CLEVELAND, Ohio – Usually ballplayers make their mark on their field and, if fortunate, are young enough to find success in another walk of life.

In the 1890s, Clayton King Fauver found himself on parallel career paths: A distinguished legal career lay ahead for the standout baseball player.

He wound up squeezing in a Major League career consisting of one game. His appearance on Sept. 7, 1899, forced local historian-author Mark Hodermarsky to tab him a “One-Win Wonder” in his well-done Society for American Baseball Research biography.

Fauver’s appearance in that game remains a mystery.

Fauver was born in North Eaton, west of Columbia Station. Published reports say Aug. 1, 1872; his tombstone says 1873. His family moved to Oberlin in 1892, and he attended Oberlin Academy and Oberlin College. His father, Alfred, served as mayor of Oberlin. Clayton – or C.K. – and his siblings were standout student-athletes of their day.

When he was in college, Clay looked to be sketching out a legal career. He served as yearbook manager, assistant editor of the student newspaper and argued on the debate team. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa in 1897.

But his accomplishments in school didn’t mean he was a slouch on the field. His name showed up routinely in box scores for football and baseball.

He captained Oberlin’s football team in 1893 and 1894 and the baseball team in 1896. In one baseball game, Fauver and one of his brothers played for Oberlin against Buchtel College – now the University of Akron. Buchtel was coached by John Heisman, who grew up in Cleveland’s Ohio City neighborhood. Heisman, it turned out, also had been Oberlin’s first football coach; the 1892 team went undefeated and featured Fauver.

In one account from November 1895, when Oberlin defeated Adelbert, 12-0, The Plain Dealer wrote: “For Oberlin Clayton K. Fauver played a game that was a wonder. If Fauver does not own Oberlin today he is certainly entitled to a first mortgage on it. He carried off the honors of the day and nothing could stop him.”

Even as a stellar tackle and halfback, Fauver became Oberlin’s head football coach in 1896.

He graduated from Oberlin College in 1897 and enrolled at Western Reserve Law School.

It was during this time the mystery starts – and ends.

On Sept. 7, 1899, the Louisville Colonels were scheduled to play the Pittsburgh Pirates in a battle of two lowly National League teams. A doubleheader was scheduled with games at 2 and 4 p.m. But a three-hour train delay for the Pittsburgh players returning from Chicago pared it to one, Hodermarsky writes.

At some point, Louisville team president Harry Pulliam, who three years later would become National League president, convinced Fauver to play for Louisville on that day at Exposition Park.

And why not? When you’re in ninth place, 29 games back, and it’s September, there’s little to lose.

Pittsburgh fared a bit better at 61-59 but was still well out of first. The Pirates sent Jesse “Powder” Tannehill to the mound. Tannehill is a forgotten name to many, but he spent 15 years in the Majors and compiled a 197-117 record and a 2.80 ERA.

The Colonels won, 7-4, and Fauver earned the victory. He let up 11 hits, struck out one and walked two. None of the runs were earned. As was common, it was a complete-game win and it took less than two hours, clocking in at one hour, 55 minutes.

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette published his name as “Fauber” in the box score. And also as common, no need for a correction since players crisscrossed regions and leagues, playing under assumed names in an era without media guides and sports-information directors.

And as Fauver’s 1-0 line was being recorded for future baseball encyclopedias and statistical data bases, he was a student at Western Reserve Law School in Cleveland.

“His debut,” The Plain Dealer wrote, “was a success in every way.” The paper (which also spelled his name ‘Fauber’) noted the Colonels reportedly had been after Fauver to play for them, but the college student declined, for whatever reason. He had won 16 of 18 games for Case. He earned his law degree in 1900.

Chief among Hodermarsky’s questions: How did the Colonels learn about his availability and ability?

“That’s a mystery I wish I could tell you,” he told cleveland.com.

After the game, even The Plain Dealer said an “air of mystery” surrounded the “twirler.”

Hodermarsky found out about Fauver when SABR asked him to write a biographical essay a few years ago. He knew Fauver was from the area but said “it’s just an amazing story. It needed to be written. I didn’t know much about him.”

A local player with a rich life and interesting family drew in Hodermarsky, who taught English at St. Ignatius High School for 35 years. Hodermarsky even taught baseball literature to students – a topic right up his alley considering his ninth book, “Baseball in Cleveland, 1865-1900: A Treasured Legacy,” is due this year from Cleveland Landmarks Press.

Fauver, he said, remains “one heck of a story.”

“He ends up with 0.00 ERA, which isn’t bad,” Hodermarsky joked. “Zero earned runs – oh my gosh.”

In 1900 – still in law school and apparently unafraid of losing amateur status as a result of his one-game career – Fauver went 4-6 for Cleveland in the American League, a minor league on the cusp of becoming a Major League team a year later. Hodermarsky notes it appears Fauver played only in home games for Cleveland and assumes that was to keep up with his studies. In 1901, Fauver was umpiring. Seems the would-be lawyer couldn’t get baseball out of his blood.

Two tangential points: While Fauver was in Pittsburgh for his one-game wonderment, Cleveland’s National League team, the Spiders, were struggling through their infamous abysmal season. The 1899 Spiders finished with a notorious 20-134 record, back an astounding 84 games. (Fans who remember the atrocious 2024 Chicago White Sox might recall they finished 41-121 – “only” 51.5 games back.)

Also, soon after Fauver’s one-game appearance, Louisville’s season and franchise ended. Louisville had a third-year player who would go on to have one of the greatest careers ever: Honus Wagner, who finished with a .328 average over 21 years.

Fauver practiced law in Cleveland with two firms and taught law at Western Reserve. In 1902, he coached the Western Reserve baseball team to a 5-6 record, Hodermarsky wrote.

Fauver later moved to New York City but returned to Oberlin in the early 1930s.

In March 1942, the 69-year-old Fauver, who had been ill, and his sister were on their way to Florida when they stopped in Chatsworth, Georgia. He died as a result of coronary thrombosis.

At the time of his death, Fauver was listed as president of Oberlin Savings Bank and a trustee at the college.

He is buried in Westwood Cemetery in Oberlin, surrounded by headstones of family members.

UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS, Ohio (WOIO) – Cleveland Heights and University Heights join other communities in Ohio and nationwide in working to combat winter weather amid a salt shortage.

Normally, a huge salt dome would be packed with mounds of road salt, but instead, they’re nearly empty, and local communities are forced to get creative because rock salt is in high demand but extremely short supply.

Dennis Pitts has been a plow driver for University Heights for 21 years and says they can only work with what they have.

“We do sensible salting, which is the main streets, intersections, and hills,” Pitts said.

Early winter brings heavy snowfall

Northeast Ohio’s winter got an early start, and this year’s snowfall has been unusually heavy.

University Heights’ salt garage appears nearly empty, and even though they have their order in to Cargill Salt Group for more rock salt, they have no idea when it will be delivered.

“When this is usually full, it’s like 250 tons — but we also get our salt from Cleveland Heights. They’re limiting everybody. All of the cities and ODOT are getting their salt — just depends on how long it takes to get here,” Pitts said.

Communities borrowing salt to meet needs

In a post to social media, Cleveland Heights said while neighboring University Heights borrowed some de-icing salt from them, they also had to borrow 150 tons of salt from another city to cover their needs for the next few days.

In many cases, it’s the side streets that could suffer the most. A full-time Lyft driver says she’s not salty about it, but tells me it has made navigating the roads difficult.

“It was actually harder for me to even maneuver and get out of people’s driveways because the roads were just so packed.

“We haven’t had that bad a winter for years in Cleveland, so that might have been a reason too,” she said.

Supply chain issues compound shortage

One road salt supplier in New York says that, along with high demand for de-icing salt, there are supply chain issues, labor issues, and mine production problems, such as flooding.

“Do you get a lot of calls about residential streets — people upset? You will. But nothing you can do,” Pitts said.

Snow plow drivers just ask one thing of their customers — don’t get frosty, “Be patient. That’s all you can do,” Pitts said.

Copyright 2026 WOIO. All rights reserved.

CLEVELAND, Ohio — OHSAA girls basketball scores from Saturday in Ohio, as provided by The Associated Press.

Ansonia 38, Union City Mississinawa Valley 6

Apple Creek Waynedale 46, West Salem Northwestern 9

Arlington 62, McGuffey Upper Scioto Valley 49

Ashland 61, Wooster 39

Aurora 60, Mogadore 28

Avon Lake 52, N. Royalton 15

Baltimore Liberty Union 50, Amanda-Clearcreek 40

Barnesville 59, E. Liverpool 31

Bay (OH) 64, Parma Normandy 61

Bellevue 46, Berlin Hiland 39

Bishop Ready 47, CSG 30

Brunswick 63, Shaker Hts. 28

Canal Fulton Northwest 59, Orrville 33

Canfield 55, Can. Glenoak 38

Cardington-Lincoln 63, Galion Northmor 50

Carey 45, Arcadia 25

Casstown Miami E. 51, Milton-Union 43

Cedarville 43, Jamestown Greeneview 41

Centerburg 57, Howard E. Knox 20

Centerville 43, Springfield 35

Chagrin Falls 48, Shaker Hts. Hathaway Brown 25

Chardon NDCL 53, Cle. Hts. Beaumont 31

Chillicothe Unioto 60, Delaware Olentangy Berlin 48

Cin. Madeira 57, Cin. Finneytown 10

Cin. Mercy-McAuley def. Cin. Aiken, forfeit

Cin. Princeton 65, Cin. Oak Hills 43

Circleville 36, Bloom-Carroll 32

Cols. Marion-Franklin 49, Cols. Cristo Rey 16

Columbus Grove 55, Miller City 54

Covington 61, Day. Northridge 59

Cuyahoga Falls CVCA 38, Mentor Lake Cath. 33

Cuyahoga Falls Walsh Jesuit 43, Cin. Summit 33

Day. Carroll 52, Arcanum 0

Delta 47, Tol. Christian 34

Dover 45, Lexington 22

Dublin Coffman 51, Notre Dame Academy 26

E. Can. 34, Bowerston Conotton Valley 30

E. Palestine 34, Alliance 22

Elyria First Baptist Christian 34, Christian Community School 23

Fairfield Christian 50, Sugar Grove Berne Union 41

Fairview 46, Cuyahoga Hts. 42

Fitch 52, Warren Howland 43

Ft. Loramie 58, Lima Bath 50

Gahanna Cols. Academy 45, Cols. Bishop Watterson 32

Gahanna Lincoln 49, Dublin Jerome 42

Gates Mills Gilmour 63, Gates Mills Hawken 57

Geneva 34, Kirtland 23

Georgetown 33, Cin. Hills Christian Academy 31

Greenfield McClain 53, Waverly 44

Hartville Lake Center Christian 60, Heartland Christian 42

Hebron Lakewood 47, Johnstown Northridge 41

Houston 36, Anna 32

Hubbard 52, Ravenna SE 48

Hudson 66, Mayfield 33

Jackson 47, McArthur Vinton County 29

Kalida 48, Delphos St John’s 33

Kennedy Catholic High School, Pa. 59, Burton Berkshire 46

Kidron Cent. Christian 42, Elyria Open Door 35

LaGrange Keystone 71, Lorain Clearview 18

Lakewood 55, Westlake 44

Lancaster Fairfield Union 54, Cols. Hamilton Twp. 24

Lewis Center Olentangy 76, Western Reserve Academy 57

Lewisburg Tri-County N. 50, Day. Stivers 41

Lewistown Indian Lake 50, St. Paris Graham 42

Lima 74, Tol. Maumee Valley 59

Lodi Cloverleaf 63, Ravenna 48

London Madison-Plains 62, Spring. Cath. Cent. 24

Lorain 56, Cle. Hts. 43

Lore City Buckeye Trail 50, Malvern 48

Loudonville 47, Mt Gilead 34

Lowellville 40, Youngs. Valley Christian 31

Lucasville Valley 57, Portsmouth W. 47

Lynchburg-Clay 58, Blanchester 36

Macedonia Nordonia 62, Eastlake North 52

Mansfield Christian 64, Crestline 36

Mansfield Madison 39, New Philadelphia 33

Mantua Crestwood 48, Chesterland W. Geauga 45

Marietta 41, Sarahsville Shenandoah 39

Martins Ferry 75, Cadiz Harrison Cent. 14

Massillon Tuslaw 63, New Franklin Manchester 60

Mentor 59, Cle. St. Joseph 31

Mineral Ridge 48, Girard 38

Mogadore Field 50, Akr. Springfield 12

Monroe 34, Trenton Edgewood 22

Morrow Little Miami 54, Batavia Clermont NE 27

Mt. Notre Dame 66, Berea-Midpark 50

Mt. Orab Western Brown 69, Harrison 51

N. Can. Hoover 40, Can. Cent. Cath. 35

N. Olmsted 50, Parma Hts. Valley Forge 36

New Madison Tri-Village 50, Day. Oakwood 35

New Paris National Trail 43, Carlisle 41

Newton Local 68, Day. Christian 17

Norton 54, Streetsboro 48

Norwalk 70, Sandusky 35

Oak Harbor 48, Elmore Woodmore 30

Oberlin Firelands 53, Columbia Station Columbia 34

Old Fort 28, Van Buren 26

Orwell Grand Valley 62, Cortland Lakeview 58

Ottawa-Glandorf 51, Ottoville 43

Oxford Talawanda 46, Hamilton Ross 34

Painesville Harvey 53, Conneaut 38

Parma Hts. Holy Name 49, Elyria Cath. 42

Pataskala Licking Hts. 51, Mt. Vernon 40

Pataskala Watkins Memorial 32, Newark Licking Valley 12

Peninsula Woodridge 31, Akr. Coventry 21

Plain City Jonathan Alder 58, New Carlisle Tecumseh 50

Poland Seminary 52, Youngs. Mooney 20

Racine Southern 59, Ravenswood, W.Va. 28

Reynoldsburg 54, Powell Olentangy Liberty 39

Richwood N. Union 71, Spring. Shawnee 26

Riverside Stebbins 55, Sidney 26

Rockford Parkway 45, Spencerville 34

Rocky River 66, Medina Buckeye 26

Rocky River Magnificat 30, Beloit W. Branch 21

Rootstown 65, Richfield Revere 47

Russia 38, Jackson Center 12

Shadyside 55, Bridgeport 17

Shekinah Christian 73, Cols. Patriot Prep 55

Smithville 35, Jeromesville Hillsdale 24

Spring. NE 41, N. Lewisburg Triad 17

Spring. NW 53, Bellefontaine Benjamin Logan 49

St Marys 53, Bryan 52

Stow-Munroe Falls 64, Akr. Ellet 32

Strasburg 63, Tuscarawas Cent. Cath. 18

Strongsville 64, Euclid 20

Stryker 38, Liberty Center 20

Sylvania Northview 67, Monroe, Mich. 23

Tampa Catholic, Fla. 67, SPIRE Institute 27

Thornville Sheridan 58, Warsaw River View 11

Tiffin Calvert 43, Bascom Hopewell-Loudon 28

Tiffin Columbian 48, Sandusky Perkins 24

Tipp City Tippecanoe 65, Xenia 16

Tol. Ottawa Hills 42, Edon 38

Twinsburg 66, Chardon 32

Uniontown Lake 52, Louisville 35

Utica 45, Heath 35

Van Wert Lincolnview 61, Hicksville 50

Vanlue 28, Cory-Rawson 24

W. Lafayette Ridgewood 44, Magnolia Sandy Valley 33

Wadsworth 63, Carrollton 26

Warren Harding 49, Youngs. Boardman 27

Washington C.H. 49, Leesburg Fairfield 41

Woodsfield Monroe Cent. 52, Wheeling Park, W.Va. 48

Wooster Triway 36, Can. South 30

Youngs. Ursuline 53, Salem 35

Zanesville Maysville 56, Byesville Meadowbrook 49

Zanesville W. Muskingum 44, New Lexington 35, OT

Zoarville Tuscarawas Valley 66, Uhrichsville Claymont 42