Tom Ferrick – Baseball Player Biography, Career, Net Worth Information

Tom Ferrick’s baseball career stretched over a decade in the major leagues. He started out with some of the bottom teams in the 1940s but eventually found World Series glory with the New York Yankees.

Born Thomas Jerome Ferrick, this right-handed pitcher made a name for himself as a reliable reliever during baseball’s golden age. Over his career, he played for five different teams between 1941 and 1952.

Ferrick hung up his cleats in 1952 after his last season with the Washington Senators. That capped a 12-year major league run that included a stint in the military during World War II.

He bounced around from the Philadelphia Athletics to the Cleveland Indians, St. Louis Browns, Washington Senators, and finally the Yankees. With New York, he hit his high point by winning Game Three of the 1950 World Series in relief.

After he stopped playing, Ferrick still left a big mark on baseball for decades to come. His story covers everything from Depression-era struggles and wartime service to his later work as a coach and scout.

He overcame arm injuries early on and eventually helped discover future Hall of Famer George Brett. Ferrick’s baseball life really shows the grit and determination of his generation.

Early Life and Background

Tom Ferrick’s path to the big leagues started in New York City. He grew up in an Irish Catholic family, which definitely shaped his character and his first steps in sports.

His journey even took a detour through seminary school before baseball finally called him away.

Family and Childhood in the Bronx

Thomas Jerome Ferrick was born on January 6, 1915, in New York City. His parents were Tom Feerick and his teenage wife, whose maiden name was Maher.

By the time he signed his first pro contract, he’d already changed the spelling of his last name.

Tom had one brother, and they grew up in a big Irish Catholic family. His dad played infield for the semipro Keebler Baking Company team and got Tom interested in baseball early on.

Things got tough when Tom’s father died at age 9. After that, his grandfather—who worked as a doorman at the Metropolitan Museum of Art—became the head of the family.

Tom’s mom remarried, but when his stepfather Leo died, Tom had to pick up odd jobs to help support his mom and younger brother. He drove trucks and did whatever he could, but he always found time to play sandlot baseball.

Education at Glenclyffe Seminary

After finishing elementary school at Holy Family in the Bronx, Tom headed to Glenclyffe Seminary in Garrison, New York, for high school. His family wanted him to train for the priesthood.

At the seminary, Tom shot up to over 6 feet 2 inches and started to stand out as a pitcher. Scouts took notice, including some from the New York Yankees.

Still, his family wouldn’t let him sign a pro contract while he was at the seminary. That slowed his entry into pro baseball, but it gave him more time to develop his skills in sandlot games.

Path to Professional Baseball

Tom’s route to pro baseball was anything but standard. The Great Depression forced him to take whatever work he could find.

Through a family connection with trainer Willie Schaeffer, he landed a job as a batting practice pitcher for the New York Giants.

Before joining the Giants, Tom had a pretty wild moment: he got to throw batting practice to Babe Ruth at Yankee Stadium around 1933 or 1934. He and a few other young pitchers were brought in to help Ruth recover from illness while the Yankees were away.

During those tough Depression years, Tom took on all sorts of jobs. He even played basketball for a team that performed between movies at theaters—just another way he showed off his athletic talent.

After a year of throwing BP at the Polo Grounds, Giants manager Bill Terry noticed him in September 1935. Terry told him, “Youngster, you can pitch for me at Greenwood next year if you want. We’ll see what you can do.”

Tom signed his first pro contract with the Giants in January 1936, right after turning 21.

Major League Baseball Debut and Early Career

Tom Ferrick’s road to the big leagues started in the Giants organization in 1936. He worked his way up through the minors, but a nasty arm injury set him back.

After he bounced back and played semipro ball with the Brooklyn Bushwicks, the Philadelphia Athletics picked him up in 1941. He made his MLB debut at 26.

Signing with the New York Giants and Brooklyn Bushwicks

Ferrick signed his first pro contract with the New York Giants in January 1936 after Bill Terry spotted his talent at the Polo Grounds. He kicked off his minor league career with a league-best 2.17 ERA at Greenwood, Mississippi in 1936.

Things went sideways in 1938 when he tore a muscle loose from the bone in his shoulder while playing for Jersey City. “I could feel it go,” Ferrick later told columnist Red Smith.

The Giants wouldn’t release him, even though they didn’t seem interested in his career. Ferrick had to write to Commissioner Kenesaw M. Landis to get his release.

He missed all of 1939, then joined the semipro Brooklyn Bushwicks in 1940. He played first base when he wasn’t pitching and proved he could still compete. A scout noticed him and tipped off Athletics manager Connie Mack.

Impact with the Philadelphia Athletics

Ferrick made his big league debut with the Philadelphia Athletics on April 19, 1941. He pitched three scoreless innings in relief against Boston.

Manager Connie Mack gave the rookie plenty of chances that first season.

His most memorable early outing came on May 28 against the Red Sox. He pitched the last 10 innings of a 16-inning game, giving up just one run before Philadelphia walked it off in the 16th.

Ferrick got his first major league start on August 14, 1941. A week later, he tossed his only career shutout, blanking the Red Sox 4-0 on August 21. That dropped his ERA to 2.27 at that point in the season.

Key 1941 Stats:

• Games: 36
• Record: 8-10
• ERA: 3.77
• Shutouts: 1

Even though he finished 8-10 for a last-place team, Ferrick showed he could handle both starting and relief roles.

Stint with the Cleveland Indians

Before the 1941 season ended, the Athletics put Ferrick on waivers, and the Cleveland Indians picked him up. He didn’t pitch for Cleveland that year but joined them full-time in 1942.

The Indians mostly used Ferrick out of the bullpen, and he responded with the best season of his early career. He came out of the bullpen in 29 of his 31 games and posted a sharp 1.99 ERA.

That year, Ferrick finally looked like he was reaching his potential. His control got better, and he settled right into the reliever role.

But then World War II interrupted everything. On December 25, 1942, Ferrick enlisted in the US Navy and put his baseball career on hold for three years.

Military Service and Wartime Baseball

Tom Ferrick spent three years in the U.S. Navy during World War II, from Christmas Day 1942 to January 15, 1946. He worked as a shipfitter and played in several baseball competitions across the Pacific.

Naval Enlistment and Roles

Ferrick enlisted in the Navy on December 25, 1942. He started out at Great Lakes Naval Training Station, where he trained as a Shipfitter, Third-Class.

Great Lakes became both his training ground and his first military baseball stop. He kept playing ball while doing his shipfitter duties.

In 1944, the Navy sent him to Hawaii. That changed things for both his military work and his baseball opportunities.

By 1945, Ferrick had made it to Chief Petty Officer. That promotion showed the Navy trusted him with more responsibility.

Competitions at Kāneʻohe Bay Naval Air Station

The Navy stationed Ferrick at Kāneʻohe Bay Naval Air Station in 1944. That Hawaiian base became the center of his wartime baseball life.

Kāneʻohe Bay had a strong baseball program for servicemen. Ferrick joined the base team and played against other military units around the islands.

These games kept morale up and gave troops something to cheer for. They also helped keep pro athletes like Ferrick in game shape.

Ferrick’s pitching made a big difference for the base team. His experience from the majors raised the level of play.

1944 Pacific Service World Series Participation

Ferrick played in the 1944 Army-Navy Service World Series while stationed in Hawaii. This tournament brought together top military baseball talent from across the Pacific.

Teams from various Army and Navy bases competed. The games got pretty intense, with each branch trying to show they had the best athletes.

Guys like Ferrick, who’d played in the majors, really lifted the competition. Plenty of former big leaguers took part in this high-profile tournament.

The series gave servicemen throughout the Pacific a huge morale boost. It also showed how committed the military was to keeping up recreational activities during the war.

Fifth Fleet Team and Western Pacific Tour

In 1945, Ferrick joined the 5th Fleet team for the Navy’s Western Pacific Tour. That tour was the highlight of military baseball during the war.

The team traveled all over the Pacific, playing exhibition games for troops. These games meant a lot to guys stationed far from home.

After the tour, Ferrick got assigned to Admiral John H. Hoover’s command. He handled ship assignments and managed personnel.

Ferrick ran physical exercise programs for 440 men alongside Johnny Riggs. He later called the experience “invigorating” and said they “didn’t hear any shots fired.”

That job kept him out of combat, but it made good use of his leadership skills. It also set him up for his return to civilian baseball.

Postwar Return and Baseball Highlights

After finishing his Navy service in January 1946, Tom Ferrick came back to pro baseball with a new drive. His postwar years took him through three American League teams, and he built a reputation as a dependable relief pitcher—even when his teams struggled.

St. Louis Browns Tenure

Ferrick returned to the Cleveland Indians in 1946, but he pitched in just nine games before the team sold him to the St. Louis Browns on June 24, 1946.

With the Browns, Ferrick found his groove again after three years away from the majors. He posted a strong 4-1 record with a 2.78 ERA for a team that finished seventh and lost 88 games.

Despite the Browns’ rough season, Ferrick managed a WHIP of 0.959. Under modern scoring, he would’ve been credited with five saves.

The Browns traded Ferrick to the Washington Senators on January 15, 1947. His short but effective run in St. Louis proved he still had what it took after the war.

Washington Senators Pitching Career

When Tom Ferrick joined the Washington Senators in 1947, he found some of his most steady work as a reliever. He saved 9 games in 31 appearances that year, then bumped that up to 10 saves in 37 games the next season.

Ferrick really helped settle the Senators’ bullpen during those two years. On August 20, 1947, he actually lost both games of a doubleheader against Cleveland, which just shows how much managers leaned on relief pitchers back then.

The Senators didn’t overuse Ferrick, but they made his appearances count. He gave them a steady hand late in games, even though the team wasn’t exactly lighting up the American League standings.

Second Run with St. Louis Browns

After 1948, Ferrick headed back to the St. Louis Browns in a trade that sent him and another player to St. Louis for infielder Sam Dente. The 1949 season turned into his busiest—he pitched in a career-high 51 games.

He put together a 6-4 record, a 3.88 ERA, and notched six saves for the Browns. That heavy workload, especially on a team that lost 101 games and finished seventh, probably wore him down a bit.

Even with the Browns struggling, Ferrick kept showing his value as a dependable reliever. The Yankees started to take notice, and soon enough, he’d find himself in the middle of his most successful run in baseball.

New York Yankees Era and World Series Success

Ferrick’s move to the Yankees in June 1950 changed everything. Suddenly, he went from bouncing around the league to becoming a World Series champion. His clutch showing in the 1950 World Series against the Phillies became the highlight of his twelve-year career.

Key Trades and Role in Team

On June 15, 1950, the Yankees made a seven-player trade, bringing Ferrick, Joe Ostrowski, and Leo Thomas from the Browns to New York. They gave up Jim Delsing, Don Johnson, Duane Pillette, Snuffy Stirnweiss, and $50,000.

Some folks questioned Yankees GM George Weiss for picking up Ferrick instead of chasing a bigger name. But Ferrick wasted no time proving he belonged.

He jumped right into his new role, even switching clubhouses the very day of the trade in St. Louis, then pitched two innings in relief that night for a save.

Ferrick finished the season with an 8-4 record and a 3.65 ERA for the Yankees. He converted 9 saves in 11 chances, helping the team lock down the pennant. His steady hand out of the bullpen became a big part of the Yankees’ push for the title.

Contributions to 1950 World Series Victory

Ferrick’s work in the 1950 World Series was huge for him. He picked up the win in Game 3 by throwing a scoreless inning in relief of Ed Lopat on October 3.

The game stayed tied until Jerry Coleman singled off Russ Meyer in the ninth, and Ferrick’s pitching helped seal that win, putting the Yankees up 3-0 in the series.

That World Series win helped the Yankees sweep the Phillies in four games. It ended up being Ferrick’s only World Series title.

Ferrick later called that championship one of his two biggest thrills in baseball. The other? He got to throw batting practice to Babe Ruth at Yankee Stadium back in the 1930s.

Matchups Against Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox

During his time with the Yankees, Ferrick had some memorable moments against rivals. On July 17, 1950, he saved Whitey Ford’s first big league win—a moment that stuck with him.

He came up big in tight spots against teams like the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox, using his control and knack for throwing strikes to get outs.

Earlier, when Ferrick pitched for the Athletics, he had real success against the Red Sox. On May 28, 1941, he tossed the last 10 innings of a 16-inning game against Boston, allowing just one run before Philly finally won it.

He also shut out the Red Sox on August 21, 1941—the only complete-game shutout of his career. That gem dropped his ERA to 2.27 and showed he could handle Boston’s heavy hitters.

Final Playing Years and Retirement in 1952

Ferrick wrapped up his big league career with the Washington Senators in 1952, closing out a twelve-year run that started back in 1941. He threw his last pitch on September 28, 1952, quietly stepping away from the game that had shaped his life.

Return to Washington Senators

In 1952, Ferrick returned to the Senators for a third go-round. He’d already played for them in 1947 and 1948, so it felt familiar.

By then, Ferrick was 37 and clearly nearing the end. The Senators mostly used him as a relief pitcher, leaning on his experience for veteran leadership.

The Senators weren’t contenders at that point. They struggled in the standings, so Ferrick didn’t get many high-stakes chances. As the season wore on, his outings became more infrequent.

Final MLB Appearance and Statistics

Ferrick made his final MLB appearance on September 28, 1952. That game marked the end of a career spanning 324 games and five teams. He finished with an even 40-40 record.

Throughout his career, Ferrick kept his walks in check. His career ERA showed he was effective, especially in his late-1940s prime. On average, he allowed three walks per nine innings, which says a lot about his control.

His WHIP (walks and hits per inning pitched) stood out for his era. Amazingly, he hit just one batter during his whole career, showing off his precise command. Ferrick really pitched like a finesse pitcher, using location over speed.

After hanging up his spikes, Ferrick stayed in the game as a coach and scout. He spent close to 60 years in pro baseball, always finding ways to help the sport.

Coaching, Scouting, and Legacy

After his playing days ended in 1952, Ferrick shifted into coaching and scouting—roles that would define the next forty years for him. He made his biggest mark as a longtime scout for the Kansas City Royals, where he spotted future Hall of Famers.

Coaching Roles: Cincinnati Reds to Kansas City Athletics

Ferrick started his post-playing career in 1953 as a player-coach for the Cleveland Indians’ Triple-A club, the Indianapolis Indians. He went 1-1 in 23 games that year, easing into his new job.

In 1954, Ferrick became a pitching coach, working for four major league teams through 1965. He spent over a decade coaching at the highest level.

The Philadelphia Phillies brought Ferrick on as a pitching coach during part of this stretch. Having pitched for five teams himself, he had a lot to offer young arms.

Ferrick also coached for the Kansas City Athletics while they were still in Missouri. His practical approach and understanding of different pitching styles earned him respect among coaches and players alike.

Influence as Kansas City Royals Scout

Ferrick’s biggest impact might have come as a scout for the Kansas City Royals. He worked for them for over twenty years.

He famously pushed the Royals to draft George Brett—a move that turned out to be a franchise-defining decision.

Brett grew into a Hall of Fame third baseman and became the face of the Royals for decades. Ferrick’s knack for spotting talent made a real difference for the team.

The Royals leaned on Ferrick’s ability to find raw talent and predict which players would succeed at the next level.

Mentoring and Notable Players Developed

Ferrick mentored countless players during his nearly sixty years in pro baseball. His experience bouncing around the league gave him a unique view to share with others.

As a pitching coach, Ferrick helped develop many players who later had strong big league careers. His deep knowledge of relief pitching was especially valuable as teams started to embrace specialized bullpen roles.

He didn’t just help individuals—Ferrick also pushed for better pension benefits for former players, showing he cared about the game and the people in it.

People throughout baseball respected Ferrick for his dedication, right up until his passing in 1996.

Later Life, Personal Legacy, and Final Resting Place

Ferrick stayed close to baseball for decades after his playing days ended. He died on October 15, 1996, at 81, in Lima, Pennsylvania. His family included a son who would go on to win a Pulitzer Prize.

Life after Baseball and Family

Ferrick spent almost sixty years in pro baseball as a player, coach, and scout. He served as pitching coach for four teams between 1954 and 1965.

His biggest post-playing impact came as a Kansas City Royals scout for over twenty years. Ferrick played a key role in the team’s decision to draft George Brett, who became one of the game’s greatest third basemen.

Ferrick married Dolores Marie Sprows on November 17, 1945. They raised six children together—four daughters (Kate, Jean, Mary, and Ellen) and two sons (Thomas and Patrick), born between 1947 and 1958.

His oldest son, Tom Ferrick Jr., became a well-known journalist at The Philadelphia Inquirer. Tom Jr. shared a Pulitzer Prize in 1980 for covering the Three Mile Island nuclear accident and often wrote about his dad’s baseball days.

Ferrick also fought for better pension payouts for former players, working to make sure those from earlier eras weren’t left out.

Cemetery and Memorials

Tom Ferrick died of heart failure on October 15, 1996, in Lima, Pennsylvania. He was 81 years old.

His legacy lives on through his son’s journalism career. The players he coached and scouted still remember him.

He made the call to draft George Brett, and honestly, that’s probably one of the most memorable things he did for baseball.

Ferrick collected a huge stack of baseball documents and scouting reports over the years. The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum received all of it as a donation.

His son Tom Jr. called him “a bit of a pack rat,” which feels about right. Ferrick always wanted to hold onto those baseball memories, no matter how small.

He spent nearly sixty years in professional baseball. That sort of commitment makes him a real lifer in the sport.

Ferrick also served during World War II, and he pushed for better player pensions. Those things made a real difference in the game.