Pitcher, Philadelphia
Athletics
Age: 26 (Aug. 31)
1st season
with Athletics
Bats – Left,
Throws – Left
Height: 5’11” Weight: 175
Prior to 1901:
A native and
lifelong resident of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania (hence his nickname “Gettysburg
Eddie”), Plank grew up on a family farm and played baseball with town teams
from the age of 17. The young southpaw pitched with a cross-fire motion across
his body that he referred to as a “slant ball”. This off-balance motion proved
to be effective but also led to bouts of wildness. Enrolling at Gettysburg
Academy at age 22, he came to the attention of Gettysburg College’s baseball
coach Frank Foreman who recognized his potential. With Foreman’s guidance,
Plank developed a curve and fastball that he threw effectively with excellent
control. In 1900 he signed with a team in the Virginia League. The league
quickly folded but thanks to Coach Foreman, he came to the attention of Connie
Mack, who was the manager of the Athletics in the new American League. Plank
joined the new club in May of 1901.
1901 Season Summary
Appeared in 33
games
[Bracketed
numbers indicate AL rank in Top 20]
Pitching
Games – 33 [16]
Games Started –
32 [13]
Complete Games
– 28 [11, tied with Bill Reidy & Earl Moore]
Wins – 17 [9,
tied with Bill Bernhard]
Losses – 13 [18,
tied with Roscoe Miller & Win Mercer]
PCT - .567 [12]
Saves – 0
Shutouts – 1 [14,
tied with fourteen others]
Innings Pitched
– 260.2 [14]
Hits – 254 [18]
Runs – 133 [19,
tied with Pink Hawley]
Earned Runs – 96
[16]
Home Runs – 3
Bases on Balls
– 68 [14]
Strikeouts – 90
[10]
ERA – 3.31 [10]
Hit Batters – 7
Balks – 0
Wild Pitches – 13
[1, tied with Ned Garvin]
Midseason
Snapshot: 8-6, ERA – 3.49, SO – 49 in 118.2 IP
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Most
strikeouts, game – 7 (in 9 IP) vs. Washington 7/4
10+ strikeout
games – 0
Fewest hits
allowed, game (min. 7 IP) – 2 (in 9 IP) vs. Milwaukee 6/13
Batting
PA – 111, AB – 99,
R – 10, H – 18, 2B – 0, 3B – 0, HR – 0, RBI – 3, BB – 5, SO – 13, SB – 0, CS – N/A,
AVG - .182, GDP – N/A, HBP – 5, SH – 2, SF – N/A
Fielding
Chances – 74
Put Outs – 6
Assists – 63
Errors – 5
DP – 2
Pct. - .932
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In their first year of existence in a new league, the Athletics went 74-62 to finish fourth in the AL, 9 games behind the pennant-winning Chicago White Sox. The pitching staff led the league in complete games (124). The A’s languished in fifth and sixth place throughout July and August until rising to fourth during an 18-10 September capped by an 11-2 finish. Plank quickly became a key component in the pitching staff, while second baseman Nap Lajoie’s outstanding hitting boosted the offense. Hampered by bad weather, they drew 206,329 fans to Columbia Park,28,608 less than the NL Phillies, who finished second in their league.
Aftermath of 1901:
The A’s won the AL pennant in 1902 and Plank contributed a 20-15 record and a 3.30 ERA with 107 strikeouts and a league-leading 18 hit batters due to his willingness to aggressively pitch inside, belying his deceptively slender build and slight appearance. Steady, quiet, and level-headed, Plank went on to a 23-16 tally in 1903 with 33 complete games, a 2.38 ERA, and 176 strikeouts while accumulating 336 innings and leading the league in games pitched (43) and starts (40). It was more of the same in 1904 as Plank went 26-17 with a 2.17 ERA, 37 complete games, 7 shutouts, and 201 strikeouts while working 357.1 innings. One of his shutouts came in a 13-inning 1-0 win when matched against Boston’s ace Cy Young in September. The A’s won the AL pennant in 1905 and “Gettysburg Eddie” contributed a 24-12 record with a 2.26 ERA, while topping the league with 41 starts and 35 complete games. The finesse pitcher recorded 210 strikeouts over the course of 346.2 innings. In the World Series against the NL’s New York Giants, Plank posted a 1.59 ERA while giving up three earned runs, but still ended up with an 0-2 tally against dominant New York pitching. A workhorse over most of the 1906 season, Plank developed a sore arm that almost totally sidelined him over the last 50 games. He still finished at 19-6 with a 2.25 ERA, 21 complete games, 5 shutouts, and 108 strikeouts over 211.2 innings. Plank returned to normal in 1907, appearing in 43 games and posting a 24-16 mark with 33 complete games, a league-leading 8 shutouts, and 183 strikeouts over 343.2 innings. Plank was known for his fidgeting on the mound and many rituals that would have run afoul of the modern pitch clock rules. He also rarely threw to first base with runners present, with the result of his being poor at holding rival base stealers at bay. With the Athletics dropping to sixth in 1908, Plank’s record fell to 14-16 although his ERA was still a healthy 2.17 and he recorded 135 strikeouts over the course of 244.2 innings. With the club once again a contender in 1909, Plank posted a 19-10 tally and a 1.76 ERA with 24 complete games, 3 shutouts, 265.1 innings, and 132 strikeouts. Steadily outstanding and regularly overshadowed by other star pitchers on the A’s, Plank went 16-10 for the pennant-winning club in 1910 with a 2.01 ERA, 22 complete games, and 123 strikeouts. A sore arm kept him out of the World Series triumph over the Chicago Cubs. The Athletics topped the AL again in 1911 and “Gettysburg Eddie” compiled a 23-8 record with a 2.10 ERA while co-leading the league with 6 shutouts among his 24 complete games. He picked up a World Series win against the New York Giants and lost another game when he came in to relieve in extra innings. The A’s were unable to win the pennant in 1912 although Plank had another outstanding season, going 26-6 with a 2.22 ERA and 5 shutouts among his 23 complete games. The Athletics were pennant-winners in 1913 with Plank contributing an 18-10 record with a 2.60 ERA, 7 shutouts, and 151 strikeouts over 242.2 innings. Once more facing the Giants in the World Series, Plank started Game 2 against New York’s star RHP Christy Mathewson. Each of the two starters threw nine shutout innings. Manager Mack allowed Plank to bat with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth and he hit into an inning-ending fielder’s choice. Plank gave up three runs in the tenth and Mathewson and the Giants came away winners. Plank and Mathewson again went head-to-head in Game 5, and this time “Gettysburg Eddie” came away the winner by a 3-1 score giving the A’s the decisive win of the Series. The A’s won another pennant in 1914 while Plank went 15-7 with a 2.87 ERA. The A’s were swept in the World Series in a major upset by the Boston Braves. Plank was a 1-0 loser in Game 2 to add a final tough-luck loss to his World Series record. Plank’s workload had significantly dropped off in his last few years with the Athletics, and with Mack aware that he and pitchers Chief Bender and Jack Coombs were in contact with agents for the new Federal League, all three were waived. The 39-year-old Plank signed with the St. Louis Terriers of the outlaw league in 1915 and posted a 21-11 record with a 2.08 ERA and 147 strikeouts. Following a 16-15 season with the Terriers in 1916, the Federal League folded and Plank followed owner Phil Ball to the St. Louis Browns. He produced a 5-6 tally for the Browns in 1917, which proved to be his final major league season. The New York Yankees traded for him and veteran second baseman Del Pratt in 1918. Plank chose to retire instead of pitch for the Yankees. He did see action in an industrial league organized by Bethlehem Steel in 1918. For his major league career, including his Federal League stint, Plank compiled a 326-194 record with a 2.35 ERA, eight 20-win seasons, 410 complete games, 69 shutouts, and 2246 strikeouts in 4495.2 innings pitched. With the Athletics he went 284-162 with a 2.39 ERA, 362 complete games, 59 shutouts, and 1985 strikeouts in 3860.2 innings pitched. Appearing in 7 World Series games, his record was 2-5 with a 1.32 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 54.2 innings. In retirement from baseball, among other things Plank was a tour guide at the Gettysburg battlefield. He died of the effects of a stroke at age 50 in 1926. Twenty years later he was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.
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Highlighted Years feature players who led a major league
in one of the following categories: batting average, home runs (with a minimum
of 10), runs batted in, or stolen bases (with a minimum of 20); or pitchers who
led a major league in wins, strikeouts, earned run average, or saves (with a
minimum of 10). Also included are participants in annual All-Star Games between
the National and American Leagues since 1933. This category also includes Misc.
players who received award votes, were contributors to teams that reached the
postseason, or had notable seasons in non-award years.
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