Earl Hersh

From BR Bullpen

Earl Walter Hersh

Bats Left, Throws Left
Height 6' 0", Weight 205 lb.
School West Chester University of Pennsylvania
Debut September 4, 1956
Final Game September 22, 1956
Born May 21, 1932 in Ebbvale, MD USA

[edit] Biographical Information

Outfielder Earl Hersh was signed by the Milwaukee Braves as an amateur free agent before the 1953 season. The left-hander would spend his first three seasons in the minors (1953-1955) and have his best year in 1955 with the Atlanta Crackers of the Southern Association hitting for a .314 average along with 25 four-baggers while playing 155 games. This performance moved him along to the AAA Wichita Braves of the American Association in 1956 and the young man would respond with a .307 batting average with 27 home runs in 128 outings and got a late season call-up to County Stadium and the Milwaukee Braves.

Unknown at the time 1956 would be Hersh's one and only shot at the major leagues. Earl would appear in 7 games, get 13 plate appearances, have three base-hits, all doubles, and hit for a .231 average. Earl recalls after doubling in his first major league at-bat and standing on second base that umpire Jocko Conlon said to him, "Nice hit rookie."

Wichita would get Hersh back in 1957 and he would again have a better than average year, hitting .269, busting 26 homers and playing 153 games. Earl would be with the same team in the same ball park in 1958, fell off to a .237 average with 17 home runs but still play in 150 ball games. He didn't know it in 1959 but time was beginning to run out on him and he would spend the 1959 season with two clubs, the same in 1960 and 1961 and decided to call it a career after the '61 season ending his nine year minor league tenure with a .273 batting average along with 151 home runs in 1,176 games.

A graduate of West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Earl made his home in Westminster, MD. After several years as a high school teacher and coaching baseball, basketball and football, he became the supervisor of physical education and athletics for the Carroll County Board of Education in Maryland, retiring in 1992.