Amos Rusie "The Hoosier Thunderbolt" married Susie May Sloan in Muncie, Indiana on November 8, 1890, in the Delaware County Clerk's Office. [Note: her Death Certificate shows parents: Fell and Mary Ann (Lee) SMITH]
The stress that goes along with having a famous husband, the pressures involved with the baseball circuit and constant worry about injuries, Susie May filed for divorce 9 January 1899; they reconciled, and Amos spent the entire 1899 baseball season at home in Indianapolis nursing his injury and nurturing his marriage. In March of 1900 Rusie pronounced his arm sound and signed a new contract to pitch for the New York Giants. Amos was willing to return to New York, but May Rusie was not. Amos hurriedly left the team on April 16, citing "personal business," and traveled by train to Indiana. Two days later, the newspapers revealed that May had once again filed for divorce. Amos could not play ball and attend to his legal problems simultaneously, so he spent the 1900 season on the sidelines. On May 9, 1900, the court awarded May a divorce and $l,000 in alimony, along with household goods and attorney fees. Amos frightened at last by the loss of his marriage, appeared to make a sincere attempt at staying sober and behaving himself. He promised to quit the Giants, since May had grown to detest New York and the effect the major league lifestyle had on her husband, and offered to settle down in Indiana permanently. May agreed and on 31 Jul 1900, Grant County, Indiana they were married for the second time. This union lasted for the rest of their lives and resulted in the birth of a daughter, Jeannette C. Rusie in 1897.
Amos Rusie won his last game at age 27 and was out of baseball by age 30. He returned to Indiana where the onetime baseball star found employment as a laborer. In 1909 Rusie moved his family to Seattle, Washington where he worked as a steamfitter in a shipyard. In 1921, the Giants were still interested in him and offered him a position as an assistant superintendent at the Polo Grounds. Rusie accepted but after eight years he and his wife returned to Seattle where a bought a chicken farm near Auburn, Washington that soon went under during the Depression. Rusie was involved in a serious auto accident in July of 1934 leaving him unconscious for four days and subsequently unable to work. His farm was repossessed in 1936 but a Seattle newspaper reporter saw the forclosure notice and organized an effort to assist Rusie and his family. They raised enough money to buy a house for the old pitcher and provide for his needs for the rest of his life. Rusie was touched by the kindness shown and gave an interview in December 1939 to a reporter for The Sporting News. The writer found Rusie in fair health, still bothered by pain from his 1897 [baseball] shoulder injury, but in good spirits. His daughter was married to Clarence E. Spaulding and they were living in Seattle. Wife May, though partially paralyzed by then was talkative and quick-witted. Amos, shown petting his Labrador dog in a photo, still followed baseball closely the reading The Sporting News every week.
Amos and May lived their final days in near-total obscurity. May Rusie died October 7, 1942, age 73y 1m 30d and Amos suffered a heart attack only two months later. He died on December 6 ,1942 at the age of 71. Both are buried at the Acacia Memorial Park in Seattle, Washington.
Excerpts from: More Ghosts in he Gallery: Another Sixteen Little-Known Greats a Cooperstown, by David L. Fleitz
The stress that goes along with having a famous husband, the pressures involved with the baseball circuit and constant worry about injuries, Susie May filed for divorce 9 January 1899; they reconciled, and Amos spent the entire 1899 baseball season at home in Indianapolis nursing his injury and nurturing his marriage. In March of 1900 Rusie pronounced his arm sound and signed a new contract to pitch for the New York Giants. Amos was willing to return to New York, but May Rusie was not. Amos hurriedly left the team on April 16, citing "personal business," and traveled by train to Indiana. Two days later, the newspapers revealed that May had once again filed for divorce. Amos could not play ball and attend to his legal problems simultaneously, so he spent the 1900 season on the sidelines. On May 9, 1900, the court awarded May a divorce and $l,000 in alimony, along with household goods and attorney fees. Amos frightened at last by the loss of his marriage, appeared to make a sincere attempt at staying sober and behaving himself. He promised to quit the Giants, since May had grown to detest New York and the effect the major league lifestyle had on her husband, and offered to settle down in Indiana permanently. May agreed and on 31 Jul 1900, Grant County, Indiana they were married for the second time. This union lasted for the rest of their lives and resulted in the birth of a daughter, Jeannette C. Rusie in 1897.
Amos Rusie won his last game at age 27 and was out of baseball by age 30. He returned to Indiana where the onetime baseball star found employment as a laborer. In 1909 Rusie moved his family to Seattle, Washington where he worked as a steamfitter in a shipyard. In 1921, the Giants were still interested in him and offered him a position as an assistant superintendent at the Polo Grounds. Rusie accepted but after eight years he and his wife returned to Seattle where a bought a chicken farm near Auburn, Washington that soon went under during the Depression. Rusie was involved in a serious auto accident in July of 1934 leaving him unconscious for four days and subsequently unable to work. His farm was repossessed in 1936 but a Seattle newspaper reporter saw the forclosure notice and organized an effort to assist Rusie and his family. They raised enough money to buy a house for the old pitcher and provide for his needs for the rest of his life. Rusie was touched by the kindness shown and gave an interview in December 1939 to a reporter for The Sporting News. The writer found Rusie in fair health, still bothered by pain from his 1897 [baseball] shoulder injury, but in good spirits. His daughter was married to Clarence E. Spaulding and they were living in Seattle. Wife May, though partially paralyzed by then was talkative and quick-witted. Amos, shown petting his Labrador dog in a photo, still followed baseball closely the reading The Sporting News every week.
Amos and May lived their final days in near-total obscurity. May Rusie died October 7, 1942, age 73y 1m 30d and Amos suffered a heart attack only two months later. He died on December 6 ,1942 at the age of 71. Both are buried at the Acacia Memorial Park in Seattle, Washington.
Excerpts from: More Ghosts in he Gallery: Another Sixteen Little-Known Greats a Cooperstown, by David L. Fleitz
Amos Rusie "The Hoosier Thunderbolt" married Susie May Sloan in Muncie, Indiana on November 8, 1890, in the Delaware County Clerk's Office. [Note: her Death Certificate shows parents: Fell and Mary Ann (Lee) SMITH]
The stress that goes along with having a famous husband, the pressures involved with the baseball circuit and constant worry about injuries, Susie May filed for divorce 9 January 1899; they reconciled, and Amos spent the entire 1899 baseball season at home in Indianapolis nursing his injury and nurturing his marriage. In March of 1900 Rusie pronounced his arm sound and signed a new contract to pitch for the New York Giants. Amos was willing to return to New York, but May Rusie was not. Amos hurriedly left the team on April 16, citing "personal business," and traveled by train to Indiana. Two days later, the newspapers revealed that May had once again filed for divorce. Amos could not play ball and attend to his legal problems simultaneously, so he spent the 1900 season on the sidelines. On May 9, 1900, the court awarded May a divorce and $l,000 in alimony, along with household goods and attorney fees. Amos frightened at last by the loss of his marriage, appeared to make a sincere attempt at staying sober and behaving himself. He promised to quit the Giants, since May had grown to detest New York and the effect the major league lifestyle had on her husband, and offered to settle down in Indiana permanently. May agreed and on 31 Jul 1900, Grant County, Indiana they were married for the second time. This union lasted for the rest of their lives and resulted in the birth of a daughter, Jeannette C. Rusie in 1897.
Amos Rusie won his last game at age 27 and was out of baseball by age 30. He returned to Indiana where the onetime baseball star found employment as a laborer. In 1909 Rusie moved his family to Seattle, Washington where he worked as a steamfitter in a shipyard. In 1921, the Giants were still interested in him and offered him a position as an assistant superintendent at the Polo Grounds. Rusie accepted but after eight years he and his wife returned to Seattle where a bought a chicken farm near Auburn, Washington that soon went under during the Depression. Rusie was involved in a serious auto accident in July of 1934 leaving him unconscious for four days and subsequently unable to work. His farm was repossessed in 1936 but a Seattle newspaper reporter saw the forclosure notice and organized an effort to assist Rusie and his family. They raised enough money to buy a house for the old pitcher and provide for his needs for the rest of his life. Rusie was touched by the kindness shown and gave an interview in December 1939 to a reporter for The Sporting News. The writer found Rusie in fair health, still bothered by pain from his 1897 [baseball] shoulder injury, but in good spirits. His daughter was married to Clarence E. Spaulding and they were living in Seattle. Wife May, though partially paralyzed by then was talkative and quick-witted. Amos, shown petting his Labrador dog in a photo, still followed baseball closely the reading The Sporting News every week.
Amos and May lived their final days in near-total obscurity. May Rusie died October 7, 1942, age 73y 1m 30d and Amos suffered a heart attack only two months later. He died on December 6 ,1942 at the age of 71. Both are buried at the Acacia Memorial Park in Seattle, Washington.
Excerpts from: More Ghosts in he Gallery: Another Sixteen Little-Known Greats a Cooperstown, by David L. Fleitz
The stress that goes along with having a famous husband, the pressures involved with the baseball circuit and constant worry about injuries, Susie May filed for divorce 9 January 1899; they reconciled, and Amos spent the entire 1899 baseball season at home in Indianapolis nursing his injury and nurturing his marriage. In March of 1900 Rusie pronounced his arm sound and signed a new contract to pitch for the New York Giants. Amos was willing to return to New York, but May Rusie was not. Amos hurriedly left the team on April 16, citing "personal business," and traveled by train to Indiana. Two days later, the newspapers revealed that May had once again filed for divorce. Amos could not play ball and attend to his legal problems simultaneously, so he spent the 1900 season on the sidelines. On May 9, 1900, the court awarded May a divorce and $l,000 in alimony, along with household goods and attorney fees. Amos frightened at last by the loss of his marriage, appeared to make a sincere attempt at staying sober and behaving himself. He promised to quit the Giants, since May had grown to detest New York and the effect the major league lifestyle had on her husband, and offered to settle down in Indiana permanently. May agreed and on 31 Jul 1900, Grant County, Indiana they were married for the second time. This union lasted for the rest of their lives and resulted in the birth of a daughter, Jeannette C. Rusie in 1897.
Amos Rusie won his last game at age 27 and was out of baseball by age 30. He returned to Indiana where the onetime baseball star found employment as a laborer. In 1909 Rusie moved his family to Seattle, Washington where he worked as a steamfitter in a shipyard. In 1921, the Giants were still interested in him and offered him a position as an assistant superintendent at the Polo Grounds. Rusie accepted but after eight years he and his wife returned to Seattle where a bought a chicken farm near Auburn, Washington that soon went under during the Depression. Rusie was involved in a serious auto accident in July of 1934 leaving him unconscious for four days and subsequently unable to work. His farm was repossessed in 1936 but a Seattle newspaper reporter saw the forclosure notice and organized an effort to assist Rusie and his family. They raised enough money to buy a house for the old pitcher and provide for his needs for the rest of his life. Rusie was touched by the kindness shown and gave an interview in December 1939 to a reporter for The Sporting News. The writer found Rusie in fair health, still bothered by pain from his 1897 [baseball] shoulder injury, but in good spirits. His daughter was married to Clarence E. Spaulding and they were living in Seattle. Wife May, though partially paralyzed by then was talkative and quick-witted. Amos, shown petting his Labrador dog in a photo, still followed baseball closely the reading The Sporting News every week.
Amos and May lived their final days in near-total obscurity. May Rusie died October 7, 1942, age 73y 1m 30d and Amos suffered a heart attack only two months later. He died on December 6 ,1942 at the age of 71. Both are buried at the Acacia Memorial Park in Seattle, Washington.
Excerpts from: More Ghosts in he Gallery: Another Sixteen Little-Known Greats a Cooperstown, by David L. Fleitz
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