Help identifying this team

[edjs]

Originally Posted by andybecker

great piece with family ties! that's awesome!

may I ask, how do you know he was paid to play? I'm curious.

information on town, independent, and semi-pro teams is really hard to find pre-1900. not much at all west of Mississippi river until you get to the coast.

i can't offer much help, but I suggest trying the PFRA (professional football researcher's association).

I know he was paid because he always said so. He was very proud of playing football. But I was pretty young, and don't remember much else about him.

Here's what I could find today: Please tell me if I'm mistaken, especially about your relative, but here's info on Harry McClain, Harve Kreamer, and Bert Cluster.

Harry W. McClain (October 26, 1876 - August 1968). Born Albia, Iowa moved to Odessa, Kansas 1885 and later Jewell City (1900 US census). Married Nellie Mae Wilson November 19, 1911 in Sioux City, Nebraska. His 1916 WW1 draft registration lists his occupation as self-employed, farmer. Passed away in Ontario, San Bernardino, California 1968.

Bert Cluster (June 26, 1877 - June 25, 1951). Born in Missouri but moved to Odessa, Jewell County, Kansas 1885. Practically a lifetime in Jewell, Kansas, briefly moved to Buffalo, Kansas in 1920 only to return to Jewell in 1930. His WW1 draft registration lists his job as secretary/treasurer for EL Gray Company. Passed away in Jewell, and is buried there.

James "Harve" Kreamer (1878 - ?). Born in Illinois, but moved to Jewell City, Kansas by the 1880 census. He was a Corporal promoted to Sergeant in the Spanish American War (1898). Lived a great deal of his life in Ottawa, Kansas. Unknown when/where he passed.

All three of these men seemed to live in, or around Jewell, Kansas throughout the 1890's. I believe finding Bert Clusters' obit would be most helpful. A lifetime resident of Jewell, it may have mentioned his semi-pro football days.

1896 was a rough year in Kansas football history as Bert Serf, QB for Doane University, was killed in a game versus University of Kansas (November 17, 1896, The Advocate) I believe your great grandfather was paid as "Professionalism was an acknowledged problem" in Kansas football, especially surrounding the short-lived career of Rollo Krebs, a ringer who played four years for University of West Virginia. In 1899, KU administrators cracked down on professionals in college football. Krebs later acknowledged "he did not come to Kansas for an education he came to play football". History of Kansas Football.

Hope this is helpful. Got a friend at the Washington State Library who has access to the Glasco Sun newspaper (1895-99). He's going to help, and will probably get back to me after the Seahawks win the Super Bowl.

Here's a person who seems far more familiar with the history of Jewell City, Kansas (and how to access it) than I could ever be, might want to contact....

http://bigmomma.newsvine.com/story-o...52262292895466

Good luck sir.

[edjs]

The info on Harry seems part right. I always understood that he was from Cincinnati, and Grandma McClain was born Annabelle Austin. But he did die in Ontario, California. I have never heard of anyone coming from Iowa. My mom was born in Cincinnati, where my grandparents were married, but I honestly don't know where my grand mother was born. I know Harry and Annabelle had three daughters, Clyde, my grandmother (grandpa Harry wanted a boy, named her Clyde), Josephine, and Inez. I don't have any birth records on them, I just assumed from all the family talk that they where from Cincinnati. Harry's cousin was Edward McClean (same name, different spelling, even Harry spelled it McClean sometimes). I also saw another Harry McClain in the 1895 Kansas census, in Jewell, but he was only 7yrs. old. This is why it is so hard to track, but I know Grandpa was in Jewell in 1896, the photo of just the three was taken at a studio in Jewell. The person that picked up the photo was named Maggie McClain, and it says "aunt". That's written on the back. Great info, though, and I will definitely contact the lady on your link! Thanks so much for all your help, I know a lot more, and can make some guesses now.