John "Bullet Jack" Thoeny
Painting by Norman Rockwell
The information about John Thoeny is from an article by Jim
Reis, published in Pieces of the Past Volume 3 pages 47-48, and reprinted here
with his permission.
John Thoeny was born in Ft. Thomas on December 8, 1878 the son of Elias Thoeny and Eugenia Kammerer Hummel. Elias "Charles" Thoeny came to the United States about 1859 from Austria, settled in Cincinnati and operated a coffee house at 620 Vine St. In 1862 he moved to Newport, attended St. Stephen Church and lived on Isabella Street.
In 1865, Elias became the first sexton at St. Stephen Cemetery along Alexandria Pike in what is now Ft. Thomas. He built and lived in the cemetery house, which still stands along Alexandria Pike in the front of the old cemetery. After his wife died in 1876, he married Eugenia Kammerer Hummel. Among their children was John, who grew up in Ft. Thomas.
John Thoney apparently started playing professional baseball in 1896 and made his first appearance in the major leagues in 1902, when he played for both the Cleveland Blues and Baltimore Orioles in the American League. A versatile player, he was used at second base, shortstop, third base and in the outfield. Thoney played parts of seasons in the major leagues from 1902 to 1911. His lifetime batting average was .237 and during his best year he hit .235.
See John "Bullet Jack" Thoeny's Baseball Statistics at the Baseball Almanac
A Boston Sunday Post newspaper account at the time described Thoeny as "the blonde haired outfielder, a favorite everywhere. Jack is full of life and one of the liveliest of the squad where his teammates are concerned. But in the presence of ladies, the Bullet freezes up like water pipes in Boston in the winter time."
As a baseball player, John Thoeny went by the name Jack Thoney and earned the nickname "Bullet Jack". Contemporaries described him as one of the fastest runners of the era. He was also said to have an outstanding throwing arm. A Kentucky Post account told of a game in Cleveland when Thoeny made an incredible catch deep in the outfield. As he did so, a runner tried to score from third. Cleveland owner Jack Kilfoyl and the rest of the crowd stood up and yelled for Thoeny to throw home. But the throw sailed over the catcher's head and knocked off the hat of Kilfoyl, who was in a seat behind home plate.
Thoeny also played in the major leagues with Washington, New York and Boston. Injuries, however, plagued Thoeny's career. One account listed his injuries during his baseball career as a broken collarbone, dislocated shoulder, broken ankle, dislocated toe and injured elbow. Because of his injuries, he often spent time in the minor leagues, including stints with Toronto and Jersey City.
Upon returning to Northern Kentucky, he lived with his widowed mother in Ft. Thomas and played for local semi-pro teams. A 1915 poster advertised plans for a game between the Pekins Specials, a champion amateur Black team from Ohio, and the Ft. Thomas Booster Baseball Club with "Bullet Jack Thoney on first base". The team was coached by Thoeny's nephew, William F Thoeny. Thoeny later appeared in an old timers game at Crosley Field, and for 15 years worked locally as a guard for Brink's armored car service before retiring in 1945.
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Kentucky Post, Wednesday, 11 January 1905, page 5
Jack Thoney stated yesterday he would be with the Indianapolis Club this season, having had satisfactory terms offered him. Dutch expects to play left field and is contented.
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Kentucky Post, Friday, 16 July 1915, page 2
Boosters ball team will play Pekin Specialists, the champion colored team of Cincinnati and vicinity, Sunday. Jack Thoeny, formerly with Boston Americans, will be Boosters line up. Hermes or Griffith will pitch and James Horan will catch for Boosters.
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He died October 24, 1948 at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Covington and was buried in St. Stephen Cemetery.
Knoxville News Sentinel, Tuesday, 26 October 1948, page 17
Covington Ky-Funeral services will be held tomorrow for John (Bullet Jack) Thoeny, former major league baseball player who once was known as the fastest man in baseball. Thoeny, 68, died in a hospital here Sunday night after a lingering illness. Thoeny played with Boston, New York, and Cleveland in the American League for 12 years before his career was cut short in 1908 by an arm injury. He started out as a third baseman and switched later in center field.
San Francisco Chronicle, Tuesday, 26 October 1948, page 20
Covington Ky-Funeral services will be held
Wednesday for John (Bullet Jack) Thoeny, former major league baseball player who
once was known as the fastest man in baseball. Thoeny, 68, died in a hospital
here Sunday night after a lingering illness. He played with Boston, New York and
Cleveland in the American League for 12 years before his career was ended in
1908 by an arm injury. He started out as a third baseman and switched later in
center field.