“This is where Eddie Plank, the baseball Hall of Fame inductee, was born and spent his childhood,” saidDr. Lawrence Knorr, located off Keller Road in Adams County. “It truly started here for him, back in the 1880s and early 1890s, when he and his brothers became involved in organized baseball.”
Knorr is the writer of ‘Gettysburg Eddie: The Tale of Eddie Plank.’
Edward Stewart Plankwas born on August 31st, 1875, during a distinctive period inGettysburg’s history.
“Gettysburg was still recovering from the American Civil War, which led many people to visit the area, and it was beginning to become a popular tourist spot,” saidAdams County’s historian, Tim Smith. “His grandfather had a farm that would later be part of the”Gettysburg Battlefield, and his father grew up in a house that served as a hospital following the Battle of Gettysburg. One of the items in our collection that we are particularly proud of is a 12-pound solid cannonball that passed through the Plank family to us, which was on that farm after the battle.
Raised on a farm in Straban Township, Plank and his brothers had a brief walk to school, along a dirt road that continues to exist today.
“The rural schools were single-room schoolhouses located within the communities, and the Plank boys only needed to walk roughly a mile past the farm along a dirt path to reach the Good Intent School. That’s where RK Major, the schoolmaster, also arranged their baseball activities,” said Dr. Knorr.
The schools had younger children, and each had their own baseball teams. The various town teams would travel around, such as McSherrystown, Gettysburg, Littlestown, New Oxford, and compete against each other,” Smith said. “And one thing I noticed in the newspapers, Eddie Plank’s name keeps appearing on these different town teams. It seems like when he played, everyone wanted him on their team; they selected him first.
Plank’s game is not the only thing that is expanding during this period.
“In the 1890s, with some growth in the middle class and the economy, colleges expanded as well, and Gettysburg eventually reached 200 students,” saidDr. Michael Birkner, a history professor at Gettysburg College. “Once you get to that stage, you can begin setting up clubs and athletic activities.”
But you can’t really refer to the liberal asGettysburg College student.
Plank would have attended Gettysburg Academy, located on the grounds of Gettysburg College, which was previously known as Pennsylvania College,” said Dr. Birkner. “It didn’t officially change its name until 1921, but it was already referred to as Gettysburg College because people found it simpler and to prevent confusion with Penn State.
This is somewhat his late bloomer situation. He’s older than the usual college student. I don’t believe he met the requirements to enter the college,” said Dr. Knorr. “However, they found a way for him to be allowed to join the baseball team, and to do that, you had to be enrolled at the Academy, which was basically a remedial school.
“At that moment, Eddie Plank had, for the first time, professional coaches who were genuinely assisting him in enhancing his performance,” Smith stated.
Throughout his time at the university, Plank generated numerous headlines and impressive statistics, and even demonstrated some progress in his academic performance.
There is a common belief that he was a poor student. He wasn’t a bad student, and in fact, his academic performance was varied. He demonstrated considerable improvement in specific subjects during his time at the Academy,” clarified Dr. Birkner. “However, his true passion was baseball, so he dedicated himself fully to the baseball team, which was known as the club in 1900. Everyone who observed him believed he had great potential as a pitcher, and by 1901, he was even more outstanding.
And 1901 was a more favorable year for baseball enthusiasts, as that was whenMajor League Baseballadded the American League along with its eight original teams. This also implies that scouts and coaches are searching throughout the country for fresh talent. Although there are various opinions on how Plank caught the attention of the majors, historians focus on one link to the Keystone State.
“He actually withdrew from Gettysburg College, his team, around two-thirds into the season,” said Dr. Birkner.
Coach [Frank] Foreman, who had briefly coached the team at Gettysburg College,” Dr. Knorr said, “it’s Foreman, we believe, who alertedConnie Mackabout Eddie Plank located up the road at Gettysburg College.
Connie Mack invited him to a game with thePhiladelphia AthleticsIn a game against the Baltimore Orioles in Baltimore, Connie Mack observed him pitching and subsequently let him throw a few innings during the game even though he wasn’t officially with the Athletics. After the game, Connie Mack signed him,” said Smith.
“He has to say goodbye to his friends and teammates, and he leaves, and the very next day is already pitching in the majors,” laughed Dr. Birkner.
He departed from Gettysburg towardsPhiladelphia Athleticson a Friday and reached Washington, D.C. On Saturday, the Philadelphia Athletics faced off against theWashington Senators”He threw the game, and he emerged victorious,” Smith said.
As smooth as it might have appeared at the time, Plank had put in significant effort to achieve the level of performance that the Philadelphia Athletics’ fans had come to know, anticipate, and appreciate.
“He didn’t join the major leagues until he was nearly 26,” said Smith.
He himself would admit that he had an edge when entering the Major Leagues because he was somewhat more mature and had more life experience, as well as learning how to become a better pitcher from the start of his Major League career,” said Dr. Birkner. “That’s why he was able to win 17 games in his first year, even though he joined the team in the middle of May.
For over ten years, the Athletics frequently faced World Series expectations, with Gettysburg Eddie serving as one of their key players.
In the early years of the Athletics, they were among the best teams in the American League during that time,” said Dr. Knorr. “They captured multiple championships. At one point, behind Eddie was what was called the $100,000 infield, which today, if you had a $100,000 infield, you’d probably be talking about an A-ball team, but back then, that was significant. They were the stars of their time in Philadelphia, a major market. They had thePhillies, which were usually not very good, although in 1915, they were. But most other years, the Phillies were not. The A’s were. The A’s became the favorites of the town.
“He possessed a strong arm. He had an exceptionally good curveball. He was left-handed, which, as you might know, was uncommon for pitchers back then, and he approached the game in a deliberate manner, which frustrated many people. Apparently, he took a long time between pitches. He wouldn’t last in today’s environment where there’s a pitch timer,” said Smith with a laugh.
There’s a book by Lawrence Ritter that discusses the players from that time, with them sharing their experiences and mentioning Plank,” Dr. Knorr remembered. “He was a tough left-hander because he threw from a three-quarters sidearm position, which was somewhat unusual, more unconventional. If you know anything about pitching, he started on the left side of the mound and threw across his body so the ball would approach the plate at an angle. So, if he threw a curveball or any type of breaking pitch, it would really break away from the left-handed batter. If you ever saw Steve Carlton pitch to Dave Parker or Willie Stargell back then, or Randy Johnson trying to pitch to John Kruk, that was similar to Eddie Plank facing Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and all those other left-handers. He also did well against right-handed hitters.
Plank and the Athletics claimed victory in the World Series in 1910, 1911, and 1913. A’s manager Connie Mack noted that Plank’s sole superstition before each game was always eating a bowl of tomato soup. Plank frequently faced some of the top pitchers in the sport, including the opposing team’s best pitcher, on the most significant stage of the game.
In 1913, when he was 38 years old, which was quite advanced for a baseball player, he participated in the World Series and was in New York at the Polo Grounds. Therefore, he was part of the visiting team. The A’s won the series, I believe four games to one. In Game 5, Eddie was on the mound for the entire game. At that time, players often pitched complete games. So, he was on the mound. He won the game, and the fans rushed onto the field, carrying him off at the Polo Grounds. The newspaper account noted that not all of them could have been Philadelphia fans; there must have been New Yorkers who were simply celebrating Eddie Plank’s success and thought this was his farewell, as he was 38, had won the World Series, and had pitched the final game, among other things. Of course, he continued to play for a few more years,” laughed Dr. Knorr.
After Eddie and his team secured the 1913 World Series victory, Gettysburg hosted a banquet in his honor, and there are images from that event. When he visited Gettysburg, he showed Connie Mack around the battlefield, and we have photos from that occasion in our collection.William Tiptonof the tour of the Gettysburg Battlefield. And you can picture the World Series pitcher Eddie Plank alongside the World Series manager Connie Mack, during their visit in November 1913. And it’s ironic that they were touring in a 1914 Oakland,” Smith remarked with a smirk.
And well before the Athletics moved from Philadelphia to Kansas City, and subsequently to Oakland, and then to Las Vegas via Sacramento, they would first separate from Plank.
Mack had a tendency to trade or release his top players because he didn’t want to cover their salaries,” said Dr. Birkner. “In 1915, after an outstanding career with the Athletics, he refused to offer Plank a fair salary, leading Plank to join the Federal League.
Plank would throw for theSt. Louis TerriersIn 1915, at the age of 39, he secured 21 victories, posting what would have been a 2.08 ERA had that metric been recorded at the time.
He came back to the American League in 1916 with theSt. Louis Brownsand re-signed there for the 1917 season. His rights were traded to theYankeesFor the 1918 season, but he never donned the pinstripes, and following 17 years in the MLB at the age of 41, Eddie Plank retired. Just as he always did during the off-season or any extended break, Gettysburg Eddie returned to Gettysburg.
He really loved this area and was an integral part of it; everyone knew him, and he was very easy to approach,” said Dr. Knorr. “He was a Mason, but also a very kind-hearted individual who provided small loans to people in town without expecting repayment. So, he was a man who succeeded. I don’t think he spent much money. He didn’t squander his resources.
Plank secretly wed Anna Myers in 1915, and they had a son named Edward Stewart Plank, Jr.
He would own a Buick dealership in town and run a garage with his brother,Ira, who also served as the baseball instructor at Gettysburg College. The game was never too distant.
A boy was filling up gas at the Plank garage, and one day Plank came to the garage and saw him. His name was Charles Bream, and he went by the nickname Junie. I don’t know if Plank called him by his nickname, but he said, ‘Young man, would you like to take a drive with me to Emmitsburg, Maryland? Because Connie Mack asked me if I could scout a third baseman, and I’d like some company.’ Judie Bream, who I interviewed, told me that this was a very exciting moment for him, and so he got to talk baseball with Eddie Plank as they drove,” said Dr. Birkner, remembering the conversation. “It was about a 12-mile trip, and he spent an afternoon with Eddie Plank. It was a highlight of his young life. Later, Bream attended Gettysburg College and played on the college baseball team. And guess who hit fungos for the outfielders on the college baseball team—Eddie Plank. This happened in the early to mid-1920s. Plank was retired, but he was still physically active in his 40s and enjoyed baseball, helping out his brother.
In February 1926, at his home, Plank experienced a stroke. The left side of his body, which had intimidated many of the top hitters of that time, became paralyzed. Two days after the stroke, Plank passed away. He was only 50 years old.
“It came as a shock to many, as he was an athlete, that he passed away at such a young age,” said Smith.
He was buried inEvergreen Cemetery, but Plank, in a sense, was destined to become a permanent fixture on campus.
Gettysburg College was constructing a gym when Eddie Plank passed away. They were in the process of planning the gym and had hired an architect who had previously supported the college. Therefore, the college’s president came up with the idea of naming the gym after Eddie Plank,” said Dr. Birkner. “He reached out to Connie Mack in 1927 and asked, ‘Would you arrange an exhibition game between your team and another Major League team?’ If they agreed, the revenue from the game would be used by Gettysburg College to build…Plank Gym, and Connie Mack said, “Absolutely. I thought Eddie Plank was a wonderful person. I’ll consult with my team members and also speak to another team owner, and we’ll see what we can arrange.” Everyone was on board. They made it happen. They were selling tickets ahead of time and hoping for a large turnout. It was supposed to be a September game, and of course, on the day of the game, it rained all day, and they had to cancel the game. So, they didn’t give up; they asked, “Could we try again next year?” and Max said, “Okay,” and they planned it again, and another team agreed to participate in memory of Eddie Plank. They scheduled the game, and on the very day of the game, it happened again. It rained heavily, and they only played two innings before they had to stop.
Although there were local efforts to contribute to the Eddie Plank memorial fund, his national influence on the sport enabled it to gain support from rivals in major league cities throughout the country. Boston observed an Eddie Plank Day, as did Detroit, where evenTy Cobb, of all individuals, called Plank a close friend..
Later on, in 1939, a new museum was established in Cooperstown, New York. TheNational Baseball Hall of Fameinstitutes Gettysburg Eddie as a member of the class of 1946.
At the time he was inducted, I believe he might have been the top left-handed pitcher in terms of wins and certainly in shutouts,” said Smith. “He led in many pitching statistics at the time of his induction. So, I think it was a clear choice to include him in the Baseball Hall of Fame. For the people who lived here, having him inducted into the Hall of Fame was a great honor for everyone in Gettysburg and Adams County who supported him over the years.
This Sunday celebrates the 150th anniversary of Eddie Plank’s birth. Just as Gettysburg Eddie never forgot about Gettysburg, Gettysburg has never forgotten him.
“People who are passionate about history often share a similar enthusiasm for baseball,” claimsAdams County Historical Society Chief Marketing Officer Michaela ShafferA significant number of our visitors are also sports enthusiasts, whether it’s baseball, football, or any other sport, and we have connections to all these sports within Adams County and Gettysburg.
Markerscan still be found throughout Gettysburg bearing Plank’s name. TheGettysburg: The Museum Beyond the Battlefieldfeatures displays that celebrate the Hall of Famer with objects that once belonged to the star.
Eddie Plank is the ideal person for our kind of collection,” said Smith. “We have a range of items we’ve collected over the years from the Plank family, as well as from other individuals in the community. Naturally, I wanted to point out that we don’t have anEddie Plank T206 baseball cardissued between 1909 and 1911, and is valued at several hundred thousand dollars. If anyone is interested in donating one, we would be very grateful. We currently possess one of the 1906 fan craze cards featuring Eddie Plank, which holds significant value. If someone hasn’t removed the center, you see, we are constantly searching within the community for items that can enhance our storytelling, and Eddie Plank is one of those intriguing stories that perfectly fits what we aim to share.
If individuals in the region are eager to gain more knowledge, there is a location they can visit for that purpose.
“Gettysburg is a special town. I mean, obviously, we have the battlefield and everything that comes with it, but there are still many other attractions here that people come to see and enjoy, and being part of that has been truly fortunate,” saidGettysburg Eddie’s owner, Steven Rasmussen.
Cassie Probst has been employed at the restaurant since it was known as the Gingerbread Man. As the current General Manager, she is aware that the name change contributed to spreading Plank’s legacy among their loyal customers, as well as those who simply stumbled in from the battlefield.
“Brian KennelA local individual who was friends with the previous owner either owns or manages the Evergreen Cemetery where Eddie is buried. “It’s like, ‘Why don’t you do this? A cool baseball-themed sports bar,’ and he had numerous photos to assist with that. It offers people something unique to do. Considering all the Civil War history, it’s still historical, so it fits in, but it’s baseball,” said Probst.
The employees often encounter inquiries from visitors, occasionally. However, when Rasmussen decided to expand Gettysburg Eddie’s, he focused on the baseball theme.
“Upstairs, we refer to it as the Jewel Box Lounge. Not many people realize that in the early 1900s, the baseball stadiums being constructed were also known as jewel boxes,” Rasmussen explained. There is a rich history behind the term jewel box stadiums. Eddie Plank actually pitched the first game atShibe Park, and so it was simply a natural development to add to Gettysburg Eddie’s.
Regarding diamond sports in the local area, the restaurant ensures that its namesake would be pleased to see it contributing from the ground up.
“We also aim to assist local groups involved in baseball, including Little League softball and baseball, and maintain the entire baseball theme throughout the entire year,” added Probst.
The Eddie Plank items, such as those seen in theGettysburg College’s Special Collections and Archives, as well as highly desired cards and artifacts available for purchase, can reach thousands of dollars in today’s market. However, they are only rare because Plank was one of a kind.
“Now that I’ve become aware of the man, his background, and his legacy, it’s a privilege and an honor to carry on that name. So I’m just happy to be a small part of it,” said Rasmussen.
“I’ve always had an image of Eddie Plank in my office, so this has been a very meaningful experience to learn more about his history and to pay tribute to him, sharing my passion for baseball and my admiration for Eddie with others,” Shaffer added.
He had an outstanding career, very consistent,” said Dr. Knorr. “Of course, he also had strong teams supporting him. So, yes, I’d say he wasn’t showy. He was definitely more of a quiet gentleman.
“I find it incredible, Eddie Plank’s ability to manage not only pitching at the Major League level starting from town teams and then college, and quickly making that leap. But think about the pressure of pitching, you know, for 10, or 20, or 30, or even 100 people, and then suddenly, thousands are in the stands, and I just can’t imagine how composed he must have been,” said Smith in awe.
I believe the aspect of Eddie Plank that I admire the most is that he was never a self-important, diva-like individual. He was a genuine, down-to-earth athlete and person, and he treated others kindly. That’s something we would like to see more of, don’t you think?” asked Dr. Birkner. “We are especially proud. It wasn’t just about the records. It was the way he approached treating people with respect.
