JACK BURNETT The birthdate of 12/2/1889 which is given for Burnett in TOTAL BASEBALL IV, page 755, is almost certainly in error. Jack was a teammate of Walter's on the powerful Olinda Oil Wells semipro team. In fact, he was already the team captain at the time Walter joined the Oil Wells in January 1905. In a 1913 article describing his "discovery" of Walter Johnson, another Olinda teammate, Joe Burke, describes how Burke and Burnett gave Johnson an impromptu "tryout" in the field next to the Olinda general store. This tryout took place, as best we can determine, some time in 1904. Burke describes Burnett as "Olinda's best hitter"; contemporary newspaper accounts refer to him as the captain of the team. Most of the Olinda players at the time were in their twenties. It is unlikely they would have been captained by a 15-year old boy. Jack Burnett was signed to a pro contract with Seattle (PCL) early in 1906, then traded to Tacoma (NWL). While at Tacoma, he arranged for Walter Johnson to join the Tacoma team, but after pitching one game against Grays Harbor which may or may not have been an exhibition game, Walter was released, then caught on with a semipro team in Weiser, Idaho. Catcher Cliff Blankenship signed him for Washington there the following summer. Burnett stayed at Tacoma and was sold to the St. Louis Cards in 1907. What happened to him after that one big league season we do not know. When Walter Johnson made his triumphant return to Southern California after the 1924 World Series, he was reunited with many of his former Olinda teammates. Jack Burnett was NOT among these players and there was no hint in the articles which appeared at that time as to what might have happened to him. We are convinced that, in view of the evidence we have seen while working on the Johnson story, Jack Burnett could have been born no later than 1885. Could the John Burnett whose death was recorded in Taft on 9/8/1929 have been a different person? Was his age in error on his death certificate? Did Jack Burnett disappear into the wilds of Mexico along with Ambrose Bierce? These are mysteries which we'll leave to other researchers, but we will be glad to make available any of our data, and I will do further research in the Fullerton or Anaheim newspapers which are still available on microfilm, if it would help somebody (e.g. SABR biography committee) correct Burnett's entry. ---------- 2004 NOTES ---------- Earliest mention of Burnett with Olinda that I found was in Fall of 1903. He seems to have been an already established player. Looked in sport sections around time of his Cardinals debut and found a BENNETT listed at 2nd base for Cardinals. (BB Encyclopedia says he just played OF! The guy at 2B could have been Justin "Pug" BENNETT.) Look again! In the 1900 census, I searched the pages for Fullerton, Fullerton township, and Yorba township and found, on page 40 of HeritageQuest's "Fullerton township" entries: John BARRETT, born Jan 1882, the son of E[???] and Sarah BARRETT, a day laborer born in PA. His father was a well driller. This is as close as I came to anybody named BURNETT. The age fits. Couldn't identify anybody named BURNETT in 1910 census in California. In the 1920 census: John C. BURNETT, age 39, living on Central Avenue in La Habra and working as "Supt Pipe Lines" for Union Oil Co. He was born in TN to parents born in GA and AR. Wife Belle and daughters Edith and Etta living with him. Age- and occupation-wise, this guy would fit. He would have been about 22 when he was first mentioned at Olinda and 26 when he made his big league debut. ---------- 2005 NOTES ---------- Following mention of Burnett appeared in an L. A. Times article on the "Santa Fe Oil Wells" baseball team, 01/17/1904, on page B4: Jack Burnett, a former Santa Paula player, well known to lovers of the amateur game here has been playing shortstop for this team and will probably continue to so officiate... there are those who think that at least two of the team are in line for a try-out in the larger league. These are Burnett and Crandall, who are both young, but due to arrive with the best in a few years. In the Times for 03/11/1906, page III-1: Manager Russ Hall announced the following line-up of the Seattle baseball team for the season of 1906: Blankenship [!] and Frary, catchers... Burnett, extra outfielder... The team is all signed and will report for practice game at Santa Barbara, on March 14. ---------- 2008 NOTES ---------- While browsing around the excellent Retrosheet site, I found... Jack Barnett - Full name John Jeirus Barnett Born December 16, 1879, Ventura, California Died September 3, 1923, Modoc County, California First Game: July 2, 1907; Final Game: September 20, 1907 So it sounds pretty definite that this guy's actual last name was "BARNETT"! There's a 39-yr-old "John Barnett" living at 1430 E. Meta St., Ventura, CA, at the time of the 1920 census, listed as a "deputy game warden"; is that our man? I sort of remember an article, which I don't seem to have copied, which mentioned that he was working as a game warden somewhere. ---------- 2013 NOTES ---------- BaseballReference.com now lists this man with the same info as given above by Retrosheet in my 2008 notes. It says "Previously thought to be John Burnett." It shows him playing in Tacoma from 1906 until going to Spokane during 1908, then with various other minor league teams after that.