In 1915, Herb Pennock, who during the baseball season had moved from the Philadelphia Athletics, American League, to the Boston Red Sox, American League, visited Millersburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
From the Harrisburg Telegraph, October 30, 1915:
Herbert Pennock of the Boston Red Sox, shot a wild turkey while hunting in this section last week. Mr. Pennock came to Millersburg to attend the Freck-Margerum wedding.
Pennock apparently knew either Raymond Margerum and/or Irene Freck who were married at Millersburg on October 15, 1915, but the connection was not evident as of the writing of this blog post.
Herbert Jefferis “Herb” Pennock was born February 10, 1894, in Kennett Square, Pennsylvania, and died January 30, 1948 in New York City. At the time of his death he was the general manager of the Philadelphia Phillies, National League, and his sudden death shocked the baseball world. Later in 1948, Pennock was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.
HERBERT J. “HERB” PENNOCK
OUTSTANDING LEFT HANDED PITCHER IN THE AMERICAN LEAGUE AND EXECUTIVE OF PHILADELPHIA NATIONAL LEAGUE CLUB. AMONG RARE FEW WHO MADE JUMP FROMPREP SCHOOL TO MAJORS. SAW 22 YEARS SERVICE WITH PHILADELPHIA, BOSTON AND NEW YORK TEAMS IN AMERICAN LEAGUE. RECORDED 240 VICTORIES, 161 DEFEATS. NEVER LOST A WORLD SERIES GAME, WINNING FIVE. IN 1927, PITCHED 7 1/3 INNINGS WITHOUT ALLOWING HIT IN THIRD GAME OF SERIES.
Herbert Pennock‘s player stats are found at Baseball Reference.
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Pennock became general manager of the Phillies in 1944. During the controversy over the integration of baseball in 1947, Pennock is said to have stated that if Jackie Robinson of the Brooklyn Dodgers took the field, the Phillies would not. The question over whether Pennock actually said that is still debated today. Robinson did play against the Phillies and the four game series was rife with racial epithets hurled by Philadelphia players and fans. Robinson later called the first game one of the darkest days of his life.
Pennock’s true position on baseball’s integration may be been honestly expressed in this brief article which appeared in the Philadelphia Inquirer, July 1, 1947:
PHILS INTERESTED, MAY SIGN NEGROES — PENNOCK
General Manager Herb Pennock, Phillies, said yesterday, “It is possible” that the club is dickering with one or two Negro baseball players.
In reply to question whether the club was interested in Negro players, Pennock said:
“We’re interested in any ball players of any race, color or creed who can help the club.”
It had been reported that Philadelphia scouts had contacted some Negro ball players in Indianapolis and Birmingham.
Herb Pennock died suddenly in New York City on January 30, 1948. In previous Hall of Fame balloting, he had not fared well. But the tributes that poured in for him overwhelmed the writers who voted and he was elected with 82% of the vote.
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Articles from Newspapers.com.
[African American]
The photo below is colorized from an old baseball card.
