Colgan's checklist update

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Posted By: John S

I was very pleased to have replied to over forty requests for the Colgan's E254 checklist. The feedback was very positive (only one person complained that "I was sharing too much information") but to this point I have only received a few critiques/criticisms relative to the difficulty scale.

Only one player remains unidentified by first name (Lakoff). I was able to find one boxscore from a spring training game in 1911 that identifies him as a member of the Louisville battery. Beyond that...nothing.

As I stated previously this checklist is a continuing work and any opinions are welcome. Thanks again to everyone has offered information to this point. Rhett, Frank, and Tom B. have been especially helpful.

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Posted By: John S

I believe that the identity of "Lakoff" has been discovered. Frank found a listing in the Spalding Guide for Lakoff pitching for Wausau in 1910. Most likely he had a tryout with Louisville in 1911 (reference NY Times article from March of 1911 were he was listed as part of the battery) and did not make the cut. The SABR database has a "Nick Lakaff" pitching for Wausau in 1910. The Spalding guides, NY Times, and Colgan's have his last name spelled as Lakoff. The Dayton minor league webpage (he pitched there in 1916 and 1917), SABR, and other web sources have his last name spelled as Lakaff.

Lakaff or Lakoff?

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Posted By: Frank Wakefield

You're quite welcome, John. And the real thanks goes to you for this fine list!!


That March 1911 line score that shows Lakoff in the New York Times is of a game between the Cincinnati Redlegs and the Louisville Colonels, a pre-season game. Lakoff is the last of 3 Louisville pitchers. The Reds scored single runs in the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th. Louisville scored in the bottom of the 4th, another run in the 6th, and 2 runs in the 7th to tie the game. The Reds score 2 runs in the top of the 9th and win 6-4. I have a feeling that Lakoff was in there and gave up those 2 runs, lost the game, and lost his shot at a roster place with Louisville.

And I still don't know which was his name was spelled. Might look at 1910 Wausau census records, or contact the library there to see if someone could photocopy some baseball articles from the local paper. I suspect the change of spelling came because of the way the name sounded when spoken, or it was errantly typed one time, and others picked that up.

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Posted By: Matt

The old Sporting Lifes show at least 2, if not 3 Lakoffs were playing in 1911:

There is a record of a Frank Lakoff singing with Rock Island in 1904
and then contracting Malaria in 1907
and then being awarded to Decatur in 1913


And also a Lakoff, identified here as M. Lakoff - here is the notice of his release from Louisville (and signing with Hartford) in 1911
Later in 1911, there is note that the Hartford team recalled a Carl Lakoff