MIKE MANSELL DEAD
Once Famous Ball Player Succumbed to Pneumonia in a Week The death of Michael R. Mansell, which occurred yesterday morning at his home 17 Cross St, will come as a great shock to his many friends in this city as well as different parts of the country. The deceased had been ill but a week with pneumonia and would have been 45 years of age next January. In the early days when baseball was beginning to become the national game, he was one of the best players in the country and his services were in great demand. He was born in this city January 15, 1858 and commenced his ball playing career with the Franklin club, an amateur organization of this city. He first came prominently before the public in the latter part of the season of 1875 when his excellent fielding in a game against the New Haven club attracted attention and led to his engagement by the Buckeyes of Columbus for the following season. He remained with the Buckeyes until August 1876 when a severe illness caused him to return to Auburn. He opened the season in 1877 with the Stars of Syracuse and took part in the memorable contest of 15 innings between that team and the St Louis Browns, he accepting all of six different chances offered to him and making one of the two safe hits credited to his side. He guarded left field for the Stars for three successive seasons and on that club's disbandment in September. 1879, he joined the Albanys for the remainder of the season. His next engagement was with the league club of Cincinnati in 1880, when he had an excellent record as an outfielder, batter and base runner. In conjunction with his brothers, John and Tom, he played in the outfield for the Albany club in 1881, until a sprained knee which had bothered him all that season forced him to retire from the diamond. He played with the Allegheny club during 1882, taking part in all of its championship games, playing with the same team in 1883. Later he played with Hamilton, Ont and Syracuse teams of the International and Eastern leagues. During his ball playing carrer, left field was his regular position. He was regarded as a sure catch, a clever base runner and a heavy hitter and possessed a very creditable record as a popular hard working professional player. In his prime, he was considered one of the fastest sprint runners in the country and for a long time held open a standing offer to run a professional player 100 yards. On his retirement from the diamond, he returned to his home. For a time he was a keeper in the Auburn prison. Recently he was successfully conducted a saloon on North Street. The deceased was a genial, wholesouled fellow and leaves behind a host of friends to mourn his loss. He is survived by one sister, Miss Mary E, with whom he lived and a brother Thomas, a detective on the Kansas City police force. |
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