Clifford Wesley "Tacks" Latimer (November 30, 1875 – April 24, 1936) was an American

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Modern professional ...

catcher Catcher is a position in baseball and softball. When a batter takes their turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the ( home) umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. In addition to this primary duty, the ca ...

who played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (AL), ...

for the New York Giants,

Louisville Colonels The Louisville Colonels were a Major League Baseball team that also played in the American Association (AA) throughout that league's ten-year existence from 1882 until 1891. They were known as the Louisville Eclipse from 1882 to 1884, and as th ...

, Pittsburgh Pirates,

Baltimore Orioles The Baltimore Orioles are an American professional baseball team based in Baltimore. The Orioles compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. As one of the American League's eight charter ...

, and

Brooklyn Superbas The Brooklyn Dodgers were a Major League Baseball team founded in 1884 as a member of the American Association before joining the National League in 1890. They remained in Brooklyn until 1957, after which the club moved to Los Angeles, Californ ...

from 1898 to 1902. Including the years he played only in the

minor leagues Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in No ...

or as a semi-professional, Latimer's career ranged from 1895 to 1908. After his playing career ended, Latimer became a police officer with the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1924, after a dispute with another police officer, Latimer shot him four times in the back, killing him. Latimer was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to life imprisonment. He received a pardon in 1930 for his heroism during a prison break.

Early life

Clifford Wesley Lattimer was born in

Loveland, Ohio Loveland is a city in Hamilton, Clermont, and Warren counties in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Considered part of the Greater Cincinnati area, Loveland is located near exit 52 off Interstate 275, about northeast of the Cin ...

, on November 30, 1875, to John Wesley and Nora ( née McAdams) Lattimer. At some point, his name was changed to "Latimer". He began playing baseball with the Cincinnati Gymnasium Club, where he attracted the attention of

scouts Scouting, also known as the Scout Movement, is a worldwide youth movement employing the Scout method, a program of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activities, including camping, woodcraft, aquatics, hiking, backpack ...

Baseball career

Latimer made his professional baseball debut with the Montgomery Grays of the

Southern Association The Southern Association was a higher-level minor league in American organized baseball from 1901 through 1961. For most of its existence, the Southern Association was two steps below the Major Leagues; it was graded Class A (1902–1935), Cla ...

in 1895. He also played for the Norfolk Crows of the

Virginia State League Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...

and Findlay Sluggers of the

Interstate League The Interstate League was the name of five different American minor baseball leagues that played intermittently from 1896 through 1952. Early leagues Earlier versions of the Interstate League, with years active: *1896–1901: an unclassified ...

. In 1897, he played semi-professional baseball in Chillicothe, Ohio, and played professionally for the

Minneapolis Millers The Minneapolis Millers were an American professional minor league baseball team that played in Minneapolis, Minnesota, through 1960. In the 19th century a different Minneapolis Millers were part of the Western League. The team played first in ...

of the Western League. In 1898, he played for the

Austin Senators The "Austin Senators" is the name of various minor league baseball teams based in Austin, Texas, United States which played on-and-off between 1898 and 1964. Different incarnations of the Senators have played in the Texas League (1888–1890, 1905, ...

of the

Texas League The Texas League is a Minor League Baseball league which has operated in the South Central United States since 1902. It is classified as a Double-A league. Despite the league's name, only its five South Division teams are actually based in the ...

and Dayton Old Soldiers of the Interstate League, before he signed with the New York Giants of the

National League The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League (NL), is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada, and the world's oldest extant professional team ...

, making his major league debut in October. He played in five games for the Giants, and batted .294 (5-for-17). Though Latimer signed with the Giants for the 1899 season, he began the season with Dayton. He signed with the Youngstown Little Giants of the Interstate League in May.

Buck Ewing William "Buck" Ewing (October 17, 1859 – October 20, 1906) was an American Major League Baseball player and manager. Renowned for his offensive and defensive skills, he was the first 19th-century catcher elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame. C ...

, the

manager Management (or managing) is the administration of an organization, whether it is a business, a nonprofit organization, or a government body. It is the art and science of managing resources of the business. Management includes the activities ...

of the National League's Cincinnati Reds, offered to sign Latimer on a trial basis, but Latimer refused unless the signing was permanent. In September 1899, the

of the National League purchased Latimer from Youngstown. He played in nine games for Louisville, and batted .276 (8-for-29). Following the 1899 season, Colonels' owner

Barney Dreyfuss Bernhard "Barney" Dreyfuss (February 23, 1865 – February 5, 1932) was an executive in Major League Baseball who owned the Pittsburgh Pirates franchise from 1900 to his death. He was inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008. Dr ...

purchased a controlling stake in the Pittsburgh Pirates, and consolidated the two teams in Pittsburgh. Louisville traded Latimer, Fred Clarke,

Honus Wagner Johannes Peter "Honus" Wagner (; February 24, 1874 – December 6, 1955), sometimes referred to as "Hans" Wagner, was an American baseball shortstop who played 21 seasons in Major League Baseball from 1897 to 1917, almost entirely for the Pitts ...

Deacon Phillippe Charles Louis "Deacon" Phillippe (originally Phillippi) (May 23, 1872 – March 30, 1952) was a Major League Baseball pitcher who played for the Louisville Colonels and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Biography Born in Rural Retreat, Virginia to Andrew ...

Patsy Flaherty Patrick Joseph Flaherty (June 29, 1876 – January 23, 1968), born in Mansfield (now Carnegie), Pennsylvania, was a pitcher for the Louisville Colonels (1899), Pittsburgh Pirates (1900 and 1904–05), Chicago White Sox (1903–1904), Boston Dove ...

, Chief Zimmer,

Claude Ritchey Claude Cassius Ritchey (October 5, 1873 – November 8, 1951) was a Major League Baseball player. Nicknamed "Little All Right", he played second base, shortstop, and outfield for the Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates, Boston Doves, and Louisvi ...

Tommy Leach Thomas Andrew Leach (November 4, 1877 – September 29, 1969) was a professional baseball outfielder and third baseman. He played in Major League Baseball from 1898 through 1918 for the Louisville Colonels, Pittsburgh Pirates, Chicago Cubs and ...

Rube Waddell George Edward Waddell (October 13, 1876 – April 1, 1914) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). A left-hander, he played for 13 years, with the Louisville Colonels, Pittsburgh Pirates, and Chicago Orphans in the National ...

, Walt Woods,

Bert Cunningham Ellsworth Elmer "Bert" Cunningham (November 25, 1865 – May 14, 1952), was a Major League Baseball pitcher from 1887 to 1901. He played for the Brooklyn Grays, Baltimore Orioles, Philadelphia Athletics, Buffalo Bisons, Louisville Colonels, an ...

, Jack Wadsworth, Tom Messitt, and Mike Kelley for Jack Chesbro, George Fox, Art Madison, and John O'Brien. He played in four games for the Pirates, batting .333 (4-for-12), before he was released to the Syracuse Stars of the Eastern League after the Pirates acquired Jack O'Connor. In July, he was released by Syracuse and joined

New Castle Quakers The New Castle Quakers were a minor league baseball team based in New Castle, Pennsylvania. The Quakers played as members of the 1895 Iron and Oil League before becoming members of the Class D level Interstate League from 1896 to 1900, winning t ...

of the Interstate League. After the 1900 season,

John McGraw John Joseph McGraw (April 7, 1873 – February 25, 1934) was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) player and manager who was for almost thirty years manager of the New York Giants. He was also the third baseman of the pennant-winning 1890 ...

signed Latimer to the

of the upstart

American League The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the American League (AL), is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league ...

. He was to be the backup catcher to

Wilbert Robinson Wilbert Robinson (June 29, 1864 – August 8, 1934), nicknamed "Uncle Robbie", was an American catcher, coach and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). He played in MLB for the Philadelphia Athletics, Baltimore Orioles, and St. Louis Cardinals ...

. He played in one game for Baltimore in April 1901, batting 1-for-4.

Roger Bresnahan Roger Philip Bresnahan (June 11, 1879 – December 4, 1944), nicknamed "The Duke of Tralee", was an American player and manager in Major League Baseball (MLB). As a player, Bresnahan competed in MLB for the Washington Senators (1897), Chicago ...

, who previously played as a pitcher, became a catcher for Baltimore, and the team released Latimer. He played for the Fort Wayne Railroaders of the

Western Association The Western Association was the name of five different leagues formed in American minor league baseball during the 19th and 20th centuries. The oldest league, originally established as the Northwestern League in 1883, was refounded as the Weste ...

, but was released in July due to his high salary. He then signed with the St. Paul Saints of the Western League. He declined to re-sign with St. Paul for the 1902 season. Latimer began the 1902 season with the Atlanta Firemen of the Southern Association. In August, he suffered a broken finger, and was released by Atlanta because he refused to play for half pay while injured. He signed with the

of the National League. He played in eight games for Brooklyn, batting 1-for-24 (.042), before Brooklyn's manager, Ned Hanlon, furloughed him for the remainder of the season. In 1903, Hanlon assigned Latimer to the

of the Eastern League. Refusing to report, Latimer demanded and received his release. Latimer requested a tryout with the Reds, but was turned down. He signed with the

Denver Grizzlies Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

of the Western League. He was released by Denver in July, and signed with the

Rock Island Islanders The Rock Island Islanders was the primary name of the minor league baseball teams based in Rock Island, Illinois, one of the Quad Cities, between 1892 and 1937. Rock Island teams played as members of the Illinois–Iowa League (1892), Western Ass ...

of the

Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League was a Minor League Baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 seasons, with teams based in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin. The league began pla ...

. He signed with the Springfield Hustlers of the Illinois-Indiana-Iowa League for the 1904 season. Latimer began the 1905 season with the

Newark Sailors The Newark Sailors, later known as the Newark Indians, were a minor league baseball team in the early twentieth century. The team played its games at Wiedenmayer's Park in Newark, New Jersey. Newark played in the Eastern League between 1908 and ...

of the Eastern League and also played for the Norwich Reds of the

Connecticut State League The Connecticut League, also known as the Connecticut State League, was a professional baseball association of teams in the state of Connecticut. The league began as offshoot of the original Connecticut State League, which dates back as far as 1884 ...

, until he was released in August after he refused a pay cut. In 1906, he played for the York Penn Parks,

Lancaster Red Roses The Lancaster Red Roses baseball team, originally known as the Maroons, changed its name at the start of the 1906 season during a bitter match with the York, Pennsylvania-based White Roses. Some sources indicate that the rival teams were named fo ...

, and

Harrisburg Senators The Harrisburg Senators are a Minor League Baseball team of the Eastern League, and the Double-A affiliate of the Washington Nationals, in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, who play their home games at FNB Field on City Island, which opened in 1987 a ...

of the

Tri-State League The Tri-State League was the name of six different circuits in American minor league baseball. History The first league of that name played for four years (1887–1890) and consisted of teams in Ohio, Michigan and West Virginia. The second leagu ...

. He was released by Lancaster in August, and finished the season with the Cumberland Rooters of the Pennsylvania–Ohio–Maryland League. He signed with

Nashville Volunteers The Nashville Vols were a Minor League Baseball team that played in Nashville, Tennessee, from 1901 to 1963. Known only as the Nashville Baseball Club during their first seven seasons, they were officially named the Nashville Volunteers (often sh ...

of the Southern Association for the 1907 season. He was released by Nashville in May, and finished the season with the Birmingham Barons, also in the Southern Association. He played for the

McKeesport Tubers The McKeesport Tubers were an American basketball team based in McKeesport, Pennsylvania that was a member of the Central Basketball League The Central Basketball League was an early regional professional or semi-pro basketball league based in O ...

of the Ohio-Pennsylvania League in 1908, but he struggled and was released in July. Latimer was unable to find a team to play for in 1909.

Post-playing career

During Latimer's playing, he served as a part-time scout for the teams he played for in the minor leagues. He scouted for the Reds while

Clark Griffith Clark Calvin Griffith (November 20, 1869 – October 27, 1955), nicknamed "The Old Fox", was an American Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, manager and team owner. He began his MLB playing career with the St. Louis Browns (1891), Boston Reds ...

was their manager, after his playing career ended. Latimer became a full-time scout for the Pirates, and the

Society for American Baseball Research The Society for American Baseball Research (SABR) is a membership organization dedicated to fostering the research and dissemination of the history and record of baseball primarily through the use of statistics. Established in Cooperstown, New ...

has credited him with discovering Bob Vail and

George Suggs George Franklin Suggs (July 7, 1882 – April 4, 1949) was a major league baseball pitcher. On September 8, 1906, Suggs, pitching for the Southern Association's Memphis Egyptians, pitched an 11-inning no-hitter against the Nashville Baseball C ...

. He may have also discovered

Red Faber Urban Clarence "Red" Faber (September 6, 1888 – September 25, 1976) was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from through , playing his entire career for the Chicago White Sox. He was a member of the 1919 team but was no ...

, and some contemporary sources credited him with finding

. Latimer ran for sheriff of

Greene County, Ohio Greene County is located in the southwestern portion of the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 167,966. Its county seat is Xenia. The county was established on March 24, 1803 and named for General Nathanael Greene ...

, as a

Republican Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

in 1918, but lost. In either 1920 or 1921, Latimer became a detective for the Pennsylvania Railroad in

Xenia, Ohio Xenia ( ) is a city in southwestern Ohio and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. It is east of Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area, as well as the Miami Valley region. The name comes from the Gree ...

Criminal

Latimer served under Charles Mackrodt, a lieutenant with the Pennsylvania Railroad's police. They were friends, until Mackrodt was dismissed from the force. Mackrodt blamed Latimer for his dismissal. On November 26, 1924, Mackrodt confronted Latimer at the main intersection in Xenia, where Mackrodt allegedly threatened Latimer and challenged him to a fight in an alley. When Mackrodt turned away, Latimer shot Mackrodt four times with a

.38 caliber .38 caliber is a frequently used name for the caliber of firearms and firearm cartridges. The .38 is considered a large firearm cartridge; anything larger than .32 is considered a large caliber.Wright, James D.; Rossi, Peter H.; Daly, Kathleen ...

revolver, killing him instantly. One bullet struck Mackrodt in the side and three struck him in the back. Latimer surrendered to police at the courthouse, which was across the street, and was charged with

first-degree murder Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification or valid excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person without justification or excuse, especially the ...

. He pled not guilty and was held without bond pending trial. In his trial, which began on December 29, 1924, Latimer claimed that he shot Mackrodt in self-defense, saying that Mackrodt had threatened him previously and had shot at him on a previous occasion. Latimer also claimed that he did not shoot at Mackrodt until he put his hand into his pocket. Mackrodt had been carrying a

pocketknife A pocketknife is a knife with one or more blades that fold into the handle. They are also known as jackknives (jack-knife), folding knives, or may be referred to as a penknife, though a penknife may also be a specific kind of pocketknife. A ty ...

. Among the character witnesses called by the defense was

Bob Ewing George Lemuel Ewing (April 24, 1873 – June 20, 1947), was a Major League Baseball pitcher. He played in the majors from 1902 to 1912 for the Cincinnati Reds, Philadelphia Phillies, and St. Louis Cardinals. Early life Ewing was born on April ...

, a former teammate of Latimer's who was serving as sheriff of

Auglaize County Auglaize County () is a county in Northwestern Ohio, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 46,442. Its county seat is Wapakoneta. Auglaize County comprises the Wapakoneta Micropolitan Statistical Area, which is also includ ...

. The jury convicted Latimer of second-degree murder on December 31, 1924, and was sentenced to life in prison at the

Ohio State Penitentiary The Ohio State Penitentiary (OSP) is a 502-inmate capacity supermax Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction prison in Youngstown, Ohio. Throughout the last two centuries, there have been two institutions with the name Ohio Penitent ...

on January 5, 1925. He decided not to appeal the verdict. During his incarceration, Latimer was considered a model prisoner. He was made a trusty and managed the prison's baseball team.

Pardon

On November 8, 1926, a gang of 13 prisoners attacked the guards as they attempted to break out of the Ohio State Penitentiary. Latimer and other trusties assisted the guards with capturing the escaped prisoners. On April 21, 1930, a fire broke out that killed 322 prisoners. During the ensuing chaos, Latimer was given a shotgun and he stood guard overnight. By May 1929, friends of Latimer began petitioning

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Myers Y. Cooper to pardon Latimer. Cooper issued a pardon for Latimer on December 24, 1930.

Later life

Following his release, Latimer was hired as a night detective in a Cincinnati hotel. He then worked for the

Container Corporation of America Container Corporation of America (CCA) was founded in 1926 and manufactured corrugated boxes. In 1968 CCA merged with Montgomery Ward & Company, Inc., becoming MARCOR. MARCOR maintained separate management for the operations of each company, but ...

. Latimer's first wife, Lottie, filed for divorce in 1926, after 27 years of marriage. They had three children together. He married Mildred Elizabeth Shawan on December 30, 1931, and they had a daughter in 1933. Latimer died of a

heart attack A myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, occurs when blood flow decreases or stops to the coronary artery of the heart, causing damage to the heart muscle. The most common symptom is chest pain or discomfort which ma ...

at his home in Loveland on April 24, 1936.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Latimer, Tacks 1875 births 1936 deaths Major League Baseball catchers Brooklyn Superbas players New York Giants (NL) players Louisville Colonels players Pittsburgh Pirates players Baltimore Orioles (1901–02) players Baseball players from Ohio Fort Wayne Railroaders players St. Paul Saints (AA) players Atlanta Firemen players Rock Island Islanders players Denver Grizzlies (baseball) players Springfield Hustlers players Norwich Reds players Newark Sailors players Montreal Royals players Johnstown Johnnies players York Penn Parks players Lancaster Red Roses players Harrisburg Senators players Nashville Vols players Birmingham Barons players People from Loveland, Ohio 19th-century baseball players Sportspeople from the Cincinnati metropolitan area Findlay Sluggers players People convicted of murder by Ohio American murderers American people convicted of murder Prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment by Ohio Sportspeople convicted of murder Norfolk Clams players Portsmouth Cobblers players Recipients of American gubernatorial pardons New Castle Quakers players

Early life

Baseball career

Post-playing career

Criminal

Pardon

Later life

See also

References

External links