<— JUNE 23     JUNE 25 —>

BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1865 Billy Nash

One of the best third baseman in the years prior to Jimmy Collins’ arrival, Billy Nash arrived from Richmond, VA (both his home city and his minor league seasoning) to become a captain for the Boston NL and PL teams.  He was a member of the pennant winning clubs of the early 1890s, known for his throwing accuracy and fielding skill, a quiet but friendly demeanor, and an ability to drive in important runs.  He closed his career with the Phillies (he was traded to Philadelphia for Billy Hamilton) as a player/manager and is credited with bringing Nap Lajoie to Philadelphia.

When done in the majors, Nash managed in Buffalo and Hartford, then gave up baseball (briefly) to run a hotel in Buffalo.  He returned to Boston, umpired in the NL for a short time in 1901, and then earned his MD, serving a facility in Wrentham, MA.  He was inspecting a medical facility in East Orange, NJ when he had a fatal heart attack at 64 on November 15, 1929.

“Old-Time Ball Player Dr. ‘Billy’ Nash, Dies,” Boston Globe, November 1929: 8.

1867 Jake Stenzel

Originally a catcher, but such a fine athlete he moved easily to centerfield. Got his start playing as an amateur in his hometown of Cincinnati, then signed with Wheeling, West Virginia, where he changed his name from Stelzle to Stenzel… Cap Anson signed him for Chicago in 1890, but as a catcher. That failing, he became an outfielder while playing in Spokane, Portland, and Columbus. He returned to the majors in 1893 with Pittsburgh where Stenzel became a batting force, clearing .350 for the middle part of the 1890s for the Pirates and later the Orioles. On 6 June 1894, he was among the first to hit two homers in the same inning against Boston. He was traded to Baltimore prior to the 1897 season for Steve Brodie – and helped the Orioles take the Temple Cup from Boston.

His demise was swift – he lost his batting eye and was done by 1899. He opened a bar that was close to the ballpark in Cincinnati and remained at that location for nearly 20 years. Just after the new year in 1919, he came down with an illness that stole his life quickly, too – he was just 51 years old.

“Jake Stenzel”, Pittsburgh Press, 24 December 1912, Page 8.

“When the Pirates Made 4 Homers In One Inning”, Brooklyn Eagle, 14 January 1923, Page 49.

“Jake Stenzel, Star Slugger of the Old Pirates Team, Dies”, St. Louis Star & Times, 06 January 1919, Page 15.

“Jake Stenzel, Ex-Pirate Star, Answers Call”, Pittsburgh Daily Post, 07 January 1919, Page 11.

William Akin assembled Stenzel’s SABR Bio.

1869 Kirtley Baker

An excellent biography of Baker can be found here.  In summary, the very blond (nicknamed “Whitey”) Baker was born in Aurora, Indiana, made his reputation pitching on area teams and with the Cincinnati Blue Licks semi-pro team.  He got shots with Pittsburgh, Baltimore, and Washington in the 1890s, but didn’t really pan out – and was stuck on at least two truly awful teams (Pittsburgh NL, 1890 and Washington NL in 1898 and 1899), leaving him with a 9 -38 career record.

Baker had a nice life after he returned home and fairly earned a reputation for exceedingly kind and thoughtful behavior.  He died of a pulminary embolism in Covington, KY on April 13, 1927.

Jim Buchberger, “Discovering Kirtley Baker,” Dearborn County Register, July 10, 2014: 1B, 2B.

“Dearborn County Looses {sic} Its National Known Ball Pitcher,” Lawrenceburg Press, April 21, 1927: 1.

1869 John Weyhing

Consumption, one of the scourges of that period, took him.  His brother, Gus, won 264 games in his major league career, while John was just getting started when he got sick. John saw MLB action in 1888 and 1889 for Cincinnati and then Columbus of the American Association – only making one MLB start for Columbus in 1889. His career was derailing at the time – he was suspended for drunkeness in May, then released.  He landed at Davenport, Iowa – then later in the year was struck by tuberculosis.  I saw an article where he was thought to have died in November, 1889.

John was four days shy of his 21st birthday when he passed to the next league.

1872 Jack Katoll

Came up with Chicago in the National League, but jumped to the American League in 1901 and was okay (11 – 10, 2.81 ERA, though he allowed a bunch of unearned runs). When Baltimore was jolted by the exit of the evil John McGraw, he moved there and finished the season with the Orioles, where he went 5 – 10 in 13 starts and two relief appearances. After that, he was banished to the minors and semi-pro leagues for good.

1876 Bill Hanlon

Hanlon was a player in California – a first baseman with a reputation for partying and drinking, which often affected his batting eye.  He was, however, connected – Frank Chance played with “Wild Bill” in Bakersfield and was able to get Hanlon a contract with the Chicago Cubs in 1903.  Predictably, Hanlon got 2 hits in 21 at bats in his eight game tryout and was sent packing.  Two years later, at 29, he was dead from tuberculosis.

“Bill Hanlon Will Play With Chicago,” Los Angeles Times, March 9, 1903: 10.
“Frank Chance Will Not Catch,” Louisville Courier-Journal, December 15, 1905: 6.

1882 John Kull

John Kull was a Pennsylvania low level pitching legend (20 – 6 with Pottsville in 1909 and a teammate of Rivington Bisland) “…taken out of the mines…” and turned into an ace pitcher. He pitched in a single game at the end of the 1909 season – and the rest of his life wasn’t nearly that successful, but interesting nonetheless.

1884 Willy Fetzer
1886 Doc Cook
1887 Henry Keupper

Henry Keupper was a side-armed lefty, tall and stout, who jumped from his minor league post in Bloomington to pitch for the St. Louis Terriers of the Federal League. Henry Keupper went 8 – 20 for St. Louis, but because he was a “jumper” – and the National and American Leagues were trying to get rid of the Federal League – the National Commission frowned about jumpers to that league and Keupper would be banished from professional baseball for good.

1889 Paul Musser
1892 Howard Fahey
1892 George Harper
1904 Bobby Reeves
1907 Rollie Hemsley
1913 Rafael Polanco
1914 Hal Kelleher
1915 Buster Adams
1916 John Henry McQueen
1917 Al Gerheauser
1923 Mel Hoderlein

Mel was a Cincinnati area infielder – quick and agile – who spent the better part of a decade as a minor leaguer waiting for a chance to play in the big leagues.

A high school star at Batavia High School, he went to the minors right away in 1942. Nearly to AAA, the Red Sox took over ownership of his minor league franchise and suddenly he was stuck behind Vern Stephens, Bobby Doerr, Billy Goodman, and an aging Lou Boudreau. After three years, two as an all star infielder for Louisville, he finally got a chance when injuries opened a spot in 1950. He was traded to the White Sox and Washington where he closed out his major league career in 1954.

He returned to Cincinnati to work in production control for Cincinnati Milacron, but never gave up his love of baseball. He helped form the Mount Carmel-Glen Este Booster Club, where they formed youth baseball programs and found and maintained ball fields and parks. His long baseball life, successful at so many different levels, contributed to his enshrinement in the Clermont County Sports Hall of Fame.

Hoderlein passed on 21 May 2001.

Andrews, Cindi. “Melvin ‘Mel’ Hoderlein, Sr. played for Red Sox, Senators”, Cincinnati Enquirer, 23 May 2001, Page 20.

1925 Jack Banta
1935 Charlie Dees
1937 Jim Campbell
1938 Don Mincher
1951 Ken Reitz
1951 Mike Bruhert
1956 George Vukovich
1957 Doug Jones
1958 Tom Klawitter
1962 Charlie Mitchell
1963 Jud Wilson
1973 Kevin Hodges
1973 Ryan Nye
1973 Rob Ryan
1979 Jason Romano
1980 Doug Bernier
1986 Phil Hughes
1987 Juan Francisco
1987 Sam Freeman
1989 Robbie Ross
1993 Alejandro Chacin
1994 Tim Lopes
1996 Tristan Beck
1997 Cade Marlowe
1997 Payton Henry
1998 Brett Harris
1999 Slade Cecconi
1999 Christopher Morel
1999 Wilver Abreu

OBITUARIES:

1906 Joe Strauss
1907 Billy Klusman
1922 Dan O’Leary
1926 John Gillespie
1928 Frank Cox
1940 Bert Adams
1940 Axel Lindstrom
1957 Jack Burns
1959 Jim Hitchcock
1959 Joe Ogrodowski
1963 Jud Wilson
1965 Johnny Humphries
1967 Roy Castleton
1969 Jack Perrin
1972 Crush Holloway
1974 Joe Burns
1984 Jim Roberts
1986 Loy Hanning
1987 Fred Newman
1991 Bud Swartz
1992 Vern Curtis
2003 Jack Bruner
2006 Albert Zachary
2011 Richie Myers
2012 Darrel Akerfelds
2020 Eddie Kasko

YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE!!!

1933 Arky Vaughan has a five-for-five day with five RBI – and completes the cycle.

1962 Rocky Colavito gets seven hits (in ten at bats) in an extra inning loss for the Tigers. In 22 innings, Colavito gets six singles and a triple, but the Yankees had the last laugh.

1991 Dave Winfield logs a five-for-five day – and completes the cycle for the Angels.

2003 Brad Wilkerson completes his first of two career cycles – this one for the Expos on a four-for-four day with four RBI.

TRANSACTION WIRE:

1912 Washington selected Hippo Vaughn off of waivers – he had just been waived by the Highlanders.

Also, pitcher Bill James was purchased from Seattle by the Boston Braves.

1958 Los Angeles signed amateur infielder/outfielder Ron Fairly.

1963 Washington purchased Don Zimmer from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

1964 Minnesota signed amateur infielder Rod Carew.

1993 Florida sent Trevor Hoffman, Andres Berumen and Jose Martinez to the Padres for Gary Sheffield and Rich Rodriguez.

2004 Three team deal – Houston sends Octavio Dotel to Oakland and John Buck to the Royals. Kansas City sent Carlos Beltran to the Astros. And Oakland sent Mark Teahan and Mike Wood to the Royals.

2012 Boston shipped Kevin Youkilis to the White Sox for Brent Lillbridge and Zach Stewart.