Fred Lewis Joins The Salvation Army

The Philadelphia Sunday World says: Lewis, of the St. Louis Club, is now a member of the Salvation army, and he just looks too cute for anything in his little red cap with a gold band bearing the inscription: "Salvation Army," and his natty little blue bow on the lapel of his coat.  As he walks through the streets the ladies all exclaim: "Oh, how sweet Freddie looks since he has signed the pledge."  They chuck him under the chin, pat him on the back and encourage him in his good work.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 30, 1884


It's interesting to think of the Salvation Army as something other than the organization that stands outside my grocery store and begs for money during the holidays or the group that runs the thrift store.  In 1884, the Salvation Army had only been operating in the United States for four years and was, and still is, a Protestant church.  When Lewis joined them, the Salvation Army was, essentially, a missionary organization focused on ministering to the poor, offering soup, soap and salvation.



  

And regardless of how this video is titled, the song was recorded by Lone Justice.  Now Marie McKee, who is all kinds of awesome, was the lead singer but the song is by Lone Justice.  Just wanted to be clear about that.  And I might as well give you a little more Lone Justice, from way back when:






From an article about Fred Lewis joining the Salvation Army to Marie McKee singing about being wicked, all in one post.  Who else is going to give you that?

Fred Lewis Signs A Formidable Document; Crisis Averted

Fred Lewis was fortunate in not being proceeded against in the First District Police Court yesterday, and still more fortunate in being taken back by Von der Ahe to his old position.  But before he was reinstated he was brought before Justice P.J. Tauffe and there required to "swear off" literally, by signing a formidable document, by which he pledged himself to severely abstain from all fermented, vinous or alcoholic liquors during the remaining six months of his connection with the club under penalty of expulsion, etc., as provided in the constitution.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 10, 1884

And What Exactly Does Tucker & Dale Vs. Evil Have To Do With Fred Lewis?

President Von der Ahe bailed out Fred Lewis about 1 o'clock yesterday morning.  Lewis' failure to answer when his case was called was the result of a mistake as to time.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 9, 1884


And I guess that's a better excuse than "There we were minding our own business, just doing chores around the house, when kids started killing themselves all over my property."

I might as well give you the clip but, fair warning, it's kinda NSFW and a tad gruesome.  But it's funny.

In Custody

Fred Lewis did not appear yesterday to answer the charge against him in the Criminal Court, and, as a consequence, his bonds were declared forfeited and a capias was issued, on which he was arrested last night, and placed in the custody of the City Marshal.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 8, 1884

Fred Lewis, Fugitive From Justice

When last we left our hero, he was scheduled to appear in the First District Court on July 3 to faces charges stemming from a drunken escapade in a St. Louis house of ill repute.  We pick up the story from the St. Louis Globe-Democrat of July 4, 1884:

Fred Lewis, of the St. Louis Base Ball Club, and Hardy Henderson, of the Baltimore nine, charged with disturbing the peace, failed to appear and their bonds were forfeited.

To be continued...

In The First District Court

The case of Hardy Henderson, of the Baltimore Base Ball Club, and Fred Lewis, of the St. Louis Browns, charged with disturbing the peace at 602 Clark avenue, will be heard to-day, the defendants having given bond to appear.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 3, 1884

And Here's The Suspension

At a meeting of the Directors of the St. Louis Base Ball Club last evening Messrs. Von der Ahe, Walker, Williams and Reid were present.  It was decided to suspend Fred Lewis for the season of 1884, which disbars him from playing with any club under the tripartite agreement.  Jim O'Neill claims that he had no connection with the trouble on Tuesday night, and that the reports regarding him were unfounded.  Tom Deasley was also fined heavily for insubordination and enthusiasm.  Mr. Von der Ahe gave the other men a quiet sensible talk and desired them to do their best and work in harmony and keep up their present good record.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 3, 1884


This is so good that I'm going to have to go with the bullet points to cover it all quickly:

-Well, of course, Lewis gets suspended.  You can't get all drunk and tear up a whorehouse and not expect to get suspended.

-I imagine Tip O'Neill standing with his hands up and saying "It wasn't me."

-Was Tom Deasley involved in all of this or was his fine a separate incident.  And how does one get fined for "enthusiasm"?  Have to assume they meant a lack of enthusiasm, or a general piss-poor attitude.

-I laughed out loud when I read that VdA gave the players "a quiet sensible talk."  Compare this treatment of VdA with the coverage from the 1890s.  If this was being reported in 1895, we'd get a made up quote from VdA's speech.  Something along the lines of "Now boys youse canks goes to de horse's house und mistreats de horse.  Dats bad far de horse's bisniss und de baseball bissniss."  

Fred Lewis Gets In A Bit Of Trouble

Hardy Henderson, of the Baltimore Base Ball team, and Fred Lewis, of the St. Louis Browns, were arrested and placed in the holdover at the Four Courts at an early hour this morning, charged with creating a disturbance at a house of ill-repute, 602 Clark avenue.  They attempted to clean out the establishment and broke the furniture.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, July 2, 1884

This will not end well.

Take Us Up To The Fourth Floor And Cut The Rope

The great showing Long John Reilly is making at the bat now recalls to mind an incident which happened in St. Louis last year. The Cincinnatis had just been shut out 8 to 0, getting but four hits off Foutz. The club had been losing right along and the players had become very sore in consequence. When in the elevator at the hotel, Fred Lewis said to the boy: "Take us up to the fourth floor and cut the rope." Long John, who was sitting over in the corner, raised up and said: "Oh, that won't do any good; we would not hit anything anyhow."

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 8, 1887

If this is anything more than just a story, it most have taken place in 1886, which was the only year that Lewis and Reilly were teammates. Lewis played with the Browns in 1883 and 1884 and the Maroons in 1884 and 1885.