{{Short description|German-American baseball player (1892–1977)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2021}} {{good article}} {{Infobox baseball biography | name = Adam DeBus | image = Adam Joseph DeBus (1892–1977).png | position = Shortstop / Third baseman | birth_date = {{birth date|1892|10|7}} | birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | death_date = {{Death date and age|1977|5|13|1892|10|7}} | death_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S. | bats = Right | throws = Right | debutleague = MLB | debutdate = July 14 | debutyear = 1917 | debutteam = Pittsburgh Pirates | finalleague = MLB | finaldate = September 1 | finalyear = 1917 | finalteam = Pittsburgh Pirates | statleague = MLB | stat1label = Batting average | stat1value = .229 | stat2label = Hits | stat2value = 30 | stat3label = Runs batted in | stat3value = 7 | baseball_ref = | teams = *Pittsburgh Pirates ({{mlby|1917}}) | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport | Men's baseball}} {{MedalCountry | {{USA}} }} {{MedalCompetition|Inter-Allied Games}} {{MedalGold| 1919 Paris | Team}} }} '''Adam Joseph DeBus Jr.''' (October 7, 1892 – May 13, 1977) was a German American professional baseball player whose career spanned three seasons, one of which was spent with the Major League Baseball (MLB) Pittsburgh Pirates (1917). Over his MLB career, DeBus, an infielder, compiled a .229 batting average with nine runs scored, 30 hits, five doubles, four triples, seven runs batted in (RBIs) and two stolen bases in 38 games played. Originally, Debus signed with the MLB St. Louis Cardinals out of the Northern League, but his contract was waived after never making an appearance. He then signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates and made his MLB debut on July 14, 1917, against the Brooklyn Robins. During his career, DeBus weighed {{convert|150|lb|kg}} and stood at {{convert|5|ft|11|in|cm}}. He batted and threw right-handed.
==Early life== Adam Joseph DeBus Jr. was born on October 7, 1892, in Chicago to Josephine and Adam DeBus Sr., both of Germany.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} Josephine DeBus, who came to the United States in 1882, became a naturalized citizen in 1931.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} Adam DeBus Sr., who came to the United States in 1878 and was naturalized in 1887, worked as a cook in Chicago.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}} Adam Joseph DeBus Jr. was his parents' only child.<ref name=00cen>{{cite document|title=1900 United States census|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|year=1900}}</ref> He was raised to speak German.{{citation needed|date=June 2013}}
==Baseball career== thumb|150px|alt=Baseball card of Bob Unglaub|Bob Unglaub ''(pictured)'' served as DeBus' manager during the 1916 season. DeBus' professional baseball career began in 1914 as a member of the minor league Green Bay Bays of the Class-C Wisconsin–Illinois League.<ref name=GreenBay/> He was under the management of Robert Lynch with the Green Bay club.<ref name=GreenBay>{{cite web|title=1914 Green Bay Bays|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=42f29169|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=10 June 2011}}</ref> Two of Debus' teammates on the Bays roster, Frank Scanlan and Joe Weiss, had experience in Major League Baseball (MLB) one time or another over their careers.<ref name=GreenBay /> On the season, DeBus compiled a .234 batting average with 91 hits, 14 doubles, three triples and three home runs in 108 games played.<ref name=minors>{{cite web|title=Adam DeBus Minor League Statistics & History|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/player.cgi?id=debus-001ada|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=10 June 2011}}</ref> All of his 108 games were played at shortstop.<ref name=minors/> His next professional baseball season came two seasons later in 1916 as a member of the minor league Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers of the Class-C Northern League.<ref name=16Fargo>{{cite web|title=1916 Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/minors/team.cgi?id=dc3dd05d|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=10 June 2011}}</ref> The Graingrowers represented Fargo, North Dakota and Moorhead, Minnesota.<ref name=16Fargo/> Three of his teammates on the Graingrowers, Ralph Bell, Moxie Meixell and Bob Unglaub, were MLB players at one time in their careers.<ref name=16Fargo/> The Fargo-Moorhead club was managed by Bob Unglaub, who also played first base for the team.<ref name=16Fargo/> DeBus batted .284 with 96 hits in 100 games played.<ref name=minors/>
170px|left|thumb|alt=Rube Marquard of the New York Giants at the West Side Grounds in 1909.|DeBus made his MLB debut against Brooklyn pitcher Rube Marquard ''(pictured)'' In 1917, DeBus re-signed with the Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers.<ref name=sum/> On July 2, he was sold by the Fargo-Moorhead club to the MLB St. Louis Cardinals.<ref name=sum>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88090581/summary-of-sports/ |title=Summary of Sports |newspaper=The Daily Northwestern |date=3 July 1917 |agency=Associated Press |page=7 |access-date=2021-10-31 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> On July 11, DeBus was waived after never making an appearance with the club.<ref name=pirates>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88091233/pirates-get-shortstop-debus/ |title=Pirates Get Shortstop DeBus |newspaper=The Washington Post |location=Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |date=12 July 1917 |page=8 |access-date=2021-10-31 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was then signed by the Pittsburgh Pirates and reported to the team in Brooklyn, New York.<ref name=pirates/> He made his MLB debut in the second game of a doubleheader on July 14, 1917, against the Brooklyn Robins at Ebbets Field.<ref name=MLBdebut>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88091471/dodgers-win-a-pair-from-lowly-pirates/ |title=Dodgers Win A Pair From Lowly Pirates |newspaper=The Washington Post |location=Brooklyn |date=15 July 1917 |page=13 |access-date=2021-10-31 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He was sixth in the Pirates batting order.<ref name=MLBdebut/> In four at-bats against Brooklyn pitcher Rube Marquard, DeBus went hitless.<ref name=MLBdebut/> His first MLB hit came on July 17 against Boston Braves pitcher Art Nehf.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88090717/braves-showing-old-time-gait/ |title=Braves Showing Old Time Gait |newspaper=Fitchburg Daily Sentinel |date=18 July 1917 |location=Boston |page=6 |access-date=2021-10-31 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> On July 20, ''The Pittsburgh Press'' wrote that DeBus was a "better than ordinary hitter" and that he could "field with the best of them".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88091686/pirates-tackle-giants/ |title=Pirates Tackle Giants |newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press |date=20 July 1917 |location=New York |page=36 |access-date=2021-10-31 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In August, it was reported that Pittsburgh manager Hugo Bezdek was pleased with the services of DeBus.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88090781/dust-from-the-diamond/ |title=Dust from the Diamond |newspaper=Trenton Evening Times |date=8 August 1917 |page=8 |access-date=2021-10-31 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> The syndicated column "Diamond Dust" compared DeBus to former MLB player Art Devlin.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88090856/diamond-notes/ |title=Diamond Notes |newspaper=Kingston Daily Freeman |date=22 August 1917 |page=5 |access-date=2021-10-31 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> His final MLB appearance came on September 1 against the St. Louis Cardinals.<ref name=finalMLB>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88090970/cards-pirates/ |title=Cards 1–0, Pirates 0–5 |newspaper=The Lincoln Daily Star |date=2 September 1917 |page=13 |access-date=2021-10-31 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In two at-bats against St. Louis pitcher Oscar Horstmann, DeBus went hitless.<ref name=finalMLB/> On the season with the Pirates, he batted .229 with nine runs scored, 30 hits, five doubles, four triples, seven runs batted in (RBIs) and two stolen bases in 38 games played.<ref name=MLB>{{cite web|title=Adam DeBus Statistics and History|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/d/debusad01.shtml|work=Baseball-Reference.com|access-date=10 June 2011}}</ref> Defensively, he played 21 games at shortstop and 18 games at third base.<ref name=MLB /> DeBus committed 19 errors, 92 assists and 61 putouts.<ref name=MLB /> He also converted 10 double plays.<ref name=MLB /> Despite initial success in impressing Pirates manager Hugo Bezdek, by the end of the season ''The Pittsburgh Press'' wrote that DeBus "[had] probably donned a Pirate uniform for the last time".<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88091084/will-dispose-of-several-players/ |title=Will Dispose of Several Players |first=Ralph S. |last=Davis |newspaper=The Pittsburgh Press |date=7 October 1917 |page=24 |access-date=2021-10-31 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref>
==Later life== thumb|right|150px|DeBus's grave at St. Boniface Cemetery
At the end of the 1917 baseball season, DeBus joined the United States Military to fight in World War I.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/88091136/pirate-kids-able-to-help/ |title=Pirate Kids Able to Help |newspaper=The Gazette Times |date=1 November 1917 |page=12 |access-date=2021-10-31 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> He served with the 86th "Blackhawk" Infantry Division, and played with the division's baseball team.<ref>{{cite book|last1=Pomrenke|first1=Jacob|title=Scandal on the South Side: The 1919 Chicago White Sox|date=2010|publisher=SABR Inc|location=United States|isbn=9781933599946|pages=326}}</ref> At the 1919 Inter-Allied Games, held in Paris for servicemen, he captained the United States team to victory over the Canadian representatives.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Bohn |first1=Terry |title=Adam DeBus |url=https://sabr.org/bioproj/person/adam-debus/ |website=SABR |publisher=Society for American Baseball Research |quote=DeBus was the captain of the Blackhawks, a team that won the championship of the Inter-Allied games in July 1919.}}</ref>
After his baseball career was over, he was working for an electrical company based in Chicago.<ref name="Bohn">{{cite web|last=Bohn|first=Terry|title=sabr.org|url=http://sabr.org/bioproj/person/eb7a89ad|work=Adam DeBus|access-date=4 March 2014}}</ref> By 1930, he was living with his parents in Chicago working as an electrical auto mechanic.<ref name="Bohn" /> On August 1, 1931, DeBus and his mother boarded the ocean liner {{SS|Bremen|1928|6}} in New York City to Germany.<ref name=ship>{{cite journal|title=Bremen Ship Passenger List|journal=U.S. Department of Labor|publisher=U.S. Federal Government|location=New York|date=1 August 1931}}</ref> By 1942, DeBus was working for Stewart-Warner, a manufacturer of electrical automotive parts.<ref>{{cite news|title=U.S. World War II Draft Registration Card|work=U.S. Armed Forces|publisher=U.S. Federal Government|year=1942}}</ref> DeBus died on May 13, 1977, in Chicago.<ref name=MLB /> He was buried at St. Boniface Cemetery in Chicago.<ref name=MLB />
==References== {{reflist|30em}}
==External links== {{baseballstats|br=d/debusad01|brm=debus-001ada}} {{authority control}} {{United States national baseball team managers}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:DeBus, Adam}} Category:1892 births Category:1977 deaths Category:Major League Baseball shortstops Category:Major League Baseball third basemen Category:Green Bay Bays players Category:Fargo-Moorhead Graingrowers players Category:Pittsburgh Pirates players Category:American people of German descent Category:United States Army personnel of World War I Category:American electricians Category:American automotive engineers Category:Baseball players from Chicago Category:Engineers from Illinois Category:20th-century American engineers Category:20th-century American sportsmen