The Strange Path of Simeon Laake

ST. LOUIS, MO. July 4, 1916 - In the first five years of the United Baseball Association, things have been relatively stable for most players. A simple look at random player histories will show that the majority of players have spent all five seasons with the same club.

However, if you happen to find Simeon Laake's, the current left-fielder for the Terriers, that certainly won't be what you see. And not only has his path within the league been strange, but his path to the league has been incredible as well.

Laake is 29-years-old...he thinks. Doctors have told him he's between 27-31, but he celebrated his 10th birthday 19 years ago so he's decided to stick with that age theory. When Laake was born, circa 1886, Florida was a hotbed of racism, lynchings, and violence against blacks. But that was the least of his worries.

His mother and father left him when he was about five years old. Laake doesn't remember the day. When authorities found him roaming the street alone, they brought him in. After a few weeks of searching for the boy's parents, he was sent to an all-black orphanage, where he lived for ten years. Then, at approximately fifteen, he learned of many blacks who were leaving Florida to escape the violence that was occuring against them.

"When I was fifteen or so, I left. I left in the middle of the night with nothing but the clothes on my back. I met some other black folks who were leaving Florida for the northeast. Some were going to New York, some were going to Boston, some were going to Pittsburgh. Industrial cities, mostly. Places we could find jobs."

Laake landed in Pittsburgh, where he worked for the U.S. Steel Coorpotation in a steel mill. But it wasn't what he did in the mill that defined him. It was what he did on break and on weekends.

"We just played baseball. Some of the black folks who came from Florida stayed in Pittsburgh as well. I lived with three other boys, and during our lunch break we would play baseball. On weekends, we'd play baseball. Any time we could, we'd play baseball."

At 23, Laake moved to Cincinnati to work for Proctor & Gamble in their soap factories. Again, he would play baseball any time he could.

But when William A. Willman announced the formation of the United League in 1912, a league that would be integrated, Laake knew what the next major step in his life would be.

J.J. Ryan, the son of Malcolm Ryan of the Ryan Rail Company and a Cincinnati native, used his inherited wealth to purchase one of the charter franchises. In March of 1912, Ryan held tryouts for his Cincinnati Ruby Legs. Over 120 players showed off their skills over a week-long period.

Over the previous nine years, Laake had played baseball every day. He perfected his skills againt co-workers and friends. And in 1912, he could finally put his talent to good use.

"After the week of tryouts, Mr. Ryan wrote me to inform me that I had been selected to join the club and would make $1,000 a year. It was more than I was making at the soap factory, but that's not why I accepted. I accepted because I love baseball."

After a year of playing for the Ruby Legs, the team was expelled by the league. J.J. Ryan simply couldn't run a baseball club competently. Every player on the Ruby Legs, as well as the Washington Statesmen who went bankrupt, became free to sign with any team that offered them a contract.

"A few team's offered me a contract. The Grays though were very kind to me and offered me about $3,400 per season. I always wanted to see Washington as well, so I decided to play there."

But after a year of playing for the Grays, the six teams of the brand new Columbia League were allowed to fill their rosters with anyone left off of a 15-man protection list. Laake was left off of it. In the 11th round of the expansion draft, the St. Louis Terriers took Laake. He was headed to his third team in three years.

"I absolutely loved playing in St. Louis. I certainly wasn't the best player, but I loved my teamates and loved the city."

However, just two years after being taken by St. Louis, the Terriers traded Laake to the Detroit Wolverines after the 1915 season.

"Mr. Ball, the owner of the Terriers, called me into his office and told me that I'd been traded. He said that they could afford to get rid of a younger guy to bring in two veterans because they wanted to win immediately. I could understand that, but was still dissapointed. I loved it there."

Laake packed up his belongings and headed to Detroit. But his wild ride wasn't over yet. Less than two months into the season, Laake got a telegram from Phil Ball.

"I got the telegram and it said that St. Louis was trying to get me back. I was so thrilled. The next day, Mr. Compton of Detroit told me that I would be headed back to St. Louis."

And yesterday, it looks like Mr. Laake can finally settle down. He's signed a two year extension with the Terriers for $78,000.