Dude Esterbrook Leaps From Train

[smokelessjoe]

I have this (what I think) is a great advertisement for the Waterbury Clock Company picturing Dude Esterbrook at bat.

While I had heard the story of Esterbrook leaping to his death, I was wondering if this is common knowledge that is immediately associated with him? I found a couple of Newspaper articles on the story and thought I would share them.

Has anyone ever seen this image of Thomas "Dude" Esterbrook?

[prewarsports]

Weird. He probably had a V.D. from a less than savory woman. I have speculated for a long time that one of the main reasons Ballplayers died young at a faster rate than the general population in the 19th century was VD. It is interesting that sometimes teammates that hung around together would end up dying on almost the same day 5 or so years after their playing days ended.

Case in point

Pete Browning and Chicken Wolf died within a year and a half from each other in the same sanitarium in Louisville, Kentucky about 5 years after their careers ended. Both were well known frequenters of Brothels and Alcoholics. Sounds like they both an eye for the same "Lady" back in the day and she took them both down.

Just my theory

Rhys

[barrysloate]

Interesting theory...I wonder what those sanitariums were like. I'm sure they were ghastly.

[rhettyeakley]

Neat item, you can see that same image for Sears was also well used in the N-cards we all collect...


Also included in some sets are...

[smokelessjoe]

Rhys,

I bet your theory is pretty close to reality! I think it is a very intriguing story...

Rhett,

Thank you for those... I have not looked into the other fellows yet. Lets see how you do with this one?

[smokelessjoe]

I found this description on REA... Seems to be some confusion about the event that occurred while on the train? REA states that Esterbrook suffered a severe concussion while trying to jump through the window on the train. The newspaper articles state the Esterbrook actually jumped through the window?

Here is REAs description:

Esterbrook was one of the nineteenth-century's most eccentric and colorful players. He was noted for not being able to concentrate on the game "when there is a pretty woman in the stands," as reported by Sporting Life. He was also at the center of a major "raiding" controversy when John B. Day, as owner of both the Metroplitans of the American Association and the New York Giants, moved Mets stars Tim Keefe and Esterbrook to the Giants. After his playing career, Esterbrook became unstable. Much of his energy was spent developing theories relating to modifying his behavior in odd ways, such as exercising in the street and pretending to be ten years old, believing that by doing so he could extend his life span to 150+ years. Esterbrook's eccentricity turned to insanity. In 1901 his family decided that he was a serious danger to himself. Enroute by train to a state mental hospital, accompanied by his brother and an attendant, Esterbrook tried to escape the moving train via the window in the lavatory, and suffered a fatal concussion.