Southpaw Harry Perkowski, who pitched for the Reds and Cubs,
passed away this past Wednesday, April 20, 2016. He was 93.
All Harry ever wanted to do in life was become a professional baseball player. He learned the game on the coalfields of West Virginia. At that time, the mining companies cared as much or more about their company baseball teams as they did about the mining, and the good players got better pay and softer work. Harry's father was the miner in the family, but Harry watched the games and then practiced with homemade baseballs fashioned from paper and tape. After graduating from high school, Harry signed with the Class D Natchez Giants in Mississippi, part of the Evangeline League. The league soon folded as America had entered into the War and bodies and resources were needed overseas. Harry was drafted into the US Navy and served in both the European and Pacific theaters.
Harry resumed his baseball career in 1946, signed by Cincinnati. He dominated with Class C Ogden, going 23-6 with a 2.09 ERA. The next year, he won 17 with Class A Columbia. That was enough to get him his first major league cup of coffee that September. Harry spent all of 1948 with the Tulsa Oilers, winning 22 and again keeping his ERA south of 3. After winning 14 games with Syracuse in 1949, Harry joined the Reds varsity and stuck with them for the next few years. He pitched mostly in relief in 1950 and 1951. Moved to the rotation in 1952, he posted back-to-back 12 win seasons. But he faltered in 1954 and was traded to the Cubs.
Harry's last major league action came with Chicago in 1955. Back in the pen, he was 3-4 with an ERA of 5.29. He pitched in the minors through 1960, mostly in relief, posting one more 12 win season with Fort Worth in 1958. He retired at the age of 38. His career major league record was 33-40, but his minor league record was 117-63.
Among his many jobs after baseball, Harry was an ambulance driver, a school bus driver, a Sheriff's Deputy, and the Mabscott Chief of Police.
Below are a couple of images of Harry with the Reds. John posted a very nice image of Harry with Chicago in these pages
several years ago. If you're looking for color, the best picture I've seen was on Harry's 1953 Bowman Color baseball card. For my money, that's the most beautiful baseball card set ever made (just sayin').