Ernie Ovitz

Ernest Gayhart Ovitz

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 8½", Weight 156 lb.
• School University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• Debut June 22, 1911
• Final Game June 22, 1911
• Born October 7, 1885 in Mineral Point, WI USA
• Died September 11, 1980 in Green Bay, WI USA

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Biographical Information

Ernie Ovitz pitched in one game for the Chicago Cubs in 1911.

Ernie, who was born in Wisconsin, attended the University of Illinois from 1906-1908 along with a number of other future major leaguers, the most prominent of which was Ray Demmitt. The Sporting Life issue of June 20, 1908 called him "the best college pitcher in the West", mentioned him as pitching a game for the Riverview Club in Chicago, and stated that he would soon join the Boston American League club.

The Sporting Life of August 15, 1908 indicated that Ernie's brother John, who had been playing well with an independent club, signed with Bloomington.

Pitching in the minors from 1908 to 1910, Ernie was above .500 each year.

On the 1911 Cubs, he was nine years younger than player-manager Frank Chance. As a hitter, Ernie had a walk in his one plate appearance, thus giving him an OBP of 1.000.

Ernie was born and died in Wisconsin, and lived to be nearly 95 years old.