Frank Hafner

Francis R. Hafner

• Bats Right, Throws Right

• Debut May 5, 1888
• Final Game May 16, 1888
• Born August 14, 1867 in Hannibal, MO USA
• Died March 2, 1957 in Hannibal, MO USA

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Biographical Information

"Three of a kind hard to beat - Conway, Sullivan and Hafner." - Sporting Life's Topeka correspondent, in the June 1, 1887 issue, about Hafner's work for the Topeka team in the Western League in 1887, a year in which Hafner went 11-4

Frank Hafner pitched twice for the Kansas City Cowboys in 1888. He was from Hannibal, MO, a couple hundred miles away from Kansas City, MO.

In addition to his regular season appearances, Hafner appeared in an exhibition game that year on April 11. Kansas City's opponent was an amateur team called the Beatons. To make the game a bit more equal, Kansas City's manager Dave Rowe loaned the Beatons two catchers and two pitchers, one of which was Hafner, who pitched in relief against Kansas City. Kansas City beat the Beatons 25-0, with the Beatons committing 17 errors, so that only 4 runs of the 25 were earned. In spite of the 25-0 score, the game was completed in 2 hours and 15 minutes. - Sporting Life, April 25, 1888.

Hafner was the only major leaguer by that name until Travis Hafner came along in 2002. He married the sister of Charlie Hoover, who was a teammate with Kansas City.