End of the Plank

Eddie Plank with the St. Louis Browns

Eddie Plank, the great left-handed pitcher from Gettysburg, matches zeroes with the even greater Walter Johnson 108 years ago today before giving up a run in the 11th inning of the St. Louis Browns’ 1-0 loss in front of a Monday afternoon crowd of 1,928 at Washington.

The 1917 game turns out to be the last for Plank, who retires a few days later with a career record of 326-194.

Plank, who is 41 when he leaves baseball because of stomach ailments, dies only nine years later and is buried in Gettysburg’s Evergreen Cemetery.

He is elected to the Hall of Fame in 1946 – 10 years after Johnson becomes part of the Hall’s inaugural class.

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