Fred
"Cy"
Perkins

FREDERICK "CY" PERKINS is not to be confused with longtime major league catcher Ralph "Cy" Perkins, who played for the Philadelphia Athletics from 1915 through 1930. Camden's Cy Perkins was a hard-hitting first-baseman who never made it to the major leagues, but played alongside and managed several major leaguers during his his career, which spanned the years between 1896 and 1913. It is not at all unlikely that Ralph Perkins received his nickname from people familiar with our Perkins.

Fred "Cy" Perkins was born in New Jersey around 1876. Camden produces several notable ballplayers in the years prior to 1900 such as wes fisler, Kid Gleason, and "eggie" Lennox. Besides minor league teams that played in the city at different times, there was a very active sandlot and semi-pro baseball scene in Camden. Many traveling teams passed through Camden as well, playing against local teams and supporting themselves in a fashion similar to that of the Harlem Globetrotters basketball team.

After his playing days were over, Cy Perkins worked as a varnish maker in a paint factory. He was living at 28 South 33rd Street in East Camden at the time of the 1920 Census, and still resided their when he passed away on February  15, 1936.

Cy Perkins - Dick Smith - Dan Whalen
William Dawson - John McCullough
 Lew Melcher - Harry Hilt - Jake Wagner
Howard Berry - Harry Freeland
Zanzinger - Day - Weisgardner
All-Cubans - Cuban X Giants 

Philadelphia Inquirer - March 17, 1907

Philadelphia Inquirer - March 26, 1907

Philadelphia Inquirer - July 28, 1907

Camden Courier-Post - February 3, 1936

CY PERKINS RITES HELD IN CAMDEN
Friends of Veteran Baseball Player Attend Funeral; Burial in Harleigh Cemetery

Funeral services were held yesterday for Fred "Cy" Perkins, 60, former baseball player, who died Saturday, at his home, 23 South Thirty-third street.

Many friends of the onetime star batsman of professional teams in this area, joined relatives in paying final tribute to him last night and today. Mr. Perkins possessed a wide circle of friends in this city as a result of his baseball activity between 1896 to 1913. He never joined a major league team, although was regarded as one of the hardest-hitting batters in the game prior to his retirement.

Among his teammates with the old Camden Club, managed by "Bob" Black, were Edgar "Eggie" Lennox, Albert "Dutch" Barr, "Butch" Rementer, "Billy' Fischman and Frederick A. Koelle, Sr. Mr. Perkins also played on the memorable occasions when "Rube" Waddell, onetime hero of the Philadelphia Athletics, pitched for the Camden team at Twelfth and Federal streets. "Wid" Conroy, Seck Hewitt and "Tom" Campbell, all well-known to baseball fans here more than 25 years ago, also were with Mr. Perkins when he played with Sunbury, Pa. team, which then was under management of "ike" Toy, also a Camden sandlot product.

Survivors are Mrs. Emma Perkins, his widow; a daughter, Gertrude, a stepson, Albert von Etten, and a brother, Richard R. Perkins, of Delanco. Burial was in Harleigh Ceme tery. .