website watertownhistory.org
ebook
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin
Chapter on Watertown Baseball
Addie Joss
2007
WHS_005_882
The Addie Joss monument at
Watertown’s Washington Park.
WHS_005_881
Portrait of Addie Joss etched on
monument at Washington Park.
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Young ball player who knows all
about Adrian Joss, thanks to the monument erected.
Inscription of monument dedicated
to the life of Adrian Joss:
Born in Woodland, WI, April 12,
1880. Addie played baseball for
Watertown and Watertown’s Sacred Heart
Team in 1899. Along with his future
major league catcher Red Kleinow, they played before large crowds here at
Washington Park. On April 26, 1902 Addie
pitched a one hitter for Cleveland in his major league debut, the team he
played for through 1910. As a pitcher,
he won twenty or more games for four straight years, and had a lifetime 1.89
ERA. Addie is credited for pitching two
no-hitters, including a perfect game on Oct. 2, 1908. Considered one of the greatest pitchers in
baseball history he was elected into the National Baseball Hall of fame in
1978, and into the Wisconsin Athletic Hall of Fame in 1951.
Joss was
simply the best player
to ever call Watertown his team.
1900 Adrian Joss Receives Offer from Toledo
Watertown
Republican, 01 09 1900
Adrian
Joss, of Juneau, who pitched for the Sacred Hearts and the Watertown last
summer, has received an offer to play with Toledo in the Interstate league the
coming season. A contract has been
executed on the part of the Toledo club by Manager Stroebel
and forwarded to Joss, but the young twirler is on the claim list of the
Milwaukee club and cannot therefore join any other team unless Milwaukee
relinquishes its rights to him. It is
reported that Toledo has offered Joss over $100 per month.
Watertown Republican, 01 16 1900
Adrian Joss, the Juneau pitcher,
has signed to play with Toledo the coming season and expects to report for duty
about March 15. The Juneau Telephone remarks:
"The Watertown Republican is
of the opinion that Adrian Joss cannot sign a contract to play with Toledo
unless released by the Milwaukee club, which "claims" him. We don't know much about baseball league
laws, but it strikes us as strange that a player must go where he is claimed
whether he wants to or not; and this too before he has ever signed a contract
with any of the league clubs.
Joss says that he is going to
Toledo."
Now, we do not profess to be a
baseball oracle, but we have watched affairs of the diamond long enough to
venture the prediction that if Joss is really on Milwaukee's "claim"
list and if that club really desires his services the coming season,
the young twirler will play with the Cream City or else not with any team under
the national agreement. Joss' contract
with Toledo is not worth the paper it is written on unless Milwaukee consents
to the transaction. So much for baseball
regulations.
1911 PITCHER JOSS DIES AT TOLEDO
Watertown Gazette, 04 20 1911
Toledo, Ohio, April 14.—Addie C.
Joss is dead. The star pitcher of the
Naps breathed his last at 1:30 o'clock this morning at his home in this city,
where he had been ill and confined to his bed for several weeks. Not until the last did the doctors give up
hope, for they were uncertain as to just what ailed Joss. There were symptoms of several brain
disorders, according to Dr. George L. Chapman, a local physician, and Dr. H. M.
Castle, physician of the Cleveland team, who was sent here yesterday to consult
with Dr. Chapman. After death it was
determined that Joss died of tuberculosis of the brain.
The great pitcher was taken ill
at Chattanooga while on the southern training trip with his team. He suddenly tumbled over as in a faint while
on the diamond, and had to be carried to the club house. When he revived he complained of a severe
headache, and these continuing, he was sent to his home here.
He grew worse, the headache
continued and he had spells of unconsciousness.
Then he sank into a semiconscious state and could be aroused only by
hard shaking, but he never fully realized his surroundings. He would lie in a deep stupor for days.
Joes' greatest work as a pitcher
was done with a game with the White Sox in 1908, when he was pitted against Ed
Walsh. He pitched a no-hit no-run game, and never a White Sox warrior reached
first base.
ADDIE JOSS DIES IN TOLEDO
Watertown Gazette,
04 20 1911
Cleveland's Great Pitcher
Succumbs to Tubercular Meningitis
Pitched No-Run No-Hit Game.
Toledo, O., April 15.—Adrian C.
Joss, better known In the baseball world as "Addle," well-known
pitcher of the Cleveland American baseball team, died at his home here. Death was due to tubercular meningitis, from
which he had been a sufferer since last Sunday.
Joss was thirty-one years old. He
is survived by a wife and two children.
He was a thirty-second degree Mason and a member of the Mystic Shrine.
Joss joined the Cleveland
American league club in 1903. He became
one of the premier pitchers of the country and had the honor of pitching a
no-hit, no-run game against the Chicago White Sox in 1908, his opponent being
Ed. Walsh.
MASONS CONDUCT ADDIE JOSS'
FUNERAL
Watertown Gazette, 04 27 1911
Toledo, Ohio..
April 17 — One of the greatest assemblages of Free
Masons and baseball players that ever paid tribute to a departed brother
undoubtedly assembled at the funeral of Addie Joss in the Masonic Temple here
this afternoon at 2 o'clock. The funeral
sermon was preached by the Rev. W. A. Sunday, now conducting a revival campaign
in the city, assisted by the Rev. R. D. Hollington,
D. D., pastor of St. Paul’s Methodist Church.
The funeral services were held under the auspice of the Masonic orders,
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite, Zalley of Toledo commandery Knights Templar.
Burial was in Woodlawn cemetery,
all Knights Templars, with hundreds of friends from cities in which Joss played
ball accompanying the body to the burial place.
The Cleveland team consisting of twenty-five members arrived here from
Detroit at 11 o'clock to attend the funeral.
Several Detroit players also came.
[Addie Joss monument is in Watertown’s Washington Park. Born in Woodland, WI, April 12, 1880. Addie played baseball for Watertown and
Watertown’s Sacred Heart Team in 1899.
Joss joined the Cleveland American league club in 1903. He became one of the premier pitchers of the
country and had the honor of pitching a no-hit, no-run game against the Chicago
White Sox in 1908, his opponent being Ed. Walsh.]
1911
1911 card 
1986
Watertown Daily Times, 06 14 1986
JUNEAU — The
unveiling of the Addie Joss Historical Marker will highlight the Dodge County
Sesquicentennial and Addie Joss Days Celebration to be held June 27 and 28 in
Juneau. The historical tribute to the
150th anniversary of the county and to a legendary hero, Adrian Joss, will be
filled with several activities, including an antique and collector car show,
water barrel fights, horseshoe pitching tournament, bingo, women’s softball
tourney, men’s baseball tourney, ice cream social, community picnic, mini-track
meet, barbershop music concert, a dance under the stars and fireworks. About a dozen retired major league baseball
players will be in attendance to pay tribute to Joss who was one of just four
Wisconsin residents to be enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Joss played for the Cleveland Naps from
1902-1910 and was one of a handful of pitchers to ever throw a perfect
game. Before his untimely death from
tubercular meningitis, Joss collected 160 career victories including 45
shutouts, two no-hitters and three one-hitters.
Cross References:
Etched
in Stone: A Lasting Tribute to the Deadball Era, by David Stalker
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin