Lefty Herring
Encyclopedia
Silas Clarke "Lefty" Herring (March 4, 1880 - February 11, 1965) was a first baseman
in Major League Baseball
. He played for the National League
's Washington Senators and American League
's Washington Senators
. He stood at 5' 11" and weighed 160 lbs.
.
In 1899, Herring was discovered by the Senators. He made his major league debut on May 16, pitching one inning without allowing any runs and getting a hit
in his only at bat
. The Washington Post
reported that Herring was "a hit with the crowd. He possesses speed and control, and with the benefit of coaching should be developed into a clever left-handed pitcher." On June 1, Herring made his second MLB appearance, again pitching one scoreless inning. He also drew a walk
and scored on a teammate's double
.
For the next few years, Herring returned to amateur baseball and eventually stopped pitching and converted to first base and the outfield
. In 1904, he was batting
.429 in the Sunday School League when he was signed by the American League's Senators. Herring struggled in 15 major league games that year. He batted just .174 and was inconsistent in the field. According to the Post, Herring was "good on handling thrown balls, but forgets what to do when grounders are hit his way." He played his last game for the Senators on September 3.
Herring played with various amateur, semi-pro, and minor league teams after 1904, including one stint in the Virginia League
. He was married with three children, and the marriage ended in divorce in the 1920s.
During his later years, Herring worked as a mail supervisor for an automotive company. He died in 1965 in Massapequa, New York
.
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
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...
. He played for 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...
's Washington Senators and American League
American League
The American League of Professional Baseball Clubs, or simply the American League , is one of two leagues that make up Major League Baseball in the United States and Canada. It developed from the Western League, a minor league based in the Great Lakes states, which eventually aspired to major...
's Washington Senators
Minnesota Twins
The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...
. He stood at 5' 11" and weighed 160 lbs.
Biography
Herring was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, one of nine children born to Fred and Elizabeth Herring. He worked as a government clerk towards the end of the 19th century and also played amateur baseball on the side, mostly as a pitcherPitcher
In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throwsthe baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or draw a walk. In the numbering system used to record defensive plays, the...
.
In 1899, Herring was discovered by the Senators. He made his major league debut on May 16, pitching one inning without allowing any runs and getting a hit
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....
in his only at bat
At bat
In baseball, an at bat or time at bat is used to calculate certain statistics, including batting average, on base percentage, and slugging percentage. It is a more restricted definition of a plate appearance...
. The Washington Post
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
reported that Herring was "a hit with the crowd. He possesses speed and control, and with the benefit of coaching should be developed into a clever left-handed pitcher." On June 1, Herring made his second MLB appearance, again pitching one scoreless inning. He also drew a walk
Base on balls
A base on balls is credited to a batter and against a pitcher in baseball statistics when a batter receives four pitches that the umpire calls balls. It is better known as a walk. The base on balls is defined in Section 2.00 of baseball's Official Rules, and further detail is given in 6.08...
and scored on a teammate's double
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....
.
For the next few years, Herring returned to amateur baseball and eventually stopped pitching and converted to first base and the outfield
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
. In 1904, he was 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 :...
.429 in the Sunday School League when he was signed by the American League's Senators. Herring struggled in 15 major league games that year. He batted just .174 and was inconsistent in the field. According to the Post, Herring was "good on handling thrown balls, but forgets what to do when grounders are hit his way." He played his last game for the Senators on September 3.
Herring played with various amateur, semi-pro, and minor league teams after 1904, including one stint in the Virginia League
Virginia League
The Virginia League was a minor league baseball affiliation which operated in Virginia and North Carolina from 1906 to 1928. It was classified as a "C" league from 1906 to 1919 and as a "B" league from 1920 to 1928....
. He was married with three children, and the marriage ended in divorce in the 1920s.
During his later years, Herring worked as a mail supervisor for an automotive company. He died in 1965 in Massapequa, New York
Massapequa, New York
Massapequa is a hamlet located in the suburban Nassau County, New York. As of the 2010 census, the CDP had a total population of 21,685.Massapequa is located on the South Shore of Long Island....
.