The complete Won-Loss record for the 1899 Missouri Tigers "base ball" team is unknown. The official MU Baseball Press Guide lists it as "Unknown", and the newspaper records are incomplete.
It is apparent, however, that the 1899 squad was quite successful, winning the "championship" among the colleges of the Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska area.
Following are excerpts from the Columbia Missouri Herald, March through May, 1899, as found on microfilm at the State Historical Society of Missouri. All appeared in a regular column under the title "The School News: Missouri State University".
March 17, 1899
There was a meeting of the athletic board March 11 to discuss baseball prospects.
March 24, 1899
Interest in base ball this year is greater than ever before. Nearly every class has a team and every afternoon on the quadrangle is filled with boys practicing. The class teams show there is much splendid base ball material. So for the University team there will be two or three or even more good men to select from for the different positions.
Pres. Jesse has posted a bulletin endorsing the interest shown in base ball and basket ball. He also urges that a larger interest be taken in the field day exercises and terms and promises that the grounds will be put in good order under the directions of Mr. Rollins and Rothwell.
April 7, 1899
The following schedule for the University base ball team has been arranged:
Kemper vs. M.S.U. at Columbia, April 11
Nebraska vs. M.S.U. at Lincoln, April 27
Kansas vs. M.S.U. at Lawrence, April 29
Nebraska vs. M.S.U. at Columbia, May 15
Other games will soon be arranged for with Westminster, Lexington, Smith Academy, Washington University and other schools. The recent bad weather has materially interfered with practice and caused the postponement of the game scheduled for April 5, with Westminster.
April 14, 1899
The first of the regular University games of base ball was played Tuesday afternoon with the Kemper Family School, of Boonville. Our boys showed up very well indeed, the batting being especially fine. While some errors were made they were few and the score was fairly earned. For Kemper the captain who played at first, pitch and catch was the best man. On the University side Atchison, Hawkins and Broderick played especially well. Hawkins is an entire success as pitcher. Kemper made 3 talies in the seven innings which was her total score. The final score was 29 to 3 in favor of M.S.U.
Broderick 1B
Cartright 2B
Feltz 3B
McCaslin RF
Jewett CF
Atchison LF
Mosman Short stop
Sooper Catcher
Hawkins Pitcher
Season tickets are being sold for the ball games.
May 5, 1899
The base ball team is retrieving Missouri's athletic reputation. In their first game, the one with Nebraska, they beat by a score of 8 to 5. They lost to St. Marys 16 to 11. In the third game they defeated Kansas by a score of 9 to 8. Their last game, the return game with Kemper at Boonville, they won 24 to 6. Curtwright, the new pitcher, is an unusually strong man in the box. He showed up well at all times and but few hits were made off his balls. Hawkins showed that he was a master hand at batting and knocked a home run with the first ball the crack Kansas pitcher threw him. Saturday night when the news of the victory over Kansas was received the boys made merry with a parade (robe de nuit). They went to the two colleges and cake walked and danced just to celebrate and for the benefit of anyone who might wish to see them.
May 19, 1899
The Missouri-Nebraska base ball game took place Monday afternoon with a fairly good crowd in attendance. Missouri showed up in good style and did some fine batting, sending the crack Texas league pitcher's curves to every quarter of the diamond. Nebraska also played well, but Missouri won 12 to 6.
May 26, 1899
The Missouri-Kansas base ball game Monday evening was one of the best base ball games ever seen here. A good crowd was out and the men of both sides in fine condition. The play was rapid and excellent, Missouri making only 4 errors, Kansas 7. This game gives Missouri the intercollegiate championship between the colleges of Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska. The M.S.U. boys have lost only two games this season and have reason to be proud of themselves. Curtright did some notably good pitching. The names and positions were as follows.
Missouri KansasMcCaslin rf Parent
Atchison lf Griggs
Feltz cf Barnett
Jones 3d. b. Lucas
Hawkins 2d. b. Housh
Cooper 1st.b. Carrol
Mosman s.s. Parsman
Curtright p Hall
Garvin c. Moore
References for further study about 19th century MU Baeball
State Historical Society of Missouri
University of Missouri History Web Page
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