Spano pushes Stevens for Cooperstown
Historian notes myriad contributions
‘Hot Dog Harry’ made to baseball
By Greg Gulas
BEAVER TOWNSHIP
Local sports historian Nick Spano is the first to admit that he had never heard of Niles resident Harry Stevens, the man credited with changing the way baseball franchises whet the appetites of the fans that visited their ballparks.
It was only after reading an article by Bob Trebilcock in the July 1993 edition of Ohio Magazine that he came to fully appreciate what Stevens’ actual contribution was to America’s national pastime.
Speaking to the Curbstone Coaches during Monday’s weekly gathering at Avion Banquet Center, Spano told the group that after reading Trebilcock’s article he wanted to ensure that everyone understood Harry Mozley Stevens’ legacy.
He has also made it his mission to get him inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown, N.Y.
“Harry’s contribution to sports was also his contribution to Americana. The article was fascinating and just piqued my interest in wanting to know more about this hometown hero,” Spano said.
“The hot dog, peanuts, ice cream concessions and scorecard are just some of the many novelties that he introduced and made available to teams for fans that frequented their parks.”
Stevens was born in Derby, England in 1856 and settled in Niles where he worked as an iron puddler in the steel mills.
“He had a wife and five hungry kids to feed, eventually moving to Columbus in order to sell books and make more money for his family,” Spano said.
“After he went to a Columbus Senators baseball game, he noted that the scorecards were inaccurate so be bought, on credit, the scorecard company for $500. He immediately sold over $700 in ads and was $200 to the good. His catch phrase, ‘You can’t tell the players without a scorecard’ was soon to be heard everywhere.”
Spano noted that Stevens fell in love with baseball and over the years, the things that he introduced to the game have had a far-reaching effect.
“He started dusting off seats, introduced the soda straw so fans wouldn’t miss any of the action and parlayed a nickel bag of peanuts into a million doll
ar business,” Spano said. “Sportswriters back then wrote that he made great contributions to an otherwise boring game.”
Stevens’ ballpark workers, known as “Harry’s Hawkers” were the first to go into the stands and take the concessions to the fans while also credited with the catch-phrase “Get your red hots.”
A myriad of MLB stars befriended Stevens with Babe Ruth calling him his second father and in 1941, Lou Gehrig making sure via Western Union telegram to send his congratulations to Stevens’ sons, who were being honored for their father’s accomplishments at a newspaper writers dinner at the Commodore Hotel in New York City.
Baseball’s charter hall of fame class, which included Christy Mathewson, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson and Ruth were all Stevens admirers, according to Spano.
His mission for election to the hall of fame has picked up steam over the past several years.
“I have visited the hall several times over the years and everyone that I talk to agrees that Harry Stevens belongs in the hall of fame,” Spano said.
“They just didn’t know where. One of his programs from 1895 is displayed, as are color programs from many early World Series games.”
Spano noted that in 2008, the hall of fame created the Buck O’Neil Award, named in honor of the late Negro Leagues legend whose contributions to the game spanned eight decades.
The award is presented once every three years to the individual whose extraordinary effort enhanced baseball’s positive impact on society, broadened the game’s appeal and whose character, integrity and dignity are comparable to the qualities exhibited by O’Neil.
O’Neil was the first recipient; Roland Hemond the second honoree in 2011 and in 2014, Joe Garagiola earned the honor.
Spano feels as though the award is perfect for Stevens.
“The man has every part of him in the hall of fame, except himself,” he said.