JULY 1906: Shutouts Reign
Oskaloosa Quakers baseball team picture. (archive image)
by Mike Comfort
The Iowa State League season rolled into July and each team received $293.35 for attendance on 4th of July games. Oskaloosa led the league in attendance with 2,755 people, resulting in $851.40 in gate receipts. That continued a strong trend for the Quakers as they were 2nd in attendance with an average of 468 fans per game, through the July 8th games. They were behind Burlington who averaged 702 fans a game. The lowest was Boone, now in Clinton, who averaged a paltry 194 fans a game and showed why their franchise was transferred.
The July meeting of the league directors resolved a lot of outstanding business. The first order of business was the league awarding $50.90 to Keokuk from Waterloo in money that Keokuk was due because of the called game in May when Keokuk had to catch the train. That money had not been paid yet. Five clubs filed certified copies of their salary lists: Oskaloosa ($1086.34), Boone ($1030), Marshalltown ($1099.80), Ft Dodge ($1201), and Keokuk ($1035.33). Ottumwa, Burlington, and Waterloo were given until July 15 to file. Ft Dodge was $101 dollars over the limit, due to them not deducting fines for players not playing due to illness. It was implied that they would be under if they had done so. None of the protested or forfeited games were taken up as business, but rather pushed to the fall meeting. It was implied by the Marshalltown Times that this was done to keep harmony in the league so it stayed together for the season.
A series of shut outs highlighted July play. Marshalltown shut out Keokuk 3 games in a row, and stretched their scoreless inning streak to 37 innings. Oskaloosa topped that by shutting out teams in 6 straight games: Waterloo 2-0, Ottumwa 3-0 twice on a July 4th doubleheader, Ottumwa 6-0, Burlington 11-0, and Burlington 3-0. The Herald declared “never before in the history of organized baseball has it occurred”. Despite this claim, the Pittsburgh Pirates accomplished this feat from June 2 – June 8, 1903 against the Giants (2x), Braves (3x), and Phillies (1x). Oskaloosa was led by their two pitchers Demon Shaw and Fred Steele who pitched strong all year. Shaw’s highlight was beating Waterloo 1-0 with 7 strikeouts. He faced 30 batters with all of them being official at bats, that is, there was no walks, hit by pitches or sacrifices. Steele one upped up him by also beating Waterloo 1-0 and throwing a no hitter against 3 strikeouts, 1 walk, and 4 errors on the defense. This was part of the same series where the teams played three straight 1-0 games. Waterloo won the first and Osky the others. Both Quaker victories were won on walk off hits in the 9th.
By the end of July, Burlington had built an 8 game lead over 2nd place Fort Dodge. Part of the cushion was built by going 12-2 to end the month. Oskaloosa was in 3rd, followed by Marshalltown, and Waterloo. Clinton was in 6th and was 7-8 since inheriting Boone’s team. Keokuk had their first winning month which pulled them out of the cellar, leaving Ottumwa languishing in last place, who had suffered through a 12 game losing streak in the month.
Sources
Quad City Times, Oskaloosa Herald. Ottumwa Courier. Sioux City Journal, Waterloo Courier, Davenport Times, Marshalltown Times, CR Gazette
This article is copyright Mike Comfort and used with his permission. You can read more at his Substack by clicking HERE.
Mike Comfort is an Oskaloosa native as well as a baseball and history buff. He resides in Oskaloosa and is an educator and coach.
