Frank Dawson Poteet
| Date and Place of Birth: | April 4, 1892 Madison County, TX |
| Date and Place of Death: | November 3, 1918 France |
| Baseball Experience: | Minor League |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Rank: | Corporal |
| Military Unit: | Company C, 359th Infantry Regiment, 90th Division US Army |
| Area Served: | France |
Frank Dawson (known as "Frank", "Dawson" and "F. D.") Poteet, the youngest of seven children born to John and
Florence Poteet, was born on April 4, 1892 in Madison County, Texas. A
pitcher, he played for Italy in the Class D Central Texas League in
1914, appearing in nine games. The following year, his only appearance
in professional baseball was a late-season outing with the Mexia Gassers
of the same league, hurling 4.2 innings and allowing a hit and a walk
while striking out five.
Mexia offered Poteet a contract for the 1916 and he was 8-3 in 13
appearances and was purchased unconditionally by the Fort Worth Panthers
of the Class B Texas League. Within days of the Central Texas League
finishing, Poteet was in a Fort Worth uniform and made two starts for an
0-2 record.
Fort Worth returned Poteet to Mexia for the 1917 season but, because of
the war, the season only lasted 16 days. Nevertheless, he pitched five
games for a 3-2 record and led the league in wins. He hooked up with
Sherman of the Western Association later in the year but only made one
appearance.
Dawson Poteet entered military service that year and served with Company
C of the 359th Infantry Regiment “Texas Brigade”. Attached to the 90th
Division, the Texas Brigade arrived in Liverpool, England before
departing for the battlefields of France. Corporal Poteet took part in
the Meuse-Argonne Offensive at St. Mihiel and was killed in action on
November 3, 1918, just eight days before the signing of the Armistice to
end the war.
Some years later, his body was returned to the United States and rests
at Venus Memorial Park in Johnson County, Texas.
Sources:
Research conducted by Davis O. Barker
Temple Daily Telegram, May 31, 1916
Temple Daily Telegram, September 3, 1916
Mexia Weekly Herald, May 10, 1917
Temple Daily Telegram, May 30, 1917
Temple Daily Telegram, December 5, 1918
Thanks to Davis O. Barker for "discovering" Frank Dawson Poteet and providing much of the information contained in this biography.
Date Added: March 6, 2015
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