Hide Article Text (OCR)
DRVARY 27th. 1020.•**!y1ity\h.*r-it:O 1y Iir!t\EDDIE PLANKIS SERIOUSLY ILL OF STROKELeft Side b Helpless and Vgteran Athlete j Is Unable to Speak*Sj '----------- 5 - '5, Dr*'D»lby ‘late this afternoon,0. after visiting Eddie Plank, said he 4] held very slight hope” for his 4 recovery. “Apparently, Eddie 0 i* Steadily sinking, and I can*i 0 see how he can possibly recover,”0 the physicianOvercome by a paralytic stroke, sj which has left his entire left side g I helpless and rendered him speechless, g j Edward S. Eddie’1 Plank, former big j) league baseball pitcher, is critically ill at his home on Carlisle street.Late this afternoon, his physician and members of his family said the 2 \ veteran moundsman is very low,” with no signs of improvement apparent, and with little hope for bin recovery.“Eddie” was stricken before he was dressed. Monday morning, after Iiav-ingf retired in apparently good health Sunday evening. Although he had j been complaining for several months, i and his health had not been up to- j par, he was not sick enough to be ' compelled to take his bed.. On account of the illness of his i carents, Mr. and Mrs. David Plank, ; Harrisburg road, news of the illness t • of Eddie” was not given out and_ j word of the seriousness of the attackI • became generally known only Mon-c I day evening. This morning, the . j aged parents of the veteran pitcherII were told of their sort's illness.1 Is 50 Years of Age, j The veteran pitcher, probably one J'of the most widely-known and beat-^ I liked athletes of his day, was uncoti-j sc Sous for several hours after the »j seizure.. j According to reports from the r j Plank home, the veteran athlete who jjis fifty years old apparently recog-i nizes members of his family and rel-, alive s who are permitted to see him. . i but he is unable ttf talk to them, the IJ stroke having paralyzed his organs . j of sue cell.r “-, ^ Members of the Plank family be-11 lieve, however, that the famous twirl-,! er is conscious and recognizes those , j about* him, for thev said that when i they speak to him tears well hiifeyes , j and course down his lined cheeks.And while he is unable to converse j with those about him, Eddie’s” once- powerful left aim and band, which won him fame and considerable fortune in major league baseball through1 almost a score of years, lay useless 1 by .his side.j Slight Rally; It seems as though that part of j Eddie’s once splendid physique which j he exerted to its utmost in pitching ; duels, making baseball history, was \ the first to weaken, although the I strain and exertion were withdrawn | eleven years ago.Through the watches of the night, “Eddie's” condition showed no sign of improvement, and between 4 and 5 o’clock this morning those in attendance f caret J the end was near, but the veteran athlete, who apparently is fighting death with as much grim determination as he ever fought an opposing batsmen, rallied, opened his eyes and endeavored to smile.For some inonths. according* to reD atives of the veteran pitcher, “Eddie” has complained of pains in the neck and back of his head, and appearei nervous.On Sunday, however, he seemed 11 j good spirits, and with members of hi:1 family went to Biglerville to visi his sister, Mrs, Grace Spangler, whlt; has (been ill.Eddie” Plank, who was born on ; farm on the Harrisburg road, north 0 town, was the brightest constellatioi the baseball firmament ever knew. Ii his prime, ho had few peers, and certainly no pitcher could truthfully saj that he was better than the peerless Eddie.”For seventeen years, “Eddie” was the idol of baseball fans, aspiring pitchers and sand-lotiers, all of whoir followed his stellar career with a1-avid an interest us is possible for 11 baseball fan.When “Eddie” was in his prime, the -Phi lad el phi a ‘Athletics, where he attained his greatest fame, were league Icaclers, and to the Gettysburg man’. stronv portside deliveries Connie Muck credits scveial worlds’ champion baseball pennants.Eddie” attended Gettysburg Academy and College, but his career cut short his studies and he never graduated. He went directly to the Athletics and at once his speed, control and smartness under fire impressed the veteran leader, Connie Mack, who developed the un match able Eddie.”With the breakup in Connie’s Athletics, “Eddie” went to the St. I/ui« Federals, where he is said to have received a salary of $10,000 a season. But age was creeping up on the famous port si tier, and he was traded to New York.He never reported to the Now York nine*, however, but retired with his laurels. When he came back here,he was accorded a banquet at the Eagle Hotel, and figures, prominent in the baseball world, came here to pay tribute to the redoubtable “Eddie.”With his wife and son, Eddie, Jr., lO^the veteran pitcher made his homo here, going into the garage business at the corner of York anil Stratton streets. He operated the business
Newspaper Details
Gettysburg Star and Sentinel
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, US
Sat, Feb 27, 1926
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
John C.
PA, USA 27 Jul 2016
Other Publications Near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
Gettysburg Times
Gettysburg Star and Republican Banner
Republican Banner
Gettysburg Gazette
Gettysburg Compiler
