John Magner

John Magner played center field in one game for the 1879 Cincinnati Reds.

John T. Magner was supposedly born in Missouri in 1855, but this may be confusing him with John F. Magner, a college instructor turned newspaperman who died in 1907. I found nothing on baseball John until the St. Louis Globe-Democrat reported on September 9, 1875:

John Magner and Tom Loftus, of the Empires, have joined the St. Louis Red Stockings, to fill the positions formerly occupied by the seceders, McSorley and Ellick. They join the Reds in Cincinnati, and will strengthen the nine materially.

And two days later:

John Magner, of the Empires, and Martin Welsh, of the Stocks, both St. Louis boys, left on Thursday to join the Reds at Louisville. Owing to a painful felon [apparently a bacterial infection of the fingertip], Loftus did not go. Welsh is a tip top general player, and was formerly connected with the Elephants. Magner is first-class at the bat and in the field.

It seems as though the Reds/Red Stockings were an independent professional team. John’s name next pops up July 2, 1876, in the Globe-Democrat:

Some fair damsel presented Johnny Magner with a magnificent bouquet at New Castle, Pa., for his fine batting and base running in the Reds-Neshannock game.

Four days later the same newspaper reported that:

John T. Magner severed his connection with the St. Louis Red Stockings at Reading, Pennsylvania, having been released by Mr. McNeary. He did not participate in the 11-0 game at Philadelphia.

A March 4, 1877, Globe-Democrat story on ballplayers gathering in St. Louis after the winter included among them “Johnny Magner, who will make some brilliant catches in left field at Columbus, O., this season, and put on more airs than a peacock.” At some point during the season he moved from Columbus (the Columbus Buckeyes, of the International Association) to the London, Ontario, Tecumseh club of the same league; London won the pennant.

A later story said that John played for Davenport of the Northwestern League in 1878, though I didn’t find any contemporary evidence of that. The next I found of him was July 15, 1879, when he showed up in the box score for the previous day’s Boston at Cincinnati game, his only major league appearance. He batted second and played center field for the Reds, and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout, and a putout and an error in the field. His teammates included Deacon White, King Kelly, Cal McVey, and pitcher Will White; the opposing pitcher was Curry Foley, and others in the Boston lineup included Charley Jones, Jack Burdock, John Morrill, and Ezra Sutton.

I found no information about how John happened to make his way to the Reds, or what happened to him after the one game. On March 6, 1880, the Cincinnati Daily Star reported:

John Magner, of last year’s Cincinnati Stars, is about town, waiting for something to turn up. Mag is a fine fielder and a heavy hitter and should be gobbled up by some enterprising club.

On April 19 the same paper reported that John had umpired a game between the Buckeyes and Americus. On July 11 it was reported that he had been released by Rochester of the National Association (not the same National Association mentioned earlier) and had returned to Cincinnati; he played in two games in the outfield for Rochester and went 0-for-7. By July 17 he was back in St. Louis, where he umpired a game between the St. Louis Brown Stockings (a semi-pro team two years away from becoming a major league team in the American Association) and S.C. Davis and Company; then through September he was back with the St. Louis Reds/Red Stockings. On December 23 the Globe-Democrat reported that “John Magner, the well-known ball tosser, who is quite expert with the cue” would be playing a pool match that evening at Lupe’s billiard-room.

I found no trace of John during 1881, though later reports said that he had played for the semi-pro Brown Stockings that year. On February 28, 1882, the Globe-Democrat reported:

The new Standard Base Ball Club held a meeting yesterday afternoon in the rooms of the Standard Social Club. At the first meeting a uniform of gray flannel, with red stockings, was adopted. Yesterday by a vote of those present it was decided that the uniform should be of white cricket flannel, with blue stockings, caps, belts and neckties. When uniformed the team will present the handsomest appearance of any that has taken the field here in years…The playing nine was named in this way: [John was named as one of the substitutes].

From the same newspaper, the same day:

John J. [sic] Magner, the well-known ball player, challenges any man in St. Louis to play him a match of pyramid pool, best eleven out of twenty-one games, for from $50 to $100 a side. He would rather hear from Little Henry or Pluck than any other players that he knows of.

John played for the Standards in 1882; on August 8 he debuted as a major league umpire, filling in for a no-show ump in a game between Cincinnati and St. Louis in the brand-new American Association. The August 13 Globe-Democrat reported that:

John T. Magner, known the world over in base ball circles, and Henry Leist (Little Henry) have arranged to play a match game at pyramid pool for $50 a side. Little Henry is the champion pool player of St. Louis, and John T. has always been looked on as the next best expert in that line.

I don’t know what John had done to make him known the world over in base ball circles. The next day the Globe-Democrat mentioned him in their coverage of the Brown Stockings’ game:

John T. Magner wore a sunflower at yesterday’s game. Asked what he thought of the Browns’ play, he frowned and said, “Hams, my boy! Hams, all of them!”

On September 12 the Globe-Democrat reported that “John T. Magner accompanied the Standards to Louisville and played with all his old-time skill.” Which seems like an odd thing to say about a 27-year-old, making the 1855 birth year seem suspect. Also during September he did some umpiring of semi-pro games. On October 5 he played outfield for the Louisville Eclipse of the American Association in a post-season exhibition game against the Brown Stockings. On November 22 the Globe-Democrat said that “John T. Magner is wanted by the Peoria Club for next year.”

In 1883 John applied for a job as an American Association umpire, and at the league meetings in March he was named a substitute. On March 27 the Globe-Democrat reported that “John T. Magner has sent his measure to Secretary Williams, and in a few days will blossom forth in his new uniform, brass buttons, peaked cap, sunflower and all.”

During April John umpired St. Louis Browns’ exhibition games. He umpired some regular season AA games in May and June; on June 22 the Columbus Evening Dispatch reported:

The Baltimore club has been censuring Magner, the umpire, for decisions in the Louisville games, and have asked for his removal.

On June 28 John umpired the Baltimore at Columbus game; the Philadelphia Times reported that “his decisions were very unsatisfactory in several instances,” and after the game he resigned. On August 7 the Globe-Democrat reported:

Among those out practicing at the Grand Avenue Park yesterday afternoon was John J. [sic] Magner. Not long ago John was as graceful and useful a player as graced the profession. Yesterday he played as prettily as ever, but he was heavily handicapped by the weight he carried. John intends going into training, and from this time forward will be a regular member of the Grand Avenues. John’s friends are legion and they will be pleased to see him back in the old place.

On August 20 the Fulton County Tribune of Wauseon, Ohio, reported that “John J. [sic] Magner, late American Association umpire, has received the appointment of letter-carrier from the St. Louis postmaster.” On March 5, 1884, Sporting Life reported:

John T. Magner, ex-umpire of the American Association, is now a post office employee in St. Louis. His short term of service as umpire so disgusted him that he resigned in a few weeks. He now stands ready to give would-be professional umpires a friendly tip at any time and without charge.

John did continue to umpire amateur and semi-pro games around St. Louis in 1884, and on July 4 he actually filled in to work an American Association game between the New York Metropolitans and the Browns when the assigned umpire was unable to make it.

On August 5, 1885, Sporting Life mentioned him as being one of “the ex-professionals now living in St. Louis.” On October 16 the Globe-Democrat reported that he had been nominated as an officer for the Athletic Parade and Flambeau Association of St. Louis at a meeting at Elks’ Hall:

The report provides that the organization be styled the St. Louis Athletic Parade Association, and all persons connected with gymnasiums or turner societies, rowing, bowling, gun, foot ball or base ball clubs, or of any other athletic organizations whatsoever, to be entitled to membership…Active members of the Flambeau Battalion must be over 21 years old and 5 feet 1 inch or over in height.

Apparently turner societies were gymnastics clubs that promoted physical fitness and German culture.

In 1886 John organized a benefit baseball game. From the May 10 Sporting News:

SULLIVAN’S BENEFIT

A Splendid Crowd and a Day of Royal Fun.

The Veterans Crushed by Their Youthful and Lively Opponents

The benefit game for Tom Sulllivan was played at the Union Grounds last Sunday afternoon, and there was an immense crowd in attendance. It was the biggest success, in the way of a benefit, scored in this country, and great credit is due for the able manner in which John T. Magner managed the affair…The game between the Vets, and the Peach Pies brought to the memory of the oldest inhabitant the days when base ball in St. Louis was in its infancy. In the veteran team appeared Joe Chambers, who did the pitching for the Empires twenty years ago…At short field was John T. Magner, looking like Falstaff, with “good round belly,” not as reliable though as when the great fielder of the St. Louis Reds of ’76 and the Browns of ’81.

Mr. Magner alone sold $300 worth of tickets. The gate receipts were $560. Lew Simmons, of the Athletic Club, sent $39, the contribution of himself and players. Harry Wright sent $20. The Detroits also purchased a lot of tickets. Mr. Magner desires to return thanks to Jack Sheehan, the Cullinane boys, Danny Lyons and all others who assisted him in making the benefit a success. Over $900 was realized in all, which will set Tom up in business.

July 26 Sporting News:

John T. Magner, the old professional ball player, was out guying the “press gang” last Sunday. They had often guyed John, and he made the best of his opportunity to get back at them.

December 4 Sporting News:

Around the post office no one is better loved than round and plump John T. Magner. They say that when the postmaster goes home at night the boys who remain on deck amuse themselves singing:

A great many say that Sullivan’s a daisy,

But we think that John T. can knock ‘em all crazy.

     That’s a matter of taste.

McCaffery likes a glass of wine—

     That’s a matter of taste.

Bill Ray likes beer; he says it is fine.

     That’s a matter of taste.

Billy Flynn likes ale and old Dublin stout—

     That’s a matter of taste.

But John T. wants lager and good sauer kraut—

     That’s a matter of taste.

 

In February 1887 John resigned from the post office. Sporting Life reported on March 16:

John T. Magner, the old-time ball player, has decided not to go South, but will remain in St. Louis awhile longer. I think that John is after an umpireship in one of the minor leagues. I hope you’ll get there, John.

In April John was again named a substitute umpire by the American Association; I came across one game that he officiated, Metropolitans at Browns on May 25.

On January 4, 1888, the St. Louis correspondent to the Sporting News wrote:

Now I am going to surprise you, Mr. Editor. Old-time John T. Magner will re-enter the arena next season. He has reduced himself from 218 pounds to 172, and he claims that he can outrun Latham. John has received an offer from a Southern League club and he will probably accept it. His many friends wish him success.

Same source, March 7:

Grandpa Magner left for the South a few days ago. The old man is in the pink of condition and he will make some of the colts hustle the coming season. The Dallas Club could do worse than to make Magner captain of the team. His twenty-five years’ experience [more evidence that he was not born in 1855] on the diamond would be of great value to his club.

On March 28 Dallas released John. On April 15 and 17 he umpired two Texas League games, Fort Worth at Austin and Dallas at Austin, but that’s the last I found of him during 1888. In 1889 he returned to Texas, unless he had stayed there; from the January 23, 1889, Fort Worth Daily Gazette:

BALL BALL.

What Mr. McCloskey Has to Say About a Texas League.

J.J. McCloskey of Houston, in company with several other base ball men, were in Fort Worth yesterday, with the object of stimulating the people here in the direction of forming a club to go into the Texas league [they had been in the Texas league the year before]. Among those with McCloskey was John T. Magner, at one time left fielder for the St. Louis Browns, who has a national reputation as one of the most proficient exponents of the national game in the world. McCloskey’s idea now is to have Magner stay in Fort Worth to work up a club here and to manage it when organized, the funds to be raised as in Houston, Waco and Galveston, by subscription, donation and sale of season tickets…

Same newspaper, January 26:

A BALL CLUB.

A Meeting to be Held To-Night to Discuss the Matter.

It has about reached a point where, in the minds of those prominently interested, it is necessary for active steps to be taken to organize a base ball club in Fort Worth, if it is sought to secure a club that will be capable of holding up the North Texas end of the state league. With this end in view a meeting of citizens has been called to be helded [sic] at the Ellis house this evening at 9 o’clock. There have been several methods of organization suggested, but that which has received most encouragement appears to be to secure the services of John T. Magner, who is now in the city, to manage the club, he to set about, in conjunction with a local committee, securing the necessary funds, and to at once start north to secure players before the choice men have been picked up by competing organizations. Magner is well known in base ball circles in the North as one who has had and still possesses great ability in the profession, with a wide acquaintance among players, and as he has been strongly recommended for this position by McCloskey, who has the interests of the game in Texas as much to heart as the success of the individual club of which he is manager. It is probable a better man for the position could not really be found…

As it turned out, the people with money in Fort Worth lined up behind someone other than John, so he moved on to Austin. The Fort Worth Gazette reported on February 7:

John T. Magner, the base ball man, who has been unsuccessful in Fort Worth in organizing a club, has decided to go to Austin to work up the game. Magner is admitted in Fort Worth to be capable of taking hold of any club, and he would have secured an engagement in the capacity of manager for Fort Worth if he had come before arrangements had been made with another man, so it is likely he will have no trouble catching on in Austin.

But no, Austin got along without him as well, so it was on to San Antonio. From the San Antonio Light, February 23:

Base Ball.

Mr. John T. Magner, an old ball player New Orleans [sic], is in the city for the purpose of interesting our citizens in putting forth a good ball team in the Texas league this season. Mr. Magner wishes to have a meeting of citizens at some place next Monday night, to be designated by them, when committees can be appointed to solicit subscription and make other arrangement, and a treasurer can be appointed. A subscription amounting to $1,000 will be enough to begin working with and will be needed to sign players with. After this, the sale of season tickets and the gate receipts will support the club. There are now, including Mr. Magner, seven well known players in this city. San Antonio’s mistake last season was that she did not get into the field soon enough after players and signed hers after all the best players had been secured by the other clubs.

Things didn’t go well for John in San Antonio either; on March 19 the Light reported on the city council proceedings, including: “Petition from John T. Magner to fence in a portion of San Pedro park as a base ball ground, not granted.” San Antonio did not field a team in the Texas League that year. But on March 26 it was announced that John had been hired to manage Austin. A March 31 Dallas Morning News report on the Austin team included:

John T. Magner, manager of the team, is of St. Louis. He played with the St. Louis browns, center field; aged 33 [unlikely], weight 174, height 5 feet 7 ½ inches.

A similar feature in the April 11 Austin Weekly Statesman had more detail:

JOHN T. MAGNER

Manager and center field, commenced playing ball with the amateur clubs of St. Louis, his first professional engagement being with the famous Red Stocking club of that city in 1875-76; in 1877 he was with the noted Tecumseh club of London, Canada, that won the international championship; with Davenport, Northwestern League champions in 1878; the Cincinnati Stars in 1879; Rochester in 1879, and was with the famous St. Louis Browns as centerfield from 1879 to 1882. After which, he retired from the diamond, entering it again last year with the Dallas team, but never played a game, owing to the great number of men signed.

By this point the season had begun; four days later the Senators had an 0-7 record and John was released. On June 26 the St. Louis report in Sporting Life included a quote from John:

M’Nab, of the Texas League, is said to be one of the speediest pitchers in the country. John T. Magner, who played in the Texas League for a short time this season, has this to say of McNab:--“I wish some  of the League or Association magnates could see him pitch. He’s a wonder, and no mistake. You remember the jumping ball that the boys used to say Bob Caruthers delivered? Well, this McNab has the same jumping ball, and a man can’t hit it with a cellar door. And speed! Well, if Mac hasn’t speed, then I’m a fool. He’s as fast as King, if not faster, and he has perfect control of the ball. There’s two or three good twirlers in the Texas League, and it’s a wonder to me that some of the managers of the major league clubs don’t go down there and scoop them in; and their releases would not cost a fortune.”

On July 6 the Globe-Democrat named John as one of the riders in a special railroad car that took “sporting men” to the Sullivan-Kilrain prize fight. Soon after he was hired as an umpire by the Central Interstate League. He was not well-regarded in Evansville, Indiana; from the Evansville Courier, July 11:

The home team did most excellent work, and it is only truth to say that the game rightfully belonged to it, and only for misjudgment on the part of Umpire Magner, the score would have been just the reverse of what the score books show. Some of the decisions were entirely wrong but were doubtless made honestly, but that does not compensate for the result, as these, and these alone, gave the game to Springfield. Mr. Magner, according to the verdict of the audience as well as the players, displayed anything else but evidence of being a satisfactory man in his position, and it is said with some show of reason that much of the condemnation heaped upon Dundon for Tuesday’s game, should have been meted out to Umpire Magner, for his rank decisions on balls and strikes. It is evident that he desires to be honest, but it is also evident that he is deficient in judgment in this particular. He was also surely wrong in at least two base decisions in yesterday’s game.

After the next day's game they weren’t giving him the benefit of the doubt:

…In the fourth inning it was plain to everybody that the Evansvilles would win the game, but this proved a snare and delusion as in this inning Umpire Magner came to the assistance of the visitors, and more open, notorious and shameless dishonesty was never indulged in by an umpire. This conduct was so bare-faced as to preclude the possibility of the audience excusing him on the ground of incompetency, or even imbecility. His calling of balls on McGill was so palpably unfair that the audience became disgusted and before the seventh inning was completed anger had taken the place of contempt and the crowd soon became almost wild with indignation and calls were made to have the “miserable loafer” put out of the grounds.

Bittman, captain of the locals, in the most courteous way possible protested against the actions of Magner, but to no purpose, and the robbery continued to the end of the game. In the eighth inning Magner, feeling that he merited rough handling, called upon Chief Newitt for protection, his conscience, if he possesses any, convincing him that the spectators would be justified in throwing him over the fence. How Secretary Pritchard could be led to employ such a character as Magner as umpire is one of the curious things in base ball. He must have known something of his previous history, the unsavory reputation he bears wherever he is known, particularly at Dallas, Texas, and Vicksburg, Miss. To inflict such a fellow on the patrons of the National game is inexcusable in the face of such a name as he has established for  himself, and which, by such conduct as that of yesterday, he seems to take a pride in maintaining.

The truth of the quotation, “The wicked flee when no man pursueth,” was fully established in the case of Magner yesterday, when he asked to be escorted to his hotel after the game by a squad of police, saying he feared the wrath of the spectators. Notwithstanding there was no necessity for such a request, Chief Newitt granted it, and the fellow was escorted to town by a squad of seven members of the force.

At his hotel last night Magner declared his intention to umpire the game to-day if he died in the attempt, and he will probably put in an appearance this afternoon as a walking arsenal. Mr. Magner will not be molested, but with him as umpire the Evansville club will be again defeated if Magner can bring it about…

It was common talk yesterday and last night that some of the wicked boys who bet on base ball had been given “tips,” and it is an open secret that they have taken all bets offered on the Evansville club, and have in many instances given odds of fifteen to twenty on the last three games against the locals. Who these “tips” were given by is only conjectured, but there was certainly sufficient reason developed yesterday for a strong surmise.

I’m very curious about John’s alleged unsavory reputation, given how highly he was spoken of in earlier articles. Sporting Life, in its Central Interstate News column in its July 14 issue, had a different take on the aftermath of the game:

John T. Magner needed seven policemen to escort him from the Evansville grounds to  his hotel. He was followed by a jeering crowd that would have broken him in two had they been able to reach him.

John did not in fact umpire the following game, the Courier observing:

Magner, the great Central Inter-State “What-is-it,” was still in the city yesterday evening. He should be given hours to leave town.

From the Courier of July 18:

It was common talk on the streets yesterday that the alleged umpire, Magner, was paid a stated price to defeat the Evansville club in the two last series played on the home grounds. The names of three prominent young men are used in connection with this disreputable business, and the story as told is very damaging to them. THE COURIER has their names.

A year later the Courier had not forgotten John. On May 18, 1890, it compared a “dishonest and contemptible” umpire to “a fellow named Magner who acted as umpire last season,” and on July 13 it said:

John T. Magner, who so completely disgraced himself in this city last year while attempting to fill the position of umpire, has got up a petition in St. Louis, asking to be appointed to the position of umpire in the American Association. A peculiar feature in the case is that an alleged sporting paper of St. Louis [presumably the Sporting News] whose proprietor and manager was instrumental in foisting Magner on the Interstate League, is now the fellow’s champion. If the Association has any regard for itself or patrons it will let Magner severely alone.

Meanwhile, in the winter of 89-90 John was again playing pool in St. Louis. He did not get the AA job. The St. Louis report in the April 19, 1890, Sporting Life included:

A game was advertised for last Sunday at Brotherhood Park in which McGinnis, Baker, Johnny Peters, Magner, Cunningham and several other old-timers were to take part in [sic], but most of those announced to play were either at home with their head on a pillow taking a “snooze” or witnessing the game at Sportsman’s Park. Quite a crowd gathered to see the contest, but the people were disappointed.

John played a lot of pool in 1891-92. On July 17, 1892, the Globe-Democrat reported that “John T. Magner, the pool-player, will be tendered a benefit at Social Turner Hall, Thirteenth and Monroe streets this evening.” I didn’t find any more about the benefit, or why he needed one. The Post-Dispatch reported on April 14, 1895, that:

The St. Louis Browns will play the Fairs at Sportsman’s Park Wednesday, April 17, for the benefit of John T. Magner. The Fairs will have their famous battery, Talbot and Quinn. Game called at 3 o’clock, sharp.

There is then a big gap in the information about John, until January 17, 1910, when Billy Murphy, in his “Timely Sport Comment” column in the St. Louis Star and Times, wrote:

Undoubtedly there are lots of people who believe that Ty Cobb is one of the fastest runners that ever engaged in a game of baseball…

Now, as we’re handicapping this column, we’re going to put you wise to the fact that the fastest man who ever played baseball lives in this city.

‘Tis John Magner, who played with the Browns in the early 80s. Magner was not speedy—he was lightning.

A man as fast as this old chap, never put on a baseball shoe.

Remember that name, boys, when you are discussing the fastest men in baseball.

And pronounce that name Magner—with the accent on the Z.

Almost five years later, on January 9, 1915, an unnamed individual wrote in the Star and Times:

We have no idea of the identity of the person who deposited a box of cigars in our desk but after smoking one of the perfectos we strongly suspect that John T. Magner had something to do with it and we humbly request that John return the penknife he borrowed at the time.

And that’s it as far as information on John. I found nothing about him after this, and no obituary. It is not known when he died.

https://www.retrosheet.org/boxesetc/M/Pmagnj102.htm

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/magnejo01.shtml