St Louis Globe-Democrat,
May 18, 1915
Forrest Ailworth
Identified as Ellsworth
Born: May 14, 1890
Died: June 1, 1964
Goto Baseball Reference for Forrest Ailworth 		c Majors:
No
St. Louis
Position: c
First game: June 9, 1913
Last game: September 14, 1913
# of games: 5		 Signed to back up Green the day Walden was released. The St. Louis Republic stated "O'Connor then sent in Forrest Ailsworth [sic], a youngster who formerly caught for St. Louis U. to hit for catcher Green." (June 10, 1913) The St. Louis Post-Dispatch mis-identified Ailworth as Bobby Ailworth, former Washington University Star; Bobby and Forrest Ailworth were brothers.

His release was reported in the St. Louis Times on June 25, 1913. He subsequently accompanied the club on its season-ending trip to Indianapolis and played in the final two games of the season, a double-header on September 14.



Catcher Ailworth was signed to serve as a temporary backup for Eddie Green after Tommy Walden was released. He debuted for the Terriers on June 9, 1913, pinch hitting for Green in the eighth, and beat out a bunt to load the bases with St. Louis down 6-5. However, Kemplin, pinch-hitting for Pfyl, struck out, and Barton and Stis grounded out (Barton forcing Miller the plate) and the Terries lost the game. Ailworth caught the ninth.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote:

Of all the noisy catchers who ever donned a mask and pad, Jack O'Connor introduced the noisiest in Monday's matinee between the St. Louis and Pittsburgh Federals, at Federal League Park. He is Bobby Ailsworth, the former Washington University star, who is now a regular pastimer with the local Feds" (June 10, 1913, pg. 16).
The St. Louis Republic wrote:

"O'Connor then sent in Forrest Ailsworth, a youngster who formerly caught for St. Louis U., to hit for Catcher Green" (June 10, 1913).
The St. Louis Star weighed in describing Ailworth as a "former Billiken", tipping the vote 2-1 in favor of St. Louis University. The St. Louis Times described him as a former Washington University receiver, evening the score.

The Post-Dispatch was wrong; Ailworth did not become a 'regular pastimer' for St. Louis. He subbed for Green twice more over the next week or so, with the third game on the road in Cleveland. Shortly after, Ted Waring joined the club, followed by Ben Ragsdale. Both Ailworth and Green were released, but not before a photo of Ailworth was published in the St. Louis Republic on June 13, 1913. He rejoined the club on their season-ending trip to Indianapolis, starting both games of a double header on the final day of the season, September 14. In five games acros the two stints, he got two hits in eleven at-bats, both singles.

As to the identity of Ailworth, the Post-Dispatch was also wrong. Robert Lee Ailworth and John Forrest Ailworth were brothers, with Bobby born in 1887 and Forrest born in 1890. Their father, John, died in 1891. Bobby Ailworth attended Law School at Washington University in St. Louis, where he starred as a quarterback in 1909. He also played baseball with Art Bader, who was vice-president and treasurer of the Terriers in 1913; Bobby's primary position seems to have been third base. Forrest attended St. Louis University, where he also played football and baseball. Forrest was a catcher at SLU, where he studied dentistry.

An article in the Tri-City Independent (Festus, Missouri) two years later confirms that it was Forrest who played for the Terriers. The Brittons, an amateur club from St. Louis "playing under the auspices of Mr. and Mrs. Schyler Britton, owners of the Cardinals" defeated the local Festurs-Crystal Cit club by a score of 11-2.

"[The Brittons] twirler Smith is a lad with oodles of smoke, sneaky benders, and cool and collected, and in Ailsworth, Dentist by profession, who formerly played in the Federal League, he found a veteran who kept him on this side of the river Jordan every time he threatened to soar" (June 18, 1915, pg. 1).
Forrest Ailworth a captain in the army in World War I. He became a prominent dentist in St. Louis. He remained active on amateur baseball teams in St. Louis into the 1920s, playing for clubs such as the Brittons and the Triple A, with which club he and his brother were photographed in May, 1915. He later became a director of the Triple A Club, which was a prominent athletic association in St. Louis organized in the late 1890s. The club had a clubhouse in the southeast corner of Forest Park, which burned down in November 1976. A nephew, John Forrest Ailworth (Bobby's son), played minor league baseball from 1939 - 1946.

Forrest Ailsworth married Frances Mary Hough later in his life, in 1948. The couple had two daughters. He died on June 1, 1964 and is burried in Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.


St. Louis Globe-Democrat, May 18, 1915 (pg. 12).
The Triple-A amateur club of the Manufacturers' - Bankers' League