Bucky Veil - The First To Hurl In Relief In The World Series

 

Frederick W. "Bucky" Veil, of Williamsport played, along with Jimmy Sebring, for the Pittsburgh Pirates,  in the very first World Series, in 1903.

Recently I mentioned that Jimmy Sebring, Bucknell Graduate who settled in Williamsport, was the first player to hit a home run in a World Series Game.  Several of you then messaged me to let me know about Jimmy's friend, Bucky Veil. 

 "Veil earned two distinctions: He was the first pitcher to hurl in relief in a modern World Series, as well as the first player to take part in both a major-league and a minor-league championship series."

Oh yes, that description made me smile.   But when I read that line to my husband,  he was impressed.  Bucky Veil was the first to relief pitch ["hurl in relief"], in a World Series Game - at a time when relief pitchers simply were not used.  This was an absolutely new concept. Up until this time, pitchers pitched entire games - it's simply what they were expected to do.  

Jimmy Sebring and Bucky Veil, side by side on the right.

Pittsburgh Pirates, 1904  National League Champions

Note that Veil and Sebring are the only two to keep their collars up.  I don't know why - but I find that interesting.

In 1901 Veil  recommended Sebring for a baseball Scholarship at Bucknell. The two played baseball together at Bucknell that year.   In 1902, after Sebring signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates, he recommended they scout his friend Veil.  In 1903, both Sebring and Veil played for the Pittsburgh Pirates, and together they helped win the National League Pennant.

Born in Tyrone Pa on August 2nd 1881, Frederick W. Veil was the oldest of 6 children born to Henry & Mary [Irvin] Veil.  Before Bucky's 1st birthday, the Veil family had moved to Williamsport, where Henry established a buggy and harness business.  Fredrick excelled in both Football and Baseball at Williamsport High School, earning the nickname "Bucky"  for his adeptness as running plays through the line, known as "line bucks".  

In the summer of 1899, at age 18, Bucky played baseball for the Demorests, a "company team" for the Demorest Bicycle & Sewing Machine Company.  The Demorests played against other company teams, as well as against the Penn State College and Lock Haven Normal School teams.

Sebring was establishing a reputation as an excellent baseball player in Williamsport about this time, and it's assumed the two met through the game.  The two would remain friends as long as they both lived.

In 1900 Veil signed with the Cortland team of the New York State League.  He was released by midsummer, and finished the season with a semipro team in Punxsutawney Pa.  

In January of 1901, Veil enrolled at Bucknell College, on a 

baseball scholarship.  In a letter from the baseball manager, he mentions that he was also considering an offer to "your friend Sebring."  Sebring was also granted a scholarship, and both him and Veil played for the 1901 Bucknell Baseball Team.

Altoona Tribune, October 1901

Sebring and Veil also played Football together in 1901

Veil then pitched for the semi pro Altoona Monarchs, and  then the Altoona Mountaineers. 

In 1902, Jimmy Sebring was signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates.  Sebring recommended Veil, and after trying out, Veil was signed to the team in 1903.

  The Pirates won their third National League Pennant in 1903.

1903 Pirates Press Photo

July 1903

The first World Series was played in October of 1903.  Sebring hit the first home run in that series.  Veil’s appearance in the second game of the Series garnered him the distinction of being the first pitcher ever to appear in a relief role in a World Series game. He was also the first rookie at any position to do so.

1904 Pirates Baseball Team

Bucky Veil is standing in the back, 3rd from left. I think that is Sebring sitting, second from the right.  Notice that three players have their collars up in this photo - Veil, Sebring, and another player in the back on the far right.

"The highlight of Veil's professional baseball career occurred on October 2nd, when in relief of Pirate ace Sam Leever, he held Boston to one run over the eight innings he pitched. The Pirates, crippled by injuries to star position players Wagner and Clarke, and starting pitchers Leever and Ed Doheny, lost the series to Boston, 5 games to 3. Veil pitched so well in the second game of the series that it was widely speculated in the press that Clarke would come back with him in Game 7 or Game 8, but he did not, relying instead on the veteran Deacon Phillippe, who pitched 5 of the 8 games played. Reportedly, Clarke regretted the fact that he did not make better use of Veil in the series."

"(Bucky) Veil will be a great star. The boy has several things to learn, but he is the wisest youngster I ever saw. The coolness with which he fields batted balls pleases me. After we had won the first game Veil said he was willing to try the second. He is going to be a winner when he gets right." - Wagner, Honus. The (Pittsburgh) Press: VEIL WILL BE A GREAT STAR. 3 August 1903. Page 2B.

Lewisburg Journal, 1903

Jimmy" Sebring "Bucky" Veil. 

Several days ago "Jimmy" Sebring ex-'03, and "Bucky" Veil, ex'07, were talking about hunting. "Bucky" remarked that he had been out hunting once or twice this season, and then related the following: "It was immediately after the opening of the season for squirrels that I hied myself off to the woods for a gray squirrel or two, and having seen one on a tree I lay down to wait until the welcome squirrel put in an appearance. While I was thus resting, with my gun on my arm, my dog started up a rabbit. The season for rabbits had not yet opened, and the only thing that I could do was to watch the race.

I remained quiet, and finally the little cotton tail came running toward me, and when within striking distance the animal stopped. It did not see me, and after looking at the rabbit for a moment I pushed it away with the muzzle of my gun. You should have seen that rabbit go. I bet it hasn't stopped yet." "Jimmy" Sebring laughed, and said that it would not be policy to tell the story to a lot of people who are hot thoroughly acquainted with the little pitcher. Ex.."

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April 1904

In 1904, Veil battled malaria for the second time, and weakened by the illness, was released by the Pirated on April 25th, "having made just one start".   At least, that's one version.  The Harrisburg Daily Independent described his departure a bit differently.

"During the first trip of the club to St Louis, Veil and Tommy Leach had a hard fist fight in a room and Leach was badly beaten. Veil was soon afterward released."

"Trouble between Sebring and the club owners began with the release of Bucky Veil, Sebring's pal."

Veil returned to Altoona to finish out the season. He went on to play for the Columbus Senators, and with them he played in the "Little World Series", to determine the championship of the minor league games. After winning the first two games of the series, the Buffalo Bisons packed up and went home - reneging on the 7 series deal. “And so ended ingloriously and unsatisfactorily the first inter-league series for the class ‘A’ championship.”

Columbus Team 1905

Veil’s participation in the Little World Series enabled him to obtain one other distinction in the annuals of baseball history. He was the first player of his time to take part in both a major-league and a minor-league championship series.

Plagued by injury and illness, Veli's contract was sold to the Williamsport Tri-State League team in May of 1907. He pitched in only one game, before being released. In 1908, after playing briefly for Binghamton and Wilkes Barre, Veil ended his baseball career.

In 1910 Veil moved to Cresson Pa, taking a job with the Pennsylvania Railroad. There he played and managed the Cresson PRR team, and coached the St Francis College Team.

Frederick Veil, 1931

In 1915 Veil was elected Justice of the Peace, a role he was re-elected to repeatedly until his death in 1931. "According to an undated article from a Williamsport newspaper, “Squire” Veil “made quite a reputation, tempering his administration of justice with mercy and using most excellent judgment in all the cases coming before him.” Reportedly, the Squire did more than just dispense justice from the bench, as he was known on occasion to strap on a pistol and accompany the local law enforcement authorities on raids and arrests."

After his death from a heart attach in 1931, his wife Mae was appointed to complete his term as Justice Of The Peace. She was then elected to that office repeatedly, serving 30 years before she retired.

Back - Henry, Mae, Charlie, Jean, Fred Jr

Front - "Bette" [Elizabeth] &  Shirli

Both Bucky and Mae Veil are buried at Wildwood Cemetery in Williamsport.

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Bucky's grandson wrote a book Bucky, A Story Of Baseball In The Deadball Era

https://amzn.to/3YvPJ1j

"Bucky is a story of baseball in the Deadball Era, told from the perspective of the author's grandfather, Fred "Bucky" Veil, and other professionals who played a game that was very different from that of the modern era. It was a game that emphasized strategy over power-Babe Ruth and the long ball were a decade or more in the future-and relied upon speed; smart, aggressive base-running; good bunting techniques; and timely hitting, all designed to advance runners into positions from which they could score. Baseball in the Deadball Era was played with a passion that is largely absent in the modern game. Bucky was blessed to have had the opportunity to play professional baseball in an era when it truly was a game."

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1903

Frederick W. Veil, who has served as justice of the peace at Cresson continuously since 1915, is a substantial and widely known citizen of Cambria County. He was born in Blair County, at Tyrone, Pa., Aug. 2, 1881, the son of Henry and Mary (Irvin) Veil.

Henry Veil, deceased, was a native of Cambria County, born in 1856. He spent most of his life at Williamsport, where he was a general merchant for more than 40 years. He was also a carriage and harness dealer. Mr. Veil died in 1919 and is buried at Williamsport. He was a brother of Charles H. Veil, who served throughout the Civil War and who is known as the soldier who saved the life of Gen. John F. Reynolds during the battle of Gettysburg. Mary (Irvin) Veil was the daughter of Capt. John Irvin, also a Civil War veteran and former sheriff of Tioga County, Pa. She died Dec. 10, 1910. To Mr. and Mrs. Veil six children were born, of whom John H. is deceased.

Frederick W. Veil attended the schools of Williamsport and Bucknell University. At an early age he became interested in professional baseball and for many years played with various clubs throughout the country. He was with the Cortland Club, N. Y., in 1900; Altoona (Pa.) Monarch Club, 1901; Altoona Professional Club, 1902; Pirates of Pittsburgh, 1903-04; American Association at Columbus, Ohio, 1905; Wilkesbarre, Pa., Club, 1908. While a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates that team lost the first world series to Boston. Mr. Veil entered the employ of the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1909 in a clerical capacity and remained with that company until 1921, when he resigned. In 1915 he was elected justice of the peace and has since served in that office in a most capable and trustworthy manner.

On Dec. 8, 1903, Mr. Veil was united in marriage with

Miss May G. Robaugh, the daughter of Samuel and Mary (Lippincott) Robaugh, both former residents of Cambria County. He is deceased and his widow lives at Altoona, Pa. To Mr. and Mrs. Veil six children have been born: Dorothy Mae, a graduate of Cresson High School; Frederick W., Jr., a graduate of Cresson High School, employed by the Pennsylvania Coal & Coke Company; Charles Henry; Henry; Mary Elizabeth; and Jean Virginia.

Mr. Veil is a Republican and his family hold membership in the Presbyterian Church and are well liked in the community.

From:

History of Cambria County, Pennsylvania By: John E. Gable

Historical Publishing Company Topeka-Indianapolis, 1926