Hot Springs, AR.

Biography

Rube Foster resided in Hot Springs, AR around the turn of the century, as did several other well-know Negro leaguers1 . He practiced alongside Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics, who were training in Hot Springs at the time. He may also have pitched with the Hot Springs Arlingtons2 . Meanwhile, he found employment at a restaurant3 .

Foster was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1981. He died December 9th, 1930 in Kankakee, Illinois.

Excerpts

"Mr. Wm. Page, who was head bellman for years at the Arlington Hotel, is now occupying the same position at the Eastman. Mr. Page has seen all the big league stars and is one of the best judges of baseball players in the country. It was he who “tipped off” the great Foster to the writer. Page is running an up-to-date billiard and pool emporium for the followers of the ivories."4

"Some well-known players who have played with the Arlingtons of this city [Hot Springs] are: . . . Rube Foster."5

"About the time the American league was born Rube blew into Hot Springs, Ark., where Connie Mack was putting his Athletics through spring training. Foster found employment in a restaurant, and spent his spare time pitching to Mack’s backstops. When the Athletics struck camp, Mack sent Rube to the Philadelphia Royal Giants, with which aggregation the ebony-skinned tosser played several seasons."6

Stats

Statistics at Baseball-Reference.com.
1 Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/2/1912
2 "Notes on the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/5/1910
3 Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/2/1912
4 "Notes on the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 1/29/1930
5 "Notes on the Game", David Wyatt, Freeman (Indianapolis), 2/5/1910
6 Philadelphia Inquirer, 12/2/1912