DENVER — Despite the current record of the Colorado Rockies, Denver's history with baseball is rich. A few baseball lovers have compiled a list of professional baseball players that have been buried at Fairmount Cemetery.
David Wallack does not consider himself a historian but rather a fan of baseball. The New York City native is hosting a presentation at Fairmount Cemetery later this week to share the in depth history the burial ground has with former ball players.
"I think it’s important because they were part of a fabric of this town and in playing the games whether they were parts of independent teams and parts of leagues, this brought people together," Wallack said. "Ten thousand or 20,000 people might come together and collectively cheer for the same team so I think it’s something that unites the community."
Wallack said fourteen former players are interred at Fairmount including three men who played in the Negro League. The league was created during segregation. The MLB didn't include it in its record books until 2020.
Theodore "Bubbles" Anderson is one of the men buried at Fairmount that played in the Negro League. He is thought to be the only Negro League player born in Colorado.
"He played for five different teams as a catcher and a second basemen," Wallack said. "I think it's important that we don't forget about this man and what he represented and that we can visit here and honor his memory and his career."
Former Major League player Arthur "Six o'clock" Weaver is not too far away. He played second place for a number of teams.
"He was known as 'Six o clock' apparently because he was tall and slender and he looked like the hands of the clock when it was 6 p.m. or 6 a.m.," Wallack explained. "[He] played for four different teams, St Louis and Pittsburgh in the National League and Chicago and St. Louis in the American league. He was in the Major Leagues for a total of six years although he didn’t play too many games in any of the seasons but he was in the Major Leagues."
Wallack has a plethora of information for each player buried at Fairmount. With the support of the Fairmount Heritage Foundation, Wallack is holding a presentation at the Chapel in the Pines at the Fairmont Cemetery on Saturday. The presentation will highlight the players the players that once called Colorado home. Some of the history goes as far back as 1860. The event is free but individuals are asked to reserve a space online.
FROZEN FOUR: DU holding championship game watch party Saturday
SUGGESTED VIDEOS: Storytellers