| John Ake | |
|---|---|
| Third baseman | |
| Born: August 29, 1861 Altoona, Pennsylvania |
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| Died: May 11, 1887 (aged 25) La Crosse, Wisconsin |
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| Batted: Right | Threw: Right |
| MLB debut | |
| May 12, 1884 for the Baltimore Orioles (AA) | |
| Last MLB appearance | |
| July 15, 1884 for the Baltimore Orioles (AA) | |
| Career statistics | |
| Batting average | .192 |
| Games | 13 |
| Hits | 10 |
| Teams | |
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John Leckie Ake (August 29, 1861 – May 11, 1887) was an American Major League Baseball player who played mainly as a third baseman for the 1884 Baltimore Orioles of the American Association (AA). Before and after his Major league career, he played for many professional minor league baseball teams from 1881 until his death in 1887. Described as a good and popular player, he died when the boat he was travelling in capsized, and not knowing how to swim, he drowned.
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He began his professional baseball career in 1882 when he joined a club located in his hometown of Altoona, Pennsylvania, having played for a local non-professional team the year before. He played for this professional club through the 1883 season, before signing a "Major League" contract with the Baltimore Orioles of the American Association.[1]
In the short time he was with the Orioles, he played in 13 games, playing mostly at third base, but also played three games in the outfield, and one game at shortstop. He batted .192 in 52 at bats, collected ten hits, one triple, and scored one run.[2]
When Baltimore released him mid-season, he finished the year playing for a team in Fort Smith, Ohio. The following season, he played for a team in Youngstown, Ohio, followed by a team Meriden, Connecticut for the 1886 season. Later in 1886, he transferred to the Boston Blues when they bought out the Meriden team. After the season, he signed with a St. Louis, Missouri team, which was later moved to Indianapolis. He secured his release from the club shortly thereafter so he could sign with the Duluth, Minnesota club.[1]
He playing for the Duluth club when he was riding in a boat on the Mississippi River near La Crosse, Wisconsin with teammates Bill Barnes and Billy Earle, when it was capsized by a passing by steamboat.[1][3] Barnes and Earle quickly swam to shore, but Ake, who did not know how to swim, hoisted himself on the overturned boat.[3] Barnes and Earle looked on as Ake decided to jump from the boat and attempt to swim ashore, but after a couple strokes, shouted for help and went under, drowning.[3] Barnes later recalled the way Earle looked at Ake the entire time. Earle, sometimes described as a "wierdo", "creepy", and as having an "evil eye", had an expression that Barnes never forgot.[3] His body was never recovered from the river.[1]