Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 192, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 August 1911 — LOST LIFE ON BALL f FIELD AT MONTICELLO. [ARTICLE]

LOST LIFE ON BALL f FIELD AT MONTICELLO.

Beryl Shaffer, of Maville, Snecnmbs After Making Circuit of Bases— Well Known Here. Monticello Journal. Severe was the shock yesterday to the people of Monticello and Idaville when the report quickly spread that Beryl Shaffer, qj the latter named town, had died suddenly on the ball field at Broadway Park in this city. His death happened on the last half of the fifth inning. He was catcher for the Monticello team, which was at bat and he was out on base. Running in home from third he bunted the catcher and walked over to where his wife sat and spoke to her. He then walked back to the players’ bench and sat down, remarking that he had made a “bum play.” It was noticed, that he was acting queerly and some of his friends hurried to him just as he toppled over. He was lifted up and water was hurried to him. He vomited slightly and they laid him down. Drs. Coffin and Cray were hurried to the ground as quickly as an automobile could come from the ground to the city and back, but he was dead before they could possibly reach him. His body was brought to the parlors of the Monticello Undertaking Co., and Coroner Clayton was called. An inquest was held and the coroner gave it as his opinion that valvular trouble of the heart was the cause of death. The deceased, a barber by trade, was an all-round athlete and no /me had ever taken a thought that there might be anything the matter with his heart. He was considered one of the best players in this section, playing in a minor league last season. He had been urged several times to make an effort to get into some of the better clubs, but did not care to do so. He was the son of John Shaffer, of Idaville, and had been married but a short time. After the inquest was held last evening the body was taken to the Shaffer home at Idaville, leaving here at 1:00 o’clock this morning. The funeral will be held at 2:00 o’clock Wednesday afternoon.