Austin was born in Swansea, Wales, the son of a shipbuilder. He was one of only three Major League Baseball players to be born in Wales (the others being pitcher Ted Lewis and infielder Peter Morris). His father moved to the United States in 1885 to find work, and Austin followed in 1887. He did not see a baseball game until he was 14 years old.\n', '

After leaving school in 1889, Austin became an apprentice machinist with Westinghouse. After finishing his four-year apprenticeship, Westinghouse went on strike. Austin took up an offer of $40 a month ($1,115), plus a job, to play independent ball in Warren, Ohio. He returned to Westinghouse that fall, but in the spring of 1904, he signed with the Central League\'s Dayton, Ohio club.\n', '

Austin remained in Dayton until 1907, when he was sold to Omaha in the Western League. He stole 97 bases for Omaha in 1908, and at the end of the season was sold to the New York Highlanders of the American League. He made his major league debut in 1909 at the relatively advanced age (for baseball) of 28. That year, Austin became immortalized in the Charles M. Conlon photo as the third baseman trying to avoid Ty Cobb\'s spikes on a stolen base. Of the play, Austin said, "That\'s Cobb sliding into third and the other guy is me."\n', '

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