Charles F. Watkins
Encyclopedia
Charles Franklin Watkins (September 28, 1872 – March 4, 1936) was an American
physician
, surgeon
and physiotherapist. He played college baseball
for the University of Michigan
and later served as the coach of the Michigan Wolverines baseball
team for three years. He moved to Billings, Montana
in 1905 where he maintained a medical practice for approximately 30 years.
in 1872 to Issac and Esther Watkins (née Corwin), and the youngest of eight children. Watkins moved with his family to Reed City, Michigan
in 1878. Issac was a postmaster at Ashton, Michigan and was active in Democratic politics until his death in 1894. Watkins attended the public schools in Reed City and graduated from Reed City High School. Watkins first played organized baseball with the Derbies, a Reed City team sponsored by a cigar maker, and later played semi-pro baseball while working at a drugstore in Traverse City, Michigan
.
intending to become a pharmacist
. He received a degree in chemistry
in 1898 and remained at Michigan as a medical student
, graduating from its Department of Medicine and Surgery
in 1901. While he was a student at Michigan, Watkins played for the Michigan Wolverines baseball
team as a pitcher. He was known as "Watty" during his college baseball career and was reportedly "one of the first lefthanders to develop both a curved and a slow ball and once pitched a no-hit, no-run game." He was reported to have had "uncanny control" as a pitcher and was also a solid hitter, maintaining a batting average
of .300 in the deadball era. Due to his desire to enter the medical profession, Watkins turned down many offers to play Major League Baseball
, including an offer from the Cleveland Indians
.
Watkins continued to be associated with the Michigan baseball team as the head coach in 1897, 1898, and 1900. Watkins wrote that his "most satisfying moment in sports" took place on May 29, 1897, when the team defeated the University of Chicago
at the Detroit Athletic Club
.
, specializing in surgery. He became the first assistant surgeon at the Northern Pacific Railway
Hospital in Missoula, Montana
in 1903. While working at the Northern Pacific Hospital in Missoula, Watkins sustained severe burns on his left arm from the use of an old X-ray machine, which limited his physical capacity to continue his medical practice and resulted in his "virtual retirement" in approximately 1934.
In 1905, Watkins moved to Billings, Montana
, where he established a private medical practice in partnership with Dr. H. E. Armstrong. He remained in Billings as a physician, surgeon and physiotherapist for approximately 30 years and became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
in 1917. He was also the president of the Yellowstone Valley Medical Society from 1925-1927. At the time of his death the Billings Gazette
called Watkins one of the city's "most distinguished and valuable citizens" and wrote of his devotion to his patients:
Watkins presented several papers on surgery and physiotherapy to medical societies and served as chairman of the executive committee of St. Vincent Hospital in Billings for many years. He was also a surgeon for the Great Western Sugar Company and the Great Northern Railway.
Watkins was also worked as a city health officer in 1906 and as the county health officer from 1907-1908. He served on the Billings city council from 1917–1918 and was a member of the local selective service draft board during World War I
.
Watkins was a lover of outdoor recreation and an "ardent trout fisherman" who "never lost an opportunity, when practice would permit, to get into the river." He spent much time fishing in the Boulder River and often joked that "there's a fish up there I've been trying to catch for a long time. It always comes up and winks at me but will never bite my line."
Watkins was not actively engaged in his medical practice during the last several years of his life due to failing health. He died at Billings in 1936 at the age of 63. His death was attributed to bronchopneumonia
after an extended illness resulting from the x-ray burns sustained 30 years earlier. The burns reportedly "ultimately broke down his physical condition, leading to his death."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
, surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
and physiotherapist. He played college baseball
College baseball
College baseball is baseball that is played on the intercollegiate level at institutions of higher education. Compared to football and basketball, college competition in the United States plays a less significant contribution to cultivating professional players, as the minor leagues primarily...
for the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
and later served as the coach of the Michigan Wolverines baseball
Michigan Wolverines baseball
The Michigan Wolverines baseball team represents the University of Michigan in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Michigan athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Big Ten Conference...
team for three years. He moved to Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
in 1905 where he maintained a medical practice for approximately 30 years.
Early years
Watkins was born in Mount Cory, OhioMount Cory, Ohio
Mount Cory is a village in Hancock County, Ohio, United States. The population was 203 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Mount Cory is located at ....
in 1872 to Issac and Esther Watkins (née Corwin), and the youngest of eight children. Watkins moved with his family to Reed City, Michigan
Reed City, Michigan
Reed City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 2,430. It is the county seat of Osceola County.It is the home town of author Timothy James Bazzett.-Geography:...
in 1878. Issac was a postmaster at Ashton, Michigan and was active in Democratic politics until his death in 1894. Watkins attended the public schools in Reed City and graduated from Reed City High School. Watkins first played organized baseball with the Derbies, a Reed City team sponsored by a cigar maker, and later played semi-pro baseball while working at a drugstore in Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City, Michigan
Traverse City is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is the county seat of Grand Traverse County, although a small portion extends into Leelanau County. It is the largest city in the 21-county Northern Michigan region. The population was 14,674 at the 2010 census, with 143,372 in the Traverse...
.
University of Michigan
Watkins enrolled at the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
intending to become a pharmacist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
. He received a degree in chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
in 1898 and remained at Michigan as a medical student
Medical Student
Medical Student may refer to:*Someone studying at medical school*Medical Student Newspaper, a UK publication...
, graduating from its Department of Medicine and Surgery
University of Michigan Health System
The University of Michigan Health System is the wholly owned academic medical center of the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. UMHS includes the U-M Medical School, with its Faculty Group Practice and many research laboratories; the U-M Hospitals and Health Centers, which includes University...
in 1901. While he was a student at Michigan, Watkins played for the Michigan Wolverines baseball
Michigan Wolverines baseball
The Michigan Wolverines baseball team represents the University of Michigan in NCAA Division I college baseball. Along with most other Michigan athletic teams, the baseball team participates in the Big Ten Conference...
team as a pitcher. He was known as "Watty" during his college baseball career and was reportedly "one of the first lefthanders to develop both a curved and a slow ball and once pitched a no-hit, no-run game." He was reported to have had "uncanny control" as a pitcher and was also a solid hitter, maintaining a batting average
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
of .300 in the deadball era. Due to his desire to enter the medical profession, Watkins turned down many offers to play Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
, including an offer from the Cleveland Indians
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. They are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Since , they have played in Progressive Field. The team's spring training facility is in Goodyear, Arizona...
.
Watkins continued to be associated with the Michigan baseball team as the head coach in 1897, 1898, and 1900. Watkins wrote that his "most satisfying moment in sports" took place on May 29, 1897, when the team defeated the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
at the Detroit Athletic Club
Detroit Athletic Club
The Detroit Athletic Club , is a private social club and athletic club located in the heart of Detroit's theater, sports, and entertainment district. The clubhouse was designed by Albert Kahn and inspired by Rome's Palazzo Farnese. It maintains reciprocal agreements for their members at other...
.
Medical career
Watkins spent two years working at a railroad hospital in Brainerd, MinnesotaBrainerd, Minnesota
Brainerd is a city in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 13,590 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Crow Wing County and one of the largest cities in Central Minnesota...
, specializing in surgery. He became the first assistant surgeon at the Northern Pacific Railway
Northern Pacific Railway
The Northern Pacific Railway was a railway that operated in the west along the Canadian border of the United States. Construction began in 1870 and the main line opened all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific when former president Ulysses S. Grant drove in the final "golden spike" in...
Hospital in Missoula, Montana
Missoula, Montana
Missoula is a city located in western Montana and is the county seat of Missoula County. The 2010 Census put the population of Missoula at 66,788 and the population of Missoula County at 109,299. Missoula is the principal city of the Missoula Metropolitan Area...
in 1903. While working at the Northern Pacific Hospital in Missoula, Watkins sustained severe burns on his left arm from the use of an old X-ray machine, which limited his physical capacity to continue his medical practice and resulted in his "virtual retirement" in approximately 1934.
In 1905, Watkins moved to Billings, Montana
Billings, Montana
Billings is the largest city in the U.S. state of Montana, and is the principal city of the Billings Metropolitan Area, the largest metropolitan area in over...
, where he established a private medical practice in partnership with Dr. H. E. Armstrong. He remained in Billings as a physician, surgeon and physiotherapist for approximately 30 years and became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
American College of Surgeons
The American College of Surgeons is an educational association of surgeons created in 1913 to improve the quality of care for the surgical patient by setting high standards for surgical education and practice.-Membership:...
in 1917. He was also the president of the Yellowstone Valley Medical Society from 1925-1927. At the time of his death the Billings Gazette
Billings Gazette
The Billings Gazette is the largest newspaper in Montana and Northern Wyoming. It is geographically one of the largest distributed newspapers in the nation....
called Watkins one of the city's "most distinguished and valuable citizens" and wrote of his devotion to his patients:
"Few physicians remained more faithful to the demands and obligations of his profession. Many are the instances that could be related of his complete obedience to the dictates of his career. During his more than 30 years here, he served hundreds of citizens who placed the greatest confidence in his medical skill and valued friendships that came through the association of doctor and patient."
Watkins presented several papers on surgery and physiotherapy to medical societies and served as chairman of the executive committee of St. Vincent Hospital in Billings for many years. He was also a surgeon for the Great Western Sugar Company and the Great Northern Railway.
Watkins was also worked as a city health officer in 1906 and as the county health officer from 1907-1908. He served on the Billings city council from 1917–1918 and was a member of the local selective service draft board during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
Family and later years
In May 1906 Watkins married Sophia Henrietta Bennighoff, with whom he had no children. Watkins was a member of the Billings Golf and Country Club, St. Luke's Episcopal Church, the Montana Medical Society, the Masons, the Elks and the Billings Rotary Club. In September 1918, they were living in Billings, and Watkins was working as a doctor with an office in the Electric Building in Billings. At the time of the 1920 census, Watkins and his wife remained in Billings, and Watkins was still operating a general medical practice.Watkins was a lover of outdoor recreation and an "ardent trout fisherman" who "never lost an opportunity, when practice would permit, to get into the river." He spent much time fishing in the Boulder River and often joked that "there's a fish up there I've been trying to catch for a long time. It always comes up and winks at me but will never bite my line."
Watkins was not actively engaged in his medical practice during the last several years of his life due to failing health. He died at Billings in 1936 at the age of 63. His death was attributed to bronchopneumonia
Bronchopneumonia
Bronchopneumonia or bronchial pneumonia or "Bronchogenic pneumonia" is the acute inflammation of the walls of the bronchioles...
after an extended illness resulting from the x-ray burns sustained 30 years earlier. The burns reportedly "ultimately broke down his physical condition, leading to his death."