Sports Then and Now

Ed Herrmann played 11 seasons in the majors and was an All-Star in 1974.

Very sad to learn this morning that former Major League Baseball catcher Ed Herrmann has passed away at the age of 67 following a battle with cancer.

Though I never personally met Ed, I remember getting his baseball cards and reading about him and the Chicago White Sox pitching staff in Sports Illustrated in the mid-1970s.

Then, through the wonderful modern world of social media, we became “Facebook Friends” a few years ago soon after I started Sports Then and Now.

There isn’t a lot that is cooler than getting a glimpse into the world of our sports stars and through Facebook I learned that 30+ years after the end of his baseball career, Ed “Hoggy” Herrmann loved riding motorcycles and enjoying life.

Since he was diagnosed with cancer earlier this year, what I have learned through Facebook posts first from Ed and then over the last few months primarily from his family is the story of a fighter who channeled the same determination that helped make him a baseball All-Star into his battle with cancer.

The dignity and love shown in the posts from Ed’s family reporting his condition and especially the many visits from family and friends (including Chopper the Biker Dog) have been inspirational and heartening.

While I, and many others who follow sports, knew Ed primarily as a tough catcher who handled knuckleball pitchers and collisions at home plate with grit and guile, it is clear that behind his persona as a baseball player and later as a biker was a loving man who was deeply loved by his friends and family. Read the rest of this entry →