Pelham Ballenger

Pelham Ashby Ballenger

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 5' 11", Weight 160 lb.

• Debut May 7, 1928
• Final Game May 12, 1928
• Born February 6, 1894 in Gilreath Mill, SC USA
• Died December 8, 1948 in Gantt, SC USA

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Biographical Information

Pelham Ballenger appeared in 3 games for the Washington Senators in May 1928, getting 9 at-bats in his age 34 season. A third baseman, he made no errors in the field and had 8 assists. Ossie Bluege was the regular third baseman for the Senators at the time, and would continue to play infield for the Senators through 1939. It was Ballenger's bad luck that 1928 was Bluege's best year with the bat. Ballenger played in the minors during most of the 1920s, primarily for teams in the South. When not in the majors in 1928, he was hitting .346 for the Birmingham Barons. He was born in 1894 in South Carolina, and died at the age of 54 in the same state.

Ballenger was a pretty unique guy. Through 2019, no other big leaguer has had the first name Pelham, the last name Ballenger, been born in Gilreath Mill, SC, or died in Gantt, SC. There has been one big leaguer with the last name of Pelham: former Texas Rangers reliever C.D. Pelham.

Related Sites

• Find-A-Grave Memorial for Pelham Ballenger