James Jerpe


James Jerpe was an American sports writer and columnist, writing for The Pittsburgh Dispatch, The Pittsburgh Post and The Gazette Times from 1909 until 1916.

Early life and career

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. When his parents moved to Norfolk, Ohio in 1900, James remained behind and soon found work as a copy boy with a local paper. By no later than 1907 he was employed as a reporter, and between 1909 and 1911, he wrote for The Pittsburgh Dispatch and The Pittsburgh Post. 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.
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. Notwithstanding this sudden and disheartening development, Jerpe continued to provide his column, "On and Off the Field", as well as other featured articles until deteriorating health forced him to bow out altogether in September 1916.

Personal life

In March 1908, Jerpe married Eva J. Thompson, with whom he had two children. In October 1960, their grandson, Andrew F. Jerpe, 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.

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. 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.

Articles

  • Gazette Times staff. . Pittsburgh Gazette Times. p. 2
  • Jerpe, James. . The Pittsburgh Post. p. 29
  • Jerpe, James.
  • Jerpe, James. Newark Evening Star. p. 9
  • Jerpe, James. . The Birmingham Age-Herald. p. 14
  • Special Correspondence. . Editor and Publisher. p. 6
  • "New Sporting Writers' Association". The Fourth Estate. February 15, 1913. .
  • Jackson, Joe S.. . The Sporting News. p. 4
  • Keener, Sid C.. . The Miami Herald. p. 5
  • Keeler, O. B.. . Hearst's Sunday American. p. 13
  • Batchelor, E. A.; Vaughan, Irving; O'Connor, W.J.; Peet, Bill; Jerpe, James. . The Salt Lake Tribune. p. 41
  • Jerpe, James. . The Sporting News. p. 5
  • Jerpe, James. . The Wilmington Evening Journal. p. 12
  • Lanigan, H.W.. . The Hot Springs Sentinel-Record. p. 2
  • Jerpe, James. . The Pittsburgh Gazette-Times. p. 9
  • Jerpe, James. . The Pittsburgh Gazette Times. p. 19
  • Jerpe, James. . The Pittsburgh Gazette Times. p. 10
  • Jerpe, James. . The Omaha Sunday Bee. p. 3—S
  • Rowland, Leslie W.. . The Pittsburgh Gazette Times. p. 21
  • Gazette staff. . The York Gazette. p. 6
  • Jerpe, James. . The Pittsburgh Gazette Times. p. 21
  • Ballinger, Ed. The Sporting News. p. 5
  • Monitoren staff. . Svenska Monitoren. p. 5
  • Star staff. . The Kansas City Star. p. 8
  • Mathewson, Christy. . The Evening World. p. 6.
  • Lanigan, Ernest. . The Sporting News. p. 4
  • Long, James J.. . The Sporting News. p. 10
  • Mercer, Sid. . The Sporting News. p. 5
  • Keck, Harry. . Pittsburgh Sun-Telegraph. p. 20
  • Rimmel, William R.. . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 19
  • Dugo, Harry. . Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. 30

Books

  • Menke, Frank Grant. The New Encyclopedia of Sports. New York : A. S. Barnes. .
  • Armstrong, Richard C.; Healy Jr., Martin. George "Mooney" Gibson: Canadian Catcher for Deadball Era Pirates. Jefferson, NC : McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers. ..