Harry Hofer and Quincy Baseball

 When Harry Hofer died on January 24, 1944, he had been away from baseball for 31 years. The January 25, 1944 Herald-Whig, wrote that his name “was synonymous with . . . baseball in Quincy;” and “through his love for the sport,” the Gem City had become “known as one of the best baseball towns in the Mississippi Valley.”

 Born in Quincy on November 15, 1875, Hofer was the only son of a German emigrant and local musician. Harry played the violin, but his passion from childhood was baseball. When not doing chores, schoolwork or practicing the violin, he was playing baseball.

 During the summer of 1893, 17-year-old Harry Hofer was the centerfielder for the Quincy Amateur Athletics. On Labor Day, the Athletics were to play the Cellar Doors for the city championship. As an intense rivalry existed between the clubs, the Cellar Doors thought that the game should be played for money and that the bet be $10. Since the Amateur Athletics would not play for money, the game was canceled, and the September 5, 1893 Daily Journal declared the Cellar Doors the city champions.

 While local teams were playing challenge and pickup games, Quincy, beginning in 1883, fielded several professional teams. Organized leagues came and went as did team nicknames. From 1896 through 1899, the team was known as the Blue Birds, Little Giants, and Giants. In the Illinois-Iowa League (1890-1892) they were the Ravens. They were the Black Birds in the Central Interstate League (1889), and the Quincy Quincys in the Northwestern League (1883-1884).  

 Through most of the 1890s the United States was in a depression. By 1897, the economy began showing signs of recovery. Not soon enough for the Western Baseball Association of which Quincy was a member. The league collapsed in 1898. Revived for the 1899 season, it went under again. The upshot is that Quincy would be without organized baseball until 1907, but not without baseball.

 Thirty years later Herald-Whig sportswriter Harry Haley explained that “. . . semi-professional ball was in vogue and the Quincy Reserves, composed of local boys and managed by Harry Hofer furnished the bulk of the diamond entertainment for the fans.”

 With the Western Association’s failure in June 1898, a group of Quincy players met in July and formed a new team—the Quincy Reserves. Harry Hofer was chosen as the manager and secretary. Thirteen days later the Reserves took the field against Hannibal. When the Reserves eked out a 1 to 0 win, the August 1, 1

898 Daily Herald commented that “both teams… played a professional game—in fact the majority of them are professional players.”

 Having run off a string of victories, the Reserves took on the Consumers, purported to be the best semi-pro team in St. Louis. The Consumers had beaten the National League’s St. Louis Browns, who in 1900 would be renamed the Cardinals. The Reserves won 6 to 5.

 The Reserves finished the season playing two games against teams composed of former Western League players. Hofer’s nine lost one and won one. The Daily Journal spoke for all when they wrote that “the Reserves since their organization have had a remarkable record and been a pride to the city….” 

 In November 1902, Harry Hofer bought out the remaining shareholders of the Quincy Reserves, becoming the sole owner, and it was hoped Quincy would reenter the ranks of professional baseball. Hofer told the November 2, 1902 Daily Journal that “from a financial point of view,” he could not see going into a league since “it would take nearly $10,000” to cover expenses. He added that Quincy “was only a good baseball town on Sundays.”

 After an eight-year absence, 1907 saw professional baseball return to Quincy. On January 3, 1907, a meeting was held to discuss league baseball. Harry Hofer explained that Quincy was no longer satisfied with independent baseball but wanted league ball. On his own he had secured a franchise in the Iowa State League. He offered to run the team if funds could be raised. It was decided that a stock company was the easiest way to secure money. The Quincy Baseball Association was formed, and Harry Hofer elected president.

The Iowa State League officials met on January 29 and accepted Quincy. Two Illinois cities joined six Iowa cities, making up the league for the coming year. 

Nearly 1,600 fans turned out for opening day and saw the home team lose by a run to Burlington. When the inaugural season ended in September, Quincy finished in sixth place.

With their regular season ending in St. Louis, the National League champion Chicago Cubs agreed to play the Quincy Gems in an exhibition game. The Cubs were led by the double play combination of Tinker, Evers, and Chance. While future Hall of Famer Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown anchored the pitching staff. Evers and three other regulars started the game. Pitching for the Cubs were Jack Pfiester and Ed Reulbach. In 1907, they combined to win 31 games.

The season for Quincyans finished on a high note. For that afternoon, a mediocre Class-C baseball team defeated the Chicago Cubs 5 to 2. The Cubs would go on to take the 1907 World Series from Ty Cobb’s Detroit Tigers.

The Iowa State League morphed into Central Association. Harry Hofer would manage the Quincy team through 1909. Hanging up his spikes, Hofer remained as president of the Quincy Baseball Association. The 1910 team known as the Veterans cruised to Central Association title by five games.

Deciding to go out as a winner, Quincy left the Central Association and joined the Class-B Three-I League for the 1911 season. Hofer continued as president of the Quincy Baseball Association, but resigned February 14, 1913. The January 13, 1913 Daily Herald stated that Hofer “has given his time and money whenever it was required and feels that he has done all that can be expected of him.” The Herald pointed out that “for the past fifteen years or more,” Hofer “has been at the head of baseball in this city.”

Starting in 1893 as a player, then as a manager, and finally president of the team, Harry Hofer was Quincy baseball.

Sources

“Harry F. Hofer, Long Prominent in Sports, Dies. Name Was Associated with Quincy Baseball 

Teams for 35 Years.” Quincy Herald-Whig, January 25, 1944, 10. 

“Hoffer Wil Not Accept. Doesn’t Want Presidency of Baseball Association.” Quincy Daily Herald, 

January 14, 1913, 10.

“It Was Great Day for Quincy When Chicago Went Down to Defeat on Local Diamond.” Quincy

 Herald-Whig, July 28, 1929, 17.

“Labor Day Athletics.” Quincy Daily Journal, September 5, 1893, 8. 

“Quincy Reserves. Baseball Club Has Changes Hands—Harry Hofer is Now Sole Proprietor—No 

League Team Next Year.” Quincy Daily Journal, November 3, 1902, 7.  

“The Quincy Reserves Prove Themselves the Hottest Amateur Ball Players in the State.” Quincy 

Daily Journal, October 10, 1898, 7. 

“Was A Warm Game. Quincy Won from Hannibal Yesterday by 1 to 0.” Quincy Daily Herald,  

August 1, 1898, 7.