Enos Kirkpatrick

Enos Kirkpatrick played in four major league seasons in two different leagues. He spent part of 1912 and all of 1913 in the National League with the Brooklyn Dodgers; he then jumped to the Federal League, donning the uniform of the Baltimore Terrapins in 1914 and 1915. Overall, Kirkpatrick’s professional career lasted 11 seasons, from 1907 to 1917. Although his primary position was third base, Kirkpatrick was a utility player, seeing action at every defensive position except catcher. A right-handed batter and thrower, he stood 5-feet-10 and weighed 170 pounds.

Enos Clair Kirkpatrick was born on December 9, 1884, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was raised at his family’s home on Chalfont Street in Beltzhoover, a neighborhood in the south of Pittsburgh.1 The family later moved to a larger home on Michigan Street.2 Kirkpatrick and his nine siblings were raised by Edward and Mary Kirkpatrick, née Flynn. His Kentucky-born father worked in the steel industry as a riveter and nail forger while his mother, a native of Ohio, maintained the home.

In 1899, Kirkpatrick entered Beltzhoover High School.3 He later graduated from Pittsburg High School, where he played second base on the school team.4 Various sources indicate that he attended Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, but his name does not appear in university archives. As a 19-year-old, Kirkpatrick worked as an office clerk in downtown Pittsburgh.5

Kirkpatrick’s name first appeared in newsprint on March 28, 1904, when he played for the Beltzhoover Athletic Club.6 Also mentioned in that news story were future major leaguers Hans Lobert and Otto Knabe. Although Beltzhoover consisted of no more than 10 square blocks, in the early 1900s this community sent numerous players into the professional ranks – and five of these men went on to achieve their goal of playing major league baseball. Along with Kirkpatrick, they were Joe “Germany” Schultz, Spittin’ Bill Doak, and brothers Hans and Frank Lobert.7 In a box score dated October 2, 1904, the Beltzhoover lineup consisted of Hans Lobert, Otto Knabe, Enos Kirkpatrick, and Hugo Swartling and Cy Dawson (who later played in the Federal League in 1913 while it was still a minor league).8

In 1907, Kirkpatrick was inked by the Richmond Colts of the Virginia League. Colts manager Charlie Shaffer stated that Kirkpatrick was “a good hitter” and indicated that the club had “a find in him.”9 At some point during the season, he was released to the Lynchburg Shoemakers but remained under contract with Richmond.10 In all, Kirkpatrick played 104 Virginia League games, posting a. 231 batting average (78-for-337) with 20 stolen bases.

When the 1908 season rolled around, Kirkpatrick advised the team that he felt uncomfortable playing in Richmond because of the poor treatment that he received from the press.11 He stated that he would much rather continue to play in Lynchburg, and if forced to return to Richmond, he would just quit baseball. After a game on June 16, the press stated that “Kirkpatrick is easy (sic) the most promising young ball player in the league.”12

Things got heated towards the end of July when a dispute arose over whether Lynchburg or Richmond had rights to Kirkpatrick.13 In mid-August, minor leagues overseer J.H. Farrell determined in favor of Richmond.14 Even so, Kirkpatrick finished the year with the Shoemakers, and at season’s end returned to Richmond.15 Immediately thereafter, Richmond sold his contract to the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association.16 During 1908, Kirkpatrick appeared in 111 games, batting .221 (82-for-371) with 32 stolen bases.

Through the first 15 games of the 1909 season, Kirkpatrick led the Crackers with a .313 average. That figure had fallen to .242 by the time that he was traded to the Macon (Georgia) Peaches of the Southern Atlantic League on August 13.17 He finished the year having played in 49 games combined, with 34 hits in 138 at-bats yielding a .246 batting average. After the season ended, Kirkpatrick’s contract reverted to Atlanta.

Kirkpatrick was eager to play in 1910 for the Crackers’ new manager, Otto “Dutch” Jordan, his friend from their old sandlot days in Pittsburgh. But on the first day of the year, Kirkpatrick was sold to the Portsmouth Truckers of the Virginia League.18 On April 2, his 23-year-old brother Paul died from pneumonia and Enos was granted time off to attend to family matters. Thereafter, he failed to return to the team and was suspended.19 On June 8, it was reported that he was rehabbing a rheumatoid injury in Hot Springs, Arkansas.20

Owing to weak attendance and inability to meet payroll, the Portsmouth team was moved to Petersburg on July 5.21 The team was renamed the Goobers. Kirkpatrick rejoined the club on July 13 and finished the season with a.254 average (69-for-272) in 78 games.

He returned home to Pittsburgh to compete in the annual All-Star game on October 29.22 Every year the Beltzhoover Athletic Club held a game in which local sandlot stars played against past and present big leaguers at the Knoxville County League grounds. Thousands of fans turned out each year for the festivities. In addition to Kirkpatrick, others playing in the 1910 game were Hans and Frank Lobert, Otto Knabe, Lew Moren, Lee Fohl, Elmer Knetzer, and Bill Doak.

After being released by Petersburg, Kirkpatrick started the 1911 season as a free agent. He subsequently signed with the Dayton Veterans of the Central League23 and put up some decent numbers. On July 12, Kirkpatrick was sold to the Brooklyn Dodgers and instructed to report after the season concluded. With Dayton, he batted .272 (134-for-492) in 137 games.

Kirkpatrick was involved in yet another contract issue prior to the start of the 1912 season. First, the Dodgers left his name off a list of players they had purchased that was published in mid-August.24 Then, on August 21, Dayton attempted to sell Kirkpatrick to the Cincinnati Reds.25 Two days later, the Dodgers traded him to the Nashville Vols of the Southern Association for James “Red” Smith.26 When Kirkpatrick refused to report, Brooklyn club boss Charles Ebbets secured waivers for Kirkpatrick and sent him to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International Association.27 The saga continued on January 31,  1912, when Toronto released him. Eventually, Kirkpatrick found himself on the roster of the Newark (New Jersey) Indians of the International League.28

In the first half of the 1912 season for Newark, Kirkpatrick hit the ball with authority. In 119 games overall, his 141 hits were good for a .305 batting average, and fans and media in Brooklyn looked forward to seeing him in Dodger blue and white. The Brooklyn Times stated that Kirkpatrick “is full of light and snap – a regular live wire. As a fielder he is said to be a cracker jack and his batting record this season shows he has gone probably three days [at most] without a hit.”29

On August 21, the Dodgers directed Kirkpatrick to report to Forbes Field to meet the team, which was finishing a series against the Pirates before heading to St. Louis.30 Three days later, Enos Kirkpatrick made his major league debut as a pinch-hitter. Facing southpaw Slim Sallee, he grounded out to second in the final frame of a 7-3 Brooklyn setback. The next day the Cardinals scored nine runs in the fourth, so Dodgers manager Bill Dahlen put Kirkpatrick in for Red Smith at third base. In the eighth, Kirkpatrick registered his first big league base hit, a single to center off right-hander Bob Harmon. He later came around to score Brooklyn’s final run in an 11-4 defeat. Kirkpatrick also had two assists in the field and “handled himself like a man who knew his business,” the Brooklyn Times declared.31

Kirkpatrick completed his 32-game rookie campaign with a meek.191 batting average (18-for-94). However, his defensive work at third was solid (.968 fielding percentage). He retained his spot on the Brooklyn roster for the coming season.

There was a lot of excitement in Brooklyn in 1913 when Ebbets Field became the new home of the Dodgers. Red Smith was the starting third sacker that season; Kirkpatrick served as his backup, as well as putting in time at shortstop, first and second base, and the outfield.

Kirkpatrick was the guest of honor when the Dodgers played the Pirates at Forbes Field on June 9. Family and several hundred friends from Beltzhoover showed up and presented him with a diamond stickpin.32 Kirkpatrick did not disappoint, getting a hit in the third inning.

In his first full big league season, Kirkpatrick played in 48 games, getting 22 hits in 89 at-bats for a .247 average. Just before the season ended, on October 1, he became embroiled in still another contract dispute. He informed manager Dahlen that he was unhappy with his playing time and that he would have a better opportunity with the Yankees, Tigers, or Cardinals; he felt that his best years were being wasted on the Dodgers bench. Two weeks later he was reportedly sold to Toronto.34 By November, Kirkpatrick was not sure who owned his rights – Brooklyn or Toronto.35

At the start of the 1914 season, Kirkpatrick sent a telegram to Dahlen stating, “Couple of good offers from better league. Might sign. Will let you know later.36” His friend Otto Knabe was manager of the Baltimore Terrapins of the Federal League, newly declared a major circuit. On January 15, Knabe gave Kirkpatrick a $1,000 check and a contract to sign: three years for $3,500 per year. Terrapins owner Ned Hanlon then wired the Federal League office that they had just signed another player who had “jumped” leagues.37 Ebbets, unhappy with the move, headed to Pittsburgh to discuss the matter with Kirkpatrick.38 Thereafter, on January 18, Kirkpatrick contacted Knabe and advised him that he had just signed a contract with the Dodgers. Thus, Kirkpatrick was (on the face of it, at least) under contract with two clubs in competing leagues.39

Knabe advised his friend to hold on to the $1,000 Baltimore check and see what came of the situation.40 Towards the end of January, new Dodgers manager Wilbert Robinson went to Kirkpatrick’s home in Pittsburgh to advise him that the pact that he had signed with the Dodgers – also for three years, but for just $3,000 per year – was legally binding. On February 2, Knabe went to see Kirkpatrick and told him to keep the $1,000 check. His Baltimore contract was still valid, and the Federal League intended to fight for his rights. Finally, on February 22, it was reported that Kirkpatrick, misled and confused by reserve clause ramifications, issued an open letter to the public, announcing that he would leave dueling claims upon him to the courts. In the meantime, Kirkpatrick was going to honor his original commitment to Baltimore.41

In the final exhibition game of the 1914 preseason with Baltimore, Kirkpatrick attempted to slide home and caught his spikes in the dirt.42 The resulting injury was severe, keeping him out of the lineup until August 8. From that point, he managed to play 55 games, batting .253 (44-for-174) with 10 stolen bases for the third-place (84-70-6, .545) Terrapins.

In March 1915, local Pittsburgh boys Frank “Piano Mover” Smith, Jack McCandless, and Enos Kirkpatrick headed to spring training with the Terrapins in Fayetteville, North Carolina.43 Once the regular season began, Kirkpatrick again filled a utilityman role, splitting time between second and third base, with occasional duty at shortstop and first base for a last-place (47-107, .305) Baltimore club.

During a September 16 game against the Pittsburgh Rebels, Kirkpatrick was hit hard in the sternum by a batted ball. Given that he was in his hometown, after the game he went back to his residence in Beltzhoover. The injury proved severe enough that he did not return to action for the remainder of the season.44 For the year, Kirkpatrick appeared in 68 games, recording 41 hits in 171 at-bats (.240) with 12 stolen bases.

By December 1915, the Federal League had disbanded, and FL players were no longer blacklisted by the rival major leagues. Much to his dismay, Kirkpatrick was not picked up by any National or American League team. At age 31, his top echelon playing days were over. In 203 games spread over four major league seasons, he posted a modest .237/.315/.314 slash line with 29 extra-base hits that included three home runs. He scored 70 runs, drove in 46 more, and stole 32 bases. On defense, his work ranged from three errorless appearances as an outfielder to adequate at first base (.971 fielding percentage in 14 games) and third base (.936 in 97 games) to substandard at second base (.920 in 27 games) and shortstop (.891 in 28 games).

Kirkpatrick spent the next two seasons with the Wilkes-Barre (Pennsylvania) Barons of the New York State League. He hit well in 1916, batting .312 in 104 games. He also had the opportunity to fill in as interim Barons manager that August in place of Mike Donlin.45 Kirkpatrick threw his hat in the ring to manage the team in 1917, but he lost out to Jack “Red” Calhoun.

Kirkpatrick returned home in April 1917 to assume a managerial position for a new club in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, a town 35 miles east of Pittsburgh. The Latrobe club was part of the newly organized West Penn League.46 At the end of May, Kirkpatrick left Latrobe to act upon the opportunity to return to Wilkes-Barre as a player.47 On July 20, an argument with Baron teammates about a baserunning blunder became so heated that Kirkpatrick left the club and returned to Pittsburgh. The departure ended his professional career.48 For Wilkes-Barre in 1917, Kirkpatrick played in 66 games and finished with a .216 batting average (50-for-231).

By the end of August, Kirkpatrick had taken a job with Alcoa as World War I ramped up demand for aluminum.49 The position also afforded him the opportunity to play on his employer’s baseball team.50 During hostilities, it was common practice for industrial firms to recruit professional baseball players for the company baseball teams, as essential defense industry workers were deferred from military service.51

On December 18, 1917, Kirkpatrick’s father Edward passed away from pneumonia. By the following spring, Enos was player-manager of the Alcoa nine. On November 8, 1918, he enlisted in the Army and was directed to report for duty at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.52 Three days later, the fighting in World War I ended; Kirkpatrick was discharged from service shortly thereafter.

The Alcoa team folded in February 1920,53 but Kirkpatrick remained employed by the company for a time. By then he resided in New Kensington, Pennsylvania, a town 20 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. He declined an offer to manage the Sioux City (Iowa) team in the Western League. Instead, Kirkpatrick hoped to open a haberdashery in New Kensington.54

Around 1921, Kirkpatrick left Alcoa and returned to Pittsburgh to run a campus lunch stand at Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University). At the same time, he assisted Pittsburgh Pirates great Honus Wagner as coach of the university baseball team.55 Wagner had been engaged there for three years and wanted to step down. Kirkpatrick took over head coaching duties at Carnegie Tech at the start of the 1922 season, but the following year the school dropped its baseball program. He then went on to sell cars and work in real estate.

On February 2, 1937, Kirkpatrick’s mother Mary passed away from heart problems brought on by the effects of influenza. Sometime after 1940, longtime bachelor Kirkpatrick married Virginia Baldauff, becoming stepfather to her children from a prior marriage, John and Audrey. The family lived on Fordyce Street in Pittsburgh’s Bon Air neighborhood, where Kirkpatrick became involved in local Democratic Party politics. In time, he rose to Eighteenth Ward chairman and looked towards a career in political office.56

Kirkpatrick was appointed to a position in the Pennsylvania’s state treasurer’s office, and in 1942 launched an unsuccessful bid for the State Senate.57 When Republicans assumed political control in June 1949, Kirkpatrick was ousted as administrative director but accepted a position as building inspector for the City of Pittsburgh in October of that year.58

Over the years Kirkpatrick could always be found with his old friend Frank Lobert at the South Hills Country Club in the Pittsburgh suburb of Whitehall.59 The two regularly paired in tournaments; Kirkpatrick was considered one of the best golfers at the club.60

On November 5, 1961, his wife Virginia passed away from cancer at the age of 54. On April 14, 1964, Enos Kirkpatrick died from heart disease at age 78. His Funeral Mass was said at Saint Canice Roman Catholic Church in Pittsburgh’s Knoxville neighborhood. He is buried alongside Virginia at Pittsburgh’s historic Calvary Cemetery.

Acknowledgments

This biography was reviewed by Bill Lamb and Rory Costello and fact-checked by Joe Wancho.

Sources

In addition to the sources shown in the Notes, the author used the following:

Find A Grave; https://www.findagrave.com/

Retrosheet; https://www.retrosheet.org/

Baseball Reference; https://www.baseball-reference.com/

Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.com/

Newspapers: http://www.newspapers.com/

Email and personal interviews from Tara Lynn Kirkpatrick-Palmerine, granddaughter of Enos Kirkpatrick.

Email correspondence from Giamatti Research Center, National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.

Email correspondence from Thomas White, Duquesne University Archivist and Curator.

Damer, Edward, Thirty-Three in Twenty-Three; The World of Rube Parnham and Other Baseball Stories, Kindle Direct Publishing, 3d ed., 2022.

Notes

1 1900 U.S. Census, Pittsburgh Ward 18, Allegheny.

2 1920 U.S. Census, Pittsburgh Ward 19, Allegheny.

3 “The Beltzhoover School Reviewed,” Pittsburg Press, October 14, 1900: 24.

4 “Here Is Enos Kirkpatrick,” Brooklyn Daily Eagle, March 28, 1913: 23.

5 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, City Directory, 1903 for Enos C. Kirkpatrick, Ancestry.com.

6 “Beltzhoover in Line,” Pittsburgh Gazette, March 28, 1904: 7.

7 F. P. Alger, “Beltzhoover Club One Of The Oldest In Local Field, Has Proud Record Of Having Sent Seven To Majors,” The Pittsburgh Sunday Post, June 11, 1922: 28.

8 “Hans Lobert with His Old Team,” Pittsburg Post, October 3, 1904: 6.

9 “Shaffer Signs Two New Men And Thinks They Are ‘Finds’,” Richmond Times-Dispatch, January 16, 1907: 7.

10 “Men Reserved by League Teams,” Richmond Times-Dispatch, September 22, 1907: 21.

11 “Kirkpatrick May Be a Colt This Season,” Portsmouth (Virginia) Star, March 4, 1908: 7.

12 “Standing of the Clubs,” Danville (Virginia) Register, June 16, 1908: 5.

13 “Hot Dispute Over Enos Kirkpatrick,” Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 29, 1908: 7.

14 “Kirkpatrick Is Richmond’s Man,” Portsmouth Star, August 17, 1908: 7.

15 “Releases in Virginia League,” Baltimore Sun, August 29, 1908: 10.

16 “Players Released,” Richmond Times-Dispatch, August 30, 1908: 7.

17 “Crackers Let Kirkpatrick Go,” Atlanta Constitution, August 14, 1909: 4. In exchange for Kirkpatrick, Atlanta received outfielder John Lee.

18 “Crackers Sell Two Players,” Atlanta Constitution, January 1, 1910: 4.

19 “Kirkpatrick Is Suspended,” Norfolk Virginia-Pilot, May 15, 1910: 14.

20 “Kirkpatrick Hasn’t Quit Portsmouth,” Roanoke (Virginia) Times, June 8, 1910: 6.

21 “Dr. Brooks’ Offer for Ball Club Declined,” Portsmouth Star, July 5, 1910: 1.

22 “Big Leaguers to Play,” Pittsburg Press, October 26, 1910: 17.

23 “Heard in the Fo’Castle,” Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, April 2, 1911: 20.

24 “Kirkpatrick Is Not Among Them,” Fort Wayne (Indiana) Sentinel, August 19, 1911: 8.

25 “Dayton Furnishes Six,” South Bend (Indiana) Tribune, August 21, 1911: 8.

26 “Kirkpatrick To Nashville,” Evansville (Indiana) Journal-News, August 23, 1911: 8.

27 “Central League Men Help Cause,” Fort Wayne Sentinel, September 23, 1911: 8.

28 “Baseball Chat,” Brooklyn Times, January 31, 1912: 12.

29 “Dodgers to Have a New Player at Second in Fall,” Brooklyn Times, June 14, 1912: 11.

30 “Kirkpatrick Joins Dodgers,” Pittsburg Press, August 22, 1912: 17.

31 “Kirkpatrick Gets a Trial at Third,” Brooklyn Times, August 26, 1912: 10.

32 James Jerpe, “On and Off the Field,” Pittsburgh Gazette Times, June 10, 1913: 10.

33 “Dodgers Pound Out Six Runs in Ninth,” Pittsburgh Gazette Times, June 10, 1913: 10.

34 “Enos Kirkpatrick Sold to Toronto,” Newark Evening Star, October 14, 1913: 13.

35 “Kirkpatrick Not a Leaf,” Newark Evening Star, November 3, 1913: 17.

36 “Kirkpatrick Has Offers,” Buffalo Enquirer, January 3, 1914: 7.

37 “Knabe Gets Three Players to Jump,” Newark Evening Star, January 15, 1914: 17.

38 “No Contracts for Alleged Jumpers,” Newark Evening Star, January 17, 1914: 9.

39 “Feds Now Have Chance to Sue,” Camden-Post, January 23, 1914: 11.

40 “Don’t Want $1,000 Kirkpatrick Took,” Newark Evening Star, February 2, 1914: 15.

41 “Kirkpatrick to Play Ball with the Terrapins,” Baltimore Sun, February 22, 1914: 13.

42 “Enos Kirkpatrick Breaks His Ankle,” Baltimore Sun, April 12, 1914: 13.

43 C. Starr Matthews, “Fans Get Tickets for Opening Game,” Baltimore Evening Sun, March 8, 1915: 5.

44 “Terps Scare Rebels,” Baltimore Sun, September 17, 1915: 5.

45 “Donlin A Manager,” Brooklyn Daily Times, August 2, 1916: 4.

46 “Enos Kirkpatrick to Manage Baseball Club at Latrobe,” Pittsburgh Gazette Times, April 14, 1917: 10.

47 “Enos Kirkpatrick Accepts Terms with Baron Outfit,” Wilkes-Barre (Pennsylvania) Times-Leader, May 14, 1917: 13.

48 “Kirkpatrick Quits Local Ball Team,” Wilkes-Barre (Pennsylvania) Evening News, July 21, 1917: 3.

49 Richard Hanners, Timeline II – The War Years, June 2017, https://montana-aluminum.com/timelines-2/timeline-ii-the-war-years/.

50 Richard Guy, “Former Stars Are Members of Aluminum Baseball Club,” Pittsburgh Gazette Times, August 20, 1917: 8.

51 Naomi Coquillon, Baseball and World War I, September 27, 2018, https://blogs.loc.gov/loc/2018/09/baseball-and-world-war-i/.

52 “Sport Shrapnel,” Memphis News Scimitar, November 8, 1918: 14.

53 “Aluminum Baseball Players Are Now Free,” Franklin (Pennsylvania) News-Herald, February 11, 1920: 3.

54 “Some Local Gossip,” Franklin News-Herald, June 11, 1920: 3.

55 “Hans Wagner Quits as Diamond Coach at Carnegie Tech,” Pittsburgh Sunday Post, February 5, 1922: 21.

56 “Name New Chairman,” Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, October 4, 1939: 7.

57 “Kirkpatrick Quits Race,” Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph, April 3, 1942: 4.

58 David T. Jones, “Curbstone,” Pittsburgh Sunday Sun-Telegraph, October 30, 1949: 8.

59 “South Hills Country Club,” Pittsburgh Gazette Times, May 31, 1927: 13.

60 Havey J. Boyle, “Mirrors of Sport,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 29, 1930: 15.