Bill Zink Honored 40 Years After RRVL, 30 Years After Historic Game

The May 27, 1937 Hutchinson News reported that its beloved ballplayer, Bill Zink, would be honored at a ceremony before the May 29 game between the Hutchinson Larks and Joplin (MO) Miners. The Larks were a Class C farm team of the Pittsburgh Pirates at the time, while the Miners were affiliated with the New York Yankees. Bill Zink played in Kansas from 1906-1910, in 1906 as a member of the Leavenworth Old Soldiers, and 1907-1910 as a member of the Hutchinson Salt Packers. On May 29, 1907, Zink took part in a 23 inning contest between Hutchinson and Oklahoma City. After his playing career, Zink settled down with his family in Hutchinson, so he was invited back to Carey Municipal Park in Hutchinson exactly 30 years later to be honored for his part in the memorable game (box score is below). The game was seven innings longer than the longest game of the 1897 season, when Zink was a member of the Fargo Divorcees. On August 2, 1897 Zink played shortstop for the Fargo club in a 16 inning loss to Moorhead. In the 4 to 2 loss, Zink had two hits in six at-bats with a run scored.

 

"Special Events With Baseball," The Hutchinson News, May 27, 1937, p. 2.

Box score: "A Remarkable Baseball Game," The Leavenworth Post, May 30, 1907, p. 4.

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

Big Bill Zink... Was, Not Surprisingly, Big

William Henry "Bill" Zink, Fargo's star infielder from 1897, was not a large man by modern standards. His girth was sufficient by turn of the 20th Century standards, however, to earn him the nickname "Big" Bill Zink. The Rock Island Islanders welcomed Zink to Illinois in 1901, and the local paper lauded his success so far in his young baseball career. Along with providing a brief synopsis of Zink's baseball exploits, the paper informed readers that Zink was, well, big:

The Argus (Rock Island, IL) March 27, 1901

On This Date: Four Pitchers and No Luck

July 9, 1897 

True to form, the Divorcees returned to their familiar offensive funk in game three of their series against Grand Forks. The club managed just four singles against the Senators starter Hoar. With that performance, Gus Munch’s chances were doomed from the start, but the Fargo lefty was not sharp anyway and asked to be removed after surrendering four runs in the third inning. Fargo would use three more men to pitch before the game was done, including position players John Murphy and Bill Zink. The GFPD observed “Four of Fargo’s pitchers were killed and over the grisly corpses Grand Forks piled eleven runs and hits innumerable…” (July 10) The use of four pitchers in a nine inning game was exceptionally rare during this era of baseball and shows just how disastrous the outing was for the Divorcees. As a result of the ever-changing lineup, Deacon Phillippe found himself called upon to play left field later in the game. The Fargo defense did not help matters by committing seven errors, but homeruns from Joe Marshall and catcher Jake Bouchert were more than enough to lift Grand Forks to an 11-0 victory. All things considered, the final score could have been much worse.

Fargo Raids Winona Supply

Fargo's 1897 club was the beneficiary of apparent financial instability on the part of the Winona, MN team. Though the Winona team continued to play late into the summer, in early June they lost three of their key players to the Divorcees of the Red River Valley League. Fargo, interested in bolstering its roster after a slow start, added Bill Zink, outfielder Hopkins, and infielder Jack Murphy to try to provide a boost in run production. All three men, likely seeking better pay, had starred for the Winona club earlier in the summer of 1897. Their departure left pitcher Ignatius Comiskey, brother of then St. Paul manager Charles Comiskey, to lead the Winona team.

Winona Daily Republican Summer 1897.

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: Munch Battles Jess for 16 Innings

Monday, August 2, 1897 - Despite Josh Reilly's erratic play, which ultimately meant the end of his career in Fargo, the Divorcees played well against the recent league champions from Moorhead. After three innings, the two teams were tied 2-2, but it would require thirteen additional innings to break the deadlock. For Fargo, Gus Munch started and pitched the entire sixteen innings, scattering nine hits and allowing four runs, just one of which was earned. Ed Jess was the marathon twirler for Moorhead, also going the distance, allowing eight hits and two runs, with neither run earned. Former Fargo outfielder Charles Jahnke helped break the tie in the sixteenth, doubling off Munch, moving to third on a sacrifice, and scoring on a Jack Page triple. Page later scored on an error by Fargo shortstop Bill Zink, one of four the husky Iowan made on the day. The contest was an exciting opener for the new version of the Red River Valley League.
 
Also on August 2, the Grand Forks Senators expected to host the Wahpeton-Breckenridge team, now set to be sponsored by the city of Crookston, MN. Manager Ed Corbett telegraphed the Senators in the morning, indicating he would not be able to have his team in Grand Forks to play the opening game until Tuesday afternoon. Though the series was scheduled to begin Monday, the W-B team's transfer apparently was not yet completed. To make up for lost time, the two teams would play a doubleheader Wednesday.

In other news, Lee Roberts was scheduled to return to pitch for the Fargo team August 4 or 5.


Fargo Forum and Daily Republican August 2, 1897 p.4 "Notes"; August 3, 1897 p.4 "Stuff Is Off" and "Sixteen Innings - 4 to 2"

On This Date: Fargo Playing Better Baseball

July 29, 1897 - Fargo 14, Wahpeton-Breckenridge 2. Behind the superior twirling of Oscar Peterson, who surrendered just five hits in nine innings, the Divorcees enjoyed a big Thursday afternoon win. Shortstop Bill Zink had three hits, including a double and a triple, and third baseman George Keas had a pair of two-base hits for the Fargo club. Hartman, Hopkins, and Josh Reilly had two hits each, as did Peterson, who helped his own cause by going two-for-four hitting in the nine hole.

Frustration surfaced again for Wahpeton-Breckenridge after the contest. When the Fargo nine recorded the final out to end the game, W-B first baseman James Hart showed his displeasure by charging onto the field and assaulting Lyons, the game's umpire. The reason for the outburst was not clear. It was yet another low moment for the troubled franchise.

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 30, 1897 p.4 "Slugged The Umpire"

On This Date: Phillippe Pitches Final Game for Fargo

July 16, 1897 - Charles "Deacon" Phillippe played his final game with Fargo, as the Minneapolis Millers of the Western League had called the right-hander back to their club. Phillippe said his farewell to Fargo by giving the home fans a victory over Grand Forks. He went nine innings for the Divorcees, surrendering seven hits and five runs. In the ninth inning, Fargo was down 5-3 and had two men on base, but were down to their final out. Josh Reilly stepped to the plate and blasted a triple against the left field fence, scoring two men to tie the game. Bill Zink followed with the game-winning single that sent the Fargo fans into a frenzy. Though the Deacon hadn't pitched great, his teammates helped give him a great sendoff with the walk-off win.


The Forum lamented Phillippe's departure and correctly predicted he "...will be a world beater someday." The pitcher took the No. 4 rail the next night to Minneapolis and rejoined the Millers. Despite not making his major league debut until age 26 (with Louisville in 1899) Phillippe would go on to win 189 big league games.

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 17, 1897 p.25 "A Garrison Finish"

On This Date: Fargo Rebounds, Defeats Senators

Fargo enjoyed redemption in game two of their four game series with Grand Forks, winning 6-3 to even the series at a game a piece. Shortstop Bill Zink was the star for the Fargo nine, pounding out a home run and a double, while pitcher Oscar Peterson surrendered just three hits in nine innings of work. Peterson struck out the side in the fifth inning and added three hits of his own batting ninth in the lineup for the Divorcees. Deacon Phillippe showed his versatility and athleticism by manning right field for Fargo, helping in the absence of the team's outfielder Hopkins, who continued to recover from an injury sustained three days earlier against Moorhead. The umpire for the contest was Arthur "Tige" Lyons, who would officiate all four games of the series.

Standings published by the Forum

Team                      W-L          PCT
1. Moorhead          18-8           .692
2. Grand Forks      16-13         .552
3. Wahp-Breck      12-16         .429
4. Fargo                 10-19         .345

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican July 16, 1897 p.4 "Easy For Us"

On This Date: Sporting News Mention and Fargo's Team Leaders

The Red River Valley League received mention on page six of the Sporting News on July 10th. In a dispatch written by W. Cloutier, likely a Fargoan, the sporting weekly mentioned Fargo's signing of pitchers Deacon Phillippe and Fred Steele, and ripped umpire Tupper's work in a June 26 game between Fargo and Moorhead, saying he had made "...one of the rankest decisions ever seen on the Fargo grounds." ("It Was Larceny"). The biased account also belittled the brash Moorhead catcher Tim Keefe as clearly inferior to Fargo's catcher Hartman (who was hitting .130 at the time).

The Forum on July 10th printed batting and fielding statistics for the Divorcees (through about 23 games):


Batting Average (minimum 30 at-bats):
Zink .322
Peterson .303

Brown .242
Hopkins .224
Jahnke .205
Murphy .200
McDonald .186
Hartman .130


Fielding Average (minimum 30 chances):
Brown .972
Hopkins .929
Hartman .914
Zink .892
McDonald .843
Jahnke .826
Keas .818
Murphy .682 (15 putouts , 15 assists, and 14 errors!)

Fargo Forum and Daily Republican - Saturday Evening
July 10, 1897 Front Page

On This Date: Blowout Win

July 8, 1897 - Fargo continued to crawl up the RRVL standings with a 10-1 win at Grand Forks. Among the stars of the game was the "Norwegian Cyclone" Oscar Peterson, who scattered seven hits over nine innings, surrendering only one run. Shortstop Bill Zink hit a three-run home run, and the normally light-hitting Catcher Hartman went 3-4 with a double, a home run, and three runs scored. Peaceful Valley Brown received credit for impressive fielding at first base despite sloppy ground conditions, and former Fargo player Arthur Lyons, the umpire for the contest, was praised as "...the most satisfactory umpire seen (in Grand Forks) this year."

The game got a late start due to a pre-game downpour - play did not get underway until 6:30 pm. In an era without stadium lights, beginning the game this late meant the possibility of running out of daylight. Despite the 11 runs scored, though, the game still ended at 8:05 pm, well before sunset.

Fargo Forum - July 9, 1897

Where Did Everyone Go?

Minor league baseball players in the late 19th Century often led a nomadic life. Minor leagues and teams were independent, not having the direct support of a Major League club as they do today. A league or a team that failed to draw enough fans and remain financially solvent couldn't hang on for very long without folding. As a result of this constant state of flux, players could not always count on staying in the same city throughout the summer. Even if their team and league were stable, it was still common for players to play a few games with other local teams when their league team was idle. For the Fargo Divorcees in 1897, these factors, along with a late start to the season (late May), the July 31st folding of the Red River Valley League, and the craving of baseball fans in the valley produced a perfect storm in which Fargo's players appeared in many different uniforms throughout the summer.

A working list of teams that featured Fargo players sometime during the summer of 1897:

Jimmy Banning - Umpired in the RRVL
Bergstrom - Minnehahas (MN)
Flannery - Perham, MN
Jimmie French - Hope, ND (2 games)
Reilly Green - Kenyon, MN
Haverty - Detroit Lakes, MN
Hayes - Omaha, NE (Western Association)
A. J. Hessler - Foster County, ND
C. R. Hickey - Wadena, MN (1 game)
Henry "Harry" Howe - Moorhead Barmaids and Denison-Sherman/Waco, TX (Texas League)
Charles Jahnke - Moorhead Barmaids
George Keas - a team in Southern Minnesota (after the league folded)
Arthur "Tige" Lyons - Sheldon, ND, Perham, MN, and served as umpire for RRVL games
Gus Munch - St. Paul Saints (Western League), Staples, MN (1 game)
Oscar Peterson - Minneapolis Millers (Western League), Wadena, MN (1 game), Wheatland, ND (1 game)
Charles "Deacon" Phillippe - Minneapolis Millers (Western League)
Josh Reilly - Kansas City Blues, Indianapolis Indians (both Western League), Springfield, IL Governors (Interstate League), Kenyon, MN
Lee Roberts - Mandan, ND (several games), Sheldon, ND, Detroit Lakes, MN
Fred Steele - Milnor, ND (1 game), a team in Western Iowa possibly
Bill Zink - a team in Western Iowa possibly

Player Profile: Big Bill Zink

The Tuesday, June 15th Forum brought news that Fargo had signed three players, including a second baseman. A Grand Forks observer touted the second baseman as "one of the best ever seen in the northwest." He compared the young player favorably to Willie Murphy, who played for Fargo in 1887. Murphy spent part of the 1887 season in Minneapolis, hitting .313 for the Millers, and batted .254 in 189 at-bats in one major league season (1884).

William Henry Zink, better known as Bill Zink, debuted at second base that Tuesday afternoon, playing second for Fargo as they faced Wahpeton-Breckenridge. The Iowa native did not disappoint, going 2 for 5 with a home run, two runs scored, and no errors in five chances in the field. If it weren't for a nice play by the W-B shortstop, Zink would have debuted with three hits. The performance of Fargo's second baseman proved to be no fluke. Over the next two months, the then 23-year-old Zink would hit .300 for the Fargo team. Including his time in Fargo, Zink went on the play over 1,000 games in 15 minor league seasons.