Fred Klobedanz

Frederick Augustus Klobedanz
(Duke)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 5' 11", Weight 190 lb.

• Debut August 20, 1896
• Final Game September 5, 1902
• Born June 13, 1871 in Waterbury, CT USA
• Died April 12, 1940 in Waterbury, CT USA

BR page

Biographical Information

". . . the famous Klobedanz-LaChance battery . . . was first heard of in a game against the Boston Players League team . . . in 1890." - from the 1902 Reach Guide

Fred Klobedanz pitched five years in the majors, most notably going 26-7 for the 1897 Boston Beaneaters. The following year he went 19-10.

Fred was also a decent major league hitter, with an OPS+ of 93. Except for one off-year in 1898, he was an above-average hitter each year.

Klobedanz, like Candy LaChance, was from Connecticut and the two of them formed a battery when they were young players in semi-pro and minor league ball. LaChance broke in with Brooklyn in 1893 while Klobedanz came up with Boston in 1896.

After his major league days, Klobedanz continued to pitch for years in the New England League.

There were two other players named Klobedanz in the minors during Klobedanz's era, presumably brothers of Fred. Both played in Connecticut.

Newspapers in 1897 and 1899 refer to a dispute between Klobedanz and the Beaneaters that ended his employment. The Beaneaters released him, and it was speculated that the reason had something to do with a labor dispute occurring at a theater where Klobedanz also worked (presumably during the off-season). See the Boston Evening Transcript of July 14, 1899 and the New York Times of May 11, 1897.

From a publication called The Town and City of Waterbury, Connecticut, Volume III, 1896, it is said that Klobedanz pitched semi-pro ball for Naugatuck starting in 1889, and that while with Fall River in 1893-95 he was a key factor in their winning the championship each year. In addition to his pitching, he was a top hitter and fielder.

Notable Achievements

• NL Winning Percentage Leader (1897)
• 20 Wins Seasons: 1 (1897)
• 200 Innings Pitched Seasons: 2 (1897-1898)
• 300 Innings Pitched Seasons: 1 (1897)