Magnificent Batting And Beautiful Fielding, Part Two

The game of base ball yesterday afternoon between the "Red Stockings" and the Empires, attracted nearly as large a crowd as on the previous day, about 1,500 people being present.  The game was an exceedingly interesting one, and the spectators manifested their appreciation of the fine plays by loud cheers.  The "Red Stockings" did not play so well as in the game with the Unions, failing to bat so effectually, and in their fielding, Wright, Waterman and Sweasy did not display their usual excellent judgment and activity.  H. Wright and McVey are credited with muffs.  Allison behind the bat was not up to his standard allowing a number of balls to pass him; his hands, however, were badly bruised, which may account for the weak battling he displayed.

The Empires played excellently well.  They succeeded in batting Brainard often and safely, and ran their bases well.  Their fielding, barring a few muffs and wild throws, was certainly the finest exhibited by them this season.  Barron as short stop did splendidly in stopping balls, and throwing them to Welch on first base, who failed to catch but once, which muff was unfortunate as, had he held it, the Red Stockings would have been whitewashed, and their score considerably diminished.  Shocky caught finely in centre field, muffing but one ball, and Little took in a number of flies.  Heep had two or three opportunities for flies which he took advantage of, one a very difficult low ball, which he had to run and stoop for to secure.  Wirth stopped and caught very well.

We think it was the finest game of base ball that has been played here this season.

Mr. Harrison was chosen umpire.  The game was called at 3:15 o'clock, the Empires opening the game with

Empire - First Innings.

Wirth to the bat; knocked ball to Waterman, who overthrew to Gould, making his second.  Spaulding out on 3 strikes, Barron knocked a beauty to left, making his first and sending Wirth in.  Sent to second by safe bat of Oran's to right, who took a base.  Oran forced out on second by Sweasy and G. Wright, to whom Heep knocked ball.  Heep run to third on wild throw from G. Wright to Gould.  Barron came in.  Welch brought Heep in by hit to G. Wright, who threw it to Gould, who muffed it.  Fitzgibbons knocked easy to G. Wright, who threw it easy to Sweasy, but missed him, Fitzgibbons making his base and giving Welch third.  Welch brought in by easy knock of Shockey, who too base.  Little out on three strikes, leaving Shockey and Fitzgibbons on bases - 4 runs.

Red Stockings - First Innings.

G. Wright hit to Barron, who threw very high to Welch, who secured it, putting Wright out.  Gould went to second on high ball to right; brought home by strong hit of Waterman to left, on which he made ball, which Barron handsomely caught.  H. Wright knocked to Spaulding, who threw wildly to Oran, letting Waterman in, and H. Wright to third.  Leonard out on right, which Oran sent to first.  H. Wright left on base - 2 runs.  4 to 2.

Empire - Second Innings.

Wirth out on easy tip to Brainard, who put it to Gould.  Spaulding out on first by Waterman and Gould.  Barron out by fielding of G. Wright and Gould.

Red Stockings - Second Innings.

Brainard sent grounder to Wirth, who threw it in time to Welch.  Sweasy made 2d on safe ball to right.  McVey knocked to Spaulding, who threw short to Welch.  Sweasy going to 3d, G. Wright knocked centre, making base; Sweasy home and McVey 2d, both brought home on high safe hit to centre, on which he made 1st.  Waterman 2d on good ball to left, Gould going to 3d; Allison out by fielding of Barron and Welch.  Gould coming in, Waterman run in quickly on pass ball.  H. Wright made 1st on easy hit to Wirth; got home on bad throw of Oran's to 2d; Leonard out on high ball to centre, which Shockey nicely held.  Six runs - 8 to 4.

Empire - Third Innings.

Oran made 2d on very high hit to right, which McVey could not reach.  Heep went to 1st on easy ball to short stop.  Welch out on 3 strikes, Oran and Heep each taking a base.  Oran came in on pass ball, Heep going to 3d.  Fitzgibbons out on 3 strikes.  Shockey out on light ball to Wright, who put it to Gould.  One run.

Red Stockings - Third Innings.

Brainard gave base on 3 balls; 2d on pass ball.  Sweasy out on hit to Wirth, who put it to Welch, Brainard going to 3d; McVey out on a high fly, which was again held by Shockey.  Brainard came home.  G. Wright hit to right field and made 3d, brought in by Gould, who hit to centre, making 1st.  Waterman made second on strike to left.  Gould went to third.  Allison out on a very high hit to third, which was beautifully taken by Little.  Gould and Waterman left on bases.  2 runs - 10 to 5.  

Empire - Fourth Innings.

Little knocked high one to H. Wright, which he took in.  Worth made base on grounder which G. Wright did not stop; stole second.  Spaulding out on fly to G. Wright.  Barron out on fly to McVey.  Whitewash.

Red Stockings - Fourth Innings.

H. Wright out on first by easy tip to Fitzgibbons.  Leonard knocked safely to cente, making base; took second on pass ball.  Brainard put out by fielding of Barron and Welch.  Sweasy knocked to Barron, who failed to put in time to third, and by wild throwing afterwards by Leonard.  Sweasy came in.  McVey hit towards centre, made first.  G. Wright hit to short, made first, McVey making second.  Shockey again caught a very high ball knocked by Gould.  McVey and G. Wright left on bases.  2 runs - 12 to 5.  

Empires - Fifth Innings.

Oran out on high fly by G. Wright.  Heep knocked ground to second, making base; run quickly to second.  Welch out on fly to H. Wright.  Heep making to third; brought home by safe ball to centre by Fitzgibbons who made a base.  Shockey out on easy tap to Brainard.  1 run.

Red Stockings - 5th Innings.

Waterman made home run on a tremendous hit to left field.  Allison out on 1st by fielding of Barron and Welch.  H. Wright out on a splendidly caught fly by Heep.  Leonard out on a high ball which Shockey again handled finely - 1 run - 13 to 6.

Empire - 6th Innings.

Little was again put out on first by a ball to Sweasy.  Wirth out on foul fly to Allison.  Spaulding reached 3d on hard knock to H. Wright, which was muffed; came in on pass ball by Allison.  Barron took 1st on low hit to centre.  Oran struck to G. Wright, forcing Barron out on 2d - 1 run.

Red Stockings - 6th Innings.

Brainard hit safely to right, making 1st, brought home by tremendous bat of Sweasy, who made home run.  McVey struck safely, and made 1.  G. Wright sent grounder to right, and out trying to make 2d.  McVey went to 3d, sent in by low strike of Gould to centre, on which he made 1st.  Stole 2d, brought in by grounder to left by Waterman, on which he made 3d.  Allison out on air ball to Wirth.  Waterman in on pass ball.  H. Wright out by fielding of Barron and Welch - 5 runs - 18 to 7.

Empire - 7th Innings.

Oran knocked to Sweasy, who failed to send it in time to Gould.  Heep took base on called balls.  Oran to 2d.  Each took another base on pass ball by Allison.  Welch knocked swift grounder, making 1st, sending Oran home and Heep to 3d.  Fitzgibbons knocked safely to centre, bringing Heep in and Welch to 2d, both got bases on pass ball by Allison, but brought in by ground ball to left by Shockey who took base, run his 2d in quick time.  Little knocked air ball to McVey, who held it.  Shockey out trying to run 3d by Allison and Waterman.  Wirth hit an easy air ball to Gould - 4 runs.

Red Stockings - Seventh Innings.

Leonard out on 1st by fielding of Barron and Welch.  Brainard out on fly by Barron.  Sweasy got to 2d on high ball which was not reached; went to 3d on pass ball.  McVey struck to Barron, who threw it to Welch who muffed it.  Sweasy came in.  G. Wright brought McVey in by a high ball to left, which Little muffed.  Wright made 2d; came home on grounder to left by Gould who made base.  Waterman went to 3d on a strike to left bringing Gould in.  Waterman reached home on pass ball.  Allison made 1st on easy hit to 3d; got to 2d on pass ball; stole 3d; brought in by hit of H. Wright's to left on which he made 2d, brought home by a ground ball to centre by Leonard who went to 2d.  Brainard out on 1st by Barron and Welch.  Leonard left on base - 7 runs - 25 to 11.

Empire - Eighth Innings.

H. Wright pitch.  Waterman catch.  Allison 3d.  Brainard centre field.  Spaulding out on ball knocked in Gould's hands.  Barron out by Allison and Gould.  Oran out by same fielding - Whitewash. 

Red Stockings - Eighth Innings.

Sweasy made 3d on fair bat to right.  McVey knocked to Spaulding, who threw badly to Welch, passing him, giving Sweasy home, and McVey 2d; G. Wright hit to left, making base; McVey came in.  Wright stole 2d.  Gould made 1st on knock to Barron, who stopped it prettily; but threw to 2d without success.  G. Wright ran 3d, and by bad throwing, came home, Gould taking 2d; Waterman out on foul bound to Oran; Allison out on foul fly by Oran, H. Wright out by Barron and Welch, leaving Gould on base - 3 runs, 28 to 11.

Empire - Ninth Innings.

Heep out by G. Wright and Gould.  Welch made 1st on safe hit to centre; out on 2d trying to run it, by Allison and G. Wright.  Fitzgibbons made 1st on ball to G. Wright, which he threw wildly to Gould.  Shockey made good hit to centre, taking his 1st, and Fitzgibbons 3d came in on pass ball; Shockey going to 2d and then 3d, on wild throw of H. Wright to George to 2d.  Little made his 1st on ball which G. Wright failed to stop, bringing Shockey in.  Wirth knocked a hot one to centre, which passed Brainard, on which he reached 3d, Little coming home.  Spaulding out on 3 strikes by Waterman and Gould - 3 runs.

Red Stockings - Ninth Innings.

Leonard knocked a high one to Heep, which he handsomely caught.  Brainard knocked low one to left, going to 2d.  Sweasy out by Wirth and Welch; Brainard went to 3d; McVey sent liner to centre, which Shockey muffed, Brainard coming in, McVey taking 1.  Geo. Wright sent McVEy in by tremendous hit over Shockey's head, on which he made home run.  Gould struck to centre, reaching 2d; Waterman knocked a hot one to Little, which was caught - 3 runs.

 -Missouri Republican, September 17, 1869

This was a very good game by the Empires.  They stood toe to toe with one of the greatest teams in the history of baseball and didn't get destroyed (unlike the Unions the day before).  The Red Stockings were not particularly sharp and I don't know enough about the club to say whether or not they were having an off day.  It kind of seems like it to me but it doesn't really matter.  This was one of the tougher games Cincinnati had in 1869.  It was one of their poorer offensive showings (and the Empire defense had something to do with that, especially the fine play by John Shockey in center) and only ten clubs scored more than fourteen runs against the Red Stockings in 1869.  Other than the 15-14 game they played at home against the Forest Cities of Rockford, this was probably the toughest game they had against a Western club.  This was an honorable loss.  

Conduct Anything But Creditable

Empire vs. Union (of St. Louis). - A very exciting contest between these clubs took place June 18; and we regret to state that the match was marked by conduct anything but creditable to the followers of the Empire Club.  The games with the Athletics on the 12th and 13th of June were looked upon as testing the comparative strength of the two home-organizations and the result of those games led the partisans of both clubs to expect a close contest...

The trouble occurred on the occasion of the effort of Kennedy to play foul.  Murray popped up a ball, which Duncan settled himself to take; but just as the ball touched his hands, Kennedy, who had stolen his second, concluding to risk his third, ran with his full force into Duncan, causing him to drop the ball.  The umpire promptly decided "out"; but the partisans of the Empires, who had staked large sums on the result, raised a yell of disapproval, shouting "Not out; reverse that decision", and began to crowd inside the ropes, with threatening looks and other spiteful demonstrations.  For a few minutes great disorder prevailed; and it was with no little difficulty that the police succeeded in clearing the playground of the rabble.  The umpire being then appealed to by the Empire captain, promptly answered, "Out, for intentionally obstructing the fielder in catching the ball", when another hubbub arose.  Shockey, of the Empires, tossed his cap upon the ground, shouting that he would not play the game out, which (to say the least) unseemly demonstration was loudly cheered by the enraged crowd.  Mr. Jerry Fruin, however, advanced into the field, and with a few remarks appeased the tumult; and Mr. Worth, Captain of the Empires, promptly ordered his men to take their positions in the field.

We are glad to see one umpire manly enough to punish this mean style of play, which is only worthy of the lowest riffraff of the city.

-New York Sunday Mercury, June 28, 1868


E.H. Tobias wrote about this game in his series on the history of St. Louis baseball: "On June 18 the Union and Empire Clubs met in the first game of the season's contest for supremacy, the latter being the challenging club with the hope of regaining the championship.  Nearly 2,500 people witnessed the game, the interest in it being sustained by a close score throughout.  The issue of this game caused the Empire Club to appeal it to the State Association on the ground that the umpire in the eighth inning after having declared one of the Empire players "not out" reversed himself at the suggestion of the Union captain and decided him out and for a second reason cited fact that the umpire failed to sign the score.  This appeal was heard by the Judiciary Committee on the 9th of July and after hearing evidence took the case under advisement.  This committee was composed of E.S McKeon, of the Athletic Club, G.H. Denny, of Dirige, Jno. Halpin, Baltic, and C.P. Stener, Resolute.  Their decision, when given late in the season, sustained the action of the Empire Club and declared this game invalid, necessitating the game which was played Oct. 14 and which was won by the Union Club."

Two things should be pointed out.  First, these two clubs, by 1868, didn't like each other much.  The Unions had defeated the Empires for the championship in 1867, dethroning the Empires after a seven year run as the best club in St. Louis and Missouri.  Also, there was the whole silk stockings/blue collar thing going on, with the working class Empires not having much respect for the more well-to-do members of the Unions.  These two clubs fought each other for the championship over the entire second half of the 1860s and it was a rather heated rivalry.

The other interesting thing here is the role Jeremiah Fruin played in calming the situation.  Fruin, of course, had been the long-time captain and second baseman of the Empires and had recently retired from the game.  However, this incident shows the respect in which he was held by the Empire Club and the St. Louis baseball fraternity in general.  This is the second game that I know of where Fruin, through strength of personality and leadership, calmed an unsettled situation and stopped things from getting completely out of hand.

Lastly, I have to thank Richard Hershberger for sending this game account to me.  Richard always finds the best stuff.    

A Little More On Shockey

According to Hether Pearson-Pillman at Find A Grave, John Shockey was the son of Abraham Shockey and Mary Jane Sexton and was born in 1840 in Wheeling, West Virginia. While this is reasonable evidence supporting the idea that Shockey was Henry Clay Sexton's nephew, I've not been able to find anything that shows conclusively that Mary Jane and Henry Clay Sexton were siblings. The best I could find was census data stating that Mary Jane Shockey's parents, like Henry Clay's, were born in Virginia. I don't have any doubt that John Shockey was Henry Clay Sexton's nephew but I can't really prove it.

Also there are a few problems with the Find A Grave information. Shockey's father's name was Abram and not Abraham. His name appears as Abram in the census records, city directories, and on his Missouri death record. Ms. Pearson-Pillman also lists "Abraham" Shockey's occupation as fireman and states that he died in the line of duty. The problem with this is that Abram Shockey was a policeman rather than a fireman and in 1887, when he died, Abram Shockey was 75 years old and not likely running around putting out fires. The Wheeling, West Virginia place of birth for John Shockey also does not conform with the information that I have. According to census records, he was born in Pennsylvania. However, it's possible that he was born in Wheeling and that the census records are wrong.

And for the sake of convenience, here's an index to the posts on Shockey's death:

The Death Of John Shockey, Part One
The Death Of John Shockey, Part Two
The Death Of John Shockey, Part Three
The Death Of John Shockey, Part Four
The Death Of John Shockey, Part Five

Note: I realized that I needed to check Shockey's wife and see if she was Sexton's daughter-the assertion by the Globe being that Shockey was Sexton's son in law. Shockey's wife was named Annie and she was born around 1849 in New York. There is no record of Sexton having a daughter named Annie so we can rule out that Shockey was Sexton's son in law.

Also, while looking up Annie Shockey's information, I found another source that has John Shockey's place of birth as Virginia.

The Death Of John Shockey, Part Five

Mr. John Shockey, Assistant chief of the Fire Department, and nephew of Chief Sexton, who was severely injured at the fire at 113 and 115 Bremen avenue just one week ago yesterday, died at his residence, No. 1711 North Eighth street, at 2:30 a.m. yesterday. The details of the accident which caused him to lose his life have previously been given in the Globe-Democrat. The injuries were considered fatal at the time, but many of his friends hoped that his strong constitution would enable him to successfully combat them. The funeral will take place from the residence to Bellefontaine Cemetery at 10 a.m. Tuesday. The funeral discourse will be delivered by Rev. Dr. Vincil, of the M.E. Church, South. chief Sexton, with two representatives of the department from each engine-house, will participate in the obsequies, as also will the Knights Templar, of which organization deceased was a member. No man in the department was better liked than Shockey-a brave and competent fireman-whose death is universally regretted.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 3, 1881

The funeral of the late Assistant Fire Chief, John W. Shockey, will take place at 10 o'clock this morning...Each engine house will send two of its force, and the Salvage Corps will also be represented on the occasion. As yet no successor has been appointed for the lamented deceased. It was thought that there would be two vacancies to fill, as the resignation of Assistant Bame was known to have been tendered, as stated in these columns yesterday. But it is now understood that he has withdrawn his resignation until such time as an investigation can be had. As for Chief Sexton himself, the death of his nephew, Shockey, is just now what concerns him most, and he says he has made no plans as yet.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 4, 1881


In the aftermath of Shockey's death Sexton and John Bame, both of whom had been with the fire department since the late 1850's, threatened to resign. It seems that they felt "harassed" by a group of "enemies" that was questioning their management of the StLFD. While it's unknown if Shockey's death was the cause of this harassment or merely an excuse to increase criticism of the department's leadership, Bame did mention an investigation that would be looking into the events of the Scholtz fire. Of course the investigation and criticism came to nothing and Sexton remained as chief until 1885 when he resigned to take a job with the federal government as a revenue collector.

The Death Of John Shockey, Part Four

When these lines reach the reading public it is probable that John W. Shockey, Assistant Chief of the Fire Department, will be no more. He responded to his last call on Sunday morning, when an alarm was sounded for a fire discovered in the St. Louis Picture-frame Works, Broadway and Angelica street. He was among his men in the moment of danger, and when a wall toppled and fell on the little band of fire-fighters their chief was caught in the gap and crushed under a mass of burning bricks. Rescuers were numerous, and not many minutes elapsed before the hands of willing workers had unearthed the injured men from their terrible position. When rescued Assistant Chief Shockey did not utter a syllable of complaint but manfully bore his injuries. It was supposed that the extent of his infliction was a dislocated limb, and he was removed to his home. No serious complications were anticipated, and the condition of the patient was considered favorable until Tuesday, when Dr. Scott, on examination, discovered that Mr. Shockey had sustained injuries to the brain by the weight of the falling wall, which crushed through his helmet, and by outward pressure compressed the brain to a dangerous degree. The development of this feature of the case awakened grievous apprehensions and when delirium intervened it was acknowledged that the derangement was beyond the power of surgical or medical skill to cure. Slowly the patient sank, and last night at 10 o'clock his bedside was surrounded by friends and relatives who, in breathless suspense, awaited the final summons. Mr. John W. Shockey was a native St. Louisan, and his early years were devoted to acquiring a knowledge of carpentry and building, in which he excelled. He subsequently became associated with the Sexton Bros., Clay and John, and managed a prosperous business for many years. Ultimately, in 1875, the partnership was dissolved by the death of John Sexton. Shockey displayed quite a predilection for fire extinguishing, and his efforts won for him many complimentary notices. Together with First Assistant Chief Lindsay, he was introduced into the regular department when the list of assistants was increased from three to five. Since then he has been a prominent figure at every extensive fire, and in the performance of the duties incumbent on him, he recognized no fatigue, and knew no danger too powerful to encounter. His motto invariably was "Come and not Go." He was married some years ago to a daughter of Clay Sexton, and has an only son to mourn the untimely calamity that robbed him of a beloved and indulgent parent.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 29, 1881

Died.

Shockey-October 2, at 2 o'clock a.m., John W. Shockey, Assistant Chief of Fire Department, aged 42 years.

The funeral will take place on Tuesday, the 4th inst., at 10 o'clock a.m., from his late residence, No. 1711 North Eight street.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, October 3, 1881



A couple of notes:

-L.U. Reavis, in Saint Louis: The Future Great City of the World, wrote that "Under an ordinance passed by the City Council in February 1876, two more assistant engineers were added to the force: John Lindsey and John W. Shockey..." Combining this information with that from the Globe's September 29, 1881 piece, we now know that Shockey joined the fire department in February of 1876.

-The Globe has Shockey as the son in law of Henry Clay Sexton while I have another source that says he was Clay's nephew. More research is needed.

The Death Of John Shockey, Part Three

Assistant Chief Shockey, William Kemper and John Harkins were buried beneath the ruins. Barthel Wetzel, reel driver for the Vetos, was first to get at Kemper, under a pile of hot bricks and burning boards. The poor fellow's head was barely sticking out above the merciless mass that hemmed his body in and was crushing and burning his life away. Other willing hands came to Wetzel's aid, and with their assistance he pulled his brother fireman from a living tomb...

Assistant Chief Shockey had been knocked up against a post near the rear of the factory, and was also lying under some bricks. His left leg was apparently broken, as it was twisted around the post. When Brackham ran up to him and pulled some of the bricks off he saw that Shockey's heavy regulation at had been cut through with a brick. As soon as it was taken off it was found that the top of Shockey's head was cut open and his face was badly bruised.

When the reporter called at Mr. Shockey's house, No. 1711 North Eighth street, he found the Assistant Chief in his cheerful bed room on the second floor front, surrounded by Dr. Hodgen and a number of friends. His face appeared badly scorched, and there was a long gash in the top of his head. His leg had just been set and was strung up slightly above the level of his body in a sort of hammock, formed of a suitable wire frame and a cloth covering, suspended by an ingenious device from the ceiling. The patient endured all this with fortitude, and said he felt perfectly comfortable, and was betting the doctor a quarter that he was mistaken when he said such a matter as a broken thigh would keep him in his house for two or three months.

"Was Mr. Shockey comfortable enough to give the Globe-Democrat reporter a little statement concerning the fire and how he came to be hurt?"

"Of course Mr. Shockey would," piped the cheerful voice that only a couple hours before had nearly stopped forever; "in fact, nothing would please him more, but the story was very short, as his memory gave out when he heard the wall crack in the alley over his head, about twenty-five minutes after he got to the fire, as near as he could recollect."

"How did he happen to be in the alley?"

"He was there trying to get a line of hose to the varnish in the rear of the factory, but was a little slow as he didn't have enough men, and was kindly assisted by three or four citizens who were a little awkward."

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 26, 1881

The Death Of John Shockey, Part Two

The Veto Company, No. 8, were first upon the scene (of the Scholz fire) and first to get a stream into action. Nos. 19 and 20 arrived immediately after and soon got to work. The Vetoes at first attacked the fire from the front and had checked the flames in that direction.

From a one-story gravel roof addition to the main building the 19s were playing their stream upon the fire, which was rapidly gaining headway in the rear and blazing from the ground up to the roof. On the east side of the burning house there was a vacant lot of about twenty feet wide, and in order to gain the rear of the fire it was necessary to pass over this open space close under the treacherous wall. Making up his mind to take the risk, Mr. Shockey said to the Veto company, "Pick up your line, and we will go through with a rush."

William Greenwood, of No. 8, and Edward Lyons, of No. 2 truck, had hold of the nozzle. Then followed Howard, of No. 2 truck, Assistant Fire Chief John Shockey, John Fisher, residing at 3908 Broadway; William Shepard, William Kemper, of No. 8, and lastly John Harkins, foreman in Knapp, Stout, & Co.'s saw mill. All these parties had hold of the Veto's line of hose and were making the run of the dangerous gantlet when Harkins stumbled. In his fall he threw several of his companions off their feet and they rolled down into a sink-hole with the nozzle.

"Come up, come up, come up out of that," shouted Mr. Shockey. At that instant there was a crash from the opposite side of the building. Several shouts went up: "Look out! Look out!" And the poor fellows did look out and up also to see the wall toppling over upon them in the narrow chute. All of them dropped the hose and made a break for their lives. Some tried to escape through the opening to the north, and others attempted to clear themselves from the mass of falling brick and mortar by running out of the south entrance. It was a perilous moment, and the hundreds who had gathered about the scene held their breath in horror until after the debris had settled and the dirt and smoke began to clear above the sufferers who were caught in the trap.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 26, 1881


The image above, and the rest of the images in this series of posts, comes from Fire History, a fantastic website that chronicles the history of North American fire departments. None of the images are of the StLFD or St. Louis firemen but they were all taken around the time of the Scholz fire.

The Death Of John Shockey, Part One

Yesterday at 12:40 p.m., a citizen came rushing breathless up to Officer Schmidt on Broadway, and told him there was a fire. Without further ado the officer ran to a fire alarm box, but it would not work, and then to a second, which he found in like condition. At last he managed to get an alarm from box 386, on Broadway and Angelica street, and the Department, with Chief Sexton at its head, responded.

The building that was ablaze was Philip Scholz's picture frame manufactory, or rather finishing establishment, at 113 and 115 Bremen avenue. It consisted of two parts, the main building, to the east, being a two-story frame, 25 X 85 feet, and the addition adjoining, to the west, 16 X 24. The whole formed, as may be judged from these dimensions, a rather irregular-shaped structure. It was situated in the very heart of a conglomeration of wooden buildings, and there was every prospect of another conflagration. Happily this was averted.

How the fire broke out no one could tell. Mr. Scholz, the proprietor, said that he, the foreman, the driver at his mill, and one other workman, had been sitting in the work-room of the addition preparatory to packing up goods to ship Tuesday. There was no fire around. The varnish, of which there was but a small quantity, not more than fifteen gallons, was stored in a separate building in the rear, and not a drop of it was destroyed. Ten minutes after they had left the building some outsiders saw smoke pouring from every crevice in the main building and the flames burst from the first floor. The result was that at least two-thirds of the main building was laid in the ashes, and about one-half of the addition was ruined both by fire and water...

The loss is estimated at $1,500 on the building and about $2,000 on frames...

Unfortunate as Mr. Scholz was, three of the firemen, William Kemper, of No. 8; James King, foreman of No. 19, and Assistant Chief John Shockey, were more so, for in the exercise of their duty they received more or less serious injuries.

-St. Louis Globe-Democrat, September 26, 1881


Born in Pennsylvania in 1839, John W. Shockey was the nephew of Henry Clay Sexton and a playing member of the Empire Club. An outfielder, he served as one of the club's two field captains in 1869. Like many members of the club, Shockey was employed with the St. Louis Fire Department and rose to become Assistant Chief.

On October 2, 1881, Shockey died as a result of injuries he suffered while attempting to put out the fire at Scholz's picture frame factory. Over the next few days, I'm going to detail the events of the fire, Shockey's injuries, and his death.

The image at the top of this post is a lithograph of Phelim O'Toole and Michael Hester, members of the St. Louis Fire Department at the same time as Shockey, that I found at History's Time Portal to Old St. Louis.

The Empires And The St. Louis Fire Department

It's obvious to me that there was some sort of relationship between the Empire Base Ball Club of St. Louis and the St. Louis Fire Department. When the city instituted an all-paid fire department in 1857, Henry Clay Sexton, the president of the Empires in 1864 and again from 1870 to 1873, was named chief. John Shockey, who would serve as team captain in 1869, was an assistant chief with the department. Other members of the club who were known to have worked as firemen were Adam Wirth, Tom Oran, and Joe Schimper. Both Shockey and Schimper were, according to Bill Kelsoe, "killed by a falling wall at a fire" and are on a list of firemen killed in the line of duty kept by the StLFD.

Certainly not all the members of the Empire Base Ball Club were members of the StLFD. Al Spink wrote in The National Game that the club "had in its ranks many wide-awake business men as well as some of the most influential mechanics and tradesmen. It had for its officers the most popular men in the community-men selected for their great heart, wide acquaintance and numerous following." The Empires were by no means an extension of the StLFD but the fire department had both a strong presence and influence on the club.

This is not unique in the history of 19th century baseball. According to Warren Goldstein in A History of Early Baseball, one of the "most fertile sources of baseball nines were volunteer fire companies..." The most famous example of this was the New York Mutuals who were "founded in 1857 by the Mutual Hook and Ladder Company No. 1." It's Goldstein's contention that the volunteer fire companies and the early fire departments played a vital role in the development of early baseball, "providing a cultural bridge between this new sport and the earlier, more rough-and-tumble world of working-class leisure." He goes on to list some of the similarities between the two institutions including their names, social activities, and uniforms.

It's doesn't appear, based on Spink's observations on the make-up of the club, that the Empires fit Goldstein's pattern exactly. But, under the leadership of Sexton, a relationship between the club and the StLFD was established and this relationship was used to the advantage of the club. This can be seen in Tom Oran's switch from the Union Club to the Empires. Peter Morris, in his essay on Oran for SABR's Biography Project, writes that "(on) June 5, 1869, the Empire Club defeated the Unions to regain local supremacy. Shortly afterward, the Empires lost their catcher to injuries and recruited Oran to take his place...Both clubs appear to have been amateurs, and it is unlikely that Oran was offered money to change clubs. It is, however, quite possible that he received another sort of inducement to join the Empires. Empire club president Henry Clay Sexton was the chief of the St. Louis fire department and Oran was soon working as a city fireman."

I think it's safe to assume that there were more members of the Empire Club who were also members of the StLFD than the five that I'm aware of. I'm currently searching for a list of members of the StLFD in the 19th century in order to compare it to known members of the Empire Club. When these two lists are cross-checked then the extent of the relationship between the two organizations should become clearer.

Note: The picture at the top of the post is of a funeral procession of a St. Louis fireman who lost his life in the line of duty in 1916. It's the earliest photograph of St. Louis firemen that I've been able to find and was taken from History's Time Portal to Old St. Louis.