Solving The Mystery Of The Empire Juniors

A game of base ball, the first of a series of three for the championship, will come off at the Base Ball Park, to-day, commencing at 2 o'clock, and will be played by the Empires and Eckfords.  The latter club was formerly the Empire, Jr.  Since its organization it has made rapid progress, and will undoubtedly give the champions a lively opposition.

-Missouri Republican, September 12, 1869


The other day I noted that the Empire, Jr., had changed their name early in the 1869 season and the article I quoted implied that they had simply changed their name to Empire.  I wasn't sure what to make of that and puzzled over it.  Here, however, we find all of the answers we were looking for.  The Empire, Jr., changed their name to the Eckfords, joined the Missouri Base Ball Association (as we saw in another post a couple of days ago) and competed against the Empires for the championship.  Problem solved. 

The 1869 Missouri State Base Ball Association

The adjourned meeting of the State Base Ball Convention occured last evening, in the hall of the Empire Club, on Third street, Capt. C. Overbeck, temporary Chairman.

On call of the Convention it was found that the following Clubs were represented:

Union, Empire, Lone Star, Resolute, Magnolia, Rowena, St. Louis, Iron State, Olympic, Eckford, Missouri, Baltic, Buck Eye, Atlantic, Haymakers, Turner.

The election of permanent officers resulted in choice of Asa W. Smith, of the Unions, President; James Foster, of St. Louis, 1st Vice President; Joseph Ketterer, of Lone Star, 2d Vice President; F.T. Caroll, of Resolute, 3d Vice President; Thos. McCorkle, of Union, Recording Secretary; G.D. Barklege, of Iron State, Corresponding Secretary; C. Overbeck, of Lone Star, Treasurer.

After which, a committee of five were appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws, who were instructed to report at the adjourned meeting on the 18th inst.

-Missouri Republican, June 11, 1869


To the best of my knowledge, the Missouri State Base Ball Association was founded in 1868 so this would have been the second election of officers.  While Asa Smith was reelected president of the association in 1869, it appears that all of the other officers were new.