The Diamond Glass Company and The Kemper Cats

For many years, Lloyd V. Tuttle contributed historic photos and information to the Defiance Crescent-News for his column, "A Backward Glance."  The Kemper Cats baseball team from Defiance was featured in this undated clipping.

"KC STANDS for Kemper Cats, the old Diamond Glass baseball team.  This team picture was taken in 1900.

First Row:  Coy Jones; team mascot, Ed Pohlson's son; and Frank Bucholz

Middle Row: Warren Carpenter, Harry Kreps, Patty Ryan, Jim Duerk, and Ed Franzdorf

Top Row: Harley Hale, Grover Hull, Ed Pohlson, A. H. Kemper, and Frank Long.  
Harold Yeager submitted the photograph." 

****
The Kemper Colts were in their prime in the early 1900s, led by General Manager, A. H. Kemper of the Van Cleve Glass Company.  The glass company was in a building first built for the Tiedeman Furniture Company on Squires Avenue, along the B & O.  Eventually VanCleve was bought out by the Diamond Glass Company.

 Strangely, this glass company did not produce glass, but instead was the woodworking arm of the company which was based in Cleveland.  It made doors, sashes, and trim.  Tuttle claimed that the doors of the San Francisco Post Office were made in the Defiance factory.

The Kemper Cats played teams from Ohio, Michigan, and Indiana, and was known as a very talented baseball team.