Eddie Plank

1.1. Birth and Childhood

Edward Stewart Plank was born on August 31, 1875, and grew up on a farm near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a historic site of the American Civil War. He was the fourth of seven children born to Martha McCreary and David Plank. His father held civic roles in Gettysburg, serving as a school director and tax collector. Plank's early baseball practice involved throwing a ball against his barn door, a habit that reportedly left dents and drew lectures from his father.

1.2. Education and Baseball Beginnings

Plank did not begin playing organized baseball until the age of 17, when he joined local teams in the Gettysburg area. Around the age of 22, Frank Foreman, the pitching coach at Gettysburg College, invited Plank to try out for the college's baseball team. While history books often mistakenly state that Plank graduated from Gettysburg College, he actually attended Gettysburg Academy, a preparatory school affiliated with the college. He played for the college's team without ever officially enrolling as a student.

2.1. Minor League and Major League Debut

In 1900, Plank signed with the Richmond Colts of the Virginia League, a minor league. However, the league folded before he had the opportunity to pitch for the team. The following May, Frank Foreman, his former pitching coach, recommended Plank to Connie Mack, the renowned manager of the Philadelphia Athletics. Impressed by Plank's abilities, Mack signed him to a contract, leading to his Major League Baseball debut for the Athletics on May 13, 1901. As a rookie, Plank performed commendably, achieving a 17-13 win-loss record with a 3.31 earned run average (ERA) and completing 28 games in 32 starts.

2.2. Philadelphia Athletics Era

Plank's longest and most successful tenure was with the Philadelphia Athletics, where he played from 1901 to 1914. In 1902, he achieved his first 20-win season, posting a 20-15 record and a 3.30 ERA as the Athletics secured the American League (AL) pennant. Connie Mack noted that only Rube Waddell had more wins for the team that year. Plank continued his strong performance in 1903, winning 23 games and leading the AL in games started with 40.

In 1905, Plank made his first trip to the World Series, where the Athletics faced the New York Giants. He pitched against Hall of Famers Christy Mathewson in Game One and Joe McGinnity in Game Four. Despite allowing only three runs across 17 innings, the Athletics lost the series in five games and notably failed to score an earned run throughout the entire series.

The Athletics returned to the World Series in 1910, but Plank was unable to pitch due to a sore arm, despite media speculation that he would participate. By 1911, Plank was the sole remaining member of the original 1901 Athletics team. The 1911 team again reached the World Series, facing the Giants. Plank won Game Two and made a relief appearance in Game Five, as the Athletics ultimately won the series in six games.

In 1913, the Athletics and Giants met for a third time in the World Series. Plank again faced Mathewson in Games Two and Five. Mathewson hit a tenth-inning single off Plank, setting up a Giants victory in Game Two. However, Plank and the Athletics triumphed over Mathewson with a 3-1 win in the fifth and decisive game of the series. In 1914, his final year with Philadelphia, Plank made his fifth World Series appearance. He pitched a complete game in Game Two, but the Athletics lost 1-0, and the Boston Braves swept the series in four games.

During his time in Philadelphia, Plank was one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball, achieving 20 or more wins in seven seasons. His earned run average (ERA) remained below 3.00 for all but his first two seasons and his final season. The Athletics boasted a deep pitching staff, including future Hall of Famers Rube Waddell and Chief Bender, which, despite Plank's consistent performance, sometimes limited his opportunities for individual titles like most wins. In the four World Series in which he played, Plank maintained an impressive 1.32 ERA, though his win-loss record was 2-5. Connie Mack often matched Plank against Christy Mathewson when the Athletics played the Giants in the World Series, highlighting their rivalry. Plank remarkably pitched complete games in all six of his World Series starts. His quiet personality also led him to be overshadowed in media coverage by more flamboyant Athletics pitchers like Waddell and Bender, even though Plank ultimately surpassed both in career wins.

2.3. Federal League and St. Louis Browns

In November 1914, rumors circulated that Plank would be sold to the New York Highlanders. However, in December, Plank signed a contract to play in the newly formed Federal League, an "outlaw" league. Connie Mack expressed no regret over Plank's departure, stating, "I wish him the best of luck... I was through with him. He was after the money. He was a wonderful pitcher and he is a good one yet."

Plank played for the St. Louis Terriers in the Federal League in 1915, where he won 21 games, marking his eighth and final time reaching the 20-win plateau. In this season, he also became the first left-handed pitcher in baseball history to achieve 300 career victories. It is worth noting that some baseball reference works do not recognize the Federal League as a major league, which would credit Plank with only seven 20-win seasons and 305 total wins.

When the Federal League dissolved, Plank applied for free agency but was declared to belong to the St. Louis Browns for the 1916 season. In September 1916, Plank expressed confidence in his longevity, predicting he could pitch for ten more seasons and stating he felt as strong as ever. However, by June 1917, newspapers reported that Plank's career was nearing its end due to persistent arm problems and a nervous breakdown that caused him to leave the team at one point. He officially retired in October 1917, citing stomach difficulties brought on by the stress of professional baseball. His final game was an 11-inning, 1-0 complete game loss to Walter Johnson and the Washington Senators on August 6, 1917.

Despite his retirement announcement, the New York Yankees later traded pitchers Urban Shocker and Nick Cullop, infielders Fritz Maisel and Joe Gedeon, catcher Les Nunamaker, and cash to the Browns for Plank and Del Pratt. However, Plank refused to report to New York, maintaining that he was retired.

Over his 17-year career, Plank amassed a 326-194 record, a 2.35 ERA, and 2,246 strikeouts. His 305 wins in the American League made him that league's winningest left-handed pitcher. He held the title of the winningest left-handed pitcher in baseball history until 1962, when Warren Spahn achieved his 327th victory. Additionally, Plank was the winningest pitcher (left- or right-handed) in the American League until 1921, when he was surpassed by Walter Johnson.

3.1. Pitching Mechanics and Signature Pitches

Plank was known as a finesse pitcher who utilized a unique left-handed sidearm delivery. His arsenal included an effective sweeping curveball. His most recognized pitch was nicknamed the "cross-fire," which he threw across his body. This delivery caused the ball to reach home plate at an unusual angle, making it particularly difficult for hitters, especially left-handers, to track.

3.2. Batting Ability

Beyond his pitching prowess, Plank was also a capable hitter for a pitcher. Over his career, he compiled a .206 batting average (331 hits in 1,607 at-bats) with 130 runs scored, 3 home runs, and 122 RBI. He also maintained a career .971 fielding percentage, which was 28 points above the league average for AL pitchers from 1901 to 1917.

3.3. Game Management and Quirks

Plank was notable for his deliberate and sometimes eccentric behavior on the mound. He was very active between pitches, occasionally even talking to the baseball before delivering it, a strange habit that often unnerved opposing hitters. He was also known for his exceptionally long pauses between pitches, which some observers claimed significantly lengthened the duration of games in which he pitched and often led to protests from opposing teams. His consistent performance and strong work ethic led Connie Mack to use him frequently, which at times contributed to arm soreness during his career. Plank also holds the distinction of having the second-highest career hit-by-pitch totals in MLB history, with 190 batters hit, ranking him second all-time, only behind Walter Johnson.

4.1. Family and Relationships

Plank married Anna Myers in 1915, and together they had a son, Edward Stewart Plank Jr. Baseball historian Frank Russo described him as "as solid a family man as you could ever find." Plank's brother, Ira, was also involved in baseball, serving as the baseball coach at Gettysburg College for more than two decades. Known for his friendly nature, Plank took the unusual step of mentoring rookie pitchers on the Athletics' staff, a rare practice for a veteran player of his era. He also formed a friendship with Louis Van Zelst, a man with hunchback who served as the team's mascot.

4.2. Off-Field Activities

During the off-season, Plank engaged in activities outside of baseball. He notably worked as a tour guide at the Gettysburg Battlefield in his hometown, a significant historical site.

5.1. Post-Retirement Life

Following his retirement from Major League Baseball, Plank opened a Buick dealership in Gettysburg. In 1918, he continued to play baseball for the Steelton club in the Bethlehem Steel League, an industrial baseball league. This arrangement allowed him to manage his business during the week, as Steelton was only 40 mile from his home.

5.2. Illness and Death

Plank appeared to be in good health after his baseball career concluded. However, on February 22, 1926, his wife awoke to find him paralyzed on his left side and suffering from garbled speech, indicating he had suffered a stroke. Upon the arrival of the family physician, it was decided that Plank should remain at home for treatment rather than be moved to a hospital. The pitcher showed brief signs of recovery but then began to experience bouts of unconsciousness. He lost the ability to speak, and by February 24, his condition had deteriorated to the point where recovery was not expected. He died at 2:49 P.M. that day in Gettysburg.

Two days after his death, Plank's funeral was held at Gettysburg's First Presbyterian Church. The Reverend W. C. Space delivered a eulogy, stating, "Eddie...was true to his manhood, true to his parents, true to his wife and home, true to his God and church. What better could be spoken of any man?" Plank was laid to rest in Evergreen Cemetery in Gettysburg. His wife, Anna, lived for another 29 years, passing away in 1955.

Upon learning of Plank's death, Connie Mack, his longtime manager, expressed profound sadness, likening the loss to that of a son. Mack remarked, "Eddie Plank was one of the smartest left-hand pitchers it has been my pleasure to have on my club. He was short and light, as pitchers go, but he made up for the physical defects, if such they were, by his study of the game and his smartness when he was on the pitching peak." Former teammate Jack Coombs also mourned Plank, stating, "I have always been thankful that I was thrown into such intimate contact with so inspiring a man in the days when the majority of ballplayers were of a much lower type than at the present time." Plank was also a Freemason and a member of Good Samaritan Lodge No. 336 in Gettysburg.

6.1. Contemporary and Historical Recognition

Plank received high praise from his peers and baseball historians. In 1943, former teammate Eddie Collins hailed Plank as the greatest pitcher in baseball, clarifying, "Not the fastest. Not the trickiest, and not the possessor of the most stuff, but just the greatest." Babe Ruth considered Plank the hardest pitcher to hit, and Ty Cobb selected him for his all-time team. His legacy is also celebrated in popular culture; he is mentioned in the 1949 poem "Line-Up for Yesterday" by Ogden Nash, which humorously depicts a matchup between Plank and Christy Mathewson:
P is for Plank,
The arm of the A's;
When he tangled with Matty
Games lasted for days.

The first full-length biography of Eddie Plank, Gettysburg Eddie: The Story of Eddie Plank by Lawrence Knorr, was published in 2018.

6.2. Hall of Fame Induction and Memorials

Plank was posthumously inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946 by the Veterans Committee. He was also voted into the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 1972.

q=Gettysburg, Pennsylvania|position=right

His hometown of Gettysburg has several memorials dedicated to him. Shortly after Plank's death, Gettysburg College began planning the Eddie Plank Memorial Gymnasium, which was completed in 1927 and served as a venue for indoor sports like basketball and wrestling until 1962. A restaurant in downtown Gettysburg, named "Gettysburg Eddie's," honors his career. A portion of his childhood farm has been developed into a housing community known as "Plank's Field." On August 31, 2000, a Pennsylvania Historical Marker commemorating Eddie Plank was dedicated at the intersection of Carlisle Street and West Lincoln Avenue in Gettysburg.

In 2006, a T206 tobacco card featuring Plank was described as the "second most valuable card in existence." This card, owned by Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick, was part of a collection loaned to the Baseball Hall of Fame for display, which also included the most valuable baseball card, a T206 Honus Wagner card.

7.1. Yearly Pitching Records

• Bold indicates leading the league.

7.2. Major Career Achievements and Records

Eddie Plank's career was marked by several significant milestones and records:

• Total Wins**: 326 (13th all-time in MLB history, 3rd all-time among left-handed pitchers).
• Shutouts**: 69 (5th all-time in MLB history, most all-time by a left-handed pitcher).
• First Left-Handed Pitcher to Reach 200 Wins**: Achieved in 1910.
• First Left-Handed Pitcher to Reach 300 Wins**: Achieved in 1915.
• 20-Win Seasons**: Seven times (or eight, including his Federal League season).
• World Series Appearances**: Played in four World Series (1905, 1911, 1913, 1914), appearing in five with the Athletics (sat out 1910 due to injury).
• Led the league in saves**: 1 time (1911).
• Career Hit Batters**: 190 (second all-time, only behind Walter Johnson).
• Nominated for the Major League Baseball All-Century Team**: 1999.

Plank also holds numerous franchise records for the Philadelphia Athletics:

• Wins**: 284 (1st all-time)
• Appearances**: 524 (2nd all-time)
• Innings Pitched**: 3860.2 (1st all-time)
• Strikeouts**: 1985 (1st all-time)
• Starts**: 458 (1st all-time)
• Complete Games**: 362 (1st all-time)
• Shutouts**: 59 (1st all-time)
• Earned Run Average**: 2.49 (4th all-time for pitchers with 500+ innings)

7.3. Batting Statistics

Plank's career batting statistics reflect his contributions as a two-way player:

• Games**: 629
• At-bats**: 1607
• Hits**: 331
• Home Runs**: 3
• Runs Batted In (RBI)**: 122
• Batting Average**: .206