top of page
Writer's pictureMaine Baseball HOF

French, Frank (Pat) (1972)


French, Frank (Pat) (72)

Frank "Pat" French of Bath, was center fielder for Connie Mack's Philadelphia Athletics team in 1916 . French was plunked from the University of Maine campus by Philadelphia A's manager Connie Mack in 1916 and was a centerfielder with tremendous range. French entered military service in 1917 and returned to play for Portland in the New England League after the war. He taught and coached at Portland's Deering HS and later played and managed Lewiston, Rockland, and Togus semipro teams.



From Wikipedia

Pat French

Outfielder

Born: September 22, 1893

Dover, New Hampshire

Died: July 13, 1969 (aged 75)

Bath, Maine

Batted: Right Threw: Right

MLB debut

July 2, 1917, for the Philadelphia Athletics

Last MLB appearance

July 4, 1917, for the Philadelphia Athletics


Philadelphia Athletics (1917)

Frank Alexander French (1893–1969) was an American professional baseball outfielder with the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1917 season. He was born in Dover, New Hampshire and is buried in Bath, Maine.


He attended the University of Maine, where he played college baseball for the Black Bears in the 1910s



From Baseball Reference


https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/frencpa01.shtml


From UMO


https://goblackbears.com/hof.aspx?hof=30



French, Frank (Pat) (72)

From FindaGrave memorials




Frank "Pat" French drew little attention at Dover High School in New Hampshire for his athletic prowess. That would change after his high school graduation in 1913, when he arrived on the University Of Maine's Orono campus that September. Although raw and untapped, he quickly gained respect by excelling in three sports, and as Captain in each; track, baseball, and football.


During the New England Intercollegiate Outdoor Track and Field Championship meet in 1915, Frank came in first place in the 120 yard high hurdles events with a championship time of 15.6 seconds. In 1916 he broke the University of Maine's broad jump record with a leap of 22 feet, 9 & 3/4 inches. In 1916, broad jumper Frank “Pat” French and hammer thrower Harold Bailey made the 1916 U.S. Olympic Track and Field Team intended to compete in Berlin, Germany. The games were canceled though, due to World War I. French held UMaine’s outdoor long jump record for 80 years, and to this day has only been bested by one.


UNIVERSITY OF MAINE OUTDOOR TRACK University Men's Records

EVENT: Long Jump

RECORD SET BY MEET DATE

21' 9 1/2" Frank "Pat" A. French State 5/16/1914

23' 4 4/5" Frank "Pat" A. French Bates 5/8/1915


Frank received a degree in economics from the University of Maine. He was from the class of 1917, although records indicate it was made official in 1918, possibly because of WWI. His family was residing in Wappinger's Falls, NY at his time of graduation.


French was 23 years old when he broke into the big leagues on July 2, 1917, with Connie Mack's the Philadelphia Athletics. He played in 3 games before leaving back to Portland, Maine, where he played in the New England league.

25 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Comentarios


bottom of page