Giantsportal.com | San Francisco Giants News, giants Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>The pitching skills of a young man from North Dakota were so good that he made it all the way to the major leagues in his first year of professional Baseball. </div>In 1912, Al "Rube" Schauer was playing for a semi-pro team in his hometown of Garrison. By the end of the 1913 season, he was pitching for the pennant winning New York Giants. Many who saw Schauer pitch compared him to the great Christy Mathewson. Giants' manager John McGraw was so impressed with Schauer that he employed the highest paid scout in the major leagues to make sure he was signed by the Giants. When Schauer did sign, the team shelled out a record amount of money for a person playing in Class C Baseball. Alexander John Schauer was born March 19, 1891, in Kamenka, Russia, the oldest child of Johann Andrew and Frederika Keim Schauer. His family came to the U.S. and Eureka, S.D., in 1900. In 1902, John Schauer took possession of 160 acres of homestead land seven miles north of Turtle Lake in McLean County. After the Soo Line Railroad built a track that went through Garrison, the Schauers moved there and John Schauer constructed a grain elevator. He later opened a general store and was elected mayor of Garrison. Al Schauer attended school and excelled in sports. John Schauer wanted his son to become a pastor, and, after his son graduated in 1909, he attended Wartburg College, a Lutheran university in Waverly, Iowa. However, Al Schauer's heart was in Baseball, and, in 1912, he became an excellent player on the semi-pro team in his hometown. In 1913, the Northern League was reconstituted after being out of existence for five years. Looking for good talent, W.J. "Joe" Sommer, the owner of the Superior Red Sox, saw the raw talent that Schauer possessed and signed him to a contract. Schauer acquired the nickname "Rube," a term for a country boy. With Superior, Schauer soon became the best player in the Northern League. In his first 11 starts, he pitched two one-hit games and was also leading the league in strikeouts. The Chicago Cubs tried to sign him to a contract on May 21, but Sommer kept raising the asking price. In less than a week, five other teams got into a bidding war for the opportunity to sign Schauer. Convinced that "Schauer's stuff rivaled (Grover) Alexander," one of the best pitchers in the major leagues, McGraw pulled out all the stops to put him under contract. He sent Dick Kinsella, a successful Illinois political boss and special Giants' scout, to sign Schauer. Through tough negotiations, Sommer agreed to sell Schauer for a record $10,000, but only on the stipulation that Schauer remain with Superior until Aug. 15. On Aug. 16, Schauer left the Superior team with an impressive 28-6 win-loss record. Schauer made his first appearance with the Giants on Aug. 27 and pitched a perfect inning against the Reds, becoming the first person from North Dakota to play major league Baseball. During the rest of the season, Schauer pitched 11 more innings in two games, giving up 10 earned runs. In 1914, he was used very sparingly by McGraw, appearing in only six games. In 1915, Schauer pitched in 32 games, and, after pitching in only 19 games in 1916, he was sent down to the Giants Louisville farm team in July. Connie Mack, the manager of the Philadelphia Athletics, was in desperate need of another starting pitcher and signed Schauer after he had been released by the Giants. However, Schauer was rusty because of the little use he received over the past three years, and much of his confidence had abandoned him. In 1917, Mack used Schauer in 33 games, pitching over 200 innings, with a 7-16 record for a last place team. In 1918, Schauer refused to sign the contract offered by Mack and ended up playing with a shipyard team out of Washington, D.C. In order to play professional ball, Schauer convinced Mack to give him his release. Now free to negotiate, Schauer quickly signed with the Minneapolis Millers. In 1919, Schauer won his first nine games with the Millers, ending the season with a 21-17 record. He remained with the Millers for the next four years. Released by the Millers after the 1923 season, Schauer ended up pitching for semi-pro teams in Rochester and Cold Springs, Minn.; Huron and Watertown, S.D.; and Madison, Wis. In 1932, he went to work full-time in the Hennepin County Court House in Minneapolis. Schauer must have been a modest man about his Baseball past. I recently contacted a niece, who recalled visiting the Schauers when she was young. She was completely unaware that "Uncle Al" had played major league Baseball. Schauer died on April 15, 1957. (Written by Curt Eriksmoen and edited by Jan Eriksmoen. Reach the Eriksmoens by e-mail at cjeriksmoen@cableone.net.) Garrison player made big leagues quickly

The pitching skills of a young man from North Dakota were so good that he made it all the way to the major leagues in his first year of professional Baseball.

In 1912, Al "Rube" Schauer was playing for a semi-pro team in his hometown of Garrison. By the end of the 1913 season, he was pitching for the pennant winning New York Giants. Many who saw Schauer pitch compared him to the great Christy Mathewson.

Giants' manager John McGraw was so impressed with Schauer that he employed the highest paid scout in the major leagues to make sure he was signed by the Giants. When Schauer did sign, the team shelled out a record amount of money for a person playing in Class C Baseball.

Alexander John Schauer was born March 19, 1891, in Kamenka, Russia, the oldest child of Johann Andrew and Frederika Keim Schauer.

His family came to the U.S. and Eureka, S.D., in 1900.

In 1902, John Schauer took possession of 160 acres of homestead land seven miles north of Turtle Lake in McLean County. After the Soo Line Railroad built a track that went through Garrison, the Schauers moved there and John Schauer constructed a grain elevator. He later opened a general store and was elected mayor of Garrison.

Al Schauer attended school and excelled in sports. John Schauer wanted his son to become a pastor, and, after his son graduated in 1909, he attended Wartburg College, a Lutheran university in Waverly, Iowa. However, Al Schauer's heart was in Baseball, and, in 1912, he became an excellent player on the semi-pro team in his hometown.

In 1913, the Northern League was reconstituted after being out of existence for five years. Looking for good talent, W.J. "Joe" Sommer, the owner of the Superior Red Sox, saw the raw talent that Schauer possessed and signed him to a contract.

Schauer acquired the nickname "Rube," a term for a country boy. With Superior, Schauer soon became the best player in the Northern League. In his first 11 starts, he pitched two one-hit games and was also leading the league in strikeouts.

The Chicago Cubs tried to sign him to a contract on May 21, but Sommer kept raising the asking price. In less than a week, five other teams got into a bidding war for the opportunity to sign Schauer. Convinced that "Schauer's stuff rivaled (Grover) Alexander," one of the best pitchers in the major leagues, McGraw pulled out all the stops to put him under contract.

He sent Dick Kinsella, a successful Illinois political boss and special Giants' scout, to sign Schauer. Through tough negotiations, Sommer agreed to sell Schauer for a record $10,000, but only on the stipulation that Schauer remain with Superior until Aug. 15.

On Aug. 16, Schauer left the Superior team with an impressive 28-6 win-loss record.

Schauer made his first appearance with the Giants on Aug. 27 and pitched a perfect inning against the Reds, becoming the first person from North Dakota to play major league Baseball.

During the rest of the season, Schauer pitched 11 more innings in two games, giving up 10 earned runs. In 1914, he was used very sparingly by McGraw, appearing in only six games. In 1915, Schauer pitched in 32 games, and, after pitching in only 19 games in 1916, he was sent down to the Giants Louisville farm team in July.

Connie Mack, the manager of the Philadelphia Athletics, was in desperate need of another starting pitcher and signed Schauer after he had been released by the Giants. However, Schauer was rusty because of the little use he received over the past three years, and much of his confidence had abandoned him.

In 1917, Mack used Schauer in 33 games, pitching over 200 innings, with a 7-16 record for a last place team. In 1918, Schauer refused to sign the contract offered by Mack and ended up playing with a shipyard team out of Washington, D.C.

In order to play professional ball, Schauer convinced Mack to give him his release. Now free to negotiate, Schauer quickly signed with the Minneapolis Millers.

In 1919, Schauer won his first nine games with the Millers, ending the season with a 21-17 record. He remained with the Millers for the next four years.

Released by the Millers after the 1923 season, Schauer ended up pitching for semi-pro teams in Rochester and Cold Springs, Minn.; Huron and Watertown, S.D.; and Madison, Wis. In 1932, he went to work full-time in the Hennepin County Court House in Minneapolis.

Schauer must have been a modest man about his Baseball past. I recently contacted a niece, who recalled visiting the Schauers when she was young. She was completely unaware that "Uncle Al" had played major league Baseball. Schauer died on April 15, 1957.

(Written by Curt Eriksmoen and edited by Jan Eriksmoen. Reach the Eriksmoens by e-mail at cjeriksmoen@cableone.net.) Garrison player made big leagues quickly