Orlando González

 

Orlando González was a first baseman and outfielder who played in 79 major league games between 1976 and 1980.

Orlando Eugene González was born November 15, 1951, in La Habana, Cuba. In 1961, when he was nine, he and his younger brother were sent to the US by their parents, who followed the next year. He grew up in Miami, where he was a high school baseball star before graduating in 1970. After playing first base for two years at Miami-Dade South Junior College he was chosen in the 13^th round of the 1972 free agent draft by the Giants, but opted for a scholarship to the University of Miami. Between his two seasons there he played for the US in the Amateur World Series in Nicaragua, where he led the tournament in runs scored as the US won the championship. In his senior year he set school records for runs, hits, doubles, total bases, and stolen bases, hitting .402 with an NCAA record 62 stolen bases (in 61 games), and was named college player of the year as Miami advanced to the finals of the College World Series, losing to USC. During the tournament major league baseball held its draft, and Orlando was chosen by the Indians but, to his surprise, not until the 18^th round. Presumably this was due to his lack of power—at the time of the draft he had not hit a home run during the 1974 season, though he did get one later in the tournament. A June 16 AP story included the following:

“Orlando is still the most complete college ball player I’ve ever seen,” said [Miami coach Ron] Fraser. “He does everything—hits, runs, fields.”

Gonzalez’ two assets are his speed—he has been timed in 3.9 seconds to first base—and his leadership, Fraser believes…

“Electrifying and exciting are the best ways to describe him,” said Fraser. “I think we owe our great surge in the playoffs and the series to his over-all play and leadership.”

Fraser feels that Gonzalez deserves a shot at pro ball even if it’s only as a 342^nd choice.

“He has more power than the scouts think,” added Fraser. “He’s going to surprise somebody.”

Orlando signed with Cleveland and was sent to the San Antonio Brewers of the Class AA Texas League, where in 64 games as their first baseman he hit .279/.336/.335 with one homer and 12 stolen bases in 233 at-bats. In July he filled out a questionnaire in which he gave his nickname as “Big O,” his wife’s name as Maria M., his off-season occupation as student, and his hobbies as “music, beach.”

In 1975 Orlando returned to San Antonio, but after playing 54 games, all at first base, batting first and third in the order, and hitting .314/.377/.410, he was moved up on June 11 to the Oklahoma City 89ers of the Class AAA American Association. For the 89ers he played more outfield than first base, and he hit .306/.368/.377 in 85 games. After the season he played in the Venezuelan Winter League, as he would for the following four years.

In 1976 the Indians changed their AAA affiliate to the Toledo Mud Hens of the International League, and that’s where Orlando went. He had four hits on opening day and continued to hit, playing both outfield and first base, until on June 7, a day after hitting his first Toledo home run, the Indians called him up following an injury to Boog Powell. From the June 8 Elyria Chronicle-Telegram:

Tribe bright spot in another loss

Enter Orlando Gonzalez

By Joe Kleinec

C-T Sports Writer

CLEVELAND—It’s on nights like last night at the Stadium that the press corps looks for something to write about besides the game.

When you’ve just lost four of your last five games, including a double dip the day before, a 7-2 tumble to the Minnesota Twins is not the kind of thing that will wake up the fans…even if you throw in a triple play.

It’s on nights like these that you look for those storybook “kid makes good” tales that keep the flames of justice and right flickering.

Enter Orlando Gonzalez.

At 4 P.M. yesterday afternoon, the 23-year-old native Cuban was in the Toledo Mud Hens’ clubhouse getting ready for their doubleheader against Memphis. Some six hours and 10 minutes later, he was standing in the batter’s box at the Stadium, lining a hit to center field in his first major league at-bat.

“Numb,” was the way he described his feeling standing at the plate facing the Twins’ Dave Goltz. “No feeling, you know.”

For a person gone numb, Gonzalez did fairly well, stroking Goltz’ first offering back up the middle.

“I wasn’t nervous, just surprised because it’s so early in the year,” he said of his promotion made possible when Boog Powell was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to a muscle tear in his right thigh. He was hitting .353 with 22 runs batted in and 10 stolen bases at Toledo. He was an 18^th round draft pick in 1974, and wasn’t even on the Major League roster this spring.

“I had just got to the ball park and I was taking the stuff out of my bag and beginning to get undressed,” he said, recounting what had happened earlier in the day. “They called me into the office and told me that they wanted me here for tonight’s game.”

…Gonzalez arrived at the Stadium in the first inning, suited up in a blue No. 12 jersey and took a place on the bench…

So with one out and one on in the bottom of the ninth, manager Frank Robinson pointed the finger to Gonzalez to hit for [Frank] Duffy.

“I was just sitting on the bench, and they started pointing at somebody, and all of a sudden, it’s me,” Orlando explained. “Being behind 7-2, I guess it was a good time to break me in.”

The next day, still against Minnesota, Orlando got the start in right field, batting second, and singled in the first inning against Pete Redfern. He got another start in right the next day, then after a pinch-hit appearance he was the regular first baseman from the 13^th through the 21^st, batting first and second in the order. The highlight of that period was the game of the 20^th, against Kansas City, in which he had three hits, including his first double, and stole his first base. On the 22^nd Powell returned to the lineup, but to Orlando’s surprise he was not sent back down, Robinson keeping him and sending down Doug Howard. But his playing time decreased significantly, and on July 16 he was sent back to Toledo to make room for Ray Fosse to come off the disabled list.

Orlando stayed with Toledo until the end of their season, hitting .311/.374/.389 in 357 at-bats there between the two stints, then on September 2 he was promoted again to the Indians. He got into six more games, five of them as a starter, and wound up his Cleveland season hitting .250/.301/.279 in 68 at-bats in 28 games. There was speculation that he would be taken in the American League expansion draft that fall, but he wasn’t, and he was then protected on the Indians’ expanded off-season major league roster.

In January 1977 it was reported that Orlando had signed a new contract with the Indians, but that turned out to be premature. From a March 3 AP story:

Cleveland Indians’ General Manager Phil Seghi, who is working hard to reduce his list of eight unsigned players, went the other way Wednesday, adding another name to the list.

An irate Seghi reported that the name of rookie outfielder-first baseman Orlando Gonzalez has been added to the ranks of the dissatisfied players.

Gonzalez was reported to have agreed verbally to terms three weeks ago, but Seghi said he was informed Wednesday that Gonzalez wants to renegotiate the pact.

“I will call Gonzalez’ agent, a fellow named Charlie Dye,” Seghi declared, “but only to inform him that I expect them to live up to their word. If they won’t, I will renew Gonzalez’ 1976 contract. I will not renegotiate.”

On March 20 the Cleveland Plain Dealer reported:

General manager Phil Seghi met with Orlando Gonzalez and his agent, Charley Dye, Saturday, but the session turned into a shouting match (with Seghi doing most of the yelling) during which, somebody suggested, “the plaster nearly came down from the ceiling.”

The hassle goes back to mid-January when Gonzalez verbally agreed to contract terms over the telephone, then, at the urging of Dye, changed his mind and asked to “renegotiate.” Seghi refused then as he did Saturday, and Gonzalez will play (undoubtedly at Toledo) for a 20 per cent cut in the salary he was paid last year when he hit .311 for the Mud Hens, and .250 in 28 games with the Indians.

“I told them I wouldn’t change my offer by twenty-five cents because, as far as I’m concerned, Gonzalez made an honorable agreement,” snorted Seghi with indignation.

Seghi did indeed renew Orlando’s contract with a 20 percent cut, and Orlando didn’t sign it, announcing his intention to become a free agent at the end of the season. And the Indians did indeed send him back to Toledo, where he spent the entire season, playing mainly outfield and designated hitter. He hit .306/.395/.373 with 28 stolen bases, and, for the fourth time in his four-year professional career, hit exactly one home run.

Orlando became a free agent and, when he was chosen by fewer than three teams in the November re-entry draft, was free to negotiate with any team. In January it was announced that the Phillies had signed him to a two-year contract with Oklahoma City, now their AAA team, but, as a year previously, it turned out to be premature. From the February 11 Sporting News:

Yes, Say the Phillies—No, Replies Gonzalez

By Chris Polkowski

MIAMI—Phillies’ officials say they are mystified over the strange case of free-agent outfielder Orlando Gonzalez.

A 26-year-old refugee of the Cleveland organization who batted .306 last year for Toledo (International), Gonzalez reportedly agreed to terms of a two-year contract with the Phillies, who assigned him to Oklahoma City (American Association).

Gonzalez, who resides in Miami, read about the signing in a newspaper. He then called the paper and asked for a retraction.

“I haven’t signed with anybody,” said Gonzalez, who was not selected in the re-entry draft. “My agent, Charlie Dye, has been negotiating with the Phillies and also with Toronto, Pittsburgh and Oakland.

“But there is nothing definite yet. I wonder how this information came about.”

The denial caught Phillies’ farm director Dallas Green by surprise.

“We talked on the phone,” said Green, “and I gave him (Gonzalez) the figures we were agreeable to. That’s all I know. To my knowledge, we reached agreement on a two-year contract.”

Orlando did sign with Philadelphia, and began the 1978 season in Oklahoma City. He was hitting .296/.393/.377 in 260 at-bats in 74 games, with his one annual home run, when he was called up to Philadelphia in mid-July. He made his National League debut on July 18 in the Astrodome, pinch hitting for Randy Lerch and drawing a walk against J.R. Richard. He stayed with the Phillies for the rest of the season, getting just three starts, in right field, and playing just 26 games, with five singles in 26 at-bats. The Phillies won their division but lost to the Dodgers in four games in the first round of the playoffs; Orlando got into the first game, pinch-hitting for Warren Brusstar and striking out against Bob Welch. He was voted a half share of the Phillies’ share of the World Series money, which amounted to $5732.51. He was not on the 40-man protected roster during the off-season.

Orlando spent the entire 1979 season back in Oklahoma City, playing outfield almost exclusively. He hit .313/.393/.440 in 480 at-bats, and broke out with six home runs. 

In June he took part in a milking contest between games of a doubleheader at Springfield, with players from both teams opposing a team of media members. And he got a mention in the July 21 Sporting News:

89ER PAIR ARRESTED

Oklahoma City players Dickie Noles and Orlando Gonzalez were among four men arrested June 27 following a disturbance at a restaurant. Noles, a pitcher, and Gonzalez, an outfielder, were booked on disorderly conduct charges. The men allegedly used loud and abusive language and made obscene gestures to waitresses as they dined.

In 1980 Orlando, now 28 years old, found himself back at Oklahoma City again. He got off to a great start, as mentioned in the following item from Sports Editor Bill Fluty’s column in the May 23 Evansville Courier and Press:

The story on the hitting streak of Oklahoma City’s Orlando Gonzalez (23 games, .429 average, more hits than anyone in baseball) reminded me of Evansville manager Jim Leyland’s remarks last September. They were made in a team meeting with the 1979 Triplets before they took on the 89ers in the American Association championship series. Leyland, Hoot Evers and another Detroit Tigers official had been drawing a bead on the Oklahoma City hitters over the final few weeks of the season in case the Triplets won the East race, which they did.

In the team session, it was easy to see Leyland had the 89er hitters well sized up, giving the rundown on each batter with such comments as “this guy can’t hit a curve; pitch this guy high; blow it by this one; shade this guy in the gaps.”

When he got down to Gonzalez, Leyland admitted he was baffled. “We’ve been watching this guy every day for three weeks,” he noted, “and he hits anything—high, low, fastball, curve, slider. And he hits it anywhere. Play him straight-away.”

Leyland looked at his pitchers. “Does anybody have any suggestions on how to pitch him?”

Dead silence greeted the question.

On June 14 he got a feature article in the Sporting News:

Gonzalez’ Numbers Don’t Count With Phils

By Pat Petree

OKLAHOMA CITY—Despite a showing that easily could produce his best season ever in Triple-A ball, outfielder Orlando Gonzalez faces an uncertain future.

Oklahoma City’s parent club, the Philadelphia Phillies, indicated that Gonzalez does not figure in current or future plans no matter how well he performs.

The former University of Miami star understands that the Phillies’ outfield of Greg Luzinski, Bake McBride and Garry Maddox would be hard to crack. But the rebuff still hurts.

“I put some big numbers up there in Oklahoma City last year,” he said. “I felt sure I would at least be put on the 40-man roster this spring if only as a reward for last year’s effort, but no one even considered that possibility. I think it’s a little unfair.”

…This year, Gonzalez’ numbers are even bigger because he is using his bat to vent his frustrations.

Through May 26, the 6-2, 185-pound Gonzalez had hit safely in 40 of the 89ers’ 43 games and was 28 games into a batting streak that had lifted his average from .316 to .430. And he was accomplishing his hitting miracle without apparent pressure.

“I feel good this year,” he said. “We’ve finally bought our home (in Miami). I was alone out here last year. But our first child is almost a year old and my wife and son are with me this year. That may not seem like much, but you get a lot of things on your mind and it can affect your performance. I’ve got a lot of those things that were bothering me resolved, and things are just going great.”

…Gonzalez is aware he is past his prime as a prospect. He’s 28 years old and has failed in two major league trials—batting .250 in 28 games for Cleveland in 1976 and .192 in 26 games for the Phillies in 1978.

But he is confident he has the ability and the time to fashion a strong major league career.

“I’m a competitor. I get discouraged, but I don’t quit trying and I feel what I’m doing now proves I can play in the majors,” he said.

His Oklahoma City manager, Jim Snyder, agreed.

“He’s exhibiting hitting like it should be done. He’s going to all fields, whatever it takes to get the hit, and he’s much better on defense and more aggressive on the base paths,” Snyder observed.

Has Gonzalez’ performance spurred any talks of a trade similar to the deal that sent infielder Jimmy Morrison from Oklahoma City to the Chicago White Sox last season after the Phillies concluded that the presence of Mike Schmidt at third and Manny Trillo at second blocked any future for Morrison in Philadelphia?

“Not that I’ve heard about, but I may be partly responsible for that,” Gonzalez said.

“Naturally, I want to play in the big leagues. The Phillies know that and I think they’ll help me get there if they can. But I told them that if all they could do was trade me to another team for more Triple-A ball somewhere else, I’d rather stay here.

“I like this team. We like Oklahoma City. As far as Triple-A ball goes, I’m very happy right here. Who knows? Maybe for now this is the best place to be.”

On July 23—at which time he was hitting .354/.428/.468 in 370 at-bats, with two homers—Orlando was traded to the Oakland Athletics for cash and a player to be named later. Billy Martin soon made him his designated hitter against right-handed pitchers, benching Mitchell Page, and Orlando made eight starts there followed by four at first base, in place of the injured Dave Revering, mostly batting sixth in the order. But at that point he was hitting .190 with no extra-base hits, and he went to the bench, where he stayed other than three more starts at first in mid-September. On September 1 the San Francisco Chronicle reported:

Martin, sensing that the team was letting down, surprised the players with a bed check (around 2 a.m.) Friday night. He found only one guilty party, Orlando Gonzalez, and fined him $100.

“I just want to let ‘em know the season isn’t over as far as I’m concerned,” Martin said.

Orlando wound up the Oakland part of his season hitting .243/.329/.243 in 70 at-bats.

Orlando went to spring training 1981 with the Athletics, but was released on March 2. I don’t know what he did next. In 1986 he was inducted into the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame. In 1989 he joined the Senior Professional Baseball Association, a league for players 35 and older (32 for catchers) that played in the fall and winter in Florida. In the 1989-90 season he played first base for the Gold Coast Suns, managed by Earl Weaver, and hit .331; his teammates included Stan Bahnsen, Joe Decker, Ed Figueroa, Ed Halicki, Grant Jackson, Mike Kekich, Luis Tiant, Paul Blair, Bert Campaneris, Paul Casanova, Cesar Cedeno, Glenn Gulliver, George Hendrick, Tom Shopay, Rennie Stennett, and Derrel Thomas. In 1990-91 he played for Daytona Beach, managed by Clete Boyer, and his teammates included Cedeno, Jose Cruz, Ross Grimsley, Garth Iorg, Pete LaCock, Tippy Martinez, Omar Moreno, Ken Reitz, and Ron Washington; however the league folded less than halfway through the season. That’s the last information I found about him.

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/G/Pgonzo101.htm

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/g/gonzaor01.shtml

Jeff Schattinger

 

Jeff Schattinger pitched in one game for the 1981 Kansas City Royals.

Jeffrey Charles Schattinger was born October 25, 1955, in Fresno, California. His father, Dick, played in the Pirates’ organization from 1947 to 1949. Jeff attended San Joaquin Memorial High School in Fresno, where he was an all-state first baseman and also lettered in football, graduating in 1973. After spending time at Fresno State and at Fresno City Junior College and not getting anywhere baseball-wise, he took a year off, then, as related in a 1981 Omaha World-Herald article:

A friend of USC coaching veteran Rod Dedeaux suggested Schattinger give the Trojans a try as a walk-on, so he did.

“I was trying to make the team as a first baseman,” the 25-year-old Schattinger said. “They noticed that I had a ball that moved so they said, ‘Look at the percentages. We’ll have one first baseman on this team and 10 pitchers. Where do you think your best chance is?’”

“So I became a pitcher.”

The 6-foot-5 right-hander enjoyed success, capping his collegiate career with a save in the championship game of the College World Series at Rosenblatt Stadium in 1978.

“That was a real big thrill,” Schattinger said. “I came in with the bases loaded against Arizona State and got Bob Horner (who a week later became the sensation of the Atlanta Braves) for the third out.”

Everything looked rosy for Schattinger at that point. He had been drafted by the California Angels.

“I was excited that the Angels had drafted me because they were so close to home.” Schattinger said.

“I was really feeling good about everything, having had a hand in a national championship and being drafted by the Angels all within a couple of days,” recalled Schattinger.

“Then my bubble really burst when I returned home to negotiate my first professional contract. I thought it was a degrading offer. They must have thought of me as a real low prospect.”

Jeff pitched briefly that summer for the Humboldt Crabs, an amateur team of college players, then joined the semi-pro Macy’s Diesels of Rapid City, South Dakota, who made it to the championship game of the National Baseball Congress tournament—Jeff was named the right-handed pitcher on the all-tournament team.

In January 1979 Jeff was drafted again, by the Royals, and he signed with them. In March he got married. He started the season with the Fort Myers Royals of the Class A Florida State League, where, though he was always seen as a reliever, he pitched more as a starter to get more innings of pro experience. He had a 3.33 ERA in 92 innings, with 56 strikeouts and 52 walks, before being moved up to the Jacksonville Suns of the Class AA Southern League. In 22 games there, all in relief, he had a 3.13 ERA and an 8-2 record in 46 innings, striking out 17 and walking 26.

In January 1980 Jeff filled out a questionnaire in which he mentioned that his nickname was “Schatt,” his ancestry was German-English, his home address was still in Fresno, he got a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from USC, and his hobbies were weight lifting, golf, and crafts. He spent the season with the Omaha Royals of the Class AAA American Association, making two emergency starts in August but otherwise spending all his time in the bullpen. He had a 3.89 ERA in 111 innings in 48 games, with 48 strikeouts and 53 walks.

In 1981 Jeff returned to Omaha, and he moved from middle relief to the closer’s role. He got off to a good start and there was speculation about him being called up to Kansas City, but that was the year that the major league players went on strike in early June. The minor leagues continued, and going into the game of June 20 Jeff had an ERA of 0.55. On July 30 the article I quoted from earlier appeared in the Omaha World-Herald, and it also included this passage:

Schattinger said he comes to the park every night expecting to pitch. In one stretch recently, his expectations were rewarded. In eight days he pitched in nine of the 11 Omaha games.

“I like a lot of work, but that may have been a little too much,” Schattinger said. “I was beginning to feel it.”

Schattinger has a 7-1 record, with 16 saves. His earned run average is 2.14, best on the team.

Under normal circumstances, he probably would have been promoted to the big leagues a long time ago with that kind of record. But the major league strike puts that out of his mind, he said.

“I just go out every day and do what I’m asked to do,” Schattinger said. “As for the big leagues, that’s up to someone else.”

Schattinger added a third delivery to his repertoire last year, a submarine pitch.

“That gives me a third pitch to go with the fast ball and slider,” he said. “I don’t throw it as hard as I do when I throw sidearm. In fact, sometimes it breaks better if I don’t try to throw it as hard.”

Schattinger considers himself a student of the game, but doesn’t keep a “book” on what every batter does against him.

“I remember what a guy hits off me without keeping a book,” he said. “What I try to do is mix up the pitches…keep the batters off balance.

“And there’s always that thing—throw strikes, but don’t give them anything they can hit. Sounds good, doesn’t it?”

The major leagues resumed on August 10, but Jeff didn’t get the call yet. On the 18^th he earned his 21^st save, breaking the Omaha team record held by Dan Quisenberry, and he finished with 23 in 59 games, with a 2.65 ERA in 78 innings, and improved his control, walking 33. He was named to the league all-star team; meanwhile the Royals won the west division with the best record in the league, but they lost in the playoffs to east division champs Evansville. After the series he was called up to Kansas City.

Jeff didn’t get into a game for the Royals until September 21, at home against Minnesota, when he was brought in at the beginning of the sixth, behind 7-2. The first batter he faced, Dave Engle, reached first on an error on George Brett, and Jeff hit two batters that inning, but he retired Kent Hrbek, Gary Gaetti, and Butch Wynegar and kept the Twins from scoring. He allowed a single and a walk in the seventh, but ended the inning on a double play, and the first batter in the eighth singled but Jeff got the next three outs. He was removed after that, pitching three scoreless innings despite six baserunners. He didn’t get into another game.

In 1982 Jeff went to spring training with the Royals, and on March 24 the UPI reported that he was in contention for a starting job; however, that same day he was traded to the White Sox for utility infielder Greg Pryor. Chicago GM Roland Hemond said “We’ve liked him at various times in the Instructional League, and at Jacksonville and Omaha.” However, on April 2 Jeff was optioned to the White Sox’ AAA team, the Edmonton Trappers of the Pacific Coast League. He did very poorly there, with an 8.36 ERA in 56 innings in 31 games, allowing 91 hits and 42 walks while striking out 20. In August he was demoted to the Glens Falls White Sox of the Class AA Eastern League, where he bounced back to a 2.63 ERA in 13 2/3 innings, with nine strikeouts and eight walks.

I didn’t find any information about what happened next to Jeff. I just know that at some point in the 1983 season he got into six games for the Mexico City Reds of the Mexican League, pitching a total of 3 2/3 innings and earning two saves. Then he popped up with the Birmingham Barons, Detroit’s AA affiliate in the Southern League, where he got into another six games at the end of the season, allowing just two hits in 7 1/3 innings but walking eight, with a 1.23 ERA. He then earned a save in the final game as Birmingham defeated Jacksonville in the league’s championship series.

In spring training 1984 Jeff was competing for a bullpen spot at Evansville, the Tigers’ AAA team; it was said that he was one of eight pitchers competing for three open jobs. He didn’t make it, though, and after that all I found about him were 2015, 2016, and 2018 references to his participating in Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association youth baseball clinics in Florida.

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/S/Pschaj101.htm

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/s/schatje01.shtml

Frank Keffer

 

Frank Keffer pitched in two games for the 1890 Syracuse Stars. Yes, the Syracuse Stars. Of the American Association. Which was a major league then.

Charles Franklin Keffer was born July 1, 1861, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, the eighth of nine children of Peter and Anna Keffer; his older siblings were born between 1842 and 1856. By the 1870 census most of the kids were out of the house—nine-year-old C. Franklin lived in Lancaster with Peter, 48, a house painter; Anna, 47; Katie, 17, a framing store clerk; and Edward, 3. Also in the household were 38-year-old Amanda Davish and one-year-old Grant Davish.

Peter died in 1874. In the 1880 census Anna (listed as Annie) is living at 612 S. 10^th Street in Philadelphia, with 24-year-old son Washington (I don’t know where he was living in 1870, when he was 14), a painter, and Frank, a 19-year-old cigarmaker.

In 1882 Frank, listed as Charles F., starts appearing in the Harrisburg city directory. He’s still a cigarmaker, living at 714 Elder with brothers John J., a clerk, and Washington B., also still a cigarmaker. 1883 is the same, then in 1884 the three are living at 228 Forster, now with Annie, an arrangement that continued in 1885.

Meanwhile, in addition to making cigars, Frank was playing baseball. On April 8, 1884, he was mentioned in a Harrisburg Patriot story about an intrasquad spring training game played by the Harrisburg Olympics of the new Eastern League; Frank played for the regulars. But stats in those days were spotty and I’m not sure whether he played for them during the regular season.

Meanwhile, in addition to making cigars and playing baseball, Frank was a volunteer fireman. In March 1885 he won a silk hat at the firemen’s fair. Later that month he and two friends got their ice boat “Phantom” up to about 45 miles per hour in the river. He got his first Sporting Life mention in their April 29 issue, when he was listed as one of the “Harrisburg amateurs who have made good records with local clubs” on the roster of “the new Harrisburg Independent club.” From the Harrisburg Patriot of July 8:

Manager Kreiter Assaulted.

J. Monroe Kreiter, manager of the Harrisburg base-ball club, has preferred a charge of assault and battery against one of the pitchers of the club, named Frank Keffer. It appears that Kreiter was sitting in the Base-ballers’ Retreat yesterday afternoon, when Keffer entered, it is said under the influence of liquor. Keffer said that Kreiter promised to pay him some money, Kreiter denied the assertion. This aggravated Keffer who hurled a chair at Kreiter and immediate [sic] clinched with Kreiter. When the latter pushed him away, saying that he did not wish to fuss, Keffer struck him in the face with his fist.

“Base-ballers’ Retreat”? Like a clubhouse? I didn’t find any follow-up to this, or anything further about Frank during 1885. In the 1886 city directory John has remained at 228 Forster while Frank, Annie, and Washington have moved to 230 Liberty. In January Frank was elected first assistant foreman of Harrisburg’s Friendship Fire Company No. 1. In April he signed a contract with the Lewiston Independents of the newly-formed Pennsylvania State Association, and he also pitched that season for the Altoona Mountain Cities of the same league. For the season he had a 7-11 record in 19 games, 12 of them with Lewiston; in 162 innings he allowed 144 runs but supposedly only 30 were earned, giving him a 1.67 ERA.

For 1887 Frank stayed in the Pennsylvania State Association, signing this time with the Wilkes-Barre Coal Barons (or, as it was often spelled back then, Wilkesbarre). On May 11 Sporting Life reported that he had been released, but he was soon back pitching for them. They released him again in July, even though he seems to have done well, by the standards of the time; he had a 10-5 record in 15 games, and in 128 innings he allowed 120 runs, just 32 of them earned, for a 2.25 ERA. That year he is also credited with pitching four games for Danville of the Central Pennsylvania League.

The May 23, 1888, issue of Sporting Life listed Frank on the roster of Ashland of the Central Pennsylvania League, but I found no other reference to him playing there, and in fact no mention of Frank for the rest of the year. This is from the March 29, 1889, Harrisburg Patriot:

A Lamp Exploded.

A lamp exploded in Mrs. Haller’s house on Walnut street, near Cowden, last night, and the Citizen fire company sounded an alarm. Before the company reached the place, however, Frank Keffer, George Hoverter, Eddie Sales and other well known ball players had the lamp in the back yard and extinguished the flames inside the house.

On April 17 the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Frank had signed with York of the Middle States League, but again that was the last mention of him I found for the year.

From the April 11, 1890, Patriot:

Frank Keffer, of this city, pitcher of last season’s York team, signed with the Syracuse, American Association, team last evening. He leaves with that club this morning for Lebanon, where he will pitch his first game. Keffer is one of the finest pitchers in the business, and Manager Frazier can congratulate himself in signing him.

Sporting Life reported on April 19, very similarly, that “Manager Frazier made no mistake in signing Keffer, as he is one of the best pitchers in the business, and when in condition will easily hold up his end in Association company.” He won the exhibition game against Lebanon, 13-1, and on April 19, the same day the issue of Sporting Life was dated, he made his major league debut against the Brooklyn Gladiators in Brooklyn. The Stars won 18-12, and Frank relieved starting pitcher Bill Sullivan; I couldn’t find a box score that included innings pitched, but since Frank had one at-bat and Sullivan had five, I figure Frank probably didn’t pitch more than two innings.

On May 3 Frank pitched his second and final major league game, again at Brooklyn. The May 10 Sporting Life had this to say:

A young pitcher named Keffer tried his hand for Syracuse and in seven innings was only hit for three singles. In the eighth, however, four singles and a double were made off him, which, with a base on balls and his fumble of a grounder, gave the Brooklyns the game.

Frank’s stats for the season show 16 innings pitched in two games, one a complete game start and the other a relief appearance, but I don’t know how that’s possible when his complete game was eight innings and his relief appearance seems to have been short. Also, he is credited with a win and a loss, but in his relief appearance the Stars went ahead to stay in the third inning. At any rate, I found no more mentions of Frank the rest of 1890, and no indication that he played any more organized baseball after that.

In January 1891 Frank, still a cigarmaker, was elected to the board of directors of Friendship Fire Company No. 1. In 1891 and 1892 he, Annie, and Washington still lived at 230 Liberty, but in the 1893 city directory they had moved to 308 Cumberland. On May 15 of that year he was hired as an umpire by the Pennsylvania State League, replacing an umpire who had been named manager of one of the teams. He didn’t last long though; the following item appeared in the “Sporting Comment of Interest to All” column in the Philadelphia Inquirer on June 11:

How is it that there is always more or less trouble with umpires in minor leagues? The Pennsylvania State League this year has been very successful, and the only drawback it has had has been the old chestnut of umpires. The League opened the season with Billy Sharsig and Ed. McGuigan, of this city; Frank P. Rinn, of Harrisburg, and Simon Hoffman, of Danville, on its staff. To-day Hoffman is the only one of the original quartette remaining. Sharsig made a good umpire, but he quit to manage the York Club. He was succeeded by Frank Keffer, of Harrisburg. The latter was an easy-going sort of fellow, apt to be swayed by home crowds. He resigned after ten days’ work, claiming that he could not give satisfaction because the managers bet on the games. Keffer was succeeded by David Corcroan, of Quincy, Ill., who came recommended as one of the best umpires in the West. He umpired three or four games at Altoona, when on Tuesday night last he was badly hurt in a quarrel over a game. The League secretary was never notified of Corcoran’s injury, and consequently there was no official umpire at Johnstown on Wednesday and Thursday last.

On January 19, 1894, the Altoona Mirror reported that “Frank Keffer, the base ball player, is in the Harrisburg hospital recovering from the effects of an encounter with a beer glass during a bar room row.” In that year’s city directory he, Annie, and Washington have moved to 222 Cumberland. In 1895 Frank, now listed as an express messenger, and Annie are at 1306 N 2^nd, while Washington is at 1308 Penn. In June of that year he pitched and batted second for Friendship in a game against another Harrisburg volunteer fire company. In 1896 Frank is listed as an expressman, and is living at 226 Verbeke, with Annie and Washington, who is now a painter. In 1897 Frank is a checkman for the Pennsylvania Railroad, and he and Annie are at their sixth address in six years, 244 North, while Washington, still a painter, is at 211 Reily. These living arrangements continued in 1898, and in December of that year Frank was elected second assistant foreman of Friendship Fire Company.

In 1899 Frank and Annie moved to 209 Reily, presumably the building next door to Washington’s. The Harrisburg Patriot reported on July 12:

Will Play Ball.

The information that Robert Gamble and Frank Keffer, checkmen at the Pennsylvania railroad station, will play on a recently organized baseball team has been received with much interest. About seven years ago Gamble was the most popular player in this city. He played in the state league games.

In January 1900 Frank was elected a director of the fire company. In 1901 he and Annie, who turned 40 and 82 that year, moved to 1333 Green; Frank was back to being a cigarmaker. In 1902 they moved to 1602 Penn. In July 1903 a Motorman Frank Keffer was involved in a head-on collision between two Harrisburg trolley cars; I don’t know whether that was him—I didn’t find any other references to his being a trolley car motorman, but the only other Frank Keffer in the Harrisburg city directories at that time was listed as a clerk and bookkeeper.

In 1904 brother Washington, still a painter, moved in with Frank and Annie at 1602 Penn. In August the Friendship Fire Company had its annual picnic, and Frank pitched for the single men in a game against the married men, who won 10-6 in five innings. In January 1906 he was elected first assistant fireman, and that year he and Washington moved to 1611 Logan seemingly without Annie; she did not appear in the city directory anymore, though she apparently lived until 1918. Also listed at 1611 Logan was Sarah E. Keffer, a saleslady; since Frank and Washington had an older sister by that name, I assume that’s her.

In 1907 Frank (still a cigarmaker), Washington (still a painter), and Sarah (now a telephone operator) moved to 1611 Logan. On October 11 the Harrisburg Patriot reported:

FIRE COMPANY DRIVER PAINFULLY INJURES LEG

When C. Frank Keffer, driver for the Friendship Fire Company, jumped aboard the apparatus on Tuesday to respond to an alarm, he struck his right leg against the step. It pained him a little at the time, and investigation showed that the skin had been scraped. He paid no more attention to it at the time.

On Wednesday the leg pained him considerably and by yesterday morning it caused him so much trouble that he went to the Harrisburg Hospital to have it treated. It was found there that the injury had been infected and might have given Mr. Keffer more trouble had it not been attended to when it was.

Frank does not appear in the 1908 and 1909 Harrisburg city directories; in those years Washington is living at 1210 Susquehanna. In January 1909 Frank was elected both first assistant foreman and second assistant fireman of Friendship Fire Company; in January 1910 he was elected foreman. In the 1910 city directory Frank, still a cigarmaker, has a home address of Friendship Engine House. That August the Patriot ran an article about the Friendship Company preparing for a visit in October from the Reading firemen, and Frank was on the committee making plans “for the visitors’ reception and entertainment.” On September 13 this appeared in the Patriot:

FOUR-YEAR-OLD STARTS FIRE

Poked Stick Into Grate and Then Into Coat on the Wall

Katharine Kennedy, the four-year-old daughter of School Director George W. Kennedy, 1046 South Cameron street, started all kinds of excitement at her home yesterday morning and incidentally had the fire department out.

Katherine [the spelling changed from one paragraph to the next] got awake a little earlier than usual, got a stick, poked it into the open grate of the stove when no one was watching and with the flaming torch set fire to a coat that was hanging on the wall.

In the course of time an alarm was sounded from Box 223, and the blaze was extinguished by chemicals. Frank Keffer was jolted from the Friendship apparatus while the team swung into Meadow Lane from Third street.

In January 1911 Frank was elected foreman and also a delegate to the firemen’s union. In September he was appointed an inspector of elections in the first precinct of the Third Ward. In June 1912 he was appointed Democratic registrar for the first precinct of the Third Ward. At the Friendship Fire Company’s January 1913 meeting he was elected third assistant engineer, a trustee, and a delegate to the firemen’s union, and the next month he was elected the fire company’s representative to the Executive Committee of the firemen’s union. In the city directory he was still listed as a cigarmaker and his home address was still the fire house.

In January 1914, now 52 years old, Frank was again elected to the Executive Committee and was also elected to the union’s investigating committee. He got a mention in a story in the February 28 Patriot about a police scandal:

AMAZING CHARGES MADE AGAINST GANG-FAVORED COP

Affidavits Speak of Vile Language, Drinking on Duty and Insulting Women

SHUMAN DEFIES MAYOR

Many Complaints Against the Deposed Bluecoat, Who Denies Them All

…C. Frank Keffer also in his affidavit swore to the same thing. He said Shuman alleged that he would “show them he would get back on the force.” Keffer also said Shuman took his cap off during a visit of some Reading fireman here and went into a saloon and got a drink. The affidavit that [sic] he also insulted a woman…

In March Frank was appointed to the hotel committee of the firemen’s union, who were making plans for a state volunteer firemen’s convention to be held in Harrisburg in October. But in May his name appeared in a list of signers of a letter from the Friendship Company explaining why they were withdrawing their delegates from the union and refusing to take part in the convention—as the oldest fire company in the city they would traditionally have been at the front of the parade, but the union had given that spot to the York County firemen.

From the Harrisburg Telegraph, November 26:

NEARLY ASPHYXIATED

C. Frank Keffer, a member of the Friendship Fire Company, narrowly escaped asphyxiation, Wednesday evening, when he was overcome by gas while in the bathroom of the engine house. Members in an adjoining room scented the gas. Keffer was found in the tub in an unconscious condition.

The Harrisburg Star-Independent reported the story the following day:

Fireman Overcome by Gas

C. Frank Keffer, who resides at the Friendship fire house, was overcome with illuminating gas while in the bathroom at the fire house Wednesday night. The gas had been accidentally allowed to flow. He responded to treatment at the Harrisburg hospital and he will not suffer any ill effects.

In January 1915 Frank was elected assistant secretary, third assistant engineer, and a trustee for Friendship Company. In 1916 he was elected second assistant engineer and retained the other two offices. A list in the February 17 of liquor license petitioners showed Frank as one of the “recommenders” for 15 of the Third Ward applicants. In March he was nominated as First Precinct, Third Ward representative to the city committee for the spring primary election. In May he was elected by the Dauphin County Democrats as a representative to the city and county committees, and in June he was appointed as the Democrat registrar for the first precinct of the Third Ward.

In January 1917 Frank retained all three of his positions at the fire company. That year he moved to 128 S 3^rd, still a cigarmaker, but in the 1918 directory he was listed twice: C. Frank Keffer, clerk, 128 S 3^rd, and Frank Keffer, officer Adams Express, Friendship Fire House. In February 1918 he was a recommender for 11 liquor license applications, in June he was re-elected to the county committee by the county Democrats, and in September he resigned as registrar.

In the 1919 city directory Frank retained his double listing: C. Frank Keffer, clerk, 128 S 3^rd, and Frank Keffer, fireman, Friendship Fire house. This repeated in 1920, but this time it was C. Frank, clerk, 408 Harris (painter brother Washington rejoining him, now with wife Catharine), and Frank, fireman, “Harris ab 4^th.” In 1921 he was only listed as C. Frank, clerk, at 408 Harris with Washington, Catharine, and Chas. R., clerk—Chas. R. probably being another brother, who came just after Washington and just before Frank in the family birth order.

In the 1922 directory Frank is still a clerk and still living with the other three, though now at 413 Harris. In January of that year, after a three-year absence from office, he was elected a delegate to the firemen’s union by Friendship Company. On April 17, 1923, age 61, Frank died in the county home after a two-week stay, of “influenza followed by tuberculosis of the throat.” His occupation was listed as fireman. He had never married.

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/K/Pkefff101.htm

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/k/keffefr01.shtml