John Herrnstein facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Herrnstein |
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Herrnstein in December 1958
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| Outfielder/First baseman | |||
| Born: March 31, 1938 Hampton, Virginia |
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| Died: October 3, 2017 (aged 79) Chillicothe, Ohio |
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| debut | |||
| September 15, 1962, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |||
| Last appearance | |||
| July 7, 1966, for the Atlanta Braves | |||
| MLB statistics | |||
| Batting average | .220 | ||
| Home runs | 8 | ||
| Runs batted in | 34 | ||
| Teams | |||
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John Ellett Herrnstein was an American athlete who played both baseball and football. He played Major League Baseball from 1962 to 1966 for teams like the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Braves. Before becoming a professional player, he was a star in both college baseball and football at the University of Michigan from 1956 to 1959.
John was the captain of the 1958 Michigan Wolverines football team. He was also the third person in his family to play football for the Michigan Wolverines. His father, William Herrnstein, Jr., played from 1923 to 1925. His grandfather, William Herrnstein, Sr., played in 1898 and 1900. His great uncle, Albert E. Herrnstein, played for the famous "Point-a-Minute" teams in 1901 and 1902.
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Playing at the University of Michigan
John Herrnstein was a talented athlete at the University of Michigan. He excelled in both football and baseball.
Football Career
In football, John played as a fullback on offense and a linebacker on defense. He played for the Wolverines from 1956 to 1958.
As a sophomore in 1956, he had a great season. He ran for 88 yards and scored a touchdown in a game against Army. In another game against Northwestern, he scored three touchdowns. He was the starting fullback for the 1956 Michigan Wolverines football team. This team finished with a strong 7–2 record and was ranked #7 in the country. John ran for 475 yards and scored seven touchdowns, tying for the most points on the team that year.
Before the 1957 season, The Sporting News newspaper called John "Michigan's Big Gun." However, an injury to his left foot slowed him down during the 1957 season. He played much less than he had the year before. In December 1957, his teammates chose him to be the captain of the 1958 Michigan Wolverines football team.
In the first game of the 1958 season, John had his best game ever. He ran for 144 yards and scored two touchdowns against the USC Trojans. But in the next game, he hurt his hand and couldn't play the rest of the game. In the third game of the season, against Navy, he injured his left knee. He later said a Navy player hit him, tearing ligaments in his knee. This knee injury ended his football career.
Baseball Career
John also played for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team in 1957 and 1958. He batted and threw with his left hand. He was tall, standing 6 feet 3 inches, and weighed 215 pounds. Michigan's baseball coach, Ray Fisher, said John was the best baseball player the Wolverines had seen since Dick Wakefield in the 1940s.
Professional Baseball Career
Signing with the Phillies
John Herrnstein was a highly sought-after baseball player before his knee injury in 1958. He had turned down offers from professional teams to go to college. Even after his knee surgery, the Philadelphia Phillies were still very interested in him. They signed him to a contract on December 2, 1958. He received a bonus of $35,000.
John signed with the Phillies while he was still a student at Michigan and recovering from his knee surgery. He remembered signing the contract while he was still in the hospital. He planned to leave school in January and return in September to finish his studies.
Playing in the Minor Leagues
John started his professional baseball journey in 1959. He played for the Des Moines Demons in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. He played in 105 games and had a .244 batting average. He also hit 21 doubles and helped his team achieve a 78–48 record. John later said he was not happy with his hitting that first year.
In 1960, he moved up to the Eastern League. He became a key player for the Williamsport Grays, helping them win the league championship. He hit .305 with 16 home runs and 85 RBIs.
After his strong performance at Williamsport, John played for the Chattanooga Lookouts in 1961. He played in 159 games and batted .292. He also hit 17 home runs and had 95 RBIs.
In 1962, John played for the Buffalo Bisons in the International League. He played in 148 games and had a .293 batting average. Buffalo's manager, Kerby Farrell, said John had more potential than famous players like Roger Maris or Rocky Colavito.
Making it to the Major Leagues
In September 1962, John joined the Philadelphia Phillies. He made his first Major League Baseball appearance on September 15, 1962. He played in eight games, mostly as a pinch hitter (a player who bats in place of another). He had one hit and one RBI.
During the winter of 1962, John played in the Puerto Rican League. He led the league with 14 home runs.
The 1963 Season
In the spring of 1963, there were rumors that the Phillies might trade John. However, the Phillies' owner, Bob Carpenter, said John would not be traded. He believed John would soon be a regular player for the Phillies. The team thought John could become their starting first baseman.
After a short time with the Phillies, John was sent to the Little Rock Travelers. This was so he could practice playing first base. He played in 124 games for Little Rock, batting .271 with 22 home runs and 73 RBIs.
John played in 15 games for the Phillies in 1963, mostly as a pinch hitter. On September 23, 1963, he hit his first major league home run. It was a game-winning hit against Don Larsen of the San Francisco Giants. His home run gave the Phillies a 5–4 victory.
The 1964 Season
John spent the entire 1964 season with the Phillies. He started strong, getting into the regular lineup after an injury to another player. On April 19, 1964, he started his first game and hit a single and a home run. In his next game, he hit a game-winning double. He followed that with two doubles and a triple the next night. By the end of April, his batting average was over .400.
John also showed strong defense in 1964. In May, he started a triple play (a rare defensive play where three outs are made in one continuous action). He fielded a ground ball, threw to the shortstop for the first out, got the ball back for the second out, and then threw to the catcher for the third out.
He played in 125 games for the Phillies in 1964. He was the starting first baseman in 61 games and an outfielder in 15 games. He had a .234 batting average with six home runs and 25 RBIs.
The 1965 Season
John stayed with the Phillies for the 1965 season. However, his playing time was reduced. He played in 63 games, starting only 12 of them. Another player, Dick Stuart, became the team's main first baseman. John was mostly used as a pinch hitter. He batted .200 with one home run and five RBIs.
The 1966 Season
The 1966 season was John's last year in professional baseball. He started the season well in spring training for the Phillies, leading the team with four home runs. But he struggled at the start of the regular season.
On April 21, the Phillies traded John to the Chicago Cubs. He was traded along with Ferguson Jenkins, who later became a famous player in the Baseball Hall of Fame. John played in only nine games for the Cubs, batting .176.
Just one month later, in late May, John was traded again. This time, he went to the Atlanta Braves. He played only 17 games with the Braves, batting .222. His last major league game was on July 7, 1966.
The Braves then sent John to their minor league team, the Richmond Braves. He played for his fourth team in three months. He had a .134 batting average in 82 at-bats for Richmond.
In December 1966, John was traded by the Braves to the Boston Red Sox. However, he did not play professional baseball after the 1966 season.
Later Years
After retiring from baseball, John Herrnstein worked in finance. He retired from that career in 2011. His son, Seth Herrnstein, played college football for the Ohio State Buckeyes.
John Herrnstein passed away at his home in Chillicothe, Ohio, on October 3, 2017. He was 79 years old.
Images for kids
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Herrnstein scoring a touchdown against USC, September 1958
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