Frank Kreeger played in just one game, pitching for Kansas City in the Union Association on July 28, 1884 against St. Louis.  Kreeger pitched tolerably well through seven innings.  Then, after giving up a pair of singles and a walk to open the eighth frame, his arm became so sore he was relieved and finished the game as the center fielder.  Oh – the Kansas City papers’ box scores had his last name as Kriger.  In looking for something about Kreeger/Kriger, I found this tidbit in the Kansas City Times:

“Kriger, of Pana, Ills., a young player of some reputation in the Sucker State, is here, and will be given a trial by Manager (Ted) Sullivan on his return here Saturday next.”

“Short Stops,” Kansas City Times, July 23, 1884: 5.

I had never heard of Illinois being referred to as the Sucker State.  And I grew up in the Chicago suburbs…  Turns out that when the first mines were created near Galena, IL, people would travel up the Mississippi River to work the mines in the spring, returning in the late fall.  People in Missouri began calling people from Illinois “Suckers”, comparing these migrating mine workers with the sucker fish that also migrate up the Mississipi River each spring.  (In retaliation, Illinois folks called people from Missouri who came to Illinois “Pukes” – as in Missouri was regurgitating their worst people to come work in Illinois.  Good times.)

Anyway, Kreeger and his sore arm returned to the family farm in Pana, Illniois.

Originally born in Ohio in 1860 (his actual birthdate isn’t actually known yet), Edward Frank Kreeger was one of five children born to Peter William and Mary A. (Madden) Kreeger.  Peter was a former soldier in the Mexican War turned farmer and then railroad foreman whose family kept moving west.  (Peter was born in North Carolina, moved to Ohio, then Indiana, then Illinois.)  Before becoming an amateur baseball prospect, Frank was a laborer in Pana. Another Kansas City Unions ballplayer, Nin Alexander, hailed from Pana – perhaps he was in Sullivan’s ear and got Frank his tryout.

Frank was swimming in the Kaskaskia River (sometimes called the Okaw River) in Shelby County, IL when he drowned at the age 35.  His remains are in the family plot at Linwood Cemetery in Pana.

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