John Ward
| Birthdate | 3/3/1860 |
| Death Date | 3/4/1925 |
| Debut Year | 1878 |
| Year of Induction | 1964 |
| Teams | Dodgers, Giants, Grays, Ward's Wonders |
| Positions | Manager, Second Base, Shortstop |
John Montgomery Ward’s lifetime stats of 164 wins, a 2.10 ERA and 2,107 base hits make him on of the best two-way players in baseball history.
In the collection:
1912 handwritten letter to John Montgomery Ward
1912 handwritten letter to John Montgomery Ward
John Montgomery Ward recorded 47 wins in 1879 and 164 over the course of the seven years he pithed. After switching to shortstop Ward also recorded over 2,000 hits making him on of the best two-way players in the history of the game. A near-impossible autograph to obtain, his signature is absent from the collection. However, a trio of pieces relating to Ward appear in the collection. Ward became part-owner and president of the Boston Braves in December, 1911. Less than a month after ascending to the position, Ward received this letter from Braves outfielder Al Kaiser regarding his salary. Addressed to Mr. J.M. Ward, President Boston Base Ball Co., the letter reads in part, “Your contract at hand + am sorry to say it is far from satisfactory. It will be impossible for me to sign for less than $1800.” The following two letters are also related to Kaiser’s salary including a file copy letter from Ward himself. Though Ward did not sign any of the three pieces, he undoubtedly held each in his hand in 1912.
Eighteen years before Ward’s 1964 induction to Cooperstown he was selected by the Hall for inclusion in the Honor Rolls of Baseball.
John Montgomery Ward's response to Al Kaiser
John Montgomery Ward's response to Al Kaiser
After receiving word from Al Kaiser that the contract was unsatisfactory, John Montgomery Ward played hardball in with his outfielder, sending a harsh response. A file copy of that response of January 23, 1912 is shown here. In it Ward writes, “In case the Boston club should ask waiver on your services, is there any particular club you have in mind to which you would prefer to go and that would likely want you?”. Ward appears to threaten Kaiser with release if he doesn’t agree to terms.
Al Kaiser plays along with John Montgomery Ward
Al Kaiser plays along with John Montgomery Ward
Not succumbing to John Montgomery Ward’s tactic of threatening to release him, Al Kaiser plays along in this letter of January 24, 1912. “…you may send me to any place you desire…Providing I play this season I will not report for less than $300 three hundred dollars per month to any club.” Kaiser ended up playing 56 games for Indianapolis in the American Association in 1912 before suiting up for four contests for Ward’s Braves late in the season.
