John Herrnstein

John Ellett Herrnstein (March 31, 1938 – October 3, 2017) was an American baseball and football player. He played Major League Baseball from 1962 to 1966 for the Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs, and Atlanta Braves. He also played college baseball and football at the University of Michigan from 1956 to 1959. He was the captain of the 1958 Michigan Wolverines football team and the third generation of the Herrnstein family to play for a Michigan Wolverines football team. His father, William Herrnstein, Jr., played for the Wolverines from 1923 to 1925, and his grandfather, William Herrnstein, Sr., played for the team in the 1898 and 1900 seasons. His great uncle Albert E. Herrnstein played for Fielding H. Yost's famed "Point-a-Minute" teams in 1901 and 1902. He rushed for 475 net yards on 123 carries, scored seven touchdowns and tied with Terry Barr as Michigan's leading scorer in 1956.

In a preview of the 1957 season, The Sporting News called Herrnstein "Michigan's Big Gun" and a "pounding fullback." During the 1957 football season, an injury to his left foot slowed Herrnstein. He had played 442 minutes as a sophomore, but was limited to 179 minutes in 1957. In December 1957, he was elected by his teammates as the captain of the 1958 Michigan Wolverines football team.

In the 1958 season opener, Herrnstein rushed for a career-high 144 yards and scored two touchdowns against the USC Trojans.

In baseball, Herrnstein played for the Michigan Wolverines baseball team in 1957 and 1958. He batted and threw left-handed, stood tall and weighed . Michigan baseball coach Ray Fisher called him the Wolverines' best baseball player since Dick Wakefield in the early 1940s. At the time, Herrnstein said, "I'll leave school at the end of the semester in January and plan to return in September to finish up."

Minor leagues Herrnstein began his professional baseball career in 1959 for the Des Moines Demons in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. He appeared in 105 games, compiling a .244 batting average with 21 doubles, three triples and 10 RBIs, as he helped lead the team to a 78–48 record. Buffalo's manager Kerby Farrell said at the time, "At this stage of his career, Herrnstein has more potential than either Roger Maris or Rocky Colavito", both of whom Farrell had coached in the minor leagues. He made his major league debut on September 15, 1962, and over the next two weeks he appeared in eight games for the Phillies, all as a pinch hitter. He had one hit and one RBI in five at-bats.

During the winter of 1962, Herrnstein played for Arecibo in the Puerto Rican League. By mid-December, he was leading the league with nine home runs. He ultimately led the Puerto Rican League with 14 home runs.

1963 season Rumors spread in the spring of 1963 that the Phillies intended to trade Herrnstein to the New York Mets. However, Phillies owner Bob Carpenter quashed the rumors noting, "Herrnstein will not be traded. He's going to be playing for the Phillies one day soon." Herrnstein appeared in 124 games for Little Rock, batting .271 with a .361 on-base percentage, 19 doubles, 22 home runs, and 73 RBIs.

1964 season Herrnstein spent the full 1964 season with the Phillies. He got off to a quick start, working his way into the starting lineup after an injury to outfielder Tony González. On April 19, 1964, he played his first game as a starter and hit a single and a home run. In his next game, he hit a two-run, game-winning double down the left field line off Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, Roy Face. He followed the next night with two doubles and a triple. By the end of April, he was batting over .400 with an on-base percentage over .500.

Herrnstein also began the 1964 season with a solid defensive showing. He initiated a triple play in May on a ground ball from Jerry Grote. Herrnstein fielded the ball, threw to shortstop Bobby Wine for the first out. Wine threw back to Herrnstein for the second out, and Herrnstein threw to catcher Gus Triandos who tagged Rusty Staub attempting to score from second base.

Herrnstein appeared in 125 games for the 1964 Phillies team, including 61 as the team's starting first baseman and 15 games as a starter in the outfield. He compiled a .234 batting average in 1964 with 12 doubles, four triples, six home runs, and 25 RBIs.

1965 season Herrnstein remained with the Phillies throughout the 1965 season, but he saw his playing time reduced to 63 games, only 12 as a starter. Dick Stuart took over as the team's starting first baseman, leaving Herrnstein to be used mostly as a pinch hitter. Herrnstein batted .200 in 85 at-bats with one home run and five RBIs. he managed only one hit in his first 10 at-bats to open the regular season.

Only one month later (in late May), Herrnstein was traded to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for first baseman Marty Keough. He lasted just 17 games with the Braves, batting .222 in 18 at-bats. His last appearance in a major league game occurred on July 7, 1966. Playing for his fourth team in a span of three months, he compiled a .134 batting average in 82 at-bats for Richmond.

In December 1966, Herrnstein was traded by the Braves with Chris Cannizzaro to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Julio Navarro and Ed Rakow.