Ed Blake – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Ed Blake’s baseball career is really the story of a gritty pitcher who fought through war wounds and a long grind in the minors just to get a shot at the majors. He was born in East St. Louis, Illinois, back in 1925. His dreams of pro baseball hit a big pause when he shipped out for World War II and got wounded as an infantryman in the Philippines.

Blake played eight games across six seasons in the major leagues with the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Athletics between 1951 and 1957 before retiring from professional baseball in 1959. His time in the big leagues was short, but the years he spent working his way through the minors say a lot about his toughness and love for the game. After signing with the St. Louis Cardinals in 1944, he bounced around several minor league teams, sharpening his skills along the way.

Blake’s story is about more than just stats. It reflects what a whole generation of ballplayers went through—military service, tough competition, and dreams that sometimes had to wait. After baseball, he worked as a plumber, and his family stayed involved in the sport. That lasting connection makes him a kind of symbol for all the guys chasing big league dreams back in baseball’s golden age.

Early Life and Amateur Baseball

Ed Blake was born December 23, 1925, in East St. Louis, Illinois. He grew up into a talented young pitcher who definitely caught the eye of pro scouts.

His high school years at East St. Louis High School included some notable teammates and early attention from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Family Background and Childhood

Edward James Blake arrived in East St. Louis, Illinois, on December 23, 1925. He spent his childhood in this busy industrial city just across the river from St. Louis, Missouri.

The city had a strong baseball tradition and was full of working-class families. Local leagues and school teams gave kids like Blake plenty of chances to play and get better.

Blake’s family encouraged his interest in sports from early on. Major league scouts often came through the area, thanks to its closeness to St. Louis.

High School Years and Notable Teammates

Blake attended East St. Louis High School, where he pitched and kept developing his game. His most famous teammate was Hank Bauer, who went on to play outfield for the New York Yankees.

Some reports say Blake might have also attended Central Catholic High School in East St. Louis with Bauer. Either way, both showed standout talent during their school years.

Having two future big leaguers on one team says a lot about the level of baseball in East St. Louis during the 1940s. Their success made scouts take notice of their school’s program.

Early Interest from Major League Teams

The St. Louis Cardinals kept a close eye on Blake while he was still a teenager. Scouts liked his right-handed pitching, especially his control and velocity.

At just 17, in 1943, Blake got invited by the Cardinals to throw batting practice during the World Series. That’s not something you see every day for a high schooler.

The Cardinals grew more interested as 1943 and 1944 went on. Blake’s performances in high school and local leagues convinced them to sign him in 1944, when he was only 18.

Military Service and Return to Baseball

Ed Blake had to put baseball on hold for World War II after the 1944 season. He joined the Army and served as an infantryman in the Philippines with the 40th Infantry Division. He got wounded there and spent nine months recovering before he could come back to pro baseball in 1946.

Service in the Army and WWII

Blake signed his contract with the Cardinals in 1944, but then entered the Army. Even though some thought he’d get a cushy assignment because he was a ballplayer, the Army sent him straight to combat.

He served in the Pacific, fighting in the Philippines. The experience was nothing like baseball.

Blake later remembered finding an old Mel Ott bat and some baseballs after his unit took over a Japanese camp. That was all he had to remind him of the game—just tossing a ball around with fellow soldiers.

Wounds and Recovery

Blake got wounded in the Philippines during combat. The injury was serious and he needed a long recovery.

He spent nine months healing up. That break from both fighting and baseball gave him time to recover physically and mentally.

Missing all that time definitely set him back in baseball. Still, the long recovery also gave him more determination to return to the game when his Army service ended.

Resuming Professional Baseball

In 1946, Blake reported to spring training with the Cardinals after finishing his recovery. The return to pro ball wasn’t easy at first. He started out with the Columbus Cardinals in the Class A South Atlantic League.

His comeback got off to a rough start. Blake lost his first three games and felt pretty down about it. “I was really depressed,” he admitted.

But then things turned around. After those losses, Blake rattled off 13 straight wins. That streak really showed the grit he’d built up during the war.

He wrapped up 1946 with a solid 16-8 record and a 3.51 ERA. That year proved he could still compete, even after losing valuable development time to the war.

Minor League Success and Major League Debut

Ed Blake spent more than ten years working his way up in the minors before finally making it to the majors with the Cincinnati Reds in 1951. His journey included military service and a wild 13-game winning streak that really put him on the map.

Progression Through Minor Leagues

Blake’s pro career started in 1944 when the Cardinals signed him at 18. That first year, he pitched for the Columbus Red Birds, Allentown Cardinals, and Knoxville Smokies.

He went 5-6 before joining the Army in late 1944. While serving in the Pacific, he got wounded and needed nine months to recover before he could play again.

Blake came back to baseball in 1946 with the Columbus Cardinals. He struggled at first, losing his first three starts.

Then he caught fire, winning 13 in a row. He finished that season with a 16-8 record and a 3.51 ERA, showing he had real promise.

Cincinnati Reds Years

The Cincinnati Reds got Blake from the Cardinals in 1949 for Mike Schultz. He spent two more years in the minors before finally getting his shot in the big leagues.

Blake debuted in the majors on May 1, 1951, with the Cincinnati Reds. He was 25 and pitched in games during the 1951, 1952, and 1953 seasons.

He found it tough to stick in the majors. The Reds only used him in a handful of games each year.

His MLB stats tell the story—he posted a 6.23 ERA across eight games.

Blake made his last major league appearance in 1957 with the Kansas City Athletics. His final game came on April 28, 1957, against the Chicago White Sox.

Notable Minor League Achievements

Blake’s minor league run lasted 15 seasons and was way more successful than his short time in the majors. He put up a record of 142-126 over 418 games.

He logged 2,370 innings in the minors, with a 4.65 ERA, allowing 2,554 hits and 927 walks.

Blake never played below Class A in the minors. He spent most of his time in AAA, just a step below the majors.

The Cardinals saw something special in him early on. At 17, they let him pitch batting practice during the World Series.

That 13-game winning streak in 1946 stands out as his best minor league run. It kept him in pro baseball for more than a decade.

Major League Career Highlights

Ed Blake’s MLB career stretched from 1951 to 1957, but he only appeared in eight games as a reliever. He played for two American League teams and kept battling for chances, even if those chances were few and far between.

Pitching Style and Techniques

Blake stood 5’11” and weighed 175 pounds, throwing right-handed. He mostly worked out of the bullpen in the majors.

He focused on control, not raw power. Blake liked to get ground balls and mess with hitters’ timing.

His time in the Army during World War II really disrupted his development. He served as an infantryman in the Philippines and got wounded, needing nine months to recover.

After coming back in 1946, he had to rebuild his arm strength from scratch. He worked on his control and developed a more patient, methodical approach to pitching.

Stints with Cincinnati Reds

Blake debuted on May 1, 1951, for the Cincinnati Reds against the Phillies. He was 25 years old.

In that first game, Blake pitched one inning, gave up five hits and two earned runs, and didn’t record a strikeout or a walk.

The Reds used him only as a reliever during his three years there. He got two more appearances in 1951 after his debut.

He returned in 1952 for two more relief outings, spending most of the year with Milwaukee in the American Association.

His last game with the Reds came in 1953, just one relief appearance. That same year, he went 14-7 with Indianapolis in the minors.

Kansas City Athletics Performance

The Kansas City Athletics drafted Blake from Toronto in December 1956. When they tried to trade him to Detroit, Commissioner Frick stepped in.

Frick said Blake had to get a real shot with Kansas City at least through March 25, 1957. That gave the 31-year-old one more chance in the majors.

Blake pitched in two relief games for the Athletics in April 1957. Those turned out to be his final big league appearances.

After that short stint, he went back to Toronto in the International League. The Athletics released him not long after those games.

His time with Kansas City closed the book on his MLB career. Overall, he finished with an 8.31 ERA over 8⅔ innings in the majors.

1957 Final MLB Season

Blake’s 1957 season was his last in the majors. He pitched in two games for the Kansas City Athletics that April.

Those games came after three years away from the big leagues, time he spent pitching for Toronto in the International League.

After Kansas City released him, Blake went back to Toronto for the rest of 1957. He kept pitching in the International League through 1959.

He wrapped up his pro career with the Houston Buffs in 1959. In total, he pitched eight games across six major league seasons.

Blake’s determination to get back to the majors after military service says a lot about his love for the game. He faced the same challenges as many players whose careers were put on hold by World War II.

Post-MLB Professional Career

Blake kept playing in the minors after his major league days ended, spending his last seasons with Toronto and Houston before moving on to work as a plumber.

International League with Toronto

After those two relief outings for the Kansas City Athletics in April 1957, Blake headed back to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the International League. This was his second run with the team—he’d played there from 1954 to 1956 too.

Blake had already proven himself as a reliable pitcher for Toronto. He put up seasons of 15-9, 17-13, and 17-11 before Kansas City picked him up.

Returning to Toronto felt like familiar ground for the veteran pitcher. He stayed with the Maple Leafs through 1959, serving as a steady presence in their rotation.

His solid work with Toronto in those last years helped him stretch out his career a little longer. The International League gave Blake the chance to keep pitching as he wound down his time in baseball.

Playing for Houston Buffs

In 1959, Blake split his final professional season between Toronto and the Houston Buffs of the American Association. Houston became his last stop in organized baseball.

The American Association offered high-level minor league competition at the time. By assigning Blake to Houston, the team showed he still had something to offer at a strong level of play.

His stint with the Buffs didn’t last long, but it mattered—it wrapped up nearly two decades of professional baseball. Blake had kicked off his career back in 1944 with the St. Louis Cardinals organization.

Houston gave Blake the chance to end his career on his own terms. He eased into retirement rather than stopping cold.

Transition Toward Retirement

Blake retired from professional baseball in 1959 when he was 33. His career lasted 15 years and took him through several levels of organized baseball.

After his playing days, Blake jumped into the plumbing trade. He worked as a plumber for nearly 50 years and eventually led Plumbers Local 360 as president.

Players from Blake’s era often switched to blue-collar jobs after baseball. They needed steady work once their athletic careers wrapped up.

Blake built a solid reputation in plumbing that outlasted his time in baseball.

Life After Baseball and Legacy

Ed Blake put together a successful 50-year run in the plumbing industry after stepping away from professional baseball. His son, Ed Blake Jr., followed in his father’s athletic footsteps, playing four years in minor league baseball after the Baltimore Orioles drafted him.

Career in Plumbing Industry

After hanging up his glove in 1959, Blake moved into the plumbing business. He stuck with the trade for nearly five decades, showing the same work ethic he had on the field.

He didn’t just stay a plumber, though. Blake got deeply involved in industry leadership and advocacy.

Leadership Role:

• Past president of Plumbers Local 360
• Served the plumbing community for almost 50 years
• Kept strong ties with organized labor

Blake’s long run in plumbing proved he could build lasting relationships and make a real impact in his community.

Family and Ed Blake Jr.

Blake’s athletic legacy lived on through his son, Ed Blake Jr., who picked up his father’s love for baseball. The younger Blake made his own mark in the early 1970s.

Ed Blake Jr.’s Baseball Career:

• Drafted by the Baltimore Orioles
• Played four seasons (1970-1973)
• Spent his whole career in the minors

The father-son link in baseball kept the Blake family connected to the sport. Blake Jr.’s time in the minors carried on the family’s baseball tradition.

That passing down of passion really stuck—Ed Blake’s love for the game clearly shaped his family long after he played.

Honoring Ed Blake’s Memory and Contributions

Ed Blake died on April 15, 2009, at 83 years old in Swansea, Illinois. He spent his last years at Rosewood Care Center, facing a long illness.

His family buried him at Mount Carmel Cemetery in Belleville, Illinois. After retiring, he made Belleville his home.

Final Years:

• Lived in Belleville, Illinois
• Passed away after a long illness
• Resting at Mount Carmel Cemetery

Blake lived through the World War II era and saw the early 21st century. He served in the Philippines during the war, and his recovery afterward showed the grit that seemed to define him.

Honestly, Blake’s story feels like the story of so many from his generation. He played professional baseball, served his country, and then found a way to build a new life when the cheering stopped.