Below we have the biographical information about Reid that accompanied the illustration of him in the Clipper of December 2, 1882:
The subject of our illustration and biographical sketch is David L. Reid, who is widely and favorably known to the fraternity, having been during the past decade thoroughly identified with professional baseball in Philadelphia and St. Louis as a manager, secretary and journalist. He was born May 14, 1848, in Nashville, Tenn., and came to this city with his parents when but a child. He gained a practical knowledge of the national game while playing with amateur clubs at Hamilton square in the palmy days of the old Manhattan, Metropolitan, Champion, Young America and Active Clubs. He early adopted journalism as his profession, and about 1868-69 contributed numerous articles to The Clipper over the signatures of "Diogenes" and "Oscar Bruce." Removing to Philadelphia, he helped to organize the Philadelphia Club, and the able manner in which he discharged the then onerous duties of secretary and manager tended much to the success of that club in 1873 and 1874-its initial seasons. Very much of the remarkable success-financial and otherwise-secured by the Philadelphia Club in those two seasons was mainly due to his executive tact and ability. In 1875 he migrated to St. Louis, where he has since resided and has displayed his usual zeal and assiduity in promoting baseball. It is hardly possible to say how much he has done towards furthering the national game in the Mound City, where his well-earned reputation as a journalist and his genial deportment have made him exceedingly popular. His connection with the St. Louis press proved a great power in stamping out dishonest play on the ballfield, and has helped to revive baseball in its pristine purity during the past two seasons. He is the secretary of the Sportsman's Park Association, the directors of which recently paid him a deserved compliment and substantially testified their appreciation of his efficient services by presenting him with a handsome gold watch and $200 in cash.
Dave Reid Dead; Sudden demise of a Well-Known Sporting Editor.
David Lytton Reid, one of the best known sporting writers and base ball enthusiasts, died at the residence of his friend and chum, George Munson, 1321 Pine street, very unexpectedly last evening at 9:40. His death was a very unexpected after a very brief illness. Late Friday afternoon, while at Grand and Easton avenue, he was suddenly taken with a congestion chill, resulting in severe cramping of the stomach and the pain became violent after he arrived at Mr. Munson'sroom on Pine street. He laid down on the lounge for a while and his wants were administered to by Mrs. Brothers, who at his suggestion called in Dr. Rutledge and after a short while relief was afforded and he passed an easy night, relieving to a great extent the anxiety and fears which the symptoms first aroused. In the morning he woke up early about 6 o'clock, and seemed greatly refreshed over his night's rest. He spoke cheerfully of his condition, and in response to inquiries stated that he was very greatly relieved. During the day, however, he became worse, and toward evening the hand of death became visible over his cold body. Surrounded by a large number of friends, he quietly passed away at 9:10 P. M., being conscious to the last. His death will be a severe blow to his legion of friends throughout the country, his many excellent qualities of heart and mind endearing him to all with whom he came in contact. He was best known by his remarkable knowledge of national game affairs, his writings on base ball having been recognized everywhere as authoritative and thoroughly reliable. Dave Reid was a name familiar to all baseball men, managers, players, and all those associated with the national game, and his untimely death will be all the more mourned, because of the loss of one whose versatile talents and fine abilities as a writer and grand characteristics as a man made him a prominent figure in the everyday walks of life. He was born in Nashville, Tenn., nearly thirty-seven years ago. His parents soon removed to New York city, where he was reared and received his education. He began life in the dry goods business, but his remarkable natural bent for newspaper work soon found cultivation in the large range of the metropolitan press. He wrote largely for the New York Clipper, Herald, Sunday Dispatch, New York Times, Sunday Mercury and other noted New York papers. Early in the seventies he moved to Philadelphia and became one of the managing editors of the Philadelphia Sunday Dispatch, devoting the greater portion of his time and talents to the base ball department, which was recognized as the leading authority on the national game, and established for the paper a grand reputation.
He was secretary of the Athletic club of Philadelphia in its palmiest days - 1872-73. He came to St. Louis, about ten years ago. He was the official scorer of the original Brown stockings club, and for several years did most of the base ball writing for the St. Louis Times. During the base ball season of 1883, and for some years afterwards he was sporting editor of the Republic and afterwards held the same position on the Post-Dispatch and at the time of his death was running the baseball department of that paper. He has also done a great deal of work for the Critic, Sunday Sayings and other weekly local papers. He was also for more than a year amusement editor of the Post-Dispatch. He was unmarried, but leaves a mother and two brothers in New York city.