Arlie Pond
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Dr. Erasmus Arlington "Arlie" Pond (born January 19, 1873 in East Saugus, Massachusetts, died September 19, 1930 in Cebu, Philippines) was a major league pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles from 1895-1898, as well as a doctor in the U.S. Army.
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[edit] Baseball career
Pond grew up in Rutland, Vermont and spent two years at Norwich University where he distinguished himself as a musician as well as a pitcher. In 1890 he transferred to the University of Vermont. Pond was a member of the glee and banjo clubs, played one season of varsity football during his senior year in 1893, but earned his greatest fame as a baseball player. He pitched with Bert Abbey, who later became a pitcher for the Washington Senators, Chicago Colts, and Brooklyn Bridegrooms.
Following graduation from the University of Vermont medical school in 1895, Pond enrolled in a post-graduate surgical course at the University of Maryland's College of Physicians and Surgeons. However his reputation as an outstanding pitcher became known to Ned Hanlon, manager of the National League's Baltimore Orioles, who convinced Pond to spend his summers with the team. He signed his first major league contract on June 23, 1895 and made his major league debut on July 4, 1895. Although he pitched only in six games that season, the 23-year-old rookie found other ways to make himself useful, including serving as the team doctor. After one game, the Baltimore Sun reported "Dr. Pond is suffering from a small abscess in his left hand, which he lanced himself." By the 1898 season Pond was pitching sparingly and poor attendance in Baltimore dictated that Hanlon must cut salaries. As a result Pond was released. On July 4, 1898 he re-signed with the Orioles and on July 6th he started the second game of a doubleheader and pitched a five-hit shutout against the Philadelphia Phillies. Although Pond expressed a desire to return to baseball, even going so far as to write to his old teammate John McGraw, who had taken over as manager of the Orioles in February of 1900, he would never appear in a major league game again.
In 4 seasons he had a 35-19 record and a 3.45 ERA in 69 games pitched (57 starts). He was also part of 2 National League Championship teams (1895 and 1896).
[edit] Medical career
While in Baltimore, Pond took advantage of being in one of the world's leading medical communities, taking post-graduate courses at Johns Hopkins and performing his residency at St. Joseph's Hospital and his internship at Baltimore City Hospital. On July 5, 1898 Pond was appointed as acting assistant surgeon of the U.S. Army with orders to report to Fort Myer near Washington D.C the following Saturday. Pond was sent to the Philippines with the Tenth Pennsylvania Regiment. The Senate's decision to keep the Philippines as an American colony set off an ugly guerilla war with the Filipino nationalists who had been fighting the Spaniards. When his regiment returned to the U.S., Dr. Pond was ordered to remain with a regiment from Colorado, and later, with the Fourth Infantry.
In 1902 while in the Philippines, Pond served as manager of the all-black 25th Infantry Regiment's baseball team.
On August 11, 1902, Pond was detailed from the Army to the Philippine Board of Health for cholera duty. In July 1903 he accepted a permanent position as medical inspector, helping in the cleanup of Manila City and the collection and segregation of lepers. In 1906 he was appointed first chief of the Southern Islands Hospital, 400 miles south of Manila on the island of Cebu. Pond founded a hospital for lepers here and vaccinated the island's entire population.
When World War I broke out, Dr. Pond was commissioned a major in the Army Medical Corps and assigned to Medical Officers' Training Camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana. He was preparing to go to France in July 1917 when Francis Harrison, Governor-General of the Philippines asked for his return to the islands. Pond was assigned to Camp Stotsenburg with the 9th U.S. Cavalry and the Philippine Field Artillery, then in August 1918 he was named post surgeon of the Cuartel de Espana and placed in charge of the dispensary at Fort Santiago.
On October 28, 1918, Major Pond reported for duty aboard the transport U.S.S. Warren en route to Vladivostock. The transport arrived in Vladivostock on November 11, the day the Armistice was signed and immediately returned home. Pond received his discharge on January 15, 1919. By that time he had attained the rank of lieutenant colonel.
Dr. Pond entered private practice in Cebu and engaged in several business ventures, including a coconut plantation, a cattle ranch on the island of Mindanao and the Pond & Deen Navigation Company.
[edit] Death
On September 10, 1930 Pond underwent surgery for appendicitis in his own hospital in Cebu. At first the operation appeared successful but then peritonitis set in. A wire was sent to the governor general requesting that an Army surgeon be sent from Manila but an amphibian plane could not be located. After showing marked improvement, Dr. Pond suffered a relapse and died at 9 a.m. on September 19 in the same hospital where he had saved so many lives. He was 58.
His death was mourned as a great loss to the Philippines. Flags flew at half-mast and all businesses were closed on the day of his funeral. Services were held at the Manila Lodge of Elks No. 761. Several prominent people attended the service, including Senator Sergio Osmena. After an honor guard fired three volleys and the bugler played taps, Dr. Pond's body was taken to the army morgue where it was cremated.
Pond Parkway, a downtown thoroughfare in Cebu City, bears his name.
