| Chautauqua County, New York |
| Chautauqua County, New York |
Howard Ehmke was born and raised in Silver Creek and became nationally known when he was Manager Connie Mack’s surprise choice to start on the mound for the Philadelphia Athletics in 1929.
Ehmke’s 15-year major league career was with Boston, Detroit and Philadelphia and he compiled a 167-166 record. His best season was 1923 with Boston when he won 20 games and threw a no-hitter against Philadelphia.
Ehmke was a veteran hurler with only 55 innings of action during the 1929 season when Mack picked the right-hander to start the World Series opener. Ehmke struck out 13 Cubs for a record that stood for 24 years until Carl Erskine of the Brooklyn Dodgers broke it in 1953. The A’s won that World Series opener 3-1 and it was Ehmke’s last victory.
Ehmke lived in Philadelphia where he died in 1959. He was inducted into the Chautauqua Sports Hall of Fame in 1983.
Howard Ehmke -circa 1920
Links
The Single Toughest Decision Connie Mack Made