Mark J. "Marty" Devine Jr.
Mark James “Marty” Devine was well known in Camden in the late 1910s and 1920s as a scholastic and semi-pro baseball player, pitching for Camden High School and any number of semi-pro teams in the tri-state area until an arm injury ended his career on the diamond.
Marty Devine was born in Pennsylvania on December 16, 1899 to Mark and Carrie Bauer Devine. The Devines were living on Jones Lane in Philadelphia when the 1900 Census was enumerated. A brother, James was born in 1902. Sadly, his father died on April 22, 1908 in a work-related mishap at the too-young age of 1928.
Carrie Devine and her sons first appear in Camden's City Directories in 1911, at 714 Ferry Avenue. They remained there for at least a year. When the 1917 Directory was compiled the family had moved to 540 Lester Terrace. A fine pitcher, Marty Devine attended Camden High School and was an immediate success on the baseball diamond, winning most of the games he started on an otherwise mediocre team. He soon was pitching for any number of semi-pro teams in Camden and the tri-state area.
Marty Devine apparently left Camden High briefly, as he was working at the New York Shipbuilding Corporation shipyards near his home in September of 1918 when he registered for the draft. His work probably had more to do with being a member of the company baseball team than anything else. He returned to Camden High in time for the 1919 baseball season. Marty Devine pitched for New York Ship in 1919 and 1920, for the Gloucester baseball team in 1922, and for Lou Schaub's Camden club in 1923. These are just the teams this author is aware of as of this writing.
The Devines are listed in Camden City Directories from 1921 through 1923 at 2220 South 9th Street. Marty Devine married Frances Miles around 1924. By 1930 there were four children, Mark Jr. and Dolores. Two more sons, Paul and Thomas, came during the 1930s. The Devines had moved to 2266 South 7th Street when the 1924 Directory was compiled and were still at that address as late as 1980. Younger brother James Devine founded a coal and ice business in the 1920s, and Marty worked for him as a driver for many years. When he registered for the draft in April of 1942, Marty Devine was again living at 540 Lester Terrace.
A Camden resident to the end, Marty Devine passed away in January of 1986. His wife joined him on August 8, 2002.
Back in 1919, Devine Was King of the Hill
Camden Courier-Post —
DOWN MEMORY LANE
By DOUG FRAMBES, of the Courier-Post
It indeed is a wonderful world in which we live. Even a complete mechanical incompetent such as myself can twist a few dials and bring to life, via microfilm, events of days long past.
My latest trip into the days of yore goes back to 1919. The Great War was over and semipro baseball was entering its greatest era. Crowds flocked to games in every neighborhood of Camden. Football still was a small-time activity and the diamond wars lasted deep into autumn.
On Saturday, October 27, 1919, a youthful righthander named Marty Devine took the mound for Whitman Park at the old Third and Erie Street grounds, and hurled a masterpiece against the Camden BBC. For 13 innings he sent his opponents back to their dugout hitless — and all he got was a scoreless tie.
In fact, Devine on that memorable day almost hurled a perfect game. His bid for perfection was marred in the eighth inning when he hit rival first baseman George Zibell with a pitch. Zibell paid for his indiscretion with a broken arm.
Devine, who recently passed his 80th birthday, remains mentally sharp and recalls lucidly many of the games he pitched. “I used to come at them sidearm, a lot of the righthand hitters didn’t seem to like to dig in too much,” remarked Devine.
Although considerably smaller, it takes only a slight bit of toying with one’s memory to see Don Drysdale or Ewell Blackwell delivering that wicked delivery from the third base side of the diamond.
Devine had trouble convincing some of his early managers that the mound was his true calling. In his teenage days in Fairview, he was a good-hitting, strong-armed third baseman, but always he was looking for the opportunity to pitch.
His superlative job that autumn day brought him to the attention of Wid Conroy. A veteran of more than a decade in the major leagues, Conroy was handling the reins of the New York Shipyard nine, one of the area’s premier squads. Devine was ready for the best that semipro ball had to offer and for the next three years he competed successfully in independent ball’s top echelon.
“They were great days for a ball player,” commented Devine. “The pay was excellent, the competition keen, and there always was some team to play for. I remember facing on several occasions the great Negro team, Hilldale, that played once a week at Third and Erie. I pitched well against them but, oh my, that Sandtop, how he could hit the long ball.”
The name Sandtop will bring back memories to oldtimers. One of the legends of Negro baseball, he was one of the stars of that day who were kept out of organized ball by what then was known as the “color-line.”
Devine was still in his twenties when torn ligaments brought his career to a finish. “The arm never came around, but it was fun while it lasted. I played in Philadelphia, South Jersey, Delaware, all through Eastern Pennsylvania, a little bit at the seashore, anyplace where someone wanted my services,” recalled Devine.
Despite his considerable success on ball fields too numerous to recall, it still seems fitting to go back to that day in 1919. The two teams had previously fought to a scoreless tie and fans of both fine teams demanded that the battle for supremacy be concluded.
Devine’s pitching foe that day was Charley Garrison, who was a veteran compared to the Whitman Park ace, who still was a few weeks short of his 20th birthday. And Garrison did not do a bad job, holding Whitman Park to seven hits during the long contest. Only one man accounted for more than a single safety, and that was Devine, who delivered a pair of singles.
The box score did not include strikeouts, but Walker, his catcher, had 13 putouts, indicating Devine must have fanned around a dozen hitters. Another indication that his sidearm delivery was sinking is the 18 putouts credited to first baseman Gartland.
Garrison also must have had his good stuff going as Miller, who was behind the plate, had 18 putouts in the box score. Miller played a key part in the game, throwing out two would-be base stealers at third, and another at second.
Today the spotlight is focused almost entirely on national events, but there was a day when a ball game between top local teams was the biggest event in the area.
Time moves relentlessly on, but it is nice to occasionally pause and remember men like Marty Devine, who 60 years ago — in the vernacular of today — turned a city on.
Media High Downs Camden in Easy Game
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Before the largest crowd of the season the Camden High baseball team went down to defeat before the Media High School team by the score of 8 to 2.
Camden Athletes Busy
Philadelphia Inquirer —
Baseball and Track Candidates Working Hard for Berths
The past week was one of activity in the athletic line at Camden High. The track and baseball candidates held outdoor practice every afternoon. The baseball aspirants, under the direction of Coach Brooks, are beginning to show some class. Four ’Varsity men and six scrubs remain from last year. The ’Varsity men from last year are Van Hart, shortstop; Westney, pitcher; Verdeur, catcher, and Devine, pitcher. Lutz, Stewart, Fisher, Crate, Pinsky and Shaw, from last year, will probably be seen in this year’s lineup. Last year’s nine experienced a poor season, failing to win the majority of games played. Devine, the sensational Freshman twirler, was the only letter man. He won the most of the games he pitched. Brandt and Burgerson, other pitchers are not in school this year. Prospects for the season are bright as the candidates are of good calibre. Manager Grenhart, ’21, is completing the baseball schedule, which will include about eighteen games. Among the strongest teams being booked are: Haddonfield, Haddon Heights, Media, Atlantic City, Germantown High, Wilmington High, Trenton High, West Chester, Cheltenham and others.
At present the track squad is being coached by probable Captain Heintze and every other day by Brooks, this will last until last year’s coach, Conover, returns from the West. Quite a few stars are being uncovered. Three men are back from last year’s relay team, Waldron, Gercke and Heintze. N. Middleton is proving his ability in the high jump by clearing around 5 feet 7 inches.
Besides several dual meets at home the squad will travel to Delaware College, Cheltenham, Villanova, Atlantic City, Penn Relays and a few that are pending. New candidates continue to report every day. Among the most promising are: High jump, N. Middleton, Gercke; broad jump, Verdeur and N. Middleton; quarter mile, Cannon, H. Middleton, Gercke, Heintze, Waldron, Burdge; shotput, Fryer, Crate, Verderu; pole vault, Teal, Kennedy, Westney; long distances, Radcliffe, Gercke, Hartman, Schoefling, Beideman; sprints, Heintze, N. Middleton, Beideman.
As soon as the outdoor tennis courts are completed practice will begin under Coach Meder’s authority. Camden will take part in the League of the Interscholastic Lawn Tennis Association. McAdams has arranged the following schedule: April 15, Germantown Academy, home; April 19, Penn Charter School, away; April 22, Northeast High, home; April 26, Haverford School, away; April 29, Episcopal Academy, home.
May 3, Cheltenham High, away; May 6, Lower Merion High, home; May 10, Germantown High, away; May 13, Central High, home; May 17, Frankford High, away; May 20, West Philadelphia High, home.
South Jersey Teams Hard Hit by Weather
Philadelphia Inquirer —
GLOUCESTER. N. J., June 3.—Baseball teams in South Jersey towns were hard hit this week because nearly every game that was booked had to be called off on account of rain. There were also numerous other events cancelled.
The eight clubs of the West Jersey League are paying big salaries for players this year; in fact, never before were there such high salaries paid to baseball players in South Jersey towns and the salaries are per week and not per game, so the clubs had to dig deep today to pay the salaries. The salaries of the main players average from $50 to $100 per week because of the rivalry which exists.
The clubs are drawing big crowds and can afford to pay these salaries providing that they get the weather. Each club had booked on big gate receipts this week, especially for exhibition games, but not a dollar came into the treasury.
The Gloucester Club has had three exhibition games cancelled thus far because of the rain. They were with Hilldale, Nativity and the Cuban All-Stars. The management now hopes that the rule of three has been carried out and that no more games will be called off.
More interest is being displayed in baseball in South Jersey this year than probably ever before. The twilight games have created the interest because the best teams are being booked and the clubs can afford to pay big guarantees because of the attendance.
The West Jersey League has also created added interest. The Gloucester Club today announced that it had signed Marty Devine, a pitcher of the Nativity Club; Larry Singer, catcher of South Camden, and Errickson, formerly of Pitman Grove, to help do slab work.
Vince Costello, who was covering third for Swedesboro and coached the Gloucester High School team this year, to play third. Clayton has secured several new players from Philadelphia, while Swedesboro is after some new players.
At Gloucester, June 7th
Woodbury Daily Times —
At Gloucester, June 7th. Paulsboro defeated Gloucester in a listless game last evening by the score of 4 to 0. Clark pitched effective ball and the home team could do nothing with him. Clark allowed Gloucester five hits while his teammates collected ten.
The box score:—
GLOUCESTER
R. H. O. A. E.
Dawson, rf 0 0 1 1 0
Riegert, ss 0 0 0 3 0
Aughenbaugh, 2b 0 0 2 3 0
Costello, 3b 0 2 0 0 0
Tydeman, cf 0 1 1 0 0
VanHest, lf 0 0 2 1 0
Singer, c 0 0 6 1 0
Gallagher, 1b 0 0 15 0 0
Errickson, p 0 1 0 6 0
Devine, p 0 1 0 0 0
Totals 0 5 27 15 0
PAULSBORO
R. H. O. A. E.
Gage, 3b 0 1 2 6 0
Sharkey, lf 1 1 3 0 0
Baker, 2b 0 1 0 3 0
W. Reynolds, 1b 1 2 11 1 0
McGregor, ss 0 1 0 1 0
Kayser, cf 2 2 0 0 0
J. Reynolds, rf 0 2 3 0 0
H. Reynolds, c 0 0 8 1 0
Clark, p 0 0 0 1 0
Totals 4 7 27 13 0
Paulsboro 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 2 0—4 Gloucester 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0—0
Contract to Play for the Camden Baseball Club
Philadelphia Baseball Association —
Philadelphia Baseball Association, Inc.
UNIFORM PLAYER’S CONTRACT
AGREEMENT, Made this 9 day of April 1923, by and between Martin Devine of Camden (Address of Club) hereinafter called the "Club" of the one part, and Camden Baseball Club of Camden (Address of Player), hereinafter called the "Player," of the other part.
WITNESSETH
1. The Club hereby employs the Player as a skilled baseball player for a period beginning May 5, 1923, and ending September 29, 1923.
2. The player agrees to serve the Club in a skillful, competent and sportsmanlike manner to the best of his ability in the playing of games of baseball at such times and places as the Club, or its proper representative, may from time to time require during the period above stated, except as hereinafter provided.
3. The Club agrees to pay the Player, for his services rendered in accordance herewith, the sum of Two Hundred and Twenty Five ($225.00) Dollars per month during the period specified above, payable in Semi Monthly installments on the 1 and 15 day of each month. In addition thereto, the Club shall furnish the Player with a playing uniform, exclusive of shoes, which uniform the Player shall surrender at the end of the season, or sooner termination of his employment. He shall also receive transportation, board and lodging whenever required to play games under this contract outside of the City of Camden.
4. In order to properly condition himself the Player will report and serve for practice during the period of at least 10 days days prior to May 5/23 without further compensation.
5. The Player will not without the written consent of the Club, engage in any game or exhibition of baseball with any other Club during the period specified above, except By consent of Club
6. The Player shall keep himself in first class physical condition. He shall, when requested by the Club, submit himself to a physical examination at the expense of the Club and, when necessary, to treatment by a regular physician at his own expense. If the Player be disabled by injuries sustained while rendering services under this contract, he shall receive his full salary for at least one week, at the end of which week, or at any time thereafter, he may be released by the Club without notice, but shall receive his full salary until released.
7. The Player agrees to submit to the discipline of the Philadelphia Baseball Association, an organization of baseball clubs formed for the benefit of the parties hereto and the public to insure wholesome and high-class baseball and good sportsmanship, of which the club is a member, and the Club and the Player agree that the present and future by-laws, rules and regulations of the said Association shall, in so far as they affect the Club and Player and be applicable hereto, form part of this contract as though actually contained herein, and the same shall be binding upon the parties hereto.
8. If the Player shall violate this contract, or any of the by-laws, rules or regulations of the said Association, the Club may terminate this contract without notice at any time; provided the Player shall receive the proportionate share of his salary earned by him up to the time of such termination, (less any fines which may have been imposed) and transportation to Camden, if the contract be terminated while the club is engaged in playing otherwise than in Camden. In lieu of terminating the contract, the Club may impose a reasonable fine and deduct the same from the Player’s salary, or may suspend the Player for a period not exceeding thirty days, or both, at the discretion of the Club. All disciplinary action taken hereunder shall be subject to the right of appeal to the Association, as provided in paragraph 9 hereof.
9. Any dispute arising between the Club and the Player may be referred by either party to the said Association to be disposed of by its Board of Governors in accordance with its by-laws, rules and regulations. A decision rendered in accordance therewith shall be final and binding upon both parties to the dispute.
10. This Contract may be terminated at any time by the Club without the assignment of any reason therefor upon five (5) days’ notice. The Player shall receive his salary up until the time of actual termination less any fines which may have been imposed, and shall be free to sign with any other club, unless under disciplinary action of the Association.
11. This Contract may be assigned by the Club, or by any Club to whom the same may have been assigned, to any other club, in which case the Player and the Assignee shall have the same rights and be subject to the same mutual obligations and liabilities as though this contract had originally been executed between them. In the event of such assignment, the Club and each successive assignor shall be relieved from all further liability hereunder.
12. At any time prior to March 1st, 1924, and upon written notice to the player at his last address on record with the Club; the club or any assignee thereof may renew this contract for the term of that year except of the salary rate which shall be such as the parties may then agree upon or in default of agreement, such as the club may fix. In default of agreement, the player will accept the salary rate, to this effect or else will not play baseball during the year with any other club a member of the Philadelphia Baseball Association, Inc., otherwise with club or any assignee thereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have set their hands and seals the day and year above written.
Witnesses: Eugene Hughes Camden Ball Club By Louis Schaut For the Club
(Player sign here) Mark J. Devine Camden (Player’s Home Address) 2220 So 9th St Camden N.J. (Player’s Telephone No.) 6210 R
Philadelphia Baseball Association Incorporated
Signed Player’s Contract
Martin Devine Of Player
Camden Signed With Club
2220 S 9th St Address
Camden City
N.J. State
Camden 6210 R Phone Number
Approved by the Philadelphia Baseball Association, Inc.
On APR 24 1923
President [signature]
Secretary [signature]
[embossed seal of the Philadelphia Baseball Association, Incorporated]
Released:
World War I Draft Registration Card
Serial Number: 1041 — Order Number: A 1370
1. Name: Mark James Devine
2. Permanent Home Address: 540 Lester Terrace, Camden, N.J.
Age in Years: 18 — Date of Birth: December 16, 1899
Race: White — U.S. Citizen: Native Born
Present Occupation: Machine Driller’s Helper
Employer’s Name: N.Y. Ship Co. — Place of Employment: N.Y. Ship Yard, Camden
Nearest Relative: Carrie Devine (mother), 540 Lester Terrace, Camden
Date of Registration: September 12, 1918 — Local Board No. 3, City of Camden, N.J.
Registrar’s Report: Height: Medium — Build: Stout — Color of Eyes: Blue — Color of Hair: Light — No defects
World War I Draft Registration Card — Mark James Devine
U.S. Selective Service System —
REGISTRATION CARD (front) Serial Number: 1041 Order Number: A 1320
1. Name: Mark James Devine 2. Permanent Home Address: 540 Lester Terrace, Camden, N.J. Age in Years: 18 Date of Birth: December 16, 1899 Race: White (citizen) U.S. Citizen: Native Born Present Occupation: Machine Drillers’ Helper Employer’s Name: N.Y. Ship Co. Place of Employment: N.Y. Ship Yard, Camden Nearest Relative (Name): Carrie Devine (mother) Address: 540 Lester Terrace, Camden Signature: Mark J. Devine P.M.G.O. Form No. 1 (Red)
REGISTRAR’S REPORT (No. 29-3-9-C) (reverse): Height: Tall Build: Medium Color of Eyes: Blue Color of Hair: Light Has person lost arm, leg, hand, eye, or is he obviously physically disqualified: No defects Date of Registration: SEP 12 1918 Signature of Registrar: Charles I. Fitz George Local Board No. 3, City of Camden, N.J.