Bart Cantz

Image from Old Judge card set
Bart Cantz
Born: January 29, 1860
Died: February 12, 1943
Goto Baseball Reference for Bart Cantz rf-c Majors:
Yes
St. Louis
Position: rf-c
First game: May 1, 1888
Last game: June 20, 1888
# of games: 33 Signed by St. Louis on November 19, 1887.
Transferred to the Browns on June 24, 1888 when the Whites folded. Released by the Browns on July 18, 1888 and signed by Baltimore (AA) on July 25, 1888.
Player profile from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch (March 11, 1888).
SABR biography for Bart Cantz

Bartholomew L. Cantz was born on January 29, 1860 in Philadelphia, Pennslyvania, the fourth child of Frederick and Mary (Winkler) Cantz. His father came from german in 1848; while his mother was also born in Germany, there is no evidence to suggest they met prior to arriving in the United States. Frederick died in 1873, the year his eighth and final sibbling was born. By 1880, Bart was working as a saw sharpener, and presumably playing baseball on the side. He debuted in professional baseball in 1883 with the Chambersburg, Pennslyvania club in the Keystone Association, and returned to that club in 1884. The Chambersburg Public Opinion welcomed him to town on April 16, 1884, writing "Bart Cantz arrived on the 6:08 train last evening. 'Bottles' received a hearty welcome from his many friends in Chambersburg." After the Chambersburg club disbanded in June, Cantz moved to Littlestown (PA) in the same legaue. In 1885 he played with a club in Westminster, Maryland, and in 1886 he played for Long Island (New York) and Bridgeport (Connecticut) in the Eastern League. In 1887, he played for Newark in the International Association. Two of his teammates in Newark that season were the African American battery of George Stovey and Fleet Walker.

Cantz was signed by Chris Von der Ahe in November 1887 to play for the Browns for a salary of $1700, of which $300 was in advance (per the Valley Spirit of Chambersburg). The Spirit also noted that he caught Browns pitcher Ed Knouff when both played for Chambersburg. Instead of playing for the Browns, he wound up on the St. Louis Whites, for whom he played 32 games in right field and at catcher. When the Whites disbanded in June, he was transferred to the Browns along with catcher Tom Dolan. The Browns already had Jack Boyle and Jocko Milligan as their primary catchers, so Cantz effectively became the fourth catcher. He was released to Baltimore in mid-July without appearing in a game for the Browns. He made his major league debut on July 25, 1888, against the Browns. He remained with Baltimore through the end of 1889, but only appeared in 57 games total across both seasons. He was released by Baltimore in September, 1889 and signed with the Philadelphia Athletics for 1890. He played just five games with them before being released in late May, 1890. Cantz retired after this release. The name 'Cantz' pops up umpiring a few amateur games in Philadelphia in the early 1890s, but there is no evidence that he played professional ball again in any capacity. According to the biography in David Nemec's "The Rank and File of 19th Century Baseball", Cantz became a saw maker and ship driller. He died in February of 1943 at the age of 73.

Batting stats for St. Louis

Date Pos AB R BH 2B 3B HR SB PO A E BB HPB K
5-1-1888 c 5 1 1 1 0 8 4 0 1
5-3-1888 c 5 2 2 0 5 2 1
5-7-1888 c 3 1 2 0 5 1 1 1 1
5-9-1888 rf 4 0 1 1 0 2 0 0
5-10-1888 rf 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1
5-12-1888 rf 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
5-13-1888 c 4 0 0 0 3 3 2
5-19-1888 c 3 0 0 0 5 3 3
5-22-1888 rf 4 0 0 0 2 0 0 1
5-23-1888 rf 3 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1
5-25-1888 rf 4 1 2 1 0 0 0 0 2
5-26-1888 rf 4 2 2 1 0 2 0 0
5-27-1888 rf 4 0 2 1 1 0 0
5-27-1888 rf 4 0 1 1 0 1 1 1
5-29-1888 rf 3 0 1 0 1 0 0
5-30-1888 rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 0 1
5-30-1888 rf 4 1 1 1 0 2 0 2 2
5-31-1888 rf & c 4 0 1 0 1 2 0
6-1-1888 rf 4 0 1 0 0 0 1
6-2-1888 rf 3 1 2 1 0 0 0 0
6-5-1888 rf 4 2 1 1 0 1 0 0
6-6-1888 rf 4 1 1 0 2 0 0
6-8-1888 rf 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 1
6-9-1888 rf 2 0 0 0 0 0 3
6-10-1888 rf 4 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
6-12-1888 c 5 0 0 0 5 1 1
6-13-1888 c 4 0 0 0 9 1 2
6-15-1888 c 3 0 0 0 9 1 0 1
6-16-1888 rf 5 0 1 0 1 0 0 1
6-17-1888 c 4 1 3 0 5 3 1
6-19-1888 rf 4 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 1
6-20-1888 rf 4 0 0 0 6 0 0 1
32 Games 121 16 30 9 0 1 2 77 23 18 7 0 12

Date	Pos	AB	R	BH	2B	3B	HR	SB	PO	A	E	BB	HPB	K
5-1-1888	c	5	1	1			1	0	8	4	0			1
5-3-1888	c	5	2	2				0	5	2	1
5-7-1888	c	3	1	2				0	5	1	1	1		1
5-9-1888	rf	4	0	1	1			0	2	0	0
5-10-1888	rf	3	1	0				0	0	0	0	1
5-12-1888	rf	3	1	0				0	0	0	0	1		1
5-13-1888	c	4	0	0				0	3	3	2
5-19-1888	c	3	0	0				0	5	3	3
5-22-1888	rf	4	0	0				0	2	0	0			1
5-23-1888	rf	3	0	0				1	1	0	0	1		1
5-25-1888	rf	4	1	2	1			0	0	0	0			2
5-26-1888	rf	4	2	2	1			0	2	0	0
5-27-1888	rf	4	0	2				1	1	0	0
5-27-1888	rf	4	0	1	1			0	1	1	1
5-29-1888	rf	3	0	1				0	1	0	0
5-30-1888	rf	4	0	1				0	0	0	0	1
5-30-1888	rf	4	1	1	1			0	2	0	2			2
5-31-1888	rf & c	4	0	1				0	1	2	0
6-1-1888	rf	4	0	1				0	0	0	1
6-2-1888	rf	3	1	2	1			0	0	0	0
6-5-1888	rf	4	2	1	1			0	1	0	0
6-6-1888	rf	4	1	1				0	2	0	0
6-8-1888	rf	3	1	1				0	0	0	0	1
6-9-1888	rf	2	0	0				0	0	0	3
6-10-1888	rf	4	0	1	1			0	0	0	0
6-12-1888	c	5	0	0				0	5	1	1
6-13-1888	c	4	0	0				0	9	1	2
6-15-1888	c	3	0	0				0	9	1	0	1
6-16-1888	rf	5	0	1				0	1	0	0			1
6-17-1888	c	4	1	3				0	5	3	1
6-19-1888	rf	4	0	2	1			0	0	1	0			1
6-20-1888	rf	4	0	0				0	6	0	0			1
32 Games		121	16	30	9	0	1	2	77	23	18	7	0	12