His grave record and Baseball-Reference.com all show Peter R. Morris as having died on December 9, 1884. However, a handful of news articles in Wisconsin say he died on the 10th. The SABR expert on these matters happens to be named Peter Morris and he pointed me to other articles that say the 9th, so we’ll stick with the 9th.

I digress.

Born January 1, 1854 in Wales, his parents Richard and Sarah (Roberts) took their toddler son and moved to the United States later that year. At some point, the family wandered to Wisconsin where Richard Morris, a former laborer, took up farming while Sarah raised nine children.

“There was only one fight in Oconomowoc on the Fourth. That took place in the rear of Mayor Smith’s saloon, toward the close of the day. The two participants were Thomas Stevens and Pete Morris, and this was not their first battle. The result, after a desperate struggle, in which both lay upon the ground more like brutes than human beings, proved a victory for Morris. This makes a tie between them. One more will settle it.

“Your Folks and Our Folks,” Oconomowoc (WI) Free Press, July 8, 1882: 3.

Morris played a single game at shortstop for the Washington Nationals of the Union Association in 1884. He went hitless in three at bats in a loss to the Chicago Unions on May 14, 1884. I couldn’t find a box score for the game; the Tribune and Inter Ocean both treated the Chicago Unions, who played at a park near the location later known as Comiskey Park, as a minor league team. The Washington papers didn’t carry a box score for the out of town game either.

Not only did his baseball career end in 1884 – so did his life.

“Peter Morris, well known to many of our readers, was killed while in the act of coupling cars at Columbus Tuesday night. He was a conductor on the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railroad, and formerly a member of the Milwaukee League Base Ball Club. His parents reside on the road between this city and Ixonia.”

Oconomowoc (WI) Local, December 12, 1884: 3.

“Peter Morris, son of the late R. Morris, of Ixonia, was killed at Columbus Wednesday morning of last week while coupling cars in his capacity as freight conductor. Deceased was well known here. A mother, brother, and several sisters survive him.”

“Home Matters,” Watertown Republican, December 17, 1884: 5.

Additional Notes:

1860, 1870, and 1880 US Census records
Wisconsin Birth Records
Ship arrival record of the HMS Universe, 1854