He attended Beaumont High and graduated from the University of Texas He served in the United States Army and was stationed at Fort Hood in Killeen guarding nuclear weapons after the Korean war Mark went on to build Steinhagen Oil Company with his father and brother Harvey Steinhagen Mark loved his community and served it in many capacities President of the Rotary Club of Beaumont and a Paul Harris Fellow He was a President of the Beaumont Chamber of Commerce and was on the Board of Directors of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word which became CHRISTUS Hospitals He served on the Board of Directors of Gulf States Utilities and Entergy holding seats on both the Audit and Nuclear Power Committees Mark’s favorite pastimes were hunting and fishing he would be up at four with his truck loaded and ready to hit the road for the seven-and-a-half-hour drive to the deer camp while listening to Patsy Cline and Linda Ronstadt In the summers he looked forward to deep sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico on his boat The Adelante and later at Sabine Lake from his Pathfinder he spent almost every weekend on Bolivar Peninsula watching sunsets with his beloved Janie and hosting legendary 4th of July cookouts Mark had a green thumb and grew beautiful tomatoes at the beach and at the country house Though Mark could be gruff and intimidating at times he had a heart of gold and was always willing to help anyone or anything in need including the little grey Kitty Cat who wandered up to his house and became his constant companion in recent years learned how to use FaceTime so he could stay in touch with his grandkids and great-grandkids Peter greeted him at the Pearly Gates with a scotch and soda and a Sister Shubert roll overflowing with homemade Mayhaw jelly Gretchen Hartzog of Maine; his two children Anna Steinhagen; Emily Steinhagen; Caitlin Laughlin and her husband Hannah; and Mary Claire Kimball and her husband He was preceded in death by his parents; wife Harvey Steinhagen Jr.; and great granddaughter We celebrate Mark’s relationships with his dear friends: Jim Dishman The family would like to express their gratitude to Mark’s caregivers: Dr Catherine Hubilla; and to everyone at Intrepid Hospice Special thanks to Debra LaBlue for driving Mark to church on Sunday Steinhagen may be made to The Janie and Mark Steinhagen Business Scholarship at the Lamar University Foundation Steinhagen’s family and friends will begin at 10:00 a.m. with his memorial service to follow at 11:00 a.m. Mary Jane and Roy you and your families are in my prayers Mary Jane and Roy our love to you and your families He was a true gentleman and just a wonderful man My prayers are with the family during this difficult time So many many fond memories of our childhood Mark as such a true Gentleman who treated friends and family like they were important to him Such a sharing man who will be missed by many He was a great businessman and leader in the community and website in this browser for the next time I comment Beaumont - McFaddin Ave. Beaumont - Major Dr. Nederland ©Broussard's Mortuary 2017-2025 Built By Americom Marketing Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Mary was married to James “Bob” Richards on January 18 watching TV shows and conversing on them with loved ones She particularly treasured spending time with her children and grandchildren and gathering for Sunday dinners and game nights She was also an avid Cubs fan and was thrilled to see them win the World Series in 2016 Her family will dearly miss her warmth and love James “Jim” Richards; her daughters Karen (Pete) Richards and Amy Davies; siblings Richard “Dick” (Sharon) and Larry (Carol) Steinhagen; grandchildren Justin (Jacob) Davies and Joseph “Joey” (Faith) Fanneli; and great-grandpets The family would like to give a heartfelt thank you to OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center and Ascension Living Saint Anne Place for their diligent and compassionate care there will be no service; she requested her family and friends spend time with their loved ones please make a donation to your local PFLAG or Meals on Wheels organizations This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Read Today’s Top Story: The Truth About Houston Agents 2025 Tricoast Homes broke ground on its first proprietary community “We are proud to reach this milestone within the company’s career,” Landon Steinhagen, division president of Tricoast Homes, said in a press release. “Summer Place provides premier residences for seasoned and first-time homebuyers seeking a lock-and-leave lifestyle who value flexibility and minimal maintenance We will provide a hassle-free living experience without compromising on quality or amenities.” Located at 347 Summer Place Drive, the 10-acre community will feature Tricoast’s line of luxury garden homes with individual yards. The builder will offer six floor plans ranging from 1,979 to 2,477 square feet and starting at $399,000 Nearby amenities include Lake Conroe and the Margaritaville Lake Resort as well as various restaurants and shopping centers Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited a luxury lifestyle website that delivers a colorful and passionate telling of neighboring events PHOTOGRAPHY BY KATRINA WITTKAMP STYLING BY THERESA DEMARIA HAIR AND MAKEUP LEANNA ERNEST JENNIFER STEINHAGEN grew up outside of Seattle in Issaquah one of the most beautiful places in the country and explored the creek in her backyard before attending college at Washington State University (Go Cougs!) Jennifer remains an avid Seattle sports fan She lives in Hinsdale with her husband Steve The kids attend St Isaac Jogues School and Jane will attend Fenwick in the fall Jennifer recently started a job at Sourcebooks, a prestigious publisher. For two years, she’s been building a community through her wildly popular Instagram account, @bookandachai “I started @bookandachai two years ago as a space to flex my creativity and talk about the two things I love most—books and chai This summer I focused in on curating a reader’s lifestyle but we also celebrate all things comfy and cozy,” she says This includes the Top 5 with Bookandachai interview series with authors she loves She also shares a monthly wrap-up and favorite Amazon finds What started with a few hundred followers is now a community of 70,000 adding “I love seeing how many readers are out there!” our online book club read Kristin Hannah’s The Women in February Hinsdale Humane Society and the Leadershop in LaGrange Tennis at the Oak Brook Park District and Salt Creek Club or walking my rescue dog Rey with a friend Getting out of the cold and traveling somewhere warm for Spring Break Advice you would give to your younger self We eat at home often because my husband Steve is an incredible bbq-er and is constantly grilling or smoking something; steak Steve’s Meat’s (trademark pending) are incredible Frankie’s Deli in Oakbrook Terrace – best meatball sub The Sparkle of Hope luncheon benefiting Together at Peace The best thing about Hinsdale is its walkability and sense of community People open doors and smile at one another When there is absolutely nothing that must be accomplished I can pop in an audio book and head to Starbucks for my chai Have Steve grill a fantastic dinner and watch Slow Horses for the 82nd time with a cat on my lap When Steve and I lived in Roscoe Village we would walk to all the Cubs games We love cheering on the Seattle Mariners when they play the White Sox The Last Chapter Book Shop – a romance only bookstore in Roscoe Village What’s not to love about Chicago in the summer Breakfast at Uncommon Ground and a Cubs game followed by a show at the Metro a Wisconsin native and former D-III All-America was hired by Ben Johnson last season for his quality control position Thank you for checking out Basketball Across Minnesota my weekly look at some of the state's top hoops stories When Kelsey Steinhagen applied to be part of the Gophers men's basketball staff two years ago she wasn't thinking about setting a precedent There was no woman with coaching experience sitting on a Big Ten men's basketball team's bench no woman in anything more than an administrative role until she was hired for the quality control position on Ben Johnson's first staff "She's been great," Johnson said "You want to have balance and people who are good at what they do whether that's an all-male staff or an inclusive staff incorporating females in different coaching roles I just wanted to put together the best staff that was going to help myself get better." Steinhagen had an extensive assistant coaching background in women's basketball with eight seasons at the Division III level at Dubuque College in Iowa and Menlo College in California including time spent as an associate head coach The U's quality control position (also held by ex-Gophers star Rachel Banham with Lindsay Whalen's women's team) includes scouting and helping Johnson and his assistants with game preparation along with recruiting and administrative duties Steinhagen first got introduced to coaching while spending part of her senior year working at Menomonie High School she was drawn to the coaching profession after her professional playing career in Australia After nearly a decade trying to make her way up from the lower level Steinhagen could only dream of being on a Division I staff "I'm thankful to be given this opportunity," Steinhagen said "I feel like I've learned a lot the past couple years being this was my first time with men's basketball and being at this high of a level Steinhagen spends a lot of time making sure recruiting visits go as seamlessly as possible she tracks opponents' match-ups and play calls and assists Johnson with notes he put together before the game Before practice starts she's the only woman in the Gophers conference room meeting with Johnson director of basketball operations Ryan Livingston and video coordinator Josh Adel "It's pretty cool to be a part of that," Steinhagen said "Being able to interact with the [players] every day is also cool because we have great guys That's something I really liked about coaching on the women's side is being on the court every day I'm still able to do that even though I'm not technically on the court coaching I'm able to do that and still participate in different ways." she was known as Kelsey Duoss while winning a Wisconsin state championship in high school in 2003 Her connection with the Gophers comes from her husband He was a scout team player when Lindsay Whalen played for the Gophers in the early 2000s was a member of the 1976-77 Gophers basketball team "When my husband and I wanted to move back to the Midwest I started applying for jobs," Steinhagen said Times have changed with women having a larger presence in men's basketball. Tamara Moore, a former Lynx player, was the only women's head coach for a men's college hoops team in the U.S. when she was hired at Mesabi Range College in Minnesota two years ago. The first woman full-time NBA assistant was hired in 2001, but there were as many as 11 women assistants in the league in 2019-20. There was only one female assistant on a Division I men's basketball staff in 2018-19. But most recently, there were five female assistants on D-I men's squads and 15 total across all three divisions in 2021-22, per NCAA data. Steinhagen and Georgia video coordinator Julie Danielson, a former Wisconsin grad manager, are the only women with non-administrative job titles in men's basketball in the six major D-I conferences. But five women have director of operations positions at that level. "There's a lot more opportunities for women to get involved in different ways, even if you don't see yourself as a coach," Steinhagen said. "You can still be involved with sports and make an impact on players." The sophomore from Woodbury set a school record Monday with 51 points on 16-for-28 field goals, including 8-for-15 from three and 11-for-12 at the foul line. The exclamation point in the win vs. Gustavus came in the final seconds with a pump fake, turnaround three. The 6-11 North Carolina transfer and former Prior Lake star tied his career-high with 28 points in last week's upset at Ohio State which was the first Big Ten win this season for the Gophers The junior guard plays on the same team as 6-11 Butler recruit Boden Kapke but he leads the team in scoring and blew up for 44 points in Monday's win vs The Duluth native and sophomore guard was big for the Utes with 20 points and a team-high seven rebounds in last week's 80-79 win against No 14 Arizona to remain tied at the top of the Pac-12 standings The junior from Rochester recorded a career-high 18 rebounds in North Carolina's win against rival No She leads the team with 9.3 rebounds a game 5,000 Seating capacity for men's and women's basketball projected for the new arena plans St Thomas announced Tuesday after receiving a $75 million donation 2,000 Career points mark reached this month by Minnehaha Academy's Addi Mack Grand Rapids' Taryn Hamling and Lyle-Pacelli's Buay Koak 19.2 Points per game in the playoffs (including during four WNBA title runs) for Lynx legend Maya Moore, who officially retired from basketball this week 13 Wins this season with an undefeated record for Rochester Community & Technical College women 1 junior college team in the nation for Division III Basketball Across Minnesota will be published weekly on startribune.com. Don't be a stranger on Twitter after reading, as chatting about these stories makes them even more fun to share. Thanks, Marcus (@Marcus_R_Fuller on Twitter) Marcus Fuller covers Gophers men's basketball, national college basketball, college sports and high school recruiting for the Minnesota Star Tribune. Gophers who previously had committed to Minnesota State Mankato played the past two seasons with Sioux City of the USHL Gophers volleyball coach Keegan Cook wished Sydney Schnichels well “That’s another person we’ve done a lot of good work with and we care about a lot.” A judge is expected to approve an arrangement for Division I colleges to give 22% of athletic department revenue to student-athletes Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker This work, Warrior hunt at BA Steinhagen Lake nets monster gator for recovering Soldiers, veterans, by Edward Rivera, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright to Ida “Skipper” Nelson and Roy S Nelson.  Janie has been a resident of Beaumont since age 7 Anna Steinhagen; Emily Steinhagen of Beaumont; Caitlin Laughlin and her husband Hannah; and Mary Claire Benning; and great-grandchildren The family would like to express their gratitude to Janie’s doctors Pranav Bhatt and to their nurses Cathy Trail and Carol Anderson We would also like extend a special thank you to Joe Holland Elizabeth Hospital for the compassionate care.  We wish to thank Tina Robinson and Judy Black for the unique and loving care they gave to Janie at home.  Steinhagen’s family and friends will begin at 10:00 a.m. with her memorial service to follow at 11:00 a.m. Her cremation arrangements were handled through Broussard’s Crematorium memorial contributions can be made to the Janie & Mark Steinhagen Business Scholarship at the Lamar University Foundation I remember Janie from junior high and high school; she was so sweet and so friendly to everyone a beautiful little girl always in ruffled pinafores all through 12 grades and as the Queen of the Neches Festival She was as sweet as she was beautiful..inside and out My condolences to Mark and the entire Steinhagen family in this very sad time Mary Jane and Roy and the rest of the family so fond of all the years being “behind” neighbors My heartfelt condolences and prayers for the loss of your beautiful Mother May she Rest In Peace in the arms of our Dear Lord and Savior Sending prayers and my love for your family Heaven is blessed with such a beautiful soul My thoughts and prayers are with your family When we were really young (elementary school age,)I remember fondly playing with you at your Mom's house for various activities & play dates Your Mother was wonderful to all of us and so welcoming to your friends Your Mom was a lovely lady and she will be missed You have my deepest sympathy and kindly accept our condolences We are praying for you and your family during this sad time -- from the Woodland Family: Mary Woodland intelligent women it has been my privilege to know Her smile and edgy humor always put a smile on my face and her acceptance of all permanently endeared her to me She most definitely left this world a better place Please know our thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult time May the good Lord wrap his arms around you and give you strength and comfort My thoughts and prayers are with all of you at this sad time Mark Steinhagen & Roy and family,I'm so very sorry of the passing of your wife,mom Never got a chance to meet her but she had a great husband and a wonderful son who she raised good May God give you all peace and comfort during this time of loss sincere thoughts and prayers to you and your family on the loss of your mother Jack and I moved to Beaumont in 1964 and met Janie not long after All of the Steinhagens were a friendly and welcoming family Blessings and love to all of the Steinhagens She was a lovely woman with a wonderful smile Mary Jane and Roy - may you be comforted in the knowledge of how much she was loved by our community Barb and I are thinking of you and you family While in Germany she worked as a kindergarten teacher She was married to Horst Steinhagen on November 10 Ursula and Horst finally settled in Rockford Ursula displayed her generosity through volunteering at St Luke’s Hospital in Racine and Alma Nelson in Rockford Ursula demonstrated this through teaching herself English completely by watching television shows like I Love Lucy and Lawrence Welk Ursula and Horst’s love for travel took them across the globe; however Ursula’s favorite vacation always remained the Steinhagen family reunion at Red Cedar Lake Her sense of humor kept those around her young and entertained and generous woman with a beautiful spirit Survivors include husband Horst; daughters Elke (Steve) Nelson and Linda E (Mark) Klemm; 8 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren and sister Renate Domnick The family would like to thank all of the wonderful people who have taken such excellent care of her over the years 2017 at Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory Visitation from 10 am until time of service Arrangements by Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory Send online condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com Fitzgerald Funeral Home & Crematory - Mulford Chapel Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text President Donald Trump makes a major sports announcement. The announcement comes amid reports Washington, D.C. will host the 2027 NFL Draft. WATCHWeather AlertSEVERE STORMS AND HEAVY RAINS   The main threats are large hail, damaging wind gusts, and heavy rains with an isolated tornado also possible. FORECASTSHARE PHOTOS & VIDEOTeen hauls in record-breaking bass at Lake Steinhagenby Scott Lawrence TYLER COUNTY/JASPER COUNTY — A teenager has quite a fishing story to tell 18-year-old Hunter Brocato of Warren set a record at Lake Steinhagen reeling in a bass that broke a decades-old mark Texas Parks & Wildlife has now confirmed the Tyler County teenager hauled in a record-breaking bass from the waters of Lake Steinhagen 25 1/4 inch largemouth bass on New Year's Day The fish broke a 32-year-old record set in 1992 when Henry Smith caught a 12 pound bass at Dam B Parks & Wildlife says Brocato was fishing with a Daiwa reel on an ALX rod and using a brush hog bait This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page In the interrogation room at Cook County Jail, Ruth Ann Steinhagen said, “I had my first good look at him on April 27, 1947. All the time I was watching I was building in my mind the idea of killing him.”1 One of the largest crowds of the season came out for that cold game at Wrigley Field in 1947. Temperatures were in the lower 40s but 36,839 came early.2 It was Babe Ruth Day throughout the country and a pregame ceremony would take place at 12:50, ahead of the 1:30 game. In attendance was 17-year-old Steinhagen and her best friend, Helen Farazis.3   It was one of the most touching moments in baseball history There was certainly a lot to like about Eddie Waitkus. On this chilly April day, however, he did not see game action. He was injured at the start of the season and had 13 only at bats to date. Cubs mainstay Phil Cavarretta started at first base Steinhagen would not get a chance to see her new obsession play The next day the Cubs left for Brooklyn and Steinhagen’s crush on Waitkus became unhealthy Steinhagen would attend more than 50 games over the next two years and her bedroom became a Waitkus shrine She slept with his picture under her pillow and set a plate for him at the dinner table She learned Lithuanian and ate Boston baked beans as an homage to his nationality and hometown When it was announced that he was traded to the Phillies she cried for two days and told her family she was moving In May 1949 she bought a .22 rifle and booked a room at Chicago’s Edgewater Hotel Steinhagen saw Waitkus play for the last time on June 14 leaving her friend Farazis at her seat shortly after he hit a single in the top of the third Steinhagen lured Waitkus to her room with a phony note at the front desk. Few words were spoken before she shot Waitkus just before midnight in room 1297-A In 1985 the film The Natural opened in theaters with Robert Redford playing a glorified Waitkus character and Barbara Hershey as Steinhagen The film has become one of the most beloved baseball movies of all time Redford and Hershey replayed the shooting from that Chicago hotel room and created the legend familiar to baseball fans today The real-life saga began on a cold April day in Chicago as the closing chapter of another baseball story ended Both Waitkus and Ruth died at 53 years old and neither took the field on April 27 Edelman, Rob. “Eddie Waitkus and ‘The Natural’: What is Assumption? What is Fact?,” The National Pastime baseball-reference.com/boxes/CHN/CHN194704270.shtml retrosheet.org/boxesetc/1947/B04270CHN1947.htm 1 John Theodore Baseball’s Natural: The Story of Eddie Waitkus (Carbondale: Southern Illinois University Press 2 Weather 3 Theodore 4 “‘Babe Ruth Day’ April 27 Proclaimed by Chandler,” Boston Globe 5 “Ruth at Home Plate Again Bats Out Cheers — and Tears,” Chicago Tribune 6 Chicago Tribune 7 Theodore 8 “Babe Ruth Day — 1947 Newsreel.” Found online at youtube.com/watch?v=20glDlJIcC4 9 Theodore 10 Theodore 11 Theodore 12 “36,839 Watch Schmitz Yield Only Four Hits,” Chicago Tribune 13 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phil_Cavarretta 14 Rob Edelman, “Eddie Waitkus and ‘The Natural’: What is Assumption? What is Fact?,” The National Pastime 15 Theodore 16 Theodore If you can help us improve this game story, contact us 1940s · Meet the Staff Board of Directors Annual Reports Inclusivity Statement Contact SABR She was the daughter of Harold and Rose (Castellese) Reichwein She was a 1962 graduate of Rockford Bishop Muldoon High School Sue was the owner of East Gateway Cleaners on Broadway for many years She was an avid gardener and enjoyed caring for her beautiful yard Tom (Monica) Steinhagen of Rockford; her daughter Andrea (Roger) Dean of Metamora; her grandchildren JoAnn Olsen; and her four-legged companion and partner in crime Predeceased by her parents and her brother There will be a visitation from 2:00 P.M until 4:00 P.M memorials may be made to Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary Share online condolences at www.fitzgeraldfh.com Print Ruth Ann Steinhagen whose shooting of Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Eddie Waitkus in 1949 inspired part of the novel “The Natural,” died in Chicago at 83 She was 19 when she wrote a note to Waitkus a scene repeated in “The Natural” when an obsessed woman shoots Roy Hobbs after luring him to her hotel room A judge determined that Steinhagen was insane and committed her to a mental hospital She was released three years later and stayed out of the limelight “She chose to live in the shadows and she did a good job of it,” John Theodore an author who wrote a 2002 nonfiction book about the crime Steinhagen had a crush on Waitkus when he played first base for the Chicago Cubs and turned her room into a shrine to him The next time the Phillies came to Chicago to play the Cubs Steinhagen checked into the same hotel the Phillies were staying in and wrote Waitkus a note saying but I have something of importance to speak to you about.” Waitkus went to her room and was invited in “I have a surprise for you,” then pulled out the rifle and shot him sat out the rest of the 1949 season but returned in 1950 helping lead the Phillies to the World Series Georges St-Pierre defeats Nick Diaz at UFC 158 UCLA’s Jordan Adams to have surgery on injured foot Race car driver kills cousin, one other in track accident Houston Mitchell is an assistant sports editor, writer of the Dodgers Dugout newsletter and editor of all of the sports newsletters for the Los Angeles Times. High School Sports Dodgers Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Point-Counterpoint: Historic preservationWestchester is a member of our community Board of Contributors Jennie moved to the village of Tuckahoe in 2015 after a number of years in Brooklyn Steinhagen has held various positions with corporate Now she is working locally in the project management arena and as an instructor of healthy plant-based cooking classes for kids and adults is also a member of our community Board of Contributors art and restoring his circa 1920s home and garden He has become a master gardener and served on the Board of Architecture for the village of Scarsdale Ghiozzi is proud to have served in the U.S This is the historic and beautiful Lower Hudson Valley What distinguishes this area from other regions of N.Y is not just the stunning landscape of colors and textures but also the architecture of yesteryear that punctuates the charming downtowns and surrounding areas More utilitarian buildings have been erected over time to enable efficient use of space structures here are as full of character as the people who live in and around them." There should be serious consequences for this "Earlier this year, when a 263-year-old Dutch Colonial in Orangetown went overnight from a monumental reminder of the families who came before us to dust despite efforts of preservationists more than just a piece of history was lost The feel of entire towns can change in a flash Has a floodgate opened that will usher in an era of throw-away and personality-lacking buildings as developers scramble to see who can cash in the quickest at a cost paid by current and future inhabitants Developers have priorities focused on the short term We who call this area our home are part of an ongoing lineage of residents and history makers If we want our communities to reflect who we were If there is a historic preservation committee in your town that seeks a balance to reflect your specific community needs now might be a good time to check them out — before it's too late." It has many period buildings and preservation is the norm I have seen lovely old buildings that were structurally battered saved and restored to their architecturally correct style — it can certainly be done Here in the Lower Hudson Valley we should expect more real estate lobbies and weak preservation laws contribute to this situation and Perhaps one day the laws will be strengthened and a preservation ethic will exist as is the present trend in many places throughout the world or it will be too late and many beautiful historic buildings will be gone." shown in prison in 1949 with a picture of Eddie Waitkus on the table :: /AP CHICAGO (AP) -- She inspired a novel and a movie starring Robert Redford when in 1949 she lured a major league ballplayer she'd never met into a hotel room with a cryptic note and shot him Ruth Ann Steinhagen did something else just as surprising: She disappeared into obscurity living a quiet life unnoticed in Chicago until now when news broke that she had died three months earlier The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Friday that Steinhagen passed away of natural causes on Dec First reported by the Chicago Tribune last week her identity was a surprise even to the morgue employees who knew about the 1984 movie "The Natural," in which she was portrayed by actress Barbara Hershey "She chose to live in the shadows and she did a good job of it," John Theodore made it part of both Chicago's colorful crime history and rich baseball lore CORCORAN: Waitkus had good career but was no Roy Hobbs The story began with what appeared to be just another young woman's crush on Eddie Waitkus, the Chicago Cubs' handsome first baseman So complete was this crush that the teenager set a place for Waitkus She turned her bedroom into a shrine to him After the 1948 season, Waitkus was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies - a fateful turn that's when she decided to kill him," Theodore said in an interview Steinhagen had her chance the next season when the Phillies came to Chicago to play the Cubs at Wrigley Field She checked into a room at the Edgewater Beach Hotel where he was staying and invited him to her room but I have something of importance to speak to you about," she wrote in a note to him after a game at Wrigley on June 14 "I have a surprise for you," then turned with the rifle she had hidden there and shot him in the chest Theodore wrote that she then knelt by his side and held his hand on her lap She told a psychiatrist afterward about how she had dreamed of killing him and found it strange that she was now "holding him in my arms." Newspapers devoured and trumpeted the lurid story of a 19-year-old baseball groupie known in the parlance of the day as a "Baseball Annie." Among the sensational and probably staged photos was one showing Steinhagen writing in her journal at a table in her jail cell with a framed photograph of Waitkus propped nearby A judge determined she was insane and committed her to a mental hospital after doctors determined she had regained her sanity Details about the rest of her life are sketchy She lived with her sister in a house just a few miles from the hotel where she shot Waitkus A neighbor told Theodore that Steinhagen said she worked in an office for 35 years but never revealed her employer And she made an effort to conceal her privacy often refusing to answer the phone or come to the door when Theodore knocked a neighbor who used to help the Steinhagen sisters with chores said he only found out who she was 15 years after they began living nearby "I found out through my ex-wife - I'm not sure how she found out - and I looked (Steinhagen) up online And as soon as I saw (her photograph) online I said The 1984 movie was based on a novel by Bernard Malamud that was inspired by the story Theodore's 2002 book was entitled "Baseball's Natural: The story of Eddie Waitkus." helping the Phillies win the National League pennant decided not to press charges in 1952 when Steinhagen was deemed sane The trial would have likely made banner headlines - particularly since Malamud's novel was released in 1952 - so Watikus' decision almost certainly assisted Steinhagen's disappearance into obscurity 12 years before Redford portrayed Roy Hobbs "He hardly ever talked to his family about Ruth," Theodore said SI STAFF The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Ruth Ann Steinhagen, the obsessed Cubs fan who shot Phillies first baseman Eddie Waitkus inspiring the pivotal event of Bernard Malamud's The Natural a fact that just hit the news wire this weekend The news of her death is likely the first time many fans of the Barry Levinson film based on Malamud's novel have heard of her or Waitkus but to say that Waitkus was the inspiration for the iconic Roy Hobbs the character played by Robert Redford in the film is a bit of a stretch In The Natural, Hobbs was shot as a teenage phenom before ever reaching the major leagues and the shooting kept him from reaching the major leagues until the age of 34, at which point he immediately started hitting like Ted Williams was 29 and a veteran of both World War II and 448 major league games when the bullet from Steinhagen's rifle lodged near his heart Waitkus nearly lost his life as a result of the incident and the surgery required to remove the bullet but he was back in the Phillies' Opening Day lineup the next year Though he was enjoying his finest season when he was shot he had just one home run in 246 plate appearances he had just 24 home runs in 4,681 career PAs Waitkus hit for respectable averages (.304 in 1946 He hit for little power and drew only an average number of walks He did make a pair of All-Star teams and drew some low-ballot MVP votes in two seasons but only thrice did he surpass two wins above replacement the approximate value of an average non-star regular (per Baseball-Reference's WAR) CLIFF CORCORANCliff Corcoran is a contributing writer for SI.com. He has also edited or contributed chapters to 13 books about baseball, including seven Baseball Prospectus annuals. Home » Home » ‘The Natural’ Shooter Ruth Steinhagen Dies By  //  March 18 VIDEO: Excerpt from John Theodore’s biography of Eddie Waitkus Baseball’s Natural (AudioBooksCentral) who shot major league baseball star Eddie Waitkus in 1949 and set in motion the events that inspired the fictitious story about one of the most memorable sports legends in history died in obscurity at the age of 83 in late December of last year A look into the life and career of the afable and debonair Waitkus and the true story that inspired the movie was an integral component of a 2005 Palermo family project based on an extremely rare collection of  Major League game-used bats which had been packed away and all but forgotten for over 40 years Rediscovering this true treasure of priceless baseball memorabilia led to a labor of love involving many hours of research on each player represented in the collection, and, subsequently, the creation of a website, whenitwasagame.net (WIWAG) to share our stories dedicated to the remembrance celebration and preservation of our baseball heritage The lead story on WIWAG, Baseball ‘Archeologists’ Uncover Long Lost Bats,‘ was recently featured here on SpaceCoastDaily.com The Eddie Waitkus story below is one of 37 in-depth profiles on WIWAG of players from the early to mid 50s seven of whom are in the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame Eddie Waitkus began his Major League career on April 15 A slick-fielding first baseman for 11 seasons for the Cubs Waitkus became an immortalized figure in baseball lore as the inspiration for Roy Hobbs in Bernard Malamud’s 1952 novel and 1984 movie After serving with distinction in the Pacific during World War II Waitkus became one of the most popular players of his era As a rookie he led the Cubs in hitting in 1946 and quickly established himself as one of the best first basemen in the National League Chicago traded Waitkus to the Phillies in December of 1948 When he returned to Chicago in a Philadelphia uniform in June of 1949 he was hitting .306 and seemed destined for the all-star team on the night of June 14 at the Edgewater Beach Hotel Waitkus’ bright career took an infamously tragic turn He received a cryptic note summoning him to meet a young fan Waitkus survived the shooting and made an inspirational return to baseball in 1950 As the Phillies’ leadoff hitter Waitkus helped Philadelphia win the National League pennant — batting .284 the Phillies lost to the Yankees by three consecutive one-run decisions After being sold to the Orioles during spring training of 1954 Waitkus returned to Philadelphia in late 1955 and retired that fall Waitkus was a National League all-star in 1948 and 1949 (missing the game due to his gun shot wound) and played 11 seasons compiling a lifetime average of .285 and 1,214 hits he couldn’t conquer his private demons Waitkus was never the same after the shooting and replaced with a man who was withdrawn and just generally suspicious of people Depression stemming from the attack led to a severe problem with alcohol Waitkus worked with youngsters at the Ted Williams baseball camp in the last years of his life He died of cancer in 1972 at the age of 53 …Waitkus won four Battle Stars during World War II and was wounded as an Amphibious Engineer Sergeant in the Pacific …Waitkus was offered scholarships to Holy Cross and Harvard hit back-to-back inside-the-park home runs with Marv Rickert — a Major League first …Waitkus hit an inside-the-park grand slam on August 24 Only six players had accomplished that since 1920 1948 by the Chicago Cubs with Hank Borowy to the Philadelphia Phillies for Monk Dubiel and Dutch Leonard …Waitkus was purchased in March 1954 by the Baltimore Orioles from the Philadelphia Phillies Click Here to Sign Up for Text Alerts WATCHWhere did the lake go Drawdown makes Dam B look more like desert than lakeby Scott Lawrence Steinhagen Lake — It's no longer a case of 'water water everywhere' if you're looking at B.A Army Corps of Engineers has undertaken a drawdown for repairs to the Robert D Willis Powerhouse at the dam and reservoir In surface water hydrology and civil engineering drawdown refers to the lowering of the surface elevation of a body of water You don't have to be a civil engineer or scientist to see the end result A photo shows the water almost completely gone Army Corps of Engineers says the repairs require a near complete drawdown of B.A USACE Fort Worth District Water Management began drawing down the lake on July 3 to a target elevation of 58 feet above mean sea level (msl) the drawdown should be complete and work on the powerhouse begins Normal lake elevation is 82.5 feet above msl Once the target elevation is reached on July 17 it will be safe for crews to begin the assessment and repairs on the powerhouse intake gates This repair work is anticipated to take from three to 10 days The current schedule is to have the lake filling back up by July 26 but the rate of rise will depend on inflow from the Neches River Sam Rayburn Dam releases on the Angelina River through hydropower generation and what the downstream flow requirements are at that time The Sam Rayburn hydropower generation schedule will create pulses of water causing peak and valley water-level fluctuations to occur throughout the day while B Lower Neches Valley Authority water requirements in late July will partially dictate Town Bluff’s release rate and influence how quickly B The proposed work schedule should return the lake to a usable elevation by early August allowing for public access for the Labor Day weekend the annual Texas Parks and Wildlife Division alligator hunt and early teal season all public access to east end day use area Willis Powerhouse and the east side of the floodgates structure will be closed Be advised that weather or other unforeseen events may prolong the drawdown of B but every effort will be made to return the lake to a usable elevation as quickly as possible Foot access to the exposed lake bottom is permitted but discouraged as mud flats can be unstable and present a safety hazard All vehicle and ATV/UTV traffic on the lakebed is prohibited please reach out to the Town Bluff Lake Office at (409) 429-3491 The 5-year old Damon's Dark Rose and the 6-year old Fair Lady S were the winners of the Bundeschampionat qualification classes held during the 2017 Westfalian regional championships in Steinhagen Fourteen 5-year olds and ten 6-year olds travelled to Steinhagen-Brockhagen for this qualifier In the 5-year old division young rider Jil-Marielle Becks continued her winning ways on a youngster after giving up on her campaign to qualify Damon's Satelite for German team selection for the 2017 European YR Championships On the Belgian bred Oldenburg mare Damon's Dark Rose (by Damon Hill) Becks now found the winning groove in the L-level dressage horse tests after scoring a total of 8.4 9 for trot and canter and 8.5 for submission and general impression Swedish Jessica Andersson and the Oldenburg stallion Fairway (by Floricello x Sandro Hit) were the runners-up with 8.3 8 for submission and 8.5 for general impression In the 6-year old division Jenny Kitzing and Friedrich Schlüter's Westfalian mare Fair Lady S (by First Selection x Mythos) topped the board with an 8.1 total score The chestnut mare earned 8.5 for walk and trot and 8 for submission and general impression Beatrice Buchwald and the American bred Oldenburg mare Rosenblatt (by Ricidoff x Sir Donnerhall) were second with 8.0 Results - 2017 Bundeschampionate Qualifier - Steinhagen Related LinkEurodressage Coverage of the 2017 Bundeschampionate  Stalls for Rent at Durondeau Dressage in Peer, Belgium Exceptionally Well Located Equestrian Facility in Wellington, Florida Well-built Equestrian Estate With Multiple Business Opportunities in Sweden Stable Units for Rent at Lotje Schoots' Equestrian Center in Houten (NED) For Rent: Several Apartments and Stable Wing at High-End Equestrian Facility Stable Wing Available at Reiterhof Wensing on Dutch/German border Real Estate: Well-Appointed Country House with Extensive Equestrian Facility in the U.K. Rémi Blot The 5-year old Maximus and the 6-year old Frohnaldo became the winners of the Bundeschampionate qualification classes held at the local show in Steinhagen A large group of 21 combinations competed in the 5-year old division which was won by Charlotte Tollhopf aboard Ines Lohmann's Oldenburg stallion Maximus (by Millennium x Swarovski) on a total score of 8.1 8 for canter and submission and 8.5 for general impression Thomas Schulze and Katrina Ruwe's Oldenburg gelding Federleicht (by Furstenball x Johnson) were the runners-up with 7.7 Seven combinations contested the M-level dressage horse tests for 6-year olds Jessica Süss and Frank Löffler's Oldenburg gelding Frohnaldo (by Foundation x San Amour) moved into the winner's circle with 8.3 Katharina Hemmer and Horst Karcher's Oldenburg stallion Fürst Fernando (by Furstenball x Rosario) were a solid second with 8.0 Results - 2019 Bundeschampionate Qualifier - Steinhagen if you've read or seen "The Natural," Bernard Malamud's baseball novel that was made into Robert Redford movie then you're familiar with the story that was inspired by Ruth Ann Steinhagen is poised for stardom right until he's lured into a hotel room by a mentally-ill female fan.(SOUNDBITE FROM FILM "THE NATURAL")SIEGEL: Suddenly That was Redford and Barbara Hershey in the movie The player survives but his career is never the same that story was based on the real-life shooting of Eddie Waitkus the star first baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies The fan who shot him in a Chicago hotel room in 1949 was Ruth Ann Steinhagen.And recently Bob Goldsborough of the Chicago Tribune discovered that she had died in December welcome to the program.BOB GOLDSBOROUGH: Thank you.SIEGEL: First what happened to Ruth Steinhagen after she shot Eddie Waitkus?GOLDSBOROUGH: After she shot Eddie Waitkus she was taken into police custody immediately and then she ultimately was found by a judge to be mentally ill She was committed to a state mental hospital where she remained for three years.SIEGEL: For three years She wasn't retried for the offense after that?GOLDSBOROUGH: She wasn't What happened was while she was in the hospital she underwent a variety of different treatments including some shock treatments and ultimately at the end of those three years she was deemed to be sane it was up to prosecutors to decide whether to try her again.In those days a lot of prosecutors' decision depended on the testimony of the victim in seeing her tried or seeing her prosecuted and so prosecutors dropped the case and made her a free woman.SIEGEL: This was a big story when it happened I assume Bernard Malamud could hardly have avoided hearing about it at that time.GOLDSBOROUGH: It sure was It was a national story and it was certainly but fans weren't aware of the kinds of women who would follow around baseball players It had a lot of elements that were certainly both sordid and interesting to the American public.SIEGEL: So what you're saying is that for 60 years at least for the latter decades of that period unobserved and hardly a notorious character in her neighborhood.GOLDSBOROUGH: That's correct Her neighbors would - she would enter or leave her home through the back They were very outgoing and talked to the neighbors she kept as low of a profile as she could.SIEGEL: How did you find out that she had died this story?GOLDSBOROUGH: I'm one of the Chicago Tribune's obituary writers and so I routinely go through public records looking for people who've passed away and I go through death notices she was a person I'd always known had been in Chicago I'd always known she was living in obscurity and mystery up on the north side.I was a huge fan of "The Natural," so I'd had her on my list every so often just to check in and see I looked her name up a few weeks back and was stunned to see that she had very quietly passed away with no survivors at the end of December talked to the medical examiners offices and went from there.SIEGEL: Well thanks for talking with us.GOLDSBOROUGH: Thank you so much.SIEGEL: Bob Goldsborough of the Chicago Tribune talking with us about the death of Ruth Ann Steinhagen the woman who shot Eddie Waitkus and gave rise to the novel and later the movie Copyright © 2013 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information Become an NPR sponsor Nutrition & Services for Seniors - Volunteers needed for Meals on Wheels - Delivery Drivers urgently needed - Call 409-892-4455 to find out how local news has kept our communities informed and engaged and its demise strains the fabric of our society The Examiner with each and every issue informs it is expensive yet essential to maintain a free society Faculty of Fine Arts Heather Steinhagen’s Northern upbringing taught her the value of synchronicity with the planet and her elements Heather completed a BFA with Distinction for Community Art Education at Concordia University While continuously exhibiting her artwork nationally and internationally she is currently the Executive Director for Arts Underground in Whitehorse I am a practicing artist with Cowesses Nation (Cree) and German roots both for myself and as a reflection of my teaching pedagogy My art practice is a multidisciplinary visual representation of the ideas with a supernatural twist.  As an early childhood education advocate and creativity enthusiast I have a diploma in Visual Arts from Vancouver Island University and a BFA in Community Art Education from Concordia University I am currently settled back in Whitehorse wandering the woods when I’m not at my art or work desk How does your present work relate to art and art education I am Executive Director of Arts Underground a space run by the Yukon Art Society in partnership with the Hougen Group of Companies and the Yukon Art Centre Arts Underground is an inclusive community facility which provides exhibition opportunities for emerging hosts regular workshops in a wide variety of mediums and facilitates the Artist in the School and Community School Touring Program I could speak for hours about the amount of programming and opportunities we are able to provide for the Yukon—it’s an art educators dream I am also inspired daily to create and have recently exhibited as a member of the Yukon Art Society How did Concordia’s ARTE program prepare you for what you are presently doing ARTE is an extremely encompassing program which provides you with transferable skills in any occupation it is a program to enhance your skills to be able to teach artistic skills and knowledge not only to create and teach but to become my own self-directed and motivated lifelong learner the skills I earned taking the ARTE program were skills that I take with me everywhere being flexible and the ability to solve problems creatively Describe one of your positive formative experiences while you were in the program at Concordia Describing only one experience is like having to choose your favourite child—impossible because they were all so impactful Being a part of the ARTE Journal was a great experience though allowing me to understand the ins and outs of working in collaboration to develop promote and disseminate a journal filled with great projects from ARTE undergraduates I use many of the skills learned doing this project with the current work that I do Being a part of the ARTE Journal I learned hands-on how to plan events and collaboratively manage projects inspired "The Natural" diesAssociated PressCHICAGO - She inspired a novel and a movie starring Robert Redford when in 1949 she lured a major league ballplayer she'd never met into a hotel room with a cryptic note and shot him The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Friday that Steinhagen passed away of natural causes on Dec her identity was a surprise even to the morgue employees who knew about the 1984 movie "The Natural," in which she was portrayed by actress Barbara Hershey "She chose to live in the shadows and she did a good job of it," John Theodore made it part of both Chicago's colorful crime history and rich baseball lore The story began with what appeared to be just another young woman's crush on Eddie Waitkus Waitkus was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies — a fateful turn that's when she decided to kill him," Theodore said in an interview but I have something of importance to speak to you about," she wrote in a note to him after a game at Wrigley on June 14 "I have a surprise for you," then turned with the rifle she had hidden there and shot him in the chest She told a psychiatrist afterward about how she had dreamed of killing him and found it strange that she was now "holding him in my arms." Newspapers devoured and trumpeted the lurid story of a 19-year-old baseball groupie known in the parlance of the day as a "Baseball Annie." Among the sensational and probably staged photos was one showing Steinhagen writing in her journal at a table in her jail cell with a framed photograph of Waitkus propped nearby A judge determined she was insane and committed her to a mental hospital Details about the rest of her life are sketchy "I found out through my ex-wife — I'm not sure how she found out — and I looked (Steinhagen) up online The 1984 movie was based on a novel by Bernard Malamud that was inspired by the story Theodore's 2002 book was entitled "Baseball's Natural: The story of Eddie Waitkus." The trial would have likely made banner headlines — particularly since Malamud's novel was released in 1952 — so Watikus' decision almost certainly assisted Steinhagen's disappearance into obscurity "He hardly ever talked to his family about Ruth," Theodore said Link IconCopy linkFacebook LogoShare on FacebookXShare on XEmailShare via EmailLink copied to clipboardTouch 'Em All: Fan who shot player inspired 'The Natural' diesRuth Ann Steinhagen inspired a novel and a movie starring Robert Redford when she lured Phillies first baseman Eddie Waitkus in 1949 into her Chicago hotel room with a cryptic note and shot him Ruth Ann Steinhagen inspired a novel and a movie starring Robert Redford when she lured Phillies first baseman Eddie Waitkus in 1949 into her Chicago hotel room with a cryptic note and shot him Steinhagen did something else just as surprising: She disappeared into obscurity The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said she died of natural causes on Dec the basis of a Bernard Malamud novel and the 1984 movie The Natural began with a young woman's crush on Waitkus So complete was this crush that she would set a place for him at the family dinner table and she turned her bedroom into a shrine to the handsome player The story took a fateful turn after the 1948 season "That's when she decided to kill him," said John Theodore author of a 2002 nonfiction book about the crime When the Phils went to Chicago to play the Cubs the following season she checked into the hotel where he was staying and invited him to her room after the June 14 but I have something of importance to speak to you about," she wrote in a note When Waitkus arrived at her room and sat down she walked to a closet while saying: "I have a surprise for you." She then turned with a rifle and shot him in the chest Newspapers devoured the lurid story of a 19-year-old baseball groupie known in the parlance of the day as a "Baseball Annie." Among the sensational and likely staged photos was one showing her writing in a journal at a table in her jail cell with a framed photograph of Waitkus propped nearby She returned to Chicago and lived as privately as possible who rejoined the club Sunday following the U.S team's ouster from the World Baseball Classic said he has a partially torn tendon sheath in his right wrist and could miss up to two months of the regular season and the injury was initially announced as a strained wrist nothing where I'm missing a whole season." Teixeira plans to start limited baseball drills in about a week and was optimistic that surgery will not be necessary are almost ubiquitous in the wider Baltic Sea region and and can be found from the Atlantic waters all the way up to the Bay of Bothnia in the Baltic Sea Sea lettuce reproduce easily and grow quickly which makes it interesting for an expanding aquaculture industry Research is ongoing both in Sweden and abroad for utilising sea lettuce in the food industry and for different biochemical applications but until now it has not been known how many there are and previously only a handful had been identified “We have studied the biological diversity of the Baltic Sea Kattegatt and Skagerak by taking a large number of samples from sea lettuce that we have then conducted DNA analysis of Three of these are invasive species that have found their way here in various ways,” says Sophie Steinhagen The researchers also found completely new species of sea lettuce in Swedish waters that have not previously been described scientifically Some of these appear to only grow in the Baltic Sea The importance of this survey is significant Growing sea lettuce as a food source is a rapidly increasing industry and foreign species risk being spread through simple ignorance To maintain and protect valuable ecosystems along the coasts it is important to know which species grow there and to not introduce new species that risk out competing the native species “Our study shows that today’s method of identifying species which is often done by looking at the appearance of green algae is insufficient for identifying the distribution of the various species We have not been able to see the real extent of the biological diversity,” says Steinhagen information that can be valuable when cultivation of sea lettuces is initiated in new places along the coast It is important to grow the right species at the right place to avoid the risk of impacting diversity “This new knowledge allows us to develop methods for maintaining the unique sea lettuce species along a specific coast Our survey can also help when writing regulations related to invasive species that should not be used in aquaculture if it is to be sustainable,” says Steinhagen Scientific article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2211926423001650#ab0005 Contact: Sophie Steinhagen, marine ecologist at the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of Gothenburg, phone: +46 (0)766-18 65 30, email: sophie.steinhagen@gu.se Sea lettuce consists of many species of the green algae Ulva sea lettuce grows on cliffs and rocks at the edge of water along the entire West Coast and in the Baltic Sea up to the Bay of Bothnia Sea lettuce is very nutritional with relatively high protein content healthy polyunsaturated fatty acids and dietary fibres It also has valuable biochemical molecules Find organisation