On May 1, 1884, opening day of the 1884 season, Meinke made his Major League Baseball debut with the Detroit Wolverines of the National League. The Wolverines lost the season opener to Philadelphia by a 13-2 score, began the season with an 11-game losing streak, and finished in eighth place with a 28-84 record. Meinke was the Wolverines' lead pitcher during the 1884 season, appearing in 35 games and pitching 289 innings, including 31 complete games.[4] He compiled a respectable 3.18 earned run average (ERA) but, with little support from his teammates, finished the season with an 8-23 record. Meinke also led the National League's pitchers with a perfect 1.000 fielding percentage.[1]
In addition to pitching, Meinke also served in a utility role and appeared in a total of 92 games during the 1884 season, including 51 games at shortstop, four in the outfield, three at second base, and three at third base. He compiled a .165 batting average in 341 at bats and struck out 89 times, the second highest total in the National League behind Sam Wise.[1]
Meinke returned to the Wolverines in 1885 but appeared in only two games, one as a pitcher and one as an outfielder. Meinke allowed two earned runs in five innings and was the losing pitcher in his only game on the mound. His major league career ended on May 22, 1885.[1]
^ abDeath record for Frank L. Meinke, section foreman, born October 18, 1863, died November 8, 1931. Ancestry.com. Illinois, Deaths and Stillbirths Index, 1916-1947 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
