Lathers was born in Dearborn, Michigan. At age 16, Lathers played for the 1905 Cass club baseball team that won the city championship of Detroit, Michigan. The 1905 Cass club team also included two other future professional players -- Bert Lerchen, who played for the Boston Red Sox, and Harvey Bussey, who played eight seasons in the minor leagues.\n', '

After graduating from high school, Lathers enrolled at the University of Michigan where he played as a third baseman for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team. He was enrolled at Michigan in the engineering program from 1907 to 1910 and was described as "a major contributor" to the success of the 1909 Wolverines baseball team. The 1909 team finished with a record of 18–3–1 and outscored its opponents 140–59. Lathers was the leading hitter on the 1909 team with a batting average of .383. He was described by The Washington Post as the "baseball star of the University of Michigan" and "one of the best throwers ever seen on a Michigan ball field." The Post reported that Lathers had a batting average of more than .400 at Michigan, and noted that, "when he does hit, the ball goes a mile." Lathers was also considered a "sure fielder."\n', '

In February 1910, press accounts reported that Lathers had either been "expelled" or "flunked out" at Michigan. The 1910 baseball season at Michigan was the first under new coach Branch Rickey. Because of the expulsion of Lathers, Rickey, who was later inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, was deprived of the services of the team\'s best batsman.\n', '

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