Arthur Croft, who was well and favorably known to the older patrons of base ball throughout the country, died yesterday of pneumonia. As a first baseman he had few superiors, but it was a gentlemanly and genial member of the profession that he was most popular. He covered first base for the old Browns after Dehlman left them. In 1877 he was a member of the famous Indianapolis Club that won the National Association championship, and his fielding record for the year leads that of all the first baseman in the country. For a short time in the season of 1878 he was on the Troy nine. Returning home he joined Cuthbert's Co-operative Browns, which team he led in fielding, and was near the head of the batting record. In 1880 and 1881 he played with local semi-professional clubs. The first game played here in 1881 was between the Stanfords and the Browns, and the former, who had Croft on first, won the trophy. That was about the last game he played in. For some reason the diamond became distasteful to him and he could not be induced to return to it. After retiring from the ball field he entered the employ of the wholesale dry goods house of Rice, Stix & Co., and remained with them until the time of his death.
-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 17, 1884
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