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