1907

Charles "Chick" Stahl Cleats

Born in Avilla, Indiana on 10 January 1873, Charles "Chick" Stahl proved that a talented baseball player could get his start in Fort Wayne. Stahl developed his skills as a left-handed pitcher and outfielder on Fort Wayne's vacant lots and diamonds south of the railroad tracks. He began playing for a salary in 1895 in Indiana and then played baseball professionally for two Boston teams, first with the Beaneaters (Braves from 1912), 1897 to 1900 and later with the Boston Americans (Red Sox from 1908), 1901 to 1906. Primarily an outfielder, Stahl was among one of the most consistent and feared batters of his time. During his rookie season with the Boston Beaneaters in 1897, he batted .354, and during his first six seasons, he averaged over .300. In 1899, he had six hits in a game; in the 1903 World Series, he hit three triples. By 1904, Stahl had been an instrumental part in four pennant-winning teams in seven seasons. He ended his career with a lifetime batting average of .307.

Leather shoes, specifically marketed for baseball, were made with built-in cleats starting in 1882, and were adopted by many major league players. Often referred to as "cleats," these baseball shoes, were worn by Chick Stahl during his years playing baseball in Boston and were in his possession when he died in March 1907. The shoes are made of brown leather with ties attached to the ends of the laces, they still show traces of mud on the soles.