In 1985, Jerpe was born in Pittsburgh's Lawrenceville district to Swedish émigré Andrew H. Jerpe and his second-generation Swedish-American spouse Anna Stomberg.[3][4][5] When his parents moved to Norfolk, Ohio in 1900, James remained behind and soon found work as a copy boy with a local paper.[2] By no later than 1907 he was employed as a reporter,[6] and between 1909 and 1911, he wrote for The Pittsburgh Dispatch and The Pittsburgh Post.[7][8][9] Beginning in January 1912 and continuing through roughly September 1916, Jerpe's byline appeared on a much more regular basis in what would prove his final and, by far, best-remembered incarnation, as columnist and Pirates beat writer for The Gazette Times.[10][11][12]
In 1915, during the Pirates' first east coast trip, Jerpe first complained of having difficulty seeing plays on the field. On his doctor's recommendation, he took a brief leave of absence, but within weeks, Jerpe had become completely blind.[13] Notwithstanding this sudden and disheartening development, Jerpe continued to provide his column, "On and Off the Field"[14][15][16] (and later "Sport-itorials"),[17][18] as well as other featured articles until deteriorating health forced him to bow out altogether in September 1916.[19]
Personal life
In March 1908, Jerpe married Eva J. Thompson,[5] with whom he had two children.[20] In October 1960, their grandson, Andrew F. Jerpe,[21][22][23] gained some measure of notoriety as the 14-year-old who, while making a slightly premature exit from Forbes Field just prior to the conclusion of Game 7 of the 1960 World Series, retrieved Bill Mazeroski's Series-ending home run ball.[24][21]
Death
At 9 A.M. on Tuesday morning, January 16, 1917, not quite 5 months after his retirement, Jerpes finally died from his nearly 2-year-long illness.[25] His funeral, held on January 19, attracted many friends and colleagues, including representatives of the Gazette-Times, the Police and Fire Departments, and the Pittsburgh Stove League. In accordance with Jerpe's last wishes, his favorite musical selection, John McCormack's 1916 recording of "Beautiful Isle of Somewhere," was played during the funeral service.[26]
References
↑Spalding's Official Baseball Records; Part 1—Records of 1917: The Year in Baseball; January. p. 5
↑Keck, Harry (October 13, 1959). "West Virginia Not Conceding, Will Be 'Up' for Pitt Game". Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. p.26. "Yesterday I learned another version from Jim Jerpe Jr., son of a famous baseball writer for the old Gazette-Times. He says that when he registered at Pitt, from which he graduated as a chemical engineer, he was told by the late Karl E. Davis, the then graduate athletic manager, that Jim's dad was responsible for the numbering, which Davis instituted."
↑Post-Gazette staff (October 8, 1988). "Obituaries: James A. Jerpe". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p.10. "James A. Jerpe, 79, a retired chemist for Gulf Oil Corp. and a five-letter man in track and field at the University of Pittsburgh, died yesterday [...] Surviving are four sons, James H. of Stevensville, Md., John M. of Ventura, Calif., Andrew F. of Atlanta and Eric J. of Washington, D.C.; three daughters, Mary Christine Gerszewski of North Dakota, Anna Mercho of Indianapolis, and Johanna Nelson of Louisville, Ky.; and 13 grandchildren."
Batchelor, E. A.; Vaughan, Irving; O'Connor, W.J.; Peet, Bill; Jerpe, James (March 1, 1914). "'Black Jack' Barry Is Best Shortstop". The Salt Lake Tribune. p.41
Menke, Frank Grant (1947). The New Encyclopedia of Sports. New York: A. S. Barnes. p. 418.
Armstrong, Richard C.; Healy Jr., Martin (2020). George "Mooney" Gibson: Canadian Catcher for Deadball Era Pirates. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. p. 136. ISBN978-1-4766-3858-4.
.jpg)
