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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Jumbo Baseball
Team
1905
Watertown Base
Ball Team
1906
Robert “Jumbo”
Keel
1861 - 1929
1905
Image WHS_005_195
Jumbo
baseball team, team photo, 1905
Sitting (l-r): Ed Schultz, Babe Lemke, W Wendroff
Middle Row: M Bachhulter, William Richard, Jumbo Keel,
Emil Boetcher, Romy Hahn
Standing: Walter Kuenzi, Fal Leschinger, Frank McAdams
1906
Watertown Daily Times, 03 28 1906
The Jumbo baseball club held its
annual meeting at R. S. Keels' place and selected the following officers for
the ensuing year: Manager and Treasurer, R. S. Keel, Captain, R. M. Hahn; Rec.
Sec'y. W. M. Kuenzi. It was decided to erect a grand stand this spring at
Washington Park for the comfort of the lovers of the game - a move in the right
direction. The outlook for the team is very encouraging. Last season the Jumbos
won 19 games and lost only 6. The team is strong, well balanced and no doubt
will maintain its reputation as expert baseball players and continue to win
victories on the diamond.
1906
Watertown Base Ball team
Watertown Daily Times, 04 10 1906
The baseball season will soon
open here. The Jumbos adopted the more metropolitan name this year. It will
hereafter be known as the Watertown Base Ball team. The opening game is planned
for May 6 with a Milwaukee team. There will be a new grandstand at Washington
Park. The boys will start the season with even brighter prospects and greater
encouragement than was extended them last year. A fact that is worthy of note
is the exceptionally good record of the “Jumbos” last season. They participated
in twenty-four contests and victory crowned their efforts in twenty of the
games. That is certainly a record to be proud of and the fact of the matter is
the citizens of Watertown do take a justifiable pride in this team and are
giving support this spring in that substantial way of voluntary contributions.
The management of the team is desirous of raising the sum of $200 for the
purpose of making some needed improvements in the Washington Park.
1912 “Jumbo” To Be There
05 16 R.
S. Keel (Jumbo) of Watertown came to Cambria Thursday to see his mother, who
had a sudden attack of vertigo the day before and fell to the floor, but she is
recovering her normal condition again.
When told that an effort was being made to get the old Cambria White
team together at the Cambria homecoming, Jumbo exclaimed: “That’s bully! Get ‘em here by all means and I’ll be with
them, you bet.” He was the catcher for
the old Cambria team and afterwards for the Columbus Blues of long ago, when
Geo. Gavis was star twirler. Jumbo is
kindly remembered by all the older Portage fans. – Portage Democrat
/ WG
_________________________________________
1897
Waterloo Democrat Annual, 1897, P H Bolger, p 36
R. S. Keel
Proprietor of one of our city [Waterloo] saloons was born on a farm in
the town of Scott, Columbia County, Wis., August 1, 1861.
He has always lived on a farm,
with the exception of two years that he was in business at Cambria, three years
at Columbus and six years at Watertown.
About eighteen months ago “Jumbo,” as he is commonly called, came here
and bought out his present business and since that time has enjoyed a very
lucrative business.
There is hardly a section of the
state that the base ball “fans” are not acquainted with, or have heard of,
“Jumbo” Keel as he has been a noted base ball player throughout this section
for years and was signed with the Milwaukee league team one season but, owing
to an injury, was unable to play the entire season. Last year he played with the local team,
filling the position of catcher.
“Jumbo’s” place is base ball
headquarters in the city and he has a host of friends here.
He was united in marriage in 1885
to Miss Lena Dallman.
LENA (DALLMANN) KEEL. She is the wife of Robert
S. (Jumbo) Keel and is the 'MOTHER' inscribed on the gravestone they share.
Lena Dallmann was the sister of
Herman "Henry" Dallmann of Cambria, Columbia Co., Wisconsin. She married Richard S. ("Jumbo")
Keel and had four children, Ary Grant Keel, Inez H. Keel, Garrett Ary Keel, and
Norbert Keel, who died in infancy.
Spouse:
Robert S Keel (1861 - 1929)*
Children:
Ary Grant Keel (1886 - 1973)
Inez H Keel Richards (1892 - 1974)
Norbert Keel (1895 - 1899)
Garrett
Ary Keel (1898 - 1948)
1912
Watertown Gazette, 05 16 1912
“Jumbo” To
Be There. R. S. Keel (Jumbo) of Watertown came to
Cambria Thursday to see his mother, who had a sudden attack of vertigo the day
before and fell to the floor, but she is recovering her normal condition again. When told that an effort was being made to
get the old Cambria White team together at the Cambria homecoming, Jumbo
exclaimed: “That’s bully! Get ‘em here by all means and I’ll be with
them, you bet.” He was the catcher for
the old Cambria team and afterwards for the Columbus Blues of long ago, when
Geo. Gavis was star twirler. Jumbo is
kindly remembered by all the older Portage fans. – Portage Democrat.
1929
Watertown Gazette, 08 01 1929
Sudden Death of R S
Keel
At 9 o’clock last Tuesday morning
[07 30 1929] R. S. Keel died suddenly
at his home of heart disease, aged 68 years.
In 1861 he was born at Cambria, son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Samuel
Keel, and when a young man he went to Columbus to reside and a few years later
come to Watertown.
He was familiarly known as
“Jumbo” on account of his large physique and good natured manner.
For many years he was catcher for
the famous Watertown Mutual baseball club, composed also of the late Joe and
Frank Smith, “Tony” Oestreicher, and Pat Diekoff and “Bud” Fowler (colored),
all dead, and Ed. Steinberg of Jefferson, Yox Christenson of this city, Mattie
Smith of Escanaba and several others.
He also played with the Cambria
Whites, the strongest amateur baseball team in the country at the time.
He was a general favorite in
Watertown and his hosts of friends here and elsewhere learn of his death with
sincere regret.
Shortly before he died he went to
a grocery store near his home and purchased some groceries, apparently in good
health, and on returning home went out to his lawn and toppled over.
His wife died in 1919.
One daughter and two sons survive
him, Mrs. Geo. Richards, Ary G. Keel of this city, and Garrett Keel of Engerton
[later also known as “Jumbo”], also
three sisters, Mrs. G. S. Sager and Mrs. Rudolf Rausch of Cambria and Mrs. Fred
Phillips of Richfield, Minn. There also
four grandchildren surviving him.
His funeral took place this
afternoon from his late home. The
interment was in Oak Hill
Cemetery.
Cross-References:
Robert S. Keel Saloon, 823 Main
(east assumed), Watertown City Dir, 1913-14
As recorded in the Oak Hill
interment ledger, he was age “67 years, 11 months, 29 days” at the time of his
demise.
Watertown
Baseball chapter
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin