Steele and Zink Reunite

Teammates on the 1897 Fargo Divorcee baseball team, Fred "Jack" Steele and Bill Zink would cross paths again just three years later. Not only did the two men play on the same team, the 1900 Terre Haute Hottentots, they also lived at the same address. It was not uncommon at the time for players to board together in the same residence. The transient nature of minor league baseball players at the time meant such an arrangement make sense. The 1900 Federal Census lists Steele and Zink as being "roomers" at the residence of Albert Kohler in Bloomington, Illinois. Nine ballplayers are listed under the same Bloomington residence. Three of the men are designated as "boarders" and six as "roomers." The term boarder seems to suggest a more permanent status of residency, though at least one of the boarders played with Steele and Zink on the 1900 Hottentots. With the distance between Bloomington and Terre Haute being 140 miles, it is highly doubtful the men stayed at the Kohler residence during the summer baseball season of 1900.

See larger image here: http://historicbaseballfargo.blogspot.com/p/steele-and-zink-1900-federal-census.html

Random Fact of the Day (5)

Bill Zink and Fred Steele reunited as teammates in 1900, playing for the Terre Haute (IN) Hottentots of the Central League. In the 1900 Federal Census, both men were listed as boarders at the Bloomington, IL residence of Albert Kohler, who housed several players that season.

On This Date: Season Ends With Another Moorhead Win

Sunday, August 8, 1897 - A shocking thirteen errors plagued Fargo in their season finale loss to Moorhead. Amazingly, none of the Barmaids fifteen runs were earned. Bill Zink started at shortstop for the Divorcees, and made four errors as Moorhead scored ten runs in the third inning. Manager George Challis then moved the stocky Iowan to second base, where he didn't stay long, finally ending up in left field. In total, Zink committed six errors out of seven chances, a remarkably bad performance uncharacteristic of one of Fargo's most consistent players. Lee Roberts chipped in an additional three errors playing out of position in right field. Fred Steele managed first base splendidly in the absence of Peaceful Valley Brown, who had left for Dubuque late Tuesday night to be with his ailing mother. Steele also went two for four at the plate with a run scored, making his showing one of the few bright spots for Fargo. Within a week, the players of the defunct Red River Valley League were searching for teams to join, if only for a game or two, to earn a few more paychecks before the end of summer.

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican
August 4, 1897 p.4 "Notes"
August 9, 1897 p.4 "The Last One"

On This Date: Another Close One vs. Moorhead

August 6, 1897 - Oscar Peterson and Bob Brush both got roughed up on the mound, but only Brush survived nine innings as Moorhead bested Fargo 12-9. The Barmaids hung seven runs on Peterson in the fourth inning, and forced Fargo Manager George Challis to bring in Fred Steele in relief with two outs in the inning. Brush was not much better for Moorhead, as the Divorcees tallied thirteen hits off the 5'10" Iowa native, though he did strike out 11 Fargoans. The difference in the high scoring affair was sloppy play by the Fargo defense, specifically shortstop Bill Zink. He made two costly errors in the sixth inning that led to three unearned Barmaid runs, which proved to be enough as Moorhead made it four wins in the last six games against their crosstown rivals.

Though the afternoon game provided plenty of excitement, a story of even greater intrigue developed that evening, one that provided a fitting ending to a chaotic season of baseball in the Red River Valley...

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican August 7, 1897 Front page "12 to 9"

On This Date: Moorhead Awarded Pennant, New Schedule

July 31, 1897 - Officials from each team met at the Columbia hotel in Moorhead to nail down details concerning the future of the Red River Valley League. A newly constructed league would play through September 11, with the existing Wahpeton-Breckenridge franchise being transferred to Crookston. The four teams re-committed to finishing the season by putting up $50 in forfeit money, helping ensure all the franchises would finish the season. The schedule would kick off August 2, with Fargo playing Moorhead in a six game series (three games in each city), and Grand Forks battling Crookston in the same six game format. As for the previously constructed league, Moorhead was awarded the pennant after building a large lead in the standings.

Meanwhile, in their final game in Wahpeton-Breckenridge, the Methodists hosted Fargo for an afternoon contest. The Divorcees put twelve hits on the board, while W-B drew six walks off Fargo pitcher Fred Steele. Third baseman George Keas went 4 for 4 (all singles) with a sacrifice fly for the visiting team. The game was tied 5-5 in the eighth inning when play was suspended to allow Fargo to catch the train back home. It was an inauspicious ending to a very eventful week for the league. The coming days would hold more surprises for the troubled RRVL.

Sunday Argus August 1, 1897 p.8 "All Fixed Up"

On This Date: Steele Loses, Wahpeton Saga Continues, Wilmot Fired

July 22, 1897 - Fred Steele fared better in his second start for the Divorcees, but still ended up on the losing end of a 8-3 game against Wahpeton-Breckenridge. Steele, the 21-year-old pitcher from Neola, IA, had a terrible debut for Fargo against Moorhead on June 12th, giving up six runs and lasting just two innings. On this day, Steele was a bit erratic, throwing a wild pitch, walking six, and hitting a batter, but he and the Fargo club entered the ninth inning tied 3-3. The final inning was disastrous,though,  as Steele gave up four hits and the team committed four errors.

Though Wahpeton-Breckenridge certainly enjoyed their come from behind win on the Fargo grounds, it still appeared that all was not well for the Methodist franchise. The uncertainty surrounding the future of the W-B team was addressed publicly by Manager Ed Corbett. In the Forum, (July 23) Corbett denied rumors that the Methodists were to be transferred to Crookston to finish out the season, and reasserted clearly that his team was perfectly stable. The coming days would prove otherwise.

Also on this date, Walter Wilmot, player/manager of the Minneapolis Millers of the Western League, was relieved of his duties. The Forum cited the Minneapolis Journal, who accused Wilmot of "poor fielding, poor batting, and worse management in releasing good players." A rumored theory was that Wilmot was trying to devalue the franchise to allow his old friend and Chicago Colt manager Cap Anson to take ownership of the team at a discount rate. Throughout 1897, Anson had worked with Wilmot in the development of a quasi-farm system between Chicago of the National League, Minneapolis of the Western League, and the teams of Red River Valley League. This working relationship is what led Deacon Phillippe and other Western League players to the valley in 1897. With Minneapolis struggling in the standings after some questionable personnel decisions, Wilmot quickly fell out of favor with the Miller magnates. Though Wilmot would return to the Minneapolis franchise the following season, Anson moved on to manage the National League's New York Giants, ruining any future hope of a farm system involving teams in the Red River Valley.* Without big-league backing, the RRVL never got off the ground for the summer of 1898.

*Wilmot, who played six years for Anson in Chicago, spent 35 games as a player for Cap's Giants team in 1898.

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 23, 1897 p.4
"Lost in the Ninth" and "After Wilmot" 

On This Date: Fargo Celebrates Independence Day with Win Over Moorhead

July 4, 1897 - Fred Steele pitched for the Divorcees, needing only an RBI double by Peaceful Valley Brown for support in Fargo's 1-0 win over Moorhead. Steele hit four batters, walked three more, and the defense behind him committed four errors, but the Barmaids only managed two hits off the 21-year-old twirler. Andy Anderson pitched well for Moorhead, allowing just seven hits, walking none, and hitting none, but failed to get any run support as the Barmaids left 11 men on base. The game was wrapped up in a tidy 82 minutes.

On This Date: Forum Responds to Criticism, Herald Worries

Apparently, the Moorhead News accused the other newspapers in the region of not being fair to Barmaids pitcher Pike Mullaney. The Forum shot back, saying the News was off base, and that its sportswriter had to have been "eating green apples and...suffered the attendant consequences."  The Forum contended that the local papers had always been complimentary of the "plucky little pitcher." They had no reason not to be charitable towards Mullaney, who finished with a record of 14-3 for the season.

Also on this date, the Grand Forks Herald worried about the other Red River Valley League teams bolstering their rosters. The paper explained that the fans would be happy if the Senators could come away with a split in their coming series with Moorhead. Fargo, for its part, had released Reddy Hill, as well as Hornsby and Frank Schumansky, as they attempted to move up in the standings after a slow start. The Divorcees were excited about adding outfielder Hopkins, shortstop John Murphy, and a talented young second baseman from Iowa, Bill Zink. Pitcher Fred Steele would make his way to Fargo from Nebraska within the week.

June 16, 1897 Fargo Forum and Daily Republican p. 4

June 16, 1897 Grand Forks Herald Front page