The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1915-09-24
"PERK" KENNEDY
LOSES BIG GAME.
FAMOUS BASEBALL PLAYER Is
CALLED OUT" 1V The
GREAT UMPIRE.
sueeumbs to Tuberculosis at Bellaire
Home festerdsy-Had Long Dia-
nond Career

William Kennedy. veteran baseball
player and one time idol of fans ali
over the country. passed away Thurs
day morning at tbs o'clock. at tue
home of his brother. L. T. Kennedy,
on South Union street. Bellaire. Death
was not unexpected. he having been
al for more than a lear. Later the
veteran player contracted tuberculosis
and during the past few weeks grew
weaker until the end. Coincident with
his death is the fact that "Perk-
answered the call of the Great Um-
pire. just as the baseball season Is
passing out.
"Brickyard Bill" or "Perk," as he
was Familiarity known. was a product
OF Bellaire. He was born in BeIIairs.
October 26. 1866. and in early youth
eVinced great interest in the national
pastime. Friends predicted that ne
would become a great baseball player.
In his palmy days he was one OF tue
greatest baseball pitchers that ever
donned the garb. He spent Is years
N the big leagues. and In several IN
stances was the standby 10 helping ms
team win the worlds pennant.
Perk started his career with the
Bellaire Browns. a team that in the
, early eighties had won fame in ali
sections of the country. In those DAYS
baseball was not played so scien-
tincally as it is now. The curve bail
was also discovered oy some one
along about that time. Husky, strong
and imbued with a fevor that few
baseball stars possess. Perk soon es-
taolished record. In the days or
the old Tri-State League "Perk's-
famn a furfr
was while he was at work in the
Croker brickyard that a delegation of
players from the Wheeling team came
TO Bellaire. He was taken to the Fri.
State park in that city and pitched
for the Stogie team, winning the con
test
Rise In Baseball RapId.
From that time his rise in the base
ball world was rapid. At the age Of
-, "Perk" started to play in the big
leagues. his FIRST effort being with me
Denver team OF the Western League
After playing two seasons he went
east and became a member OF IAe
| Brooklyn Trolley Dodgers. He re-
manned with Brooklyn until 1902. In
lsVS he was purchased by the New
York Giants. but suffered a severe
sickness and was compelled TO return
nome to recuperate. After recovering
he went TO Piqua. o.. where he man
aged an Independent team for one
season.
The next venture was with the
Pittsburgh Pirates and he assisted
that team in winning the worlds
series. Kennedy then drifted back TO
minor leagues and later was seen IN
me central League. wearing a Stogie
| uniform. The next season he pitched
Tor Dayton and played with that team
until 1908, when he retired from the
leagues forever. For three YEAR, No
lived retired but being unable TO with.
stand the cry CT diamond" he an
peared again this time as manager or
me Bellaire Athletics. II was "Perk~
that made the Bellaire team. re
selected the players and was rspon-
slole Tor the selection OF every man
IN the face OF the severe criticism OF
those WHO thought they knew the
game and the players better than
"Perk."
Inc funeral will be conducted SAT.
urday afternoon. from the home OF his
Drother, on South Union street pew
W Hart, pastor OF the South Eel
ialre NJ. r. church. will conduct the
services. lnterment will be in Rose
/ Hill cemetery. ~ NOSo
~>~>--~->~~--~~->----~-~~~~~~--~
reasons we're Frank II. Kircbner 10
seph Junninger. II. VI. |Robb ieweler
excused owing TO illness OF fafher'
frank II. Kincheloe. A. W. Carutbers
Harry Lutz. John G. Hoffman. Julins
Follock, Jr4 VIII n. ColvfR Harry
friedel and Stephen Waterbouse