Fred Siefke

Frederick Edwin Siefke

• Bats Unknown, Throws Unknown
• Height 5' 11", Weight 168 lb.

• Debut May 2, 1890
• Final Game June 1, 1890
• Born March 27, 1870 in New York, NY USA
• Died April 18, 1893 in New York, NY USA

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Biographical Information

Fred Siefke played one season in the majors, with the 1890 Brooklyn Gladiators of the American Association. Of German ancestry, he was born a couple years after his father came over from Germany. His family was affluent.

Siefke, born in New York, played 16 games at third base for the Brooklyn team. He was one of the ten youngest players in the league. Brooklyn used six players that year at third base, with nobody getting more than 38 games.

He played in the New England League in 1891.

Siefke died of Bright's Disease three years later, shortly after he had turned 23.

"The Harlem boy, Fred Siefke, who went south with Mutrie's New York team, has shown up so well at third base that Mutrie has signed him for two years." - Sporting Life, March 26, 1890, perhaps incorrect about the signing since Siefke played for Brooklyn and never appeared in the majors with Mutrie's Giants

His obituary in Sporting Life called him Edward, and again repeated the information about the Giants:

"Edward Siefke, the well-known ball player of this city (New York), died . . . of pneumonia. Siefke was one of the most brilliant players on the diamond. In his short but busy career he played with the New York National League Club, the Brooklyn Association Club, the Albanys, of the Eastern League, and the Lynn Club, of the New England League. He was beloved by all who knew him in this and every other city he ever visited." - from Fred Siefke's obituary in Sporting Life, April 22, 1893