Herb Pennock

Baseball's Faultless Pitcher

Keith Craig

• Publisher: Rowman & Littlefield
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN:
  9781442252202
• Edition: 1

Herbert Jefferis Pennock (1894-1948) was a Hall of Fame pitcher for the dynastic 1920s New York Yankees. Considered one of the best left-handed pitchers in history, Pennock won 241 games on the mound, never lost in his five World Series starts, and came within four outs of pitching the first no-hitter in a World Series in 1927. More than just a great pitcher, Pennock was well-respected by teammates and locals alike. He was known as a principled, practical gentleman, with an intellect that matched his pitching skills and a humanity that bested both.

In Herb Pennock: Baseball's Faultless Pitcher, Keith Craigrecounts Pennock's ascent from well-to-do Kennett Square to the heights of major league baseball. Signed by the Philadelphia A's legendary Connie Mack as an 18-year-old school boy, Pennock would flourish into a dependable pitcher for the New York Yankees. He was part of the iconic Murderer's Row team and played a crucial role in their World Series victories. For 22 seasons, Pennock's forte was control, not power; he studied each hitter, every at bat, and exploited all weaknesses. When Pennock's playing career came to an end, he used that same single-minded diligence as the General Manager of the woeful Philadelphia Phillies, where he reinvented the team through the careful development of its farm system that resulted in the 1950 pennant-winning Whiz Kids.

Including interviews with Pennock's family members and Kennett Square residents who personally knew the baseball legend, Herb Pennock: Baseball's Faultless Pitcher is the first biography to paint such a complete picture of Pennock and the times he lived in. Featuring original photographs provided by his family, this book delivers an invaluable look into the life of a great ballplayer, savvy front-office executive, and honorable man.

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Pennock’s Preliminary Pitches
• Connie Mack’s Opportunity and Mistake
• Blossoming in Beantown
• The First Yankees Year
• From Personal Loss to Peak of His Profession
• World Series Wins and a Waning Career
• Baseball Bon Voyage Back at Boston
• Carpenter’s Call
• Fixing the Foundering Phillies
• 1946
• Robinson’s Revolution and Pennock’s “Protest”
• Prejudice, Pain, and Promise
• A Short Season, a Long Legacy
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index
• About the Author