Del Ennis
Encyclopedia
Delmer Ennis was an American
left
and right fielder
in Major League Baseball
who played most of his career for the Philadelphia Phillies
. From 1949 to 1957, Ennis accumulated more runs batted in
than anyone besides Stan Musial
and was 8th in the National League in home run
s. In he led the National League
with 126 RBI as the Phillies won their first pennant in 35 years. He held the Phillies career record of 259 home run
s from 1956 to 1980, and ranked 10th in NL history with 1824 games in the outfield when his career ended.
. He played baseball and football at Olney High School and was mentioned as an All-State fullback. Philadelphia Phillies scout Jocko Collins
came to watch one of Ennis's high school classmates pitch. When Ennis hit two long home runs, Collins tried to recruit him but Ennis was hesitant, worried that he was not ready, and unsure that he wanted to pursue a baseball career. In August 1942, Ennis finally signed with Collins to play with the Phillies' Canadian-American League
team, but the league suspended operation for World War II
. Ennis signed with Collins again in March 1943 and hit .348 with 19 home runs and 16 triple
s for the Phillies' Trenton, New Jersey
Interstate League
team. In September 1943, Philadelphia wanted to call Ennis to the major leagues, but he went into the United States Navy
instead. Ennis saw military action in the Pacific Theater and also toured with a baseball team that included Billy Herman
, Johnny Vander Meer and Schoolboy Rowe
. He joined the USN on September 29, 1943 and was assigned to Sampson Naval Training Station, New York where he graduated as a signalman from "A" school at Sampson and then posted to the Hawaiian Sea Frontier. He was included on the Navy's Western PAC Tour of many Pacific Islands in 1944–1945. His naval rank was Petty Officer Third Class. Most of his service was on the island of Guam after the winter tour.
Ennis was discharged from the Navy on April 5, 1946 and joined the major league Phillies about a week later. Player-manager Ben Chapman delayed Ennis's debut since he had missed spring training, and then had him pinch-hit on April 28 against the Boston Braves
- a groundout to shortstop
. Chapman gave Ennis the starting job in left field, a weak spot in the Phillies' lineup. On May 5, Ennis hit his first home run - a three-run shot in the 1st inning - and then his second, both in the second game of a doubleheader
. His favorite moment was on his birthday, June 8, when his single broke up a perfect game
with only four outs remaining. That month, Olney
residents held a Del Ennis Night at Shibe Park with 36,356 in attendance and an estimated 20,000 turned away. Del singled with the bases loaded to drive in two runs in the first inning against the Cardinals and the Phils won. His average raised over .300 until a slump in July.
In his early career, Ennis was noted not only for his home runs and hard line drive
s, but also good outfield
play and fast, hard baserunning
. Eleven weeks after his debut, Ennis became the first Phillies rookie ever to make an All-Star
team on the strength of a powerful throwing arm and his booming bat. He also became the first ever Sporting News Rookie Award
winner, and finished eighth in the MVP
voting after batting
.313 with 17 home runs and 73 RBI and placing second in the NL in slugging average (.485) behind Musial. Here are some facts that illustrate how good Ennis was as a ballplayer in his time. He was among the TOP TEN in these categories: BATTING AVERAGE (three times), HOME RUNS (eight times), RBI’s (ten times), MVP VOTING (eight times), TOTAL BASES (six times). In the decade from 1947 to 1957, only Stan Musial and Duke Snider had better overall production. Snider compiled a total of 1,031 RBI from 1950 to 1959 and Ennis knocked in 1,025 in the decade of the 50's.
Ennis showed his power in 1948, driving in 95 runs with 30 home runs – a Phillies record for right-handed hitters, breaking Gavvy Cravath
's total of 24. A year later, he hit .302 with 25 homers and 110 RBI, and he finished second in the NL in doubles
both seasons. But his most productive season came in 1950, when he hit .311 with career highs of 31 home runs and an NL-best 126 RBI; the 31 HRs were the team record for right-handed hitters until teammate Stan Lopata
hit 32 in 1956. As a member of the 1950 team dubbed the "Whiz Kids," Del was the scourge of the National League and he helped the Phillies to win their first pennant since in an exciting finish that saw Philadelphia beat out the powerful Brooklyn Dodgers
on the last day of the season, only to be swept in the World Series
by the New York Yankees
, with Ennis hitting only .143 with no RBI. Ennis placed fourth in the MVP voting, won by teammate Jim Konstanty
.
From 1952-55, Ennis collected four 20+ HR, 100+ RBI seasons, with highs of 29 and 125 in 1953. He was also named to three All-Star Games, in 1946, 1951 and 1955. In he passed Chuck Klein
to become the Phillies' all-time home run leader, and he held the record until Mike Schmidt
passed him in . In 1956, he also broke Ed Delahanty
's record of 1,544 games with the Phillies; Richie Ashburn
broke his record in . By the end of the 1956 season he was also among the NL's top ten career home run leaders, though he dropped out of the top ten before his career ended. Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
before the 1957 season for Rip Repulski
, Ennis responded with a .286 average, 26 home runs and 105 RBI, finishing second in the NL behind his teammate Musial. But his production dropped off sharply in 1958, and after two years in St. Louis he finished his career in playing for the Cincinnati Redlegs
and the pennant winning Chicago White Sox
. In a 14-season career, Ennis compiled a .284 batting average with 288 home runs, 2,063 hits
, 1,284 RBI and 985 runs
in 1,903 games.
The story of Del and the abuse he endured from Philadelphia fans in eleven seasons has obscured his impressive statistics and also his memory. The taciturn Ennis, not given to introspection, shrugged off the abuse. Eventually, he won his "war with the wolves" in old Shibe Park and Connie Mack Stadium. As an example, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cardinals on July 31, 1954, in the top of the third inning, Ennis dropped an outfield fly with the bases loaded and all three runners scored. In the bottom half of the same inning with two on and two out, he hit the first pitch on the roof in left field, and the Phillies won the game by a score of 6-5. Ennis' career ended with a mid-season release by the Chicago White Sox in 1959, after having been acquired from Cincinnati during the first week of the 1959 season. In the first eleven games that he played with the Sox, Del drove in seven runs including a game winner in mid-May in Yankee Stadium. In fact, Ennis had four game-winning hits in six games in early '59 and the Sox went on to win the AL pennant that year. However, Del was not with the team that played the Dodgers in the 1959 World Series although he was voted a one-fourth WS share after the World Series. To make room on the roster for Norm Cash
, who had completed his service commitment, Ennis was waived by the White Sox in mid-June 1959, thus ending a highly productive career spanning fourteen seasons. Larry Doby who also played on the White Sox team in 1959, Ralph Kiner, and Enos Slaughter are all in the Baseball Hall of Fame and belong there. Ennis' career stats are the equal of these players yet his votes for entry are paltry. This player's career needs to be reviewed by the Veterans Committee for the future as he is all but dismissed by writers who never saw him in uniform in his time. When Del came to bat in old Connie Mack or Shibe Park, the fans knew that a game could be altered quickly because of his ability to drive in runners on base. The expectation was always there and pitchers in the 1950s knew he was a dangerous hitter as did the Philadelphia fans despite the booing that Del received. He began the final season of his career with the Reds, batting .333 in 12 AB, but with no HR. On May 1, he was traded to the White Sox, where he was the starting left fielder throughout May into early June. His defensive replacement in that period was one Johnny Callison.[For Phillies fans, this is a passing-the-torch moment, if ever there was one.]
With Chicago, Ennis batted .219, 2 HR, 7 RBI in 96 AB. The White Sox released Ennis on June 20. They called-up Jim McAnany to play RF and moved Al Smith from RF to LF for the balance of the season. Ennis was No. 15 in batting for the pennant winning White Sox in the 1959 season despite his early release and retirement.
Following his retirement as a player, Ennis operated a bowling alley
named Del Ennis Lanes in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania with the former traveling secretary of the Phillies, John Wise. He also bred greyhound race dogs
. Ennis also spent a year coaching baseball at the Penn State University Abington Campus (formerly Ogontz campus). He remembered his 1950 Phillies days in his sports enterprise, calling three dogs scheduled to run in Florida
racetracks Whiz Kids Ennis, Whiz Kids Ashburn and Whiz Kids Roberts. In , during the Phillies' 100th anniversary year, he was named to the Philadelphia Phillies Centennial Team. There is a plaque on the Phillies Wall of Fame at the team's new ballpark honoring the career of Del Ennis as a Whiz Kid.
Ennis used to treat his bats with great care "I used to hang out at a gas station called the Gas House. I used to take home a dozen bats at the end of each year. I would fill up one of those big drums with linseed oil and leave the bats in the drum all winter. They would get to be about 40-42 ounces and when I got to Florida for spring training, I put the bats in the dryer where they dried uniforms. That would get them down to about 36 ounces, and make them harder. Andy Seminick and I used the same bat all year in 1950 when we won the NL pennant."
Ennis died in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
at 70 years of age from complications of diabetes. He was buried in Hillside Cemetery, Roslyn, Pennsylvania
.
Del Ennis hits a leadoff solo HR on September 1952 in the bottom of the 17th inning as the Phils beat Boston by a score of 7-6 in the first game of a doubleheader at Shibe Park.
Ennis drives in six runs in a game with the Reds at Crosley Field on July 30, 1953.
Opening day in 1956 in Pittsburgh and the game is washed out by rain as Del has 5 RBIs to no avail. He finishes the season of 1956 with 95, the first year in five he misses the 100 RBI mark.
He had a three HR game on July 23, 1955 at Connie Mack Stadium and drove in all 7 runs -one short of George Kelly's NL mark set in 1924- the Phils beating the Cards 7-2 as Robin Roberts wins his 16th season victory and 6th in a row. Three times in his career Del Ennis broke up a no-hit game, including one off Ramón Monzant of the New York Giants on April 29, 1956. In 1946, his two out 8th inning single spoils a no hit perfect game bid by Red Barrett of the Cardinals and in 1947 he broke up a no hit bid by Hal Gregg of the Dodgers.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
left
Left fielder
In baseball, a left fielder is an outfielder who plays defense in left field. Left field is the area of the outfield to the left of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
and right fielder
Right fielder
A right fielder, abbreviated RF, is the outfielder in baseball or softball who plays defense in right field. Right field is the area of the outfield to the right of a person standing at home plate and facing towards the pitcher's mound...
in Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
who played most of his career for the Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...
. From 1949 to 1957, Ennis accumulated more runs batted in
Run batted in
Runs batted in or RBIs is a statistic used in baseball and softball to credit a batter when the outcome of his at-bat results in a run being scored, except in certain situations such as when an error is made on the play. The first team to track RBI was the Buffalo Bisons.Common nicknames for an RBI...
than anyone besides Stan Musial
Stan Musial
Stanley Frank "Stan" Musial is a retired professional baseball player who played 22 seasons in Major League Baseball for the St. Louis Cardinals . Nicknamed "Stan the Man", Musial was a record 24-time All-Star selection , and is widely considered to be one of the greatest hitters in baseball...
and was 8th in the National League in home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s. In he led the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...
with 126 RBI as the Phillies won their first pennant in 35 years. He held the Phillies career record of 259 home run
Home run
In baseball, a home run is scored when the ball is hit in such a way that the batter is able to reach home safely in one play without any errors being committed by the defensive team in the process...
s from 1956 to 1980, and ranked 10th in NL history with 1824 games in the outfield when his career ended.
Career
Ennis was born to George and Agnes Ennis in the Crescentville section of Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
. He played baseball and football at Olney High School and was mentioned as an All-State fullback. Philadelphia Phillies scout Jocko Collins
Jocko Collins
Jocko Collins was a professional basketball referee and supervisor of officials for the National Basketball Association and a baseball scout for the Philadelphia Phillies, San Francisco Giants, Houston Astros, Baltimore Orioles, and New York Mets....
came to watch one of Ennis's high school classmates pitch. When Ennis hit two long home runs, Collins tried to recruit him but Ennis was hesitant, worried that he was not ready, and unsure that he wanted to pursue a baseball career. In August 1942, Ennis finally signed with Collins to play with the Phillies' Canadian-American League
Canadian-American League
This article refers to the original incarnation of the Can-Am League, which operated between 1936 and 1951. For the modern league, see Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball...
team, but the league suspended operation for World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Ennis signed with Collins again in March 1943 and hit .348 with 19 home runs and 16 triple
Triple (baseball)
In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
s for the Phillies' Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey
Trenton is the capital of the U.S. state of New Jersey and the county seat of Mercer County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Trenton had a population of 84,913...
Interstate League
Interstate League
The Interstate League was the name of five different American minor baseball leagues that played intermittently from 1896 through 1952. The longest tenured of these was the last incarnation, which played in the Middle Atlantic States from 1939 through 1952, and was one of the few mid-level minor...
team. In September 1943, Philadelphia wanted to call Ennis to the major leagues, but he went into the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
instead. Ennis saw military action in the Pacific Theater and also toured with a baseball team that included Billy Herman
Billy Herman
William Jennings Bryan "Billy" Herman was an American second baseman in Major League Baseball during the 1930s and 1940s. He was known for his stellar defense and consistent batting...
, Johnny Vander Meer and Schoolboy Rowe
Schoolboy Rowe
Lynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
. He joined the USN on September 29, 1943 and was assigned to Sampson Naval Training Station, New York where he graduated as a signalman from "A" school at Sampson and then posted to the Hawaiian Sea Frontier. He was included on the Navy's Western PAC Tour of many Pacific Islands in 1944–1945. His naval rank was Petty Officer Third Class. Most of his service was on the island of Guam after the winter tour.
Ennis was discharged from the Navy on April 5, 1946 and joined the major league Phillies about a week later. Player-manager Ben Chapman delayed Ennis's debut since he had missed spring training, and then had him pinch-hit on April 28 against the Boston Braves
Boston Braves
Boston Braves may refer to any of the following American professional sports teams:*Boston Braves , the Major League Baseball team now known as the Atlanta Braves...
- a groundout to shortstop
Shortstop
Shortstop, abbreviated SS, is the baseball fielding position between second and third base. Shortstop is often regarded as the most dynamic defensive position in baseball, because there are more right-handed hitters in baseball than left-handed hitters, and most hitters have a tendency to pull the...
. Chapman gave Ennis the starting job in left field, a weak spot in the Phillies' lineup. On May 5, Ennis hit his first home run - a three-run shot in the 1st inning - and then his second, both in the second game of a doubleheader
Doubleheader (baseball)
A doubleheader is a set of two baseball games played between the same two teams on the same day in front of the same crowd. In addition, the term is often used unofficially to refer to a pair of games played by a team in a single day, but in front of different crowds and not in immediate...
. His favorite moment was on his birthday, June 8, when his single broke up a perfect game
Perfect game
A perfect game is defined by Major League Baseball as a game in which a pitcher pitches a victory that lasts a minimum of nine innings and in which no opposing player reaches base. Thus, the pitcher cannot allow any hits, walks, hit batsmen, or any opposing player to reach base safely for any...
with only four outs remaining. That month, Olney
Olney, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Olney is a neighborhood in the North Philadelphia section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. It is roughly bounded by the Roosevelt Boulevard to the south, Tacony Creek to the east, Godfrey Avenue to the north, and the railroad right-of-way west of Sixth Street to the west.Although...
residents held a Del Ennis Night at Shibe Park with 36,356 in attendance and an estimated 20,000 turned away. Del singled with the bases loaded to drive in two runs in the first inning against the Cardinals and the Phils won. His average raised over .300 until a slump in July.
In his early career, Ennis was noted not only for his home runs and hard line drive
Line drive
In baseball, a line drive is a type of batted ball, sharply hit, and on a level trajectory. The threshold between a line drive and a fly ball can be subjective....
s, but also good outfield
Outfield
The outfield is a sporting term used in cricket and baseball to refer to the area of the field of play further from the batsman or batter than the infield...
play and fast, hard baserunning
Baserunning
In baseball, baserunning is the act of running around the bases performed by members of the team at bat.In general, baserunning is a tactical part of the game with the goal of eventually reaching home to score a run. In fact, the goal of batting is generally to produce baserunners, or help move...
. Eleven weeks after his debut, Ennis became the first Phillies rookie ever to make an All-Star
Major League Baseball All-Star Game
The Major League Baseball All-Star Game, also known as the "Midsummer Classic", is an annual baseball game between players from the National League and the American League, currently selected by a combination of fans, players, coaches, and managers...
team on the strength of a powerful throwing arm and his booming bat. He also became the first ever Sporting News Rookie Award
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award
The Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award was established in 1946 by The Sporting News .*In 1947-48, and again in 1950, a single award was given for all of Major League Baseball....
winner, and finished eighth in the MVP
MLB Most Valuable Player Award
The Major League Baseball Most Valuable Player Award is an annual Major League Baseball award, given to one outstanding player in the American League and one in the National League. Since 1931, it has been awarded by the Baseball Writers Association of America...
voting after batting
Batting average
Batting average is a statistic in both cricket and baseball that measures the performance of cricket batsmen and baseball hitters. The two statistics are related in that baseball averages are directly descended from the concept of cricket averages.- Cricket :...
.313 with 17 home runs and 73 RBI and placing second in the NL in slugging average (.485) behind Musial. Here are some facts that illustrate how good Ennis was as a ballplayer in his time. He was among the TOP TEN in these categories: BATTING AVERAGE (three times), HOME RUNS (eight times), RBI’s (ten times), MVP VOTING (eight times), TOTAL BASES (six times). In the decade from 1947 to 1957, only Stan Musial and Duke Snider had better overall production. Snider compiled a total of 1,031 RBI from 1950 to 1959 and Ennis knocked in 1,025 in the decade of the 50's.
Ennis showed his power in 1948, driving in 95 runs with 30 home runs – a Phillies record for right-handed hitters, breaking Gavvy Cravath
Gavvy Cravath
Clifford Carlton "Gavvy" Cravath , also nicknamed "Cactus", was an American right fielder and right-handed batter in Major League Baseball who played primarily for the Philadelphia Phillies...
's total of 24. A year later, he hit .302 with 25 homers and 110 RBI, and he finished second in the NL in doubles
Double (baseball)
In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
both seasons. But his most productive season came in 1950, when he hit .311 with career highs of 31 home runs and an NL-best 126 RBI; the 31 HRs were the team record for right-handed hitters until teammate Stan Lopata
Stan Lopata
Stanley Edward Lopata was an American professional baseball player. Lopata played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for parts of 13 seasons with the Philadelphia Phillies and Milwaukee Braves...
hit 32 in 1956. As a member of the 1950 team dubbed the "Whiz Kids," Del was the scourge of the National League and he helped the Phillies to win their first pennant since in an exciting finish that saw Philadelphia beat out the powerful Brooklyn Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
on the last day of the season, only to be swept in the World Series
1950 World Series
The 1950 World Series was the 47th World Series between the American and National Leagues for the championship of Major League Baseball. The Philadelphia Phillies as 1950 champions of the National League and the New York Yankees, as 1950 American League champions, competed to win a best-of-seven...
by the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, with Ennis hitting only .143 with no RBI. Ennis placed fourth in the MVP voting, won by teammate Jim Konstanty
Jim Konstanty
Casimir James "Jim" Konstanty was an American relief pitcher in Major League Baseball and National League Most Valuable Player of 1950. He played for the Cincinnati Reds , Boston Braves , Philadelphia Phillies , New York Yankees and St. Louis Cardinals...
.
From 1952-55, Ennis collected four 20+ HR, 100+ RBI seasons, with highs of 29 and 125 in 1953. He was also named to three All-Star Games, in 1946, 1951 and 1955. In he passed Chuck Klein
Chuck Klein
Charles Herbert "Chuck" Klein was a Major League Baseball outfielder who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates ....
to become the Phillies' all-time home run leader, and he held the record until Mike Schmidt
Mike Schmidt
Michael Jack Schmidt is a Hall of Fame third baseman popularly considered among the greatest third basemen in the history of Major League Baseball. He played his entire career for the Philadelphia Phillies....
passed him in . In 1956, he also broke Ed Delahanty
Ed Delahanty
Edward James Delahanty , nicknamed "Big Ed", was a Major League Baseball player from 1888 to 1903 for the Philadelphia Quakers, Philadelphia Phillies, Cleveland Infants and Washington Senators, and was known as one of the early great power hitters in the game.He was elected to the Baseball Hall of...
's record of 1,544 games with the Phillies; Richie Ashburn
Richie Ashburn
Don Richard "Richie" Ashburn , also known by the nicknames, "Putt-Putt", "The Tilden Flash", and "Whitey" due to his light-blond hair, was an American center fielder in Major League Baseball. He was born in Tilden, Nebraska...
broke his record in . By the end of the 1956 season he was also among the NL's top ten career home run leaders, though he dropped out of the top ten before his career ended. Traded to the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
before the 1957 season for Rip Repulski
Rip Repulski
Eldon John Repulski was an outfielder in Major League Baseball. From 1953 through 1961, he played with the St. Louis Cardinals , Philadelphia Phillies , Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox . He batted and threw right-handed...
, Ennis responded with a .286 average, 26 home runs and 105 RBI, finishing second in the NL behind his teammate Musial. But his production dropped off sharply in 1958, and after two years in St. Louis he finished his career in playing for the Cincinnati Redlegs
Cincinnati Reds
The Cincinnati Reds are a Major League Baseball team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They are members of the National League Central Division. The club was established in 1882 as a charter member of the American Association and joined the National League in 1890....
and the pennant winning Chicago White Sox
Chicago White Sox
The Chicago White Sox are a Major League Baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois.The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division. Since , the White Sox have played in U.S. Cellular Field, which was originally called New Comiskey Park and nicknamed The Cell by local fans...
. In a 14-season career, Ennis compiled a .284 batting average with 288 home runs, 2,063 hits
Hit (baseball)
In baseball statistics, a hit , also called a base hit, is credited to a batter when the batter safely reaches first base after hitting the ball into fair territory, without the benefit of an error or a fielder's choice....
, 1,284 RBI and 985 runs
Run (baseball)
In baseball, a run is scored when a player advances around first, second and third base and returns safely to home plate, touching the bases in that order, before three outs are recorded and all obligations to reach base safely on batted balls are met or assured...
in 1,903 games.
The story of Del and the abuse he endured from Philadelphia fans in eleven seasons has obscured his impressive statistics and also his memory. The taciturn Ennis, not given to introspection, shrugged off the abuse. Eventually, he won his "war with the wolves" in old Shibe Park and Connie Mack Stadium. As an example, in the second game of a doubleheader against the Cardinals on July 31, 1954, in the top of the third inning, Ennis dropped an outfield fly with the bases loaded and all three runners scored. In the bottom half of the same inning with two on and two out, he hit the first pitch on the roof in left field, and the Phillies won the game by a score of 6-5. Ennis' career ended with a mid-season release by the Chicago White Sox in 1959, after having been acquired from Cincinnati during the first week of the 1959 season. In the first eleven games that he played with the Sox, Del drove in seven runs including a game winner in mid-May in Yankee Stadium. In fact, Ennis had four game-winning hits in six games in early '59 and the Sox went on to win the AL pennant that year. However, Del was not with the team that played the Dodgers in the 1959 World Series although he was voted a one-fourth WS share after the World Series. To make room on the roster for Norm Cash
Norm Cash
Norman Dalton Cash was an American first baseman in Major League Baseball who spent almost his entire career with the Detroit Tigers...
, who had completed his service commitment, Ennis was waived by the White Sox in mid-June 1959, thus ending a highly productive career spanning fourteen seasons. Larry Doby who also played on the White Sox team in 1959, Ralph Kiner, and Enos Slaughter are all in the Baseball Hall of Fame and belong there. Ennis' career stats are the equal of these players yet his votes for entry are paltry. This player's career needs to be reviewed by the Veterans Committee for the future as he is all but dismissed by writers who never saw him in uniform in his time. When Del came to bat in old Connie Mack or Shibe Park, the fans knew that a game could be altered quickly because of his ability to drive in runners on base. The expectation was always there and pitchers in the 1950s knew he was a dangerous hitter as did the Philadelphia fans despite the booing that Del received. He began the final season of his career with the Reds, batting .333 in 12 AB, but with no HR. On May 1, he was traded to the White Sox, where he was the starting left fielder throughout May into early June. His defensive replacement in that period was one Johnny Callison.[For Phillies fans, this is a passing-the-torch moment, if ever there was one.]
With Chicago, Ennis batted .219, 2 HR, 7 RBI in 96 AB. The White Sox released Ennis on June 20. They called-up Jim McAnany to play RF and moved Al Smith from RF to LF for the balance of the season. Ennis was No. 15 in batting for the pennant winning White Sox in the 1959 season despite his early release and retirement.
Following his retirement as a player, Ennis operated a bowling alley
Bowling
Bowling Bowling Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule Bowling (1375–1425; late Middle English bowle, variant of boule...
named Del Ennis Lanes in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania with the former traveling secretary of the Phillies, John Wise. He also bred greyhound race dogs
Greyhound racing
Greyhound racing is the sport of racing greyhounds. The dogs chase a lure on a track until they arrive at the finish line. The one that arrives first is the winner....
. Ennis also spent a year coaching baseball at the Penn State University Abington Campus (formerly Ogontz campus). He remembered his 1950 Phillies days in his sports enterprise, calling three dogs scheduled to run in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
racetracks Whiz Kids Ennis, Whiz Kids Ashburn and Whiz Kids Roberts. In , during the Phillies' 100th anniversary year, he was named to the Philadelphia Phillies Centennial Team. There is a plaque on the Phillies Wall of Fame at the team's new ballpark honoring the career of Del Ennis as a Whiz Kid.
Recollections from Del Ennis
"I really didn't expect to stay with the Phillies but they had to give me a 30 day trial because I was on the National Defense List. I never had spring training [ in 1946] and I pinch hit in Pittsburgh in my first game, then I got into the starting lineup. In my second game in left field, I hit a bases loaded double to beat the Pirates. A few days later in Chicago against the Cubs, I hit two homers in one game"Ennis used to treat his bats with great care "I used to hang out at a gas station called the Gas House. I used to take home a dozen bats at the end of each year. I would fill up one of those big drums with linseed oil and leave the bats in the drum all winter. They would get to be about 40-42 ounces and when I got to Florida for spring training, I put the bats in the dryer where they dried uniforms. That would get them down to about 36 ounces, and make them harder. Andy Seminick and I used the same bat all year in 1950 when we won the NL pennant."
Ennis died in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania
Huntingdon Valley is a village, as well as a suburban mailing address located in Lower Moreland Township, Upper Moreland and Abington Township all in Montgomery County, and in a small section of Upper Southampton Township in Bucks County, Pennsylvania bordering the Fox Chase section of...
at 70 years of age from complications of diabetes. He was buried in Hillside Cemetery, Roslyn, Pennsylvania
Roslyn, Pennsylvania
Roslyn is an unincorporated community in Abington Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally called Hillside, the name Roslyn came from rose gardens that once grew there....
.
Feats
- On June 2, , the Phillies hit five home runs during the same inning (the eighth) in a 12–3 victory over Cincinnati at Shibe Park, tying the major league mark set by the New York GiantsSan Francisco GiantsThe San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
. Andy SeminickAndy SeminickAndrew Wasal Seminick was an American professional baseball player. He played in Major League Baseball as a catcher for the Philadelphia Phillies between 1943 and 1951, and the Cincinnati Reds/Redlegs from 1952 through part of 1955, when he rejoined the Phillies for the rest of his career until...
hit two home runs in the inning, while Ennis, Willie JonesWillie Jones (baseball)Willie Edward Jones , nicknamed "Puddin' Head", was a Major League Baseball third baseman who played for the Philadelphia Phillies , Cleveland Indians and Cincinnati Reds...
and Schoolboy RoweSchoolboy RoweLynnwood Thomas "Schoolboy" Rowe was an American right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies...
had one each. Jones added a tripleTriple (baseball)In baseball, a triple is the act of a batter safely reaching third base after hitting the ball, with neither the benefit of a fielder's misplay nor another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
and Granny HamnerGranny HamnerGranville Wilbur Hamner was an American shortstop and second baseman in Major League Baseball. Hamner was one of the key players on the "Whiz Kids", the National League champion Philadelphia Phillies...
's doubleDouble (baseball)In baseball, a double is the act of a batter striking the pitched ball and safely reaching second base without being called out by the umpire, without the benefit of a fielder's misplay or another runner being put out on a fielder's choice....
made the total of extra basesExtra base hitIn baseball, an extra base hit , also known as a long hit, is any base hit on which the batter is able to advance past first base without the benefit of a fielder either committing an error or opting to make a throw to retire another base runner...
18, still a record. Also in 1949, Ennis ended a scoreless tie with the St Louis Cards in the 9th inning with a home run off P Max Lanier to win the game.
Del Ennis hits a leadoff solo HR on September 1952 in the bottom of the 17th inning as the Phils beat Boston by a score of 7-6 in the first game of a doubleheader at Shibe Park.
Ennis drives in six runs in a game with the Reds at Crosley Field on July 30, 1953.
Opening day in 1956 in Pittsburgh and the game is washed out by rain as Del has 5 RBIs to no avail. He finishes the season of 1956 with 95, the first year in five he misses the 100 RBI mark.
He had a three HR game on July 23, 1955 at Connie Mack Stadium and drove in all 7 runs -one short of George Kelly's NL mark set in 1924- the Phils beating the Cards 7-2 as Robin Roberts wins his 16th season victory and 6th in a row. Three times in his career Del Ennis broke up a no-hit game, including one off Ramón Monzant of the New York Giants on April 29, 1956. In 1946, his two out 8th inning single spoils a no hit perfect game bid by Red Barrett of the Cardinals and in 1947 he broke up a no hit bid by Hal Gregg of the Dodgers.
1950 highlights
- Ennis' salary for 1950 was $30,000, at the time the highest ever paid to a member of the Phillies. Del hit home runs in four consecutive games twice in the 1950 season. In 11 seasons as a Phillies outfielder in the post World War II years, Del Ennis averaged better than 23 home runs and 100 runs batted in and was the key player on the 1950 pennant winning team.
- July 27 - Ennis hit a double and a grand slamGrand slam (baseball)In the sport of baseball, a grand slam is a home run hit with all three bases occupied by baserunners , thereby scoring four runs—the most possible in one play. According to The Dickson Baseball Dictionary, the term originated in the card game of contract bridge, in which a grand slam involves...
with seven RBI against the Chicago CubsChicago CubsThe Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...
, as the Phillies won 13–3 at Shibe Park. Philadelphia won 11 of their next 15 games to hold first place by four games over the Boston BravesAtlanta BravesThe Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....
. - July 30 - In the first game of a doubleheader, he hit his second grand slam in three days in a 10–0 win over Pittsburgh PiratesPittsburgh PiratesThe Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...
. He added a two-run homer as the Phillies won the second game, 4–2. His seven RBI in two games gave him 41 for the month, a new Phillies mark. - August 16 - The Phillies beat the second-place Braves 5-1 on Robin Roberts' three-hitter, scoring four runs in the fourth inning off Vern BickfordVern BickfordVernon Edgell Bickford was a starting pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Braves in Boston and Milwaukee , and for the Baltimore Orioles...
including Ennis' 26th home run of the season. - August 21 - The Phillies beat the New York Giants as Ennis had three hits and drove in his 100th run of the season to bolster Curt SimmonsCurt SimmonsCurtis Thomas "Curt" Simmons is a former left-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball from 1947–50 and 1952-67. With right-hander Robin Roberts, a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, Simmons was one of the twin anchors of the starting rotation of the "Whiz Kids", the Philadelphia Phillies' ...
' four-hit shutoutShutoutIn team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
for his 16th winWin (baseball)In professional baseball, there are two types of decisions: a win and a loss . In each game, one pitcher on the winning team is awarded a win and one pitcher on the losing team is given a loss in their respective statistics. These pitchers are collectively known as the pitchers of record. Only...
of the season. Philadelphia heads west with a 5½ game lead in the NL pennant race. - September 15 - In a doubleheader against Cincinnati, Ennis went 5-for-10, including a three-RBI double in the 18th inning of game two, as the Phillies won both games.
- September 24 - As the Phillies near the end of a pennant season, Ennis powered the faltering "Whiz Kids" past the Boston Braves with a home run, three singlesSingle (baseball)In baseball, a single is the most common type of base hit, accomplished through the act of a batter safely reaching first base by hitting a fair ball and getting to first base before a fielder puts him out...
, and four RBI in an 8–7 win.
See also
- List of major league players with 2,000 hits
- List of top 300 Major League Baseball home run hitters
- List of Major League Baseball players with 1000 RBI
- List of Major League Baseball RBI champions
External links
- BaseballLibrary - career highlights
- BaseballLibrary: 1950 Phillies summary
- Vintage Card Traders
