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Morrilton Cotton Pickers (1894)

The Morrilton Cotton Pickers were a minor league baseball team based in Morrilton, AR in the 1894 Arkansas State League.

History

Future major league player George Gillpatrick pitched for Morrilton.
Future major league player George Gillpatrick pitched for Morrilton.



Record

The following is an incomplete record of league games played by Morrilton.

It seems likely that Morrilton may have played two more games in the second series with Camden.

DateLocationOpponentW/LRRANotes
5/10/1894Morrilton, ARFort SmithW108Non-League
6/7/18941 Camden, ARCamdenW League Game
6/?/1894Camden, ARCamden League Game
6/9/18941 Camden, ARCamdenL413League Game
6/11/18941 Little Rock, ARLittle RockL League Game
6/12/18941 Little Rock, ARLittle RockW League Game
6/13/18941 Little Rock, ARLittle RockL League Game
6/16/18941 CamdenW League Game
6/20/18941 Hot SpringsW League Game
6/22/18941 Hot SpringsW League Game
6/23/18941 Hot SpringsL League Game
6/25/1894 Little RockW Non-League Game
6/26/1894 Little RockL Non-League Game
6/27/1894 Little RockL47Non-League Game


Players

PlayerBirthDeathNote
Eugene BagwellAbt. 1876 in NC
Mike Berg
William Chouquette
Curry
George Gillpatrick2/28/1875 in Holden, MO12/14/1941 in Kansas City, MO
Graham
Gray
James Heagen8/24/18612 in Kentucky3 2/15/1918
Charles Jacobson7/27/18744 in Missouri5 19576 Morrilton resident.
Tom Knight
Sherman Perry18697 in Ohio8 1949
Loid Rainwater8/30/1870 in Panola County, MS9 11/9/1941 in Little Rock, ARMorrilton Resident.
Roxy Roach
Russ/Bliss? Robinson
Staples
Harry Swearingen1869 in MO Sedalia, MO
Corbin Wright Wickizer11/28/186610 in IN11/28/1866


Excerpts

"Morrilton, Ark., March 21. -Special Correspondence:- The weather being extremely warm now, the boys are getting themselves in shape for the coming season. Our grounds are somewhat roughened by the heavy rains, and the park is in somewhat of a bad condition, but we hope to have things in first class order soon. The opening game took place Thursday between two local nines and resulted in a score of 16 to 10. The feature of the game was the pitching of Eugene Bagwell. Eugene is a new accession to be heard from later. I see Little Rock has organized for the coming season and expect to be right in it. I hope so, as Morrilton has been aching to cross bats with the city of Roses. As far as a league is concerned she is ready to contribute both cash and a good team, the only help that we will need will be another battery and negotiations are now in order for the same. Will send on more news as quick as it develops. Charles Jacobson."11

"Morrilton, Ark., April 18th. -Special Correspondence.- As the weather gets warmer the cranks begin to howl for a ball team. Well, boys it takes money to get a ball team and that is what we are trying to get now. The Little Rock and Fort Smith teams played the opening game of the season, and I think the other towns will soon fall into line. Morrilton will be ready to organize in a very few days; the men now that will probably play are Loid Rainwater, Eugene Bagwell, Jim Heagain, [?] Robinson, Chas. Jacobson. We need a battery and an infielder . . . The boys are going to have a concert this week and use the proceeds to fixing up the fence and putting the grounds in good shape; no doubt it will be a great success. Just say to the various clubs of this state the Morrilton expects to be in it this year to stay, with a club not surpassed by any in the Stat. [Charles Jacobson]."12

"Morrilton, Ark., May 14th. -Special Correspondence.- We are receiving correspondences from all parts of the country, from ball players, asking for positions, and in no case have a letter that has not mentioned "seeing it in The Sporting News that you wanted a man." Morrilton has at last organized her team and is now ready to meet all comers; first here, first served. She has the following men, Knight, Staples, Roach, Rainwater, Bagwell, Robinson, Jacobson, Heagean. Knight and Staples will do the tossing; both are very speedy men. Knight pitched last year for Fort Smith, and Staples tossed the ball in the Southern League. Roach will do the catching. Roxy is a popular man here; he was with Van Buren last season. Besides being a good catcher he is a splendid outfielder. If Harry Swearingen of Sedalia, Mo., sees this article, it will be to his interest to correspond with Manager Heagen. Amid a flourish of trumpets and full grandstand, Morrilton opened the season on Thursday last with the Indians of Fort Smith. If was one of the most exciting games ever played on the home grounds, and the score does not do justice to the game, which was anybody's until Jacobson captured a long fly from Berg's bat, and the first game of the season result in a victory for Morrilton by a score of 16 to 8. The home boys put up an article of ball that surprised not only the [?] crowd but themselves as well. This is the first time that they have ever played together, and the work they did was excellent. Not only was their fielding work of first-class order, but they hit the ball hard and often. The features of the game for Morrilton were the pitching of Staples, Graham at second and the batting of the team; for the Indians the batting of Chouquette, Johnson and Badger . . . The Indians played here again the next day and won by a score of 15 to 2. Morrilton had only eight men and had to take a man from the grand stand to fill up with. The game was dull and uninteresting and void of any features. Curry started in to pitch for Morrilton, but had no control of the ball, and after six runs were made off him in the first two innings, he gave way to Staples, who had pitched the day before. The Indians had a lead which Morrilton could not overcome and they didn't try to play . . . We play Little Rock this Friday and Saturday. [Charles Jacobson]."13

"Morrilton, Ark., May 26th -Special Correspondence.- . . . Morrilton has fully organized for the season. I had occasion to visit the City of Roses and kickers lack in the interest of the league . . . We will play Fort Smith next week three games, including Decoration Day. The league stars of the 30th and I trust Morrilton will find a place; if she does not, I answer for it that she will be heard of before the season is over. [Charles Jacobson]"14

"Morrilton, Ark., June 9. -Special Correspondence.- The Fort Smith team disbanded, Morrilton took her place in the league, and now the circuit it complete, with Morrilton, Camden, Hot Springs and Little Rock. The schedule is complete and the Southwestern League has opened at last. The first games that Morrilton will play will be abroad, leaving here she does to Camden for a series and from there to Little Rock. After three games there she plays at Hot Springs, and then returns home, and each of the three clubs then play on our home grounds. Who has the best club in the league I think is a very difficult question to answer, each town claims club will win the pennant. As for myself, I think it is anybody's yet, for I can't believe that any club in the state has a better team than Morrilton, and if the boys will play ball in proportion to their capabilities of playing, I can't believe why the pennant should not be ours. A meeting was held last night and the Morrilton base ball club was organized with the following officers: Bob Darnell, president; R.W. Leigh, vice president; Loid Rainwater, secretary and treasurer; Jim Massey manager. A corporation was made out of the club and the following players were signed: Berg, Gillpatrick, Knight and Staples, pitchers; Wickizer and Chouquette, catchers; Knight, first base; Perry, second base; Swearingen, short stop; Graham, third base; Bagwell, left field; Gray, center field; Staples, right field, Swearingen was made captain of the team. I think we have a winning team and the club that bests this team has got to play professional ball. [Charles Jacobson]"15

1 Estimated date based on the Arkansas Gazette Index, assuming that games were played the day before they were reported.
3 1900 U.S. Census
4 Jacobson's WWI Draft Card
5 1880 U.S. Census
8 1900 U.S. Census
11 The Sporting News, 3/24/1894, p.2
12 The Sporting News, 4/21/1894, p.3
13 The Sporting News, 5/21/1894, p.2
14 The Sporting News, 6/2/1894, p.4
15 The Sporting News, 6/16/1894, p.4


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