Hank Erickson
Encyclopedia
Henry Nels "Hank" Erickson (November 11, 1907 – December 13, 1964) was a professional baseball
catcher
. Erickson spent seven seasons in professional baseball, one of which was in Major League Baseball
with the Cincinnati Reds
. Over his major league career, Erickson batted
.261 with nine runs
, 23 hits
, three doubles
, two triples
, one home run
, and four runs batted in (RBIs) in 37 games. His only season in the majors was cut short because of injuries he suffered in an automobile accident.
In six minor league
seasons (1931–1934, 1936–1937), Erickson batted .265 with 333 hits, 49 doubles, 20 triples, and five home runs in 402 games. He played for three teams in the minors; the Double-A Louisville Colonels of the American Association
, the Double-A Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League
, and the Class-A Waterloo Reds
of the Western League
. During his career, Erickson had the nickname "Popeye".
.179 with five hits
, and one triple
. Erickson spent the next three seasons with the Colonels. In 1932, Erickson batted .301 with 71 hits, nine doubles
, six triples, and one home run
. The next season, 1933, Erickson batted .298 with 105 hits, 18 doubles, four triples, and two home runs in 105 games. Erickson spent his final season with the Colonels in 1934. During that season, he batted .264 with 57 hits, 10 doubles, five triples, two home runs. Erickson was sent to the Philadelphia Athletics that season, however, he was returned before making an appearance.
as a part of a rebuilding phase in the franchise. On April 18, after replacing injured catcher Ernie Lombardi
in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates
, Erickson hit his first major league home run. During his time with the Reds, Erickson was given the nickname "Popeye" after the comic strip character
. Erickson was involved in an automobile accident in September. He suffered a dislocated right hip, a broken left elbow
, a skull fracture
, a brain
injury, and skull lacerations. Early into his hospital stay, Erickson slipped in and out of consciousness. He was unable to play for the remainder of the season. Injured catcher Ernie Lombardi had to take over the bulk of the catching duties while Erickson was out. Erickson played 37 games with the Reds and batted .261 with nine runs, 23 hits, three doubles, two triples, one home run, and four runs batted in (RBIs).
. However, Erickson played the entire 1937 season with the Class-A Waterloo Reds
. With Waterloo, Erickson batted .232 with 51 hits, seven doubles, and two triples in 66 games. 1937 would prove to be Erickson's final season in professional baseball.
. He died on December 13, 1964 in Louisville. Erickson was buried at Glen Oak Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois
.
Professional baseball
Baseball is a team sport which is played by several professional leagues throughout the world. In these leagues, and associated farm teams, players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system....
catcher
Catcher
Catcher is a position for a baseball or softball player. When a batter takes his turn to hit, the catcher crouches behind home plate, in front of the umpire, and receives the ball from the pitcher. This is a catcher's primary duty, but he is also called upon to master many other skills in order to...
. Erickson spent seven seasons in professional baseball, one of which was 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...
with the Cincinnati Reds
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....
. Over his major league career, Erickson batted
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 :...
.261 with nine 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...
, 23 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....
, three 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....
, two triples
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....
, one 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...
, and four runs batted in (RBIs) in 37 games. His only season in the majors was cut short because of injuries he suffered in an automobile accident.
In six minor league
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
seasons (1931–1934, 1936–1937), Erickson batted .265 with 333 hits, 49 doubles, 20 triples, and five home runs in 402 games. He played for three teams in the minors; the Double-A Louisville Colonels of the American Association
American Association (20th century)
The American Association was a minor league baseball league at the Triple-A level of baseball in the United States from to and to . Together with the International League, it contested the Junior World Series which determined the championship team in minor league baseball, at least for the...
, the Double-A Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League
International League
The International League is a minor league baseball league that operates in the eastern United States. Like the Pacific Coast League and the Mexican League, it plays at the Triple-A level, which is one step below Major League Baseball. It was so named because it had teams in both the United States...
, and the Class-A Waterloo Reds
Waterloo Hawks (baseball)
The Waterloo Hawks were a minor league team that existed on-and-off from 1922 to 1969. From 1922 to 1932, they played in the Mississippi Valley League and in 1932 they were affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. They played in the Western League in 1936 and from 1940 to 1942 they played in the...
of the Western League
Western League (defunct minor league)
The Western League is a name given to several circuits in American minor league baseball. Its earliest progenitor, which existed from 1885 to 1899, was the predecessor of the American League...
. During his career, Erickson had the nickname "Popeye".
Early career
Erickson began his professional career in 1931 with the Double-A Louisville Colonels. In eight games that season, Erickson battedBatting 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 :...
.179 with five 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....
, and one 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....
. Erickson spent the next three seasons with the Colonels. In 1932, Erickson batted .301 with 71 hits, nine 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....
, six triples, and one 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...
. The next season, 1933, Erickson batted .298 with 105 hits, 18 doubles, four triples, and two home runs in 105 games. Erickson spent his final season with the Colonels in 1934. During that season, he batted .264 with 57 hits, 10 doubles, five triples, two home runs. Erickson was sent to the Philadelphia Athletics that season, however, he was returned before making an appearance.
Cincinnati Reds
In 1935, Erickson was purchased by the Cincinnati RedsCincinnati 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....
as a part of a rebuilding phase in the franchise. On April 18, after replacing injured catcher Ernie Lombardi
Ernie Lombardi
Ernesto Natali "Ernie" Lombardi , was a Major League Baseball catcher for the Brooklyn Robins, the Cincinnati Reds, the Boston Braves and the New York Giants during a Hall of Fame career that spanned 17 years, from 1931 to 1947. He had several nicknames, including "Schnozz", "Lumbago", "Bocci",...
in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The 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...
, Erickson hit his first major league home run. During his time with the Reds, Erickson was given the nickname "Popeye" after the comic strip character
Popeye
Popeye the Sailor is a cartoon fictional character created by Elzie Crisler Segar, who has appeared in comic strips and animated cartoons in the cinema as well as on television. He first appeared in the daily King Features comic strip Thimble Theatre on January 17, 1929...
. Erickson was involved in an automobile accident in September. He suffered a dislocated right hip, a broken left elbow
Elbow
The human elbow is the region surrounding the elbow-joint—the ginglymus or hinge joint in the middle of the arm. Three bones form the elbow joint: the humerus of the upper arm, and the paired radius and ulna of the forearm....
, a skull fracture
Skull fracture
A skull fracture is a break in one or more of the bones in the skull usually occurring as a result of blunt force trauma. If the force of the impact is excessive the bone may fracture at or near the site of the impact...
, a brain
Brain
The brain is the center of the nervous system in all vertebrate and most invertebrate animals—only a few primitive invertebrates such as sponges, jellyfish, sea squirts and starfishes do not have one. It is located in the head, usually close to primary sensory apparatus such as vision, hearing,...
injury, and skull lacerations. Early into his hospital stay, Erickson slipped in and out of consciousness. He was unable to play for the remainder of the season. Injured catcher Ernie Lombardi had to take over the bulk of the catching duties while Erickson was out. Erickson played 37 games with the Reds and batted .261 with nine runs, 23 hits, three doubles, two triples, one home run, and four runs batted in (RBIs).
Later career
Erickson spent the 1936 season with the Double-A Toronto Maple Leafs in the Cincinnati Reds organization. Erickson was sent down by the Reds to receive the bulk of the catching duties in the minors. He batted .216 with 44 hits, five doubles, and two triples in 73 games that season. On November 25, 1936, the Reds sold Erickson to the Rochester Red WingsRochester Red Wings
The Rochester Red Wings are a minor league baseball team based in Rochester, New York. The team plays in the International League and is the Triple-A affiliate of the Minnesota Twins major-league club. The Red Wings play in Frontier Field, located in downtown Rochester.The Red Wings were an...
. However, Erickson played the entire 1937 season with the Class-A Waterloo Reds
Waterloo Hawks (baseball)
The Waterloo Hawks were a minor league team that existed on-and-off from 1922 to 1969. From 1922 to 1932, they played in the Mississippi Valley League and in 1932 they were affiliated with the Chicago White Sox. They played in the Western League in 1936 and from 1940 to 1942 they played in the...
. With Waterloo, Erickson batted .232 with 51 hits, seven doubles, and two triples in 66 games. 1937 would prove to be Erickson's final season in professional baseball.
Personal
Erickson was born on November 11, 1907 in Chicago, Illinois. According to TheDeadBallEra.com, after his professional baseball career was over, Erickson worked as a stockroom manager in Louisville, KentuckyLouisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
. He died on December 13, 1964 in Louisville. Erickson was buried at Glen Oak Cemetery in Hillside, Illinois
Hillside, Illinois
Hillside is a village in Cook County, Illinois, United States. The population was 8,155 at the 2000 census.One notable landmark in Hillside is the Mount Carmel Cemetery. On the grounds of the cemetery are the graves of a number of organized crime figures, such as Al Capone and Dion O'Bannion...
.