Individual Record 1566
| Name} McKain, Archie Richard (Hap) | Family History} Olson | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Title} | Race} White | Sex} Male | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Birth: Date} Fam 12 May 1911 | Place} near Delphos, Ottawa, Kansas | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Marr.: Date} Fam 26 Aug 1933 | Place} Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri (Link) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Death: Date} Exa 21 May 1985 | Place} Salina, Saline, Kansas | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Burial: Date} Exa 23 May 1985 | Place} Highland Cemetery, Minneapolis, Ottawa, Kansas | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grave Marker} Yes |
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| Parents: } Edwin Marcus McKain & Mary Alice Lavering Household No.} 666 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 1st Household No.} 666 = Logan Twp., Ottawa, Kansas | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Occupation 1} Professional athlete Occupation 2} Farmer Occupation 3} Finish carpenter | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religion/Church} Methodist | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Spouses: Prime}
Smith, Gertrude Marie (Gertie) Total Number of} 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Notes: Archie Richard (Hap) McKain was born 12 May 1911 near Delphos, Ottawa, Kansas.
His nickname "Hap" was short for "Happy". His parents were Edwin Marcus McKain and Mary Alice
Lavering. His siblings were Ross Charles,
born in 1890, Robert Eugene, 1891, Jesse William, 1894, Everett L., 1896, Ernest Earl, 1900,
Jennie E., 1902, Wesley Arthur, 1904, Virgil E., 1907, and Clyde C.,
1913. His father Edwin was a general farmer, farming on his own account. In the 1915 Kansas State census, the family was living in Logan Twp., Ottawa, Kansas. The children at home included Ross, agricultural laborer, Earnest, Jennie, Wesley, Vrgil, Archie, and Clyde. In the 1920 U.S. census, Logan Twp., six of the children were still living at home. These were Ernest, Jennie, Wesley, Virgil, Archie, and Clyde. All but Ernest had attended school. In the 1925 Kansas State census, Logan Twp., the children at home included Jennie, 22, a teacher, Virgil, 17, Archie, 13, and Clyde, age not given. The children had all attended school. Archie is not found in the 1930 U.S. census. Nine boys in the family was enough for a baseball team, and Archie's father managed them as "The McKain Nine". They traveled to pastures and small towns of north central Kansas on Sunday afternoons. Archie had started playing about age 12, as a left-handed catcher. His older brother Ernest helped him hone his skills as a left-handed pitcher. By 1929, Archie was pitching for the Concordia town team. In 1930, he made his professional debut with the Pueblo, Colorado minor league team. He went on to play with the Louisville, Missouri, and Minneapolis, Minnesota, teams. On 25 Apr 1937, he made his major league debut with the Boston Red Sox. He played with the Boston Red Sox (1937 - 1938), the Detroit Tigers (1939 - 1941), and the St. Louis Browns (1941 - 1943), principally as a relief pitcher. When he was with the Detroit Tigers, he was described as being 5'8", 175 lbs., and wore jersey number 28. The highpoint of his career was when he pitched for Detroit, the 1940 American League Champions, in the fourth game of the World Series against Cincinnati. The team lost the World Series, but the $4,000. losers' bonus paid for a 160 acre farm near Minneapolis. Archie married Gertrude Marie Smith (Gertie) on 26 Aug 1933 in Lexington, Lafayette, Missouri. In the 1940 U.S. census, Archie, 28, and Gertrude, 30, were living at 515 Concord, Minneapolis, Ottawa, Kansas. Archie was listed as a professional ball player, in a ball club. He had completed eighth grade, and had worked 22 weeks in 1939, with an income of $5,000. They had a son, Jackie R., 1 year. A second son, Thomas Gary was born in 1941. In 1943, Archie was sold to the Brooklyn Dodgers. They planned to send him to the minors, so he elected to retire. He returned to Minneapolis, where he remained a farmer in the summer, and worked as a skilled finish carpenter in the winters. He did continue with baseball. He coached his son's youth teams, and took local teams to National Baseball Congress tournaments in Witchita, where he continued to pitch. In 1972, Archie suffered a heart attack, but recovered. Archie died 21 May 1985 in Ashbury Hospital, Salina, Kansas. His last residence was in Minneapolis, Ottawa, Kansas. Funeral services were held 22 May 1985 at the First United Methodist Church, The Rev. Roger Shanks officiating. His wife Gertrude died 1 Apr 1986. They are both buried in the Highland Cemetery, Minneapolis, Ottawa, Kansas. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time of Birth} | Time of Death} | Fraternal/Social} | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Baptism Date} | Place} |  | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Confirm. Date} | Photos} Archie R. McKain (Hap) | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Immigr'n Date} N/A | Port} N/A | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Education: Grade} Eighth grade or Top 2 Degrees} | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Military: Service} for the State of} | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Health Condition} Cause of Death} |
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| Copyright © 2014 by Karen L. Hancock. All Rights Reserved. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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