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Verne Blackbourn

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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Verne Blackbourn
Blackbourn c. 1915
Pitcher
Born: (1895-04-25)April 25, 1895
Beetown, Wisconsin, U.S.
Died: May 14, 1990(1990-05-14) (aged 95)
Beetown, Wisconsin, U.S.
Batted: Unknown
Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 2, 1921, for the Chicago White Sox
Last MLB appearance
September 2, 1921, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
Win–loss record0–0
Earned run average0.00
Strikeouts0
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Laverne Ellsworth Blackbourn[note 1] (April 25, 1895 – May 14, 1990) was an American professional baseball pitcher. In 1921, he pitched in one game for the Chicago White Sox.

Until late 2025, his stint with the 1921 White Sox was mistakenly attributed to pitcher Charlie Blackburn.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Blackbourn grew up on his father's large farm on the Grant River in southwestern Wisconsin which had been in the family since approximately 1866. He had a sister, Geneva, and a brother, Lisle Blackbourn.[2] In 1915, Blackbourn graduated from a high school in Lancaster, Wisconsin, with 16 other students.[3]

Baseball career

[edit]

Blackbourn appears to have begun his baseball career by playing for local teams in Grant County, Wisconsin. In 1917, he pitched for a team representing Lancaster which included his brother as an outfielder.[4] By 1921, according to the Grant County Herald, Blackbourn had been playing baseball "for years ... all over the country."[5] On August 14, 1921, Blackbourn was pitching for an independent team in South Haven, Michigan when he struck out 21 batters during a game against a team representing Watervliet, Michigan.[6] Shortly thereafter, Charles Comiskey of the White Sox sent a letter to the South Haven club notifying them that the White Sox were interested in sending scouts to watch Blackbourn pitch in some upcoming games.[7] By August 31, the White Sox signed him for a trial.[8]

Chicago White Sox

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Blackbourn appeared in the only major league game of his career on September 2, 1921 against the St. Louis Browns at Chicago's Comiskey Park. He entered the game in the ninth inning in relief of Roy Wilkinson and retired the first two batters, Frank Ellerbe and George Sisler, on ground balls. The next batter, Ken Williams, reached on an error by second baseman Eddie Collins.[9] Williams was then able to steal second base standing up, suggesting to James Crusinberry of the Chicago Tribune that he "may lack some of the artistic things a big league hurler must know."[10] He then allowed a base on balls to Baby Doll Jacobson and allowed Williams to steal third base on the same pitch before retiring Hank Severeid for the final out of a scoreless ninth inning. However, the Browns ultimately defeated the White Sox on the strength of Urban Shocker's shutout.[9] Australian golfer Joe Kirkwood Sr. was in attendance at the game, along with golfer Bob MacDonald, "just to see what baseball is all about."[10]

Post-White Sox career

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Within four days of his cup of coffee in the American League, Blackbourn was back home in Wisconsin and pitching for a local team in Lancaster.[11][12] In the summer of 1922, he returned to pitch in South Haven.[13] In April 1923, he was announced as a coach of the new baseball team at Lawrence College in Appleton, Wisconsin. At the time, his brother was the captain of Lawrence's football team.[14] In 1923 and 1924, he was reportedly intending to play for the Appleton club in the wisconsin State League but wound up pitching for a team in Merrill, Wisconsin outside of organized baseball.[14][15][16] In April 1925, he was reported to have signed with the Bloomington, Illinois club of the Three-I League[16][17] but instead pitched for the Dubuque, Iowa club in the same league.[18] In 1926, he played for a team representing Hackett, Wisconsin.[19] He started the 1927 season pitching in Bloomington, Wisconsin[20] before organizing, pitching for and managing a team representing North Andover, Wisconsin[21] which was also described as the "West Grant" team.[22] He continued in that role through at least 1929.[23] In 1932, he pitched for a team in Cassville[24] and, by 1933, he was serving as player-manager of the same team.[25]

Later life

[edit]
Blackbourn c. 1949

During his baseball career, Blackbourn also engaged in farming.[17] In 1934, he was elected as a constable in Beetown.[26] In 1935, Blackbourn's father died and Blackbourn took over his Aberdeen Angus ranch. He spent the next several decades breeding cattle.[27] He served as president of local Aberdeen Angus associations.[28][29] As of 1949, his ranch was 287 acres (116 ha) and held 20 Angus cows, 32 Shropshire sheep and 10–12 brood sows, usually crossbreeds of Duroc pigs and Poland Chinas.[2]

In 1961, he was injured in a farming accident when his clothes were caught in a power take-off; he suffered a seriously broken arm, crushed ribs and chest injuries. When first responders crashed into a ditch on the way to the farm, his nephew, Lisle Jr., rushed him to the hospital. At the time, he and his sister, Geneva, were living together on the farm while his brother's family was living across the street.[30]

He died in 1990.

Notes

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  1. ↑ His first name was also written as Lavern, LaVerne, LaVern, Verne and Vern. His last name was also written as Blackbourne, Blackburn and Blackburne.

References

[edit]
  1. ↑ "New Ballplayer Discovered" (PDF). SABR Biographical Research Committee Newsletter (September/October 2025). Society for American Baseball Research: 1. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  2. 1 2 "Room for Small Farm in Purebred Business? Here's "Yes" Vote . . ". The Stockman's Journal. July 22, 1949. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  3. ↑ "Close of the Festivities Incident to the Local High School Commencement". Grant County Herald. June 9, 1915. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  4. ↑ "Lancaster Won One Game and Lost One". Grant County Herald. 11 July 1917. p. 1. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  5. ↑ "With Chi. White Sox". Grant County Herald. 7 September 1921. p. 1. Retrieved 23 March 2026.
  6. ↑ "South Haven Has Eye on Blackburn". The Kalamazoo Gazette. September 4, 1921. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  7. ↑ "Comiskey Is After South Haven Star". The Kalamazoo Gazette. August 19, 1921. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  8. ↑ "South Haven Twirler Set to Exhibit Wares to Sox". The Grand Rapids Press. August 31, 1921. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  9. 1 2 "St. Louis Browns vs Chicago White Sox Box Score: September 2, 1921". Baseball-Reference.com. Sports Reference. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  10. 1 2 Crusinberry, James (September 3, 1921). "Browns Show Class, Trimming Sox, 3 to 0". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 16 March 2026.
  11. ↑ "Local Happenings". Lancaster Teller. September 14, 1921. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  12. ↑ "Lancaster Best of District Nines". Wisconsin State Journal. September 11, 1921. p. 11. Retrieved 17 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "LaVerne Blackbourn". Grant County Herald. 7 June 1922. p. 7. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  14. 1 2 "Lawrence College to Have Baseball Team This Season". The Post-Crescent. 23 April 1923. p. 10. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  15. ↑ "To Play Sunday". The Evening Telegram. 12 May 1923. p. 11. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  16. 1 2 "Vern Blackbourn to Hurl for Bloomington". The Post-Crescent. 1 May 1925. p. 17. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  17. 1 2 "Blackbourn Signs With Bloomington". Wisconsin State Journal. 28 April 1925. p. 17. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  18. ↑ "Vern Blackbourn of Beetown, a pitcher for Dubuque". The Bloomington Record. 17 June 1925. p. 5. Retrieved 21 March 2026.
  19. ↑ "Hackett Defeats Boscobel". The Bloomington Record. 7 July 1926. p. 3. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  20. ↑ "Bloomington Beats Patch Grove Sunday". The Bloomington Record. 29 June 1927. p. 3. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  21. ↑ "Ball Team Reorganized". The Bloomington Record. 13 July 1927. p. 7. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  22. ↑ "West Grant 3, Prairie 2, in Twelve Innings". The Bloomington Record. 1 August 1928. p. 7. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  23. ↑ "West Grant Nine Seeks Dates with Other Clubs". Wisconsin State Journal. 20 June 1929. p. 17. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  24. ↑ "Baseball Notes". Grant County Herald. 8 June 1932. p. 1. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  25. ↑ Lewis, J. H. (3 May 1933). "Rain Interferes with Sunday Ball". The Platteville Journal and Grant County News. p. 6. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  26. ↑ "Election Results in West Grant County". The Bloomington Record. 4 April 1934. p. 1. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  27. ↑ "In Father's Footsteps . . ". The Stockman's Journal. July 29, 1952. Retrieved 18 March 2026.
  28. ↑ "Annual Spring Sale of Aberdeen-Angus Cattle to be Held on May 29". Grant County Independent. 17 May 1945. p. 7. Retrieved 22 March 2026. LaVerne Blackbourn is president of the association.
  29. ↑ "Laverne Blackbourn Is Angus Group President". Grant County Independent. 23 December 1949. p. 8. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
  30. ↑ "Lavern Blackbourn injured in Power take off accident". Grant County Clarion. 11 December 1961. p. 1. Retrieved 22 March 2026.
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