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Pitching from 1901-1917, Eddie Plank was one of baseball’s best hurlers. A consistent winner, the left-hander won at least 14 games each of his 14 seasons in Philadelphia. In 1910 he became the first left-handed pitcher to win 200 games. By the time he was released by the A’s in 1914, Plank’s win total reached 284.

He jumped to the Federal League’s St. Louis Terriers in 1915. On September 11 that year Plank became baseball’s first southpaw to earn 300 wins. His 69 career shutouts are the most by a lefty in MLB history. Among portside hurlers only Warren Spahn and Steve Carlton have surpassed Plank’s 326 victories.

Plank was also outstanding in postseason play. In each of his four Fall Classics, Plank posted sub-2.00 ERAs. Overall he pitched in 7 World Series games, including 6 starts. He allowed just 0.878 walks and hits per inning pitched (WHIP) and had a sparkling 1.32 earned run average.

Plank was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1946.

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Eddie Plank’s 17-year big league career came to an end on August 7, 1917. Pitching for the St. Louis Browns the first southpaw to win 300 games faced off against Walter Johnson.

Twenty-five days before his 42nd birthday, Plank was masterful. Locked in a pitcher’s duel with the Big Train, Plank allowed just three hits through the first nine innings. Meanwhile Johnson stifled the Browns offense, holding them scoreless as well.

In the 10th inning both hurlers retired the side in order. After Johnson posted another 1-2-3 inning in the 11th, Plank returned to the mound for the bottom half of the frame.

Eddie Ainsmith led off by drawing a walk. In a sacrifice attempt, Plank’s counterpart Johnson popped out to first. Horace Milan then laced his second hit of the game in the 5-6 hole to advance Ainsmith to third. Washington second baseman Eddie Foster ended the game with a single up the middle to secure the walk-off victory.

Plank’s 5-hit 10 1/3 inning performance was his in a big league uniform.

Shown here is a handwritten letter from Walter Johnson to Hall of Fame executive Ford Frick. Johnson thanks the then-NL president for awarding him a lifetime pass.

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In this letter of August 17, 1952 Philadelphia Inquirer sportswriter Bill Duncan writes to Eddie Plank’s former teammate Chief Bender. A native of Plank’s home town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, Duncan grew up a fan of the Philadelphia Athletics.

The scribe worked to get both Plank and Bender into Cooperstown. In that quest he enlisted the help of Athletics manager Connie Mack, one of the most influential men in baseball.

Duncan and Mack helped persuade the Veterans Committee to select Plank in 1946. Now Duncan’s attention turned to Bender.

In his letter he writes, “He (Connie Mack) was instrumental in the selection of our old friend Eddie. I hope something can be done for you real soon.”

Later Duncan refers to Bender, Plank and Jack Coombs, writing, “As a boy my great delight was to come down here from Gettysburg the three of you work.”

A copy of the letter Duncan sent to Mack on Bender’s behalf is the next image.

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Getting Eddie Plank and Chief Bender elected to the Hall of Fame was no small task for sportswriter Bill Duncan. A longtime Pennsylvania resident, Duncan’s favorite team of his boyhood was the Philadelphia Athletics led by the two pitchers.

Both hurlers had fallen off the writers’ ballot. Duncan decided to enlist the help of baseball icon Connie Mack to lobby the Veterans Committee.

In this letter to the Athletics’ manager, Duncan writes, “…Eddie did not get into the Hall until you stepped into the picture and urged the Old Timers Committee to select him. I know that you agree that Chief Bender is away overdue…You carry tremendous weight in baseball. With the Chief’s ‘Day’ coming up, I suggest this is the appropriate time to see what can be done.”

With the help of Duncan, and of course one of the most powerful men in the game in Connie Mack, Eddie Plank gained induction in 1946. Chief Bender was elected in 1953, less than a year after Duncan took up his cause.