Edward Stuart Plank was born August 31, 1875, on a farm near Gettysburg, Adams County, Pennsylvania. Known as “Gettysburg Eddie.” he played 17 seasons of Major League Baseball, from 1901 through 1917, most of those years for the Philadelphia Athletics of the American League. In the last three years, he played for the St. Louis Terriers of the Federal League and the St. Louis Browns of the American League.
He was an outstanding pitcher who now ranks third all-time in wins for a left handed pitcher with 326 and first all-time in shutouts for a left handed pitcher with 66. During his time with the Athletics, he played in four World Series compiling a 1.32 earned run average but ended up with a 2-5 win-loss record.
In 1948, he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
EDWARD S. PLANK
“GETTYSBURG EDDIE”
ONE OF THE GREATEST LEFTHANDED POTCHERS OF MAJOR LEAGUES. NEVER PITCHED FOR A MINOR LEAGUE TEAM, GOING FROM GETTYSBURG COLLEGE TO THE PHILADELPHIA A. L. TEAM WITH WHICH HE SERVED FROM 1901 THROUGH 1914. MEMBER OF ST. LOUIS F. L. IN 1915 AND ST. LOUIS A. L. IN 1916-1917. ONE OF FEW PITCHERS TO WIN MORE THAN 300 GAMES IN BIG LEAGURES. IN EIGHT OF 17 SEASONS, WON 20 OR MORE GAMES.
Eddie Plank’s career statistics can be found at Baseball Reference.
Local newspapers in the Lykens Valley are rarely mentioned sports figures who were from outside the area of the paper’s circulation. In the case of Eddie Plank, he was featured several times during his career.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, June 1, 1911:
PLANK GOING BACK TO FARM
Great Athletic Southpaw Says He Will Retire to Country Life at End of 1912 Season
The year 1912 will witness the retirement of Eddie Plank from baseball. At the close of the season two years hence the great southpaw, who has been a bulwark of strength for the Athletics since the American League invaded Philadelphia, will go back to the farm and the simple life.
This is the word of the big left-hander himself. On the way to the ground one day recently he and Jack Coombs were talking about the strain on a ball player. Both agreed that each season, with its worry, its strain, its physical wear and its mental worry, took two years out of the life of every player each season.
“Two more years,” said Eddie — this year and next — and back I go to the farm to stay there the rest of my life. I shall quit the game in 1912, and all that I ask is that I have two more good years.”
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From the Elizabethville Echo, September 21, 1911:
Eddie Plank, Connie Mack’s star southpaw, seems to be back in his old time form. The Gettysburg boy is turning in a victory almost every time out.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, August 3, 1911:
“NAPS” CANNOT TOUCH PLANK
Time Has Gone By When Heavy Hitting Clevelanders Have Any Terrors for Star Southpaw
The time was when Connie Mack would no more think of sending Eddie Plank, his star southpaw, against the Naps than he would of using Paddy Livingson on the muond against the Tigers. In the days when the Naps depended on Lajoie, Bradley, Stovall, Turner, Bemis and other right handed batters to drive in the runs, Connie never sent Plank against the Naps except in cases where his other pitchers were unable to work. In fact, the great veteran southpaw worked against the Naps but three times last year. He won two and lost one.
But this year, things are different. Cleveland depends upon left-handed batters for most of its offensive strength, and Plank simply delights in tackling them.
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From the Lykens Standard, May 2, 1913:
PLANK IS PITCHING MARVEL
Age Does Not Appear to Slow Up Crack Twirler of Philadelphia Athletic Team
Eddie Plank is one of the veteran twirlers of the major leagues whose good left arm speaks to withstand the ravages of time. Although Eddie is in his thirty-eighth year, he can serve up the shoots as well as any of the best artists who were in swaddling clothes when he broke into the game. For a dozen years Plank has been one of the main cogs in Connie Mack‘s Athletic machine and has played a big part in winning several pennants for his club. Last season he ranked next to the sensational Joe Wood in the matter of games won and lost, registering 25 victories and but 6 defeats. This season Connie Mack will place much dependence upon the veteran who is one of the most reliable box artists on the diamond.
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In reality, Plank played five more years after his intended retirement, with 1917 being his last season. Eddie Plank died on February 21, 1926, in Gettysburg.
On October 6, 1927, the Elizabethville Echo carried the following story:
HONOR EDDIE PLANK
On Monday, the Philadelphia National and American League Clubs played an exhibition game for the benefit of the Eddie Plank Memorial Gymnasium which is being erected at Gettysburg College, of which Plank was one time a student.
Eddie Plank Jr., the only son of the famous southpaw, one time member of the Athletics, aged 11 years, threw out the first ball from the stands to open the game. The contest, however was stopped after the sixth inning, by heavy rains, with the Phillies holding the lead, 1-0.
The game was played at Shibe Park, and players of both teams donated their services. Both Clubs also bore the incidental expenses for the game and fans were treated to sketches by baseball’s comedians, Al Schuck and Nick Altrock, who made up the battery for a few minutes of the game.
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
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