Paul Erickson (baseball)

Paul Walford Erickson (December 14, 1915 – April 5, 2002) was an American professional baseball player whose career extended from 1937–1949. A right-handed pitcher, he appeared in 207 games pitched in Major League Baseball for the Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies, and New York Giants between 1941 and 1948.^[1] The native of Zion, Illinois, nicknamed "L'il Abner",^[1] stood 6 feet 2 inches (1.88 m) tall and weighed 200 pounds (91 kg).

Erickson was a contributor to the Cubs' 1945 National League championship, the team's most recent pennant. He appeared in 28 games, nine as a starter, and won seven of 11 decisions with an earned run average of 3.32, three complete games and three saves in 108⅓ innings pitched. He saved the final two games of the regular season against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Forbes Field, then worked in four of the seven games of the 1945 World Series, all Cub defeats, including the decisive Game 7 against the Detroit Tigers. He had no decisions in the Fall Classic, and in seven innings pitched he surrendered three earned runs on eight hits and three bases on balls for a 3.86 ERA. He had three strikeouts.

The following season, 1946, saw the return to action of MLB players in military service during World War II, but Erickson enjoyed his best year in the Majors, winning a career-best nine games and posting a 2.43 ERA.

Altogether, as a Major Leaguer, Erickson worked in 814⅓ innings and gave up 774 hits, with 425 bases on balls and 432 strikeouts. He won 37 of 85 decisions (.435) and notched six career saves.

References

External links

• Career statistics and player information from Baseball-Reference
• Photo