Frank Zinn spent his baseball days trying to keep base runners from stealing bases. When his short career ended, he spent nearly three decades trying to keep people from stealing from his community.

Zinn caught two games for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1888. Known for his throwing arm, he was signed to be a backup catcher and spent a good part of the spring working with pitching prospect Bob Gamble. (Gamble made one career start for the Athletics and Zinn didn’t catch that game.) Zinn made his debut on April 18, opening day, catching Ed Seward. Nearly three weeks later, he caught Gus Wehying. The Athletics lost both starts and Zinn had a pair of passed balls in both games. Zinn was hitless in seven at bats, but he drew a walk in that second game.

Demoted after that second appearance, Zinn finished the season playing with the Athletic Reserves. His baseball career ended soon after.

After his professional and amateur baseball days (he caught for teams in Hazelton and Williamsport), Zinn joined the Philadelphia police force and served 28 years there, leaving the force as Lieutenant Zinn. He left to become the secretary for the local Knights of Columbus chapter. In the years after World War I ended, he took a position with the Mercantile Appraiser’s office.

The sixth of eight children, Francis Patrick Zinn was born December 21, 1865 in Phoenixville, Pennsylvania to Charles and Eliza (Cody) Zinn. Charles came from Alsace-Lorraine via Frankfort, Germany and ran a restaurant while the Irish import Eliza was a very busy mother. Charles also did a turn with Company D of the 4th New York Cavalry during the Great War for Slavery. This group was known as Dickel’s Mounted Rifles, and they served in the Army of the Potomac under General Joseph Hooker. Charles was injured in March 1862 and returned home following his disability discharge. Ten years later, Charles died.

The family moved to Philadelphia when Zinn was twelve. Frank became interested in baseball while finishing his education in the public schools of Philadelphia. That said, by 14 the 1880 US Census noted that Frank was already working at a local mill to help the family.

In 1885, Zinn married Margaret Miller; they had three children before Maggie died in 1891. Three years later, he married Margaret Maguire in 1894 and they had a son in 1903. His oldest son, Frank, Jr., earned a brief amount of local fame when he survived being struck by lightning in 1898. Daughter Elizabeth also tempted fate when she fell from a roof, but she suffered just broken wrists in both arms.

Frank Zinn once saved the life of a child and mother from an oncoming train. The child was playing on the tracks and so the mother went to get her son. Instead, her shoe got caught in the rails. Zinn heard her screams for help, ran over, and managed to open her shoe and get both off the tracks before the train completed its turn and approached the crossing. He also heard the wails of an old grave digger at St. John’s Church; the man was suffering from winter exposure and Zinn carried the man to the main section of the church and summoned doctors to treat the man.

Zinn fell ill in early May, 1936, suffering from coronary thrombosis. He died on May 12, 1936 and was buried in Westminster Cemetery in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania.

Sources:

1860, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930 US Census
Civil War Muster Records
Civil War Pension Records
Church Records (Fourth Reformed Church – Manayunk
Pennsylvania Death Certificate

“Base Ball,” Philadelphia Times, March 25, 1888: 16.
“The Season Opened,” Philadelphia Inquirer, April 19, 1888: 3.
“The Athletics Lose Again,” Philadelphia Times, May 4, 1888: 2.
“The Game at Gloucester,” Philadelphia Times, June 25, 1888: 2.
Margaret Zinn Obit, Philadelphia Times, July 25, 1891: 5.
“Fell From a Roof,” Philadelphia Inquirer, August 13, 1896: 4.
“Nearly Frozen to Death in Church,” Philadelphia Times, January 24, 1897: 6.
“Lightning’s Pranks,” Philadelphia Inquirer, June 30, 1898: 9.
“Saved a Child’s Life,” Philadelphia Inquirer, September 4, 1899: 8.
“Frank P. Zinn,” Philadelphia Inquirer, May 14, 1936: 2.
“Frank Zinn Dies,” Pottsville Evening Herald, May 14, 1936: 12.

Image Source: [Frank Zinn, Philadelphia Athletics, baseball card portrait] – digital file from original, front | Library of Congress