John Douglas "Jack" Steele, born November 4th, 1891, in Pine Bluff, AR,1
was a professional baseball player from 1921-1923 and a professional baseball manager from 1928-1930.
Biography
Steele played for and managed the Little Rock Travelers.
Steele was buried in Roselawn Memorial Park cemetery in Little Rock, AR.2
Excerpts
"Seven native Arkansans are scheduled to try out for jobs on the Little Rock Club this season: . . . Jack Steele, Pine Bluff. . . . Jack Steele, who was with the club a while last year, is due to return again this year Jack is an all-round man, but it may be that he is just the player the club is looking for to fill right field. Jack is a good hitter, is fast and has a good arm."3
"Dr.F.J.Marberry, aged 64,1400 Gaines Street, is dead, and his son Frank, aged 28, is in the Research Hospital in a serious condition, as the result of a shooting affray which occurred at their home at 9:30 o'clock last night. Jack Steele, aged 33, of Pine Bluff, scout for the Little Rock Southern Association Club and a former player on the team, is held at police headquarters, charged with the shooting. Steele came to headquarters and surrendered voluntarily. Frank Marberry received a bullet behind the right ear. It lodged somewhere in his head. Late last night attending physicians said the wounded man may recover, although his condition is very serious. The real cause of the shooting could not be learned. Mrs. Marberry and Steele gave different versions, while Frank Marberry was in too serious a condition to be interviewed. W.H. Donham, prosecuting attorney, visited the wounded man late last night to obtain a statement. Steele was interviewed at headquarters. He said that he did not know the cause of the trouble which preceded the shooting, but blamed the affair on Frank Marberry. "I was driving past Frank's garage and seeing him there, stopped to talk with him. Steele said, "I knew right away that Frank had been drinking, in fact he was drunk." "I had been with him but a few minutes when he began criticizing me. He followed this by threatening to strike me. I tried to calm him, but he only became angrier. "Frank then went to the back door {illegible]." . . . shots were fired, but police placed the number at five. Steele's weapon contained four loaded shells. They believe he fired four shots. If it is proved that Steele shot Frank Marberry as well as his father, all his bullets took effect. Steele could not say last night if he shot one or both or if he missed both. He said he was very nervous. The Marberry's are well known residents of Little Rock. The shooting attracted much attention, as it occurred at a busy street intersection. W.H. Donham, prosecuting attorney, talked with Frank Marberry at the Research hospital at 11:30 o'clock last night about the shooting, newspaper men were excluded, but Mr. Donham said that he could get only disconnected statements from the wounded man, because of the two hypodermic injections he had received in the two hospitals where he had been taken. Frank Marberry, according to the prosecuting attorney, said that Steele came to his father's home and accused him (Frank) of stealing. He said that Steele was creating trouble on the sidewalk outside and that when he went out of the house, Steele shot his father, Dr. Marberry, and that is when he made a dive to get him, Steele shot him in the head. Frank Marberry, in one statement, said that he had knocked down Steele in the encounter. Mr. Donham said he would visit the hospital again today and get a more detailed statement from the wounded man. After his visit to the hospital, the attorney went to the scene of the shooting to make a personal investigation last night."4
"Little Rock, Ark., June 3. –Jack Steele former member of the Little Rock Southern League team, is in jail here charged with the fatal shooting of Dr. F. J. Marberry, 56 years old, and wounding the doctor’s son, Frank Marberry. The shooting occurred in a garage in the rear of the Marberry home an is alleged to have been due to an argument over the payment for whisky which Steele was said to have sold the Marberrys."5
"North Little Rock, Dec. 16 – Victor ? Nordstorm, 43, Minneapolis, Minn., died today, an innocent victim of a cafe shooting. Detectives arrested Jack Steele, 45, on murder charges, shortly after Nordstrom succumbed with a pistol bullet in his brain. Jack Mann 27, also was wounded in the fray. Steele, former manager of the Little Rock Travelers, told officers he shot Mann in self defense."6
"Little Rock, Ark., Feb. 17. – A bystander’s death from a stray bullet fired in a café altercation brought a five-year prison sentence today for Jack Steele, 45-year-old former manager of the Little Rock baseball club in the Southern Association. A circuit court jury convicted him of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Victor Nordstrom, 30, Minneapolis, Minn., steel worker, last December. The jury reduced the charge from first degree murder. Steele, testified he fired on Jack Mann, 27, employe sic of his café, when Mann threatened him with a knife. Steele’s attornys sic said they would seek a new trial."7
"Little Rock, Ark., July 16. –Jack Steele, former manager of the Little Rock Travelers of the Southern association, serving a five-year prison sentence for manslaughter, was free today after being pardoned late yesterday by Gov. Carl E. Bailey. Steele was convicted in connection with the death of Victor Nordstrom, fatally injured in a fight in North Little Rock fight sic in October, 1937. After serving only about three months in prison, Steele was released on a furlough early in 1938."8
"John Douglas (Jack) Steele, 51, who managed the Little Rock Travelers during part of the 1928 season and in 1929, succumbed to a heart ailment yesterday. Steele, as a scout for the Travelers, discovered Pitcher Fred Marberry who went to the American League to star after a season with Little Rock. Before joining the Travelers as a scout, Steele performed in the old Cotton States and West Texas leagues. A native of Pine Bluff, Steele participated in more than a dozen major engagements in the last war as an officer of a machine gun unit. He was severely wounded and received five separate decorations for bravery and meritorious service. His widow, mother, a daughter, two brothers and two sisters survive."9
"John Douglas Steele, 51, former player and manager, died at Little Rock, Ark., December 18, of a heart ailment. He played with Clarksdale in 1921 and Little Rock in 1922 and 1923. Steele returned to the game as manager of Little Rock in 1928, but retired of ill health in 1930."10
Biography
Steele played for and managed the Little Rock Travelers.
Steele was buried in Roselawn Memorial Park cemetery in Little Rock, AR.2
Excerpts
"Seven native Arkansans are scheduled to try out for jobs on the Little Rock Club this season: . . . Jack Steele, Pine Bluff. . . . Jack Steele, who was with the club a while last year, is due to return again this year Jack is an all-round man, but it may be that he is just the player the club is looking for to fill right field. Jack is a good hitter, is fast and has a good arm."3
"Dr.F.J.Marberry, aged 64,1400 Gaines Street, is dead, and his son Frank, aged 28, is in the Research Hospital in a serious condition, as the result of a shooting affray which occurred at their home at 9:30 o'clock last night. Jack Steele, aged 33, of Pine Bluff, scout for the Little Rock Southern Association Club and a former player on the team, is held at police headquarters, charged with the shooting. Steele came to headquarters and surrendered voluntarily. Frank Marberry received a bullet behind the right ear. It lodged somewhere in his head. Late last night attending physicians said the wounded man may recover, although his condition is very serious. The real cause of the shooting could not be learned. Mrs. Marberry and Steele gave different versions, while Frank Marberry was in too serious a condition to be interviewed. W.H. Donham, prosecuting attorney, visited the wounded man late last night to obtain a statement. Steele was interviewed at headquarters. He said that he did not know the cause of the trouble which preceded the shooting, but blamed the affair on Frank Marberry. "I was driving past Frank's garage and seeing him there, stopped to talk with him. Steele said, "I knew right away that Frank had been drinking, in fact he was drunk." "I had been with him but a few minutes when he began criticizing me. He followed this by threatening to strike me. I tried to calm him, but he only became angrier. "Frank then went to the back door {illegible]." . . . shots were fired, but police placed the number at five. Steele's weapon contained four loaded shells. They believe he fired four shots. If it is proved that Steele shot Frank Marberry as well as his father, all his bullets took effect. Steele could not say last night if he shot one or both or if he missed both. He said he was very nervous. The Marberry's are well known residents of Little Rock. The shooting attracted much attention, as it occurred at a busy street intersection. W.H. Donham, prosecuting attorney, talked with Frank Marberry at the Research hospital at 11:30 o'clock last night about the shooting, newspaper men were excluded, but Mr. Donham said that he could get only disconnected statements from the wounded man, because of the two hypodermic injections he had received in the two hospitals where he had been taken. Frank Marberry, according to the prosecuting attorney, said that Steele came to his father's home and accused him (Frank) of stealing. He said that Steele was creating trouble on the sidewalk outside and that when he went out of the house, Steele shot his father, Dr. Marberry, and that is when he made a dive to get him, Steele shot him in the head. Frank Marberry, in one statement, said that he had knocked down Steele in the encounter. Mr. Donham said he would visit the hospital again today and get a more detailed statement from the wounded man. After his visit to the hospital, the attorney went to the scene of the shooting to make a personal investigation last night."4
"Little Rock, Ark., June 3. –Jack Steele former member of the Little Rock Southern League team, is in jail here charged with the fatal shooting of Dr. F. J. Marberry, 56 years old, and wounding the doctor’s son, Frank Marberry. The shooting occurred in a garage in the rear of the Marberry home an is alleged to have been due to an argument over the payment for whisky which Steele was said to have sold the Marberrys."5
"North Little Rock, Dec. 16 – Victor ? Nordstorm, 43, Minneapolis, Minn., died today, an innocent victim of a cafe shooting. Detectives arrested Jack Steele, 45, on murder charges, shortly after Nordstrom succumbed with a pistol bullet in his brain. Jack Mann 27, also was wounded in the fray. Steele, former manager of the Little Rock Travelers, told officers he shot Mann in self defense."6
"Little Rock, Ark., Feb. 17. – A bystander’s death from a stray bullet fired in a café altercation brought a five-year prison sentence today for Jack Steele, 45-year-old former manager of the Little Rock baseball club in the Southern Association. A circuit court jury convicted him of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Victor Nordstrom, 30, Minneapolis, Minn., steel worker, last December. The jury reduced the charge from first degree murder. Steele, testified he fired on Jack Mann, 27, employe sic of his café, when Mann threatened him with a knife. Steele’s attornys sic said they would seek a new trial."7
"Little Rock, Ark., July 16. –Jack Steele, former manager of the Little Rock Travelers of the Southern association, serving a five-year prison sentence for manslaughter, was free today after being pardoned late yesterday by Gov. Carl E. Bailey. Steele was convicted in connection with the death of Victor Nordstrom, fatally injured in a fight in North Little Rock fight sic in October, 1937. After serving only about three months in prison, Steele was released on a furlough early in 1938."8
"John Douglas (Jack) Steele, 51, who managed the Little Rock Travelers during part of the 1928 season and in 1929, succumbed to a heart ailment yesterday. Steele, as a scout for the Travelers, discovered Pitcher Fred Marberry who went to the American League to star after a season with Little Rock. Before joining the Travelers as a scout, Steele performed in the old Cotton States and West Texas leagues. A native of Pine Bluff, Steele participated in more than a dozen major engagements in the last war as an officer of a machine gun unit. He was severely wounded and received five separate decorations for bravery and meritorious service. His widow, mother, a daughter, two brothers and two sisters survive."9
"John Douglas Steele, 51, former player and manager, died at Little Rock, Ark., December 18, of a heart ailment. He played with Clarksdale in 1921 and Little Rock in 1922 and 1923. Steele returned to the game as manager of Little Rock in 1928, but retired of ill health in 1930."10
2
Steele’s FindaGrave.com page.
3
Arkansas Gazette, 3/?/1917
4
Arkansas Gazette, 6/1/1924, p.1
5
The Sporting News, 6/5/1924, p.1
6
Camden Times, 12/17/1936
7
Niagara Falls Gazette, 2/17/1937, p.1
9
Hope Star, 12/19/1942, p.3
10
The Sporting News, 12/31/1942, p.2