Paul Penson

Paul Eugene Penson

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 1", Weight 185 lb.

• Debut April 21, 1954
• Final Game May 30, 1954
• Born July 12, 1931 in Kansas City, KS USA
• Died May 3, 2006 in Merriam, KS USA

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Biographical Information

Right-hander Paul Penson was signed as an amateur free agent by the Philadelphia Phillies on October 23, 1953. Paul came directly to the Phillies out of the United States Air Force where he had been during the Korean War. Penson had been pitching for his base team and built a 50-7 record with an ERA of just under 1.00 during his time in the Military Service.

Sporting a blazing fastball and erratic control, the 22-year-old pitcher made his professional debut on April 21, 1954 at Connie Mack Stadium with an 8-4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. But after two more starts and a couple of relief appearances, Paul was never to pitch again in the major leagues. He finished with a 1-1 record and a 4.50 ERA in five appearances.

He spent the rest of the 1954 season with the Schenectady Blue Jays of the class A Eastern League where he went 3-12 with a 3.60 ERA. 1955 saw him with the Phillies for a brief period at the beginning of the season, but without getting into a game. He returned to Schenectady, getting into five games and going 0-1. Penson went from there to the class B Reidsville Phillies, appearing in six games and going 0-2.

1956 saw Paul try one more time with the Tifton Phillies of the class D Georgia-Florida League appearing in one game, losing it, and ending his pro baseball career with a 3-16 minor league record in 34 appearances. After baseball, Paul went to work as a signalman and later as an engineer for the Kansas City Terminal Railroad before becoming a construction supervisor for the Kansas Gas Company. Penner retired to Bonner Spring, Kansas in 1988 and lived there until his death on May 3, 2006 in Merriam, Kansas.

Sources

Baseball Players of the 1950s
BR Minors Page