People > Notable Norkans > Conrad Starkel
Conrad "Con" Starkel
Conrad "Con" Starkel was born November 16, 1880 in Neu-Norka, Russia. The 1900 U.S. Census shows that Con's parents, Conrad and Elizabeth Starkel, left their home in Russia and arrived in the United States in 1890, determined to make a new start. Along with their son Con and daughters Katie and Lottie, the Starkel's settled initially in Red Oak, Iowa, with other immigrants from Norka. The family briefly moved to Nebraska, where another daughter, Katherine, was born. By 1891, the family had moved west and lived in Tacoma, Washington.
The Starkel's settled into Tacoma's Hilltop area, owned by the Northern Pacific Railroad and developed to attract immigrant families, many from the Midwest. Most of the immigrants worked in the city's iron works, lumber mills, and salmon canneries, and living close to their employment was necessary. In 1890, a cable car (one of only three in America) opened the Hilltop area for residential housing development. It provided an improved mode of transportation for the working people.
Notably, Hilltop had its own baseball field, and Con was undoubtedly exposed to the great American pastime on these sandlots, particularly at the 11th and K Street ball grounds.
The Starkel's settled into Tacoma's Hilltop area, owned by the Northern Pacific Railroad and developed to attract immigrant families, many from the Midwest. Most of the immigrants worked in the city's iron works, lumber mills, and salmon canneries, and living close to their employment was necessary. In 1890, a cable car (one of only three in America) opened the Hilltop area for residential housing development. It provided an improved mode of transportation for the working people.
Notably, Hilltop had its own baseball field, and Con was undoubtedly exposed to the great American pastime on these sandlots, particularly at the 11th and K Street ball grounds.
1910 Obak Tabacco card portraying Con Starkel in his Tacoma Tigers uniform. Obak inserted cards of minor league players with their products. Courtesy of Steve Schreiber.
The 1900 U.S. Census shows Con living with his parents in Tacoma, where he worked at a sawmill.
In 1901, Con debuted in professional baseball as a right-handed pitcher for the Northern Pacific Ships team in Tacoma. Con was a big man, measuring six feet tall and 200 pounds, and must have been an imposing presence on the mound.
From 1902 to 1904, Con played for teams in Walla Walla, Washington; Wallace, Idaho; Olympia, Washington; the Boise Fruit Pickers; and the Portland Browns in the Pacific Coast League.
In 1901, Con debuted in professional baseball as a right-handed pitcher for the Northern Pacific Ships team in Tacoma. Con was a big man, measuring six feet tall and 200 pounds, and must have been an imposing presence on the mound.
From 1902 to 1904, Con played for teams in Walla Walla, Washington; Wallace, Idaho; Olympia, Washington; the Boise Fruit Pickers; and the Portland Browns in the Pacific Coast League.
The New York Yankees drafted Con in 1905, but he was "farmed out" to Montgomery, Alabama, and later played three games with Indianapolis.
In 1906, Con made his first major league action with the Washington Senators of the American League. Unfortunately, he only played in one game and completed the season with Albany of the New York State League and Baltimore of the Eastern League.
With his pitching arm beginning to weaken, Con joined the Aberdeen Black Cats of the Northwestern League for the 1907 and 1908 seasons and then went on to play for the Grays Harbor team that won the Northwestern League championship in 1909.
Before 1910, Con married Anna Jennie Pitt, and their first child, May Jennie Starkel, was born in May 1910.
The 1910 season saw Con playing across the border for the Moose Jaw Robin Hoods in the Western Canada League, where he compiled a 9-8 record before moving to the Chehalis Gophers of the Washington State League.
As his career wound down, Con played again in Canada for the Victoria Bees of the NWL in 1911 and finally with the Tacoma Tigers later that year. At age 31, after 10 seasons in the minor leagues, Con decided to retire with an overall record of 103 wins and 111 losses.
In 1906, Con made his first major league action with the Washington Senators of the American League. Unfortunately, he only played in one game and completed the season with Albany of the New York State League and Baltimore of the Eastern League.
With his pitching arm beginning to weaken, Con joined the Aberdeen Black Cats of the Northwestern League for the 1907 and 1908 seasons and then went on to play for the Grays Harbor team that won the Northwestern League championship in 1909.
Before 1910, Con married Anna Jennie Pitt, and their first child, May Jennie Starkel, was born in May 1910.
The 1910 season saw Con playing across the border for the Moose Jaw Robin Hoods in the Western Canada League, where he compiled a 9-8 record before moving to the Chehalis Gophers of the Washington State League.
As his career wound down, Con played again in Canada for the Victoria Bees of the NWL in 1911 and finally with the Tacoma Tigers later that year. At age 31, after 10 seasons in the minor leagues, Con decided to retire with an overall record of 103 wins and 111 losses.
The 1912 Tacoma Tigers. Con Starkel is shown in the middle row to the far right of the photo (kneeling with arms crossed). Photograph used with permission of the David Eskenazi Collection.
Although his pitching days were over, Con was determined to remain in baseball as long as he was physically able. Taking a job behind the plate, Con worked as an umpire for two seasons in the Western Tri-State League.
An interesting bit of trivia is that Con is a member of the exclusive "No At-Bats and A Perfect On-Base Percentage (OBP) Club," meaning he had no official career at-bats and at least one walk in the major leagues. In Con’s case, in his one game with the Washington Senators, he had one at-bat but walked, and as a result, his OBP is officially 1.000.
In June 1915, Con and Anna Jennie welcomed a son, Conrad, to the family.
For many years, Con operated a cigar business in the Perkins Building at 11th and A Streets in downtown Tacoma. Although he had retired from baseball, his enthusiasm for the game never waned.
Con died on January 19, 1933, in Tacoma. His last wish was to be known as "a good baseball player." In 2012, Con's talent was recognized when he was inducted into the Tacoma-Pierce County Old-Timers Baseball-Softball Association Hall of Fame.
An interesting bit of trivia is that Con is a member of the exclusive "No At-Bats and A Perfect On-Base Percentage (OBP) Club," meaning he had no official career at-bats and at least one walk in the major leagues. In Con’s case, in his one game with the Washington Senators, he had one at-bat but walked, and as a result, his OBP is officially 1.000.
In June 1915, Con and Anna Jennie welcomed a son, Conrad, to the family.
For many years, Con operated a cigar business in the Perkins Building at 11th and A Streets in downtown Tacoma. Although he had retired from baseball, his enthusiasm for the game never waned.
Con died on January 19, 1933, in Tacoma. His last wish was to be known as "a good baseball player." In 2012, Con's talent was recognized when he was inducted into the Tacoma-Pierce County Old-Timers Baseball-Softball Association Hall of Fame.
Headstone for Conrad Starkel. Source: Find-A-Grave.
Sources
Tacoma-Pierce County Old-Timers Baseball-Softball Association
Historic Tacoma website
Baseball-Reference.com
Ancestry.com
Blau, Marc H. Baseball in Tacoma-Pierce County. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub., 2011. Print.
Historic Tacoma website
Baseball-Reference.com
Ancestry.com
Blau, Marc H. Baseball in Tacoma-Pierce County. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Pub., 2011. Print.
The Ancestors of Conrad Starkel
Conrad "Con" Starkel was born on November 16, 1880, in Neu-Norka, Russia, and died in 1933 in Tacoma, Washington.
His parents: Conrad Starkel was born in 1854 in Neu-Norka, Russia, and died in 1901 in Tacoma, Washington. Elizabeth Schmidt was born in 1864 in Russia and died in 1951 in Washington.
His grandparents, Conrad Stärkel, were born on March 4, 1822, in Norka, Russia, and likely died in Neu-Norka (date unknown). His wife, Anna Elizabeth Eusel, was also born in Norka on May 29, 1825; it is likely that she also died in Neu-Norka (date unknown).
His great-grandparents Georg Störkel was born in Norka, Russia, on July 15, 1800, and died there on October 17, 1851. His wife, Anna Maria Burbach, was born on July 24, 1799, in Norka and died there in 1848.
His 2nd great-grandparent, Christoph Störkel, was born in Norka, Russia, on June 2, 1776, and died there on March 30, 1850. His wife is unknown.
His 3rd great-grandparents were Johann Wilhelm Störkel, a tailor, born in 1747 in Bönstadt, Oberhessen, Germany, and his wife Maria Catharina Poll, born in 1755 in Germany. This couple was among the German colonists who settled in Norka in 1767.
His 4th great-grandfather, Daniel Störkel, was born in 1725 in Böhnstadt, Oberhessen, Germany. His wife's name is unknown.
His parents: Conrad Starkel was born in 1854 in Neu-Norka, Russia, and died in 1901 in Tacoma, Washington. Elizabeth Schmidt was born in 1864 in Russia and died in 1951 in Washington.
His grandparents, Conrad Stärkel, were born on March 4, 1822, in Norka, Russia, and likely died in Neu-Norka (date unknown). His wife, Anna Elizabeth Eusel, was also born in Norka on May 29, 1825; it is likely that she also died in Neu-Norka (date unknown).
His great-grandparents Georg Störkel was born in Norka, Russia, on July 15, 1800, and died there on October 17, 1851. His wife, Anna Maria Burbach, was born on July 24, 1799, in Norka and died there in 1848.
His 2nd great-grandparent, Christoph Störkel, was born in Norka, Russia, on June 2, 1776, and died there on March 30, 1850. His wife is unknown.
His 3rd great-grandparents were Johann Wilhelm Störkel, a tailor, born in 1747 in Bönstadt, Oberhessen, Germany, and his wife Maria Catharina Poll, born in 1755 in Germany. This couple was among the German colonists who settled in Norka in 1767.
His 4th great-grandfather, Daniel Störkel, was born in 1725 in Böhnstadt, Oberhessen, Germany. His wife's name is unknown.
Sources
Mai, Brent Alan. 1834 Census of Norka in the District of Saratov, Russia, Dated 20 December 1834. Beaverton, OR: Dynasty Pub., 2007. Print.
Mai, Brent Alan, trans. 1857 Census of Norka in the District of Saratov, Russia, Dated 21 January 1858. Beaverton, OR: Dynasty Pub., 2008. Print.
Mai, Brent Alan, trans. 1857 Census of Neu-Norka in the District of Saratov, Russia, Dated 23 February 1858. 2010. Print.
Pleve, I. R. Lists of Colonists to Russia in 1766: Reports by Ivan Kulberg. Saratov, Russia: Saratov State Technical University, 2010. Print.
Pleve, Igor. Einwanderung in Das Wolgagebiet 1764-1767 Kolonien Laub- Preuss. Gottingen: Nordost-Institut, 2005. Print.
Porterfield, Brad. Great-grandson of Con Starkel. Email dated 29 August 2016 gives the place of Con's birth as Neu-Norka.
The 1775 and 1798 Censuses of the German Colony on the Volga, Norka: Also Known as Weigand. Lincoln, Neb.: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1995. Print.
The 1811 Census Revision of the German Colony on the Volga, Norka. Lincoln, Neb.: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1996. Print.
Ancestry.com
Mai, Brent Alan, trans. 1857 Census of Norka in the District of Saratov, Russia, Dated 21 January 1858. Beaverton, OR: Dynasty Pub., 2008. Print.
Mai, Brent Alan, trans. 1857 Census of Neu-Norka in the District of Saratov, Russia, Dated 23 February 1858. 2010. Print.
Pleve, I. R. Lists of Colonists to Russia in 1766: Reports by Ivan Kulberg. Saratov, Russia: Saratov State Technical University, 2010. Print.
Pleve, Igor. Einwanderung in Das Wolgagebiet 1764-1767 Kolonien Laub- Preuss. Gottingen: Nordost-Institut, 2005. Print.
Porterfield, Brad. Great-grandson of Con Starkel. Email dated 29 August 2016 gives the place of Con's birth as Neu-Norka.
The 1775 and 1798 Censuses of the German Colony on the Volga, Norka: Also Known as Weigand. Lincoln, Neb.: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1995. Print.
The 1811 Census Revision of the German Colony on the Volga, Norka. Lincoln, Neb.: American Historical Society of Germans from Russia, 1996. Print.
Ancestry.com
Last updated December 10, 2023