The 1869 Convention Of The Missouri State Base Ball Association

The delegates to the Annual Convention of Base Ball Players of the State of Missouri met at St. Louis on Nov. 5th.  Owing to the inclemency of the weather a great many clubs belonging to the association were not represented.  The meeting was very harmonious and considerable business was transacted.  The following gentlemen were elected officers and delegates to the National Convention for the ensuing year: - President, Joseph Ketterer, of the Lone Star Club; 1st Vice-President, James Foster, of the St. Louis Club; 2nd Vice-President, David Murphy, of the Washington Club; Recording Secretary, Wm. Medart, of the Turner Club; Corresponding Secretary, George D. Barklage, of the Empire Club; Treasurer, C.H. Overbeck, of the Lone Star Club; Delegates to the National Convention, Col. David Murphy, of the Washington Club, Washington, Mo., and Joseph Ketterer, of the Lone Star Club, of St. Louis.

-Mears Baseball Scrapbook, Volume 4, 1856-1907

Empire Club Officers For 1861

At a regular meeting of Empire Base Ball club, held April 2d, the following officers were elected for the ensuring year:

President, Lewis P. Fuller; Vice President, Peter Naylor; Secretary, John W. Wiliams; Treasurer, Herman Barklage; Captains, James Yule and John Connell; Directors, Daniel Coyle, Joel Utley and John Reynolds.

-Missouri Republican, April 4, 1861


Is it odd for me to think that it's cool to find the results of the Empire Club's election of officers from 1861?  Okay, it might be but, come on, the Civil War hadn't even started when this took place.  It's cool and I don't care what you say. 

The Dancing Was Kept Up Till A Late Hour

The sixteenth annual ball of the Empire Base Ball Club came off at Masonic Hall last night, and proved to be an entire success in every particular.  It was, without doubt, the best ball ever given by the club, both in attendance and in the agreeable manner in which it passed off, and, of course, was highly enjoyed by all present. 

The balls hitherto given by the Empire lads have been the events of the season in which they occurred, and have always been longingly looked forward to by those who have participated in the festivities of the one preceding.  The fact is, the balls given by the club are very much like a family reunion, as all are well acquainted.  It was noticed that a good many who attended the first ball given by the club sixteen years ago were on hand last evening.  The officers of the club are as follows:  President, H. Clay Sexton; Vice-President, Edward C. Donnelly; Secretary, Charles H. Stevens; Treasurer, H.G.D. Barklage.  The music was furnished by Postlewaite's Quadrille Band, and was all that could be desired, and seldom a party ever sat down to a more elegant supper than that furnished by Mr. Louis Heinrich, of Franklin avenue.  The carriages were from the popular livery stable of Cullen & Kelly. 

The managers have every reason to feel proud over the "reunion," and the guests owe thanks to them for the pleasure afforded them last night.  The dancing was kept up till a late hour.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, January 26, 1876


I love the traditions of the Empire Club, especially the anniversary game and the annual ball.  They were unique in St. Louis baseball history in that they lasted for almost a generation.  During the St. Louis pioneer baseball era, clubs came and went but the Empires endured until the end.  And what makes this particular ball almost bittersweet is that this was end for the great club.

The 1875 season was one of the great demarcations in St. Louis baseball history, marking the end of the pioneer era and the beginning of the professional era.  By the end of the 1875 season, it was obvious to see that the Empire Clubs' fifteen year run as the best baseball team in St. Louis had come to an end.  Not only that but the entire baseball universe had shifted to the point that the old, "amateur," social clubs like the Empires were an endangered species.  They would never dominate the culture of the game as they had prior to 1869 or 1870, as the focus of the game shifted to the national competition between professional clubs.  It was a brave new world and, although they soldiered on for a few more years, the Empire Base Ball Club was never going to be a part of it.       

We Are Rejoiced

Champions Of The West

Empires of St. Louis Victorious

We are rejoiced to announce that the Empire Base Ball Club, of our city, have won the silver ball, at Dubuque, and are now the champions of the West. We are permitted to copy the following private dispatch, received yesterday afternoon, announcing the fact:

Dubuque, September 29, 1865

W.H. Barklage: Empire Base Ball Club, of St. Louis, won. Ball score twelve to five.

W.P. Thorne

-St. Louis Daily Press, September 30, 1860

Love the telegram. The W.H. Barklage, I'm guessing, has to be Herman Barklage, an original member and long-time treasurer of the club.

A Notice Of H.G.D. Barklage's Death

Herman G.D. Barklage, who had been the Treasurer of the old Empire Club for the past fourteen years, and who in years gone by guarded first base for that organization, died yesterday of consumption. His death has caused sincere grief among the fraternity. All members of the Empre Club are requested to attend a special meeting to be held this evening at Squire Walton's office, 407 Morgan street, at 7:30, to take suitable action in regard to the sad occurrence. The meeting is called by Clay Sexton.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, March 3, 1878


Barklage was one of the original members of the Empire Club and, as stated in the article, a long-time officer of the club. While it's obvious, based on this information, that the club was still in existence, there is nothing here that proves the club fielded a nine in 1878.