The lengths researchers go to
From SABR member Sean Forman at Sports Reference on May 18, 2012:
The following is a report from Richard Malatzky a [stalwart] researcher with the SABR biographical committee. There are about 5-10 people on the SABR biographical committee who tirelessly do research to locate late 1800’s early 1900’s ballplayers. They pore over all kinds of records for no pay to get these records right. We owe them a tremendous debt of gratitude.
With the eventual release of Pennsylvania Deaths Register last month I thought I might find Morelock (ed. for the last 12 years, we’ve just called him Morelock) but it didn’t happen.
I had been searching for him for about 35 years. It turns out that Philadelphia which is where he was from had several Morlocks but no Morelocks, not a one.
The Sporting Life mostly called him Morelock but Morlock did appear a couple of times.
(In the census) There was a Henry or Harry Morlock born November 1869 in Philadelphia and he was a weaver. I figured that this must be him. But what about A Harry? I saw him called A H Morelock a couple of times in Sporting Life. His father was Adam and son was Harry A.
He played several years around Philadelphia and appeared with the Phillies in 1891 and 1892.
Read the full article here: http://www.sports-reference.com/blog/2012/05/the-lengths-researchers-go-to/
Related link: To learn more about the SABR Biographical Research Committee, click here
Originally published: May 18, 2012. Last Updated: May 18, 2012.