Albert Earl "Jerry" Akers (November 1, 1887 – May 15, 1979) was a professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

player whose career spanned seven seasons, including a part of one in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

with the Washington Senators (1912). Akers was a

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("Pitch (baseball), pitches") the Baseball (ball), baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of out (baseball), retiring a batter (baseball), batter, ...

. During his time in the majors, Akers compiled a record of 1–1 with a 4.87

earned run average In baseball statistics, earned run average (ERA) is the average of earned runs allowed by a pitcher per nine innings pitched (i.e. the traditional length of a game). It is determined by dividing the number of earned runs allowed by the number ...

(ERA) and 11

strikeout In baseball or softball, a strikeout (or strike-out) occurs when a batter accumulates three strikes during a time at bat. It means the batter is out, unless the third strike is not caught by the catcher and the batter reaches first base safe ...

s in five games, one

start Start can refer to multiple topics: * Takeoff, the phase of flight where an aircraft transitions from moving along the ground to flying through the air * Starting lineup in sports * Track and field#Starts use in race, Starts use in sport race * S ...

. Akers also played in the

minor leagues Minor leagues are professional sports leagues which are not regarded as the premier leagues in those sports. Minor league teams tend to play in smaller, less elaborate venues, often competing in smaller cities/markets. This term is used in Nort ...

with the Class-D Jacksonville Jacks/Lunatics/Braves (1906–1907, 1909), the Class-D Kearney Kapitalists (1910), the Class-B Dubuque Dubs (1910), the Class-D Canton Highlanders (1912), the Double-A

Montreal Royals The Montreal Royals were a minor league professional baseball team in Montreal, Quebec, during 1897–1917 and 1928–1960. A member of the International League, the Royals were the top farm club ( Class AAA) of the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1939; pi ...

(1912), the Double-A Rochester Hustlers (1912) and the Class-B

Peoria Distillers The Peoria Distillers were a minor league baseball team that existed on-and-off from 1894 to 1917. They played in the Western Association from 1894 to 1896; the Central League (baseball), Central League in 1900, 1904 and 1917; the Western League ( ...

(1914). Although statistics for Akers in the minor leagues are incomplete, what is recorded is a record of 70–73 in 166 games. Akers batted and threw right-handed.

Professional career

Akers started his

professional baseball Professional baseball is organized baseball in which players are selected for their talents and are paid to play for a specific team or club system. It is played in baseball league, leagues and associated farm teams throughout the world. Moder ...

in 1906 with the Class-D Jacksonville Jacks, who represented

Jacksonville, Illinois Jacksonville is a city and the county seat of Morgan County, Illinois, United States. The population was 17,616 at the 2020 census, down from 19,446 in 2010. It is home to Illinois College, Illinois School for the Deaf, and the Illinois Sc ...

. The Jacks were a member of the

Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League The Kentucky–Illinois–Tennessee League (or ''KITTY League'') was a Class D level minor league baseball circuit that went through six different periods of play between 1903 and 1955. The League hosted teams in 29 cities from the states of Ill ...

that season. That season, Akers compiled a record of 10–9 in 20 games, 19 starts. In 1907, the Jacksonville team changed their name to the "

Lunatics ''Lunatic'' is a term referring to a person who is seen as mentally ill, dangerous, foolish, or crazy—conditions once attributed to "lunacy". The word derives from ''lunaticus'' meaning "of the moon" or "moonstruck". History The term "lun ...

" and joined the Iowa League of Professional Baseball Clubs. With Jacksonville that season, Akers went 15–15 in an unknown number of games. After an absence from the professional circuit in 1908, Akers re-joined the Jacksonville club, now renamed the "Braves". Jacksonville also switched leagues again, joining the

Central Association The Central Association was an American minor league baseball league. The Central Association began play in 1908, evolving from the 1907 Iowa State League. The Central Association played continuously through 1917 before folding. The league reforme ...

. In 31 games that season, Akers went 10–12. Jerry Akers autograph

During the 1910 season, Akers played for two teams. First, with the Class-D Kearney Kapitalists of the

Nebraska State League The Nebraska State League (NSL) was an American professional minor league baseball league with five incarnations between 1892 and 1959. The Nebraska State League formed five times: in 1892, from 1910 to 1915, from 1922 to 1923, from 1928 to 1938 a ...

. His pitching statistics were not kept during his time with the Kearney team. The second team Akers played for in 1910 was the Class-B Dubuque Dubs of the

Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League The Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League was a Class B level Minor League Baseball organization that operated for the better part of 60 seasons, with teams based in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymo ...

. With the Dubuque club, Akers went 5–4 in 10 games. In 1911, Akers continued playing for Dubuque, who were renamed the "Hustlers". In 39 games, Akers went 19–12. His 19 wins tied him for seventh overall in the Illinois–Indiana–Iowa League. In the 1911

Rule 5 draft The Rule 5 draft is a Major League Baseball (MLB) player draft that occurs each year in December, at the annual Winter Meeting of general managers. The Rule 5 draft aims to prevent teams from stockpiling too many young players on their minor lea ...

, Akers was selected by the Washington Senators. Akers started the season at the Class-D level with the Canton Highlanders, who represented

Canton, Illinois Canton is the largest city in Fulton County, Illinois, United States. The population was 13,242 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, down from 14,704 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. The Canton Micropolitan Statistical Ar ...

. During his stint with the Highlanders, Akers went 5–4 in 15 games. Akers was then called up to the Senators and Akers made his debut in

on May 4, 1912. With the Senators that season, Akers went 1–1 with a 4.87

and 11

s in five games, one start. He last appearance in the majors was on May 25, 1912. Also on that day, Akers was traded to the Double-A

along with pitcher

Charlie Becker Karl Becker (November 24, 1887 – December 28, 1968), billed as Charlie Becker, was a German American actor. He was 3'9" in height, and is best known for appearing as the Mayor of Munchkinland in ''The Wizard of Oz'' (1939). Billy Bletcher d ...

and

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch ...

Bill Cunningham in exchange for

first baseman A first baseman, abbreviated 1B, is the player on a baseball or softball team who fields the area nearest first base, the first of four bases a baserunner must touch in succession to score a run. The first baseman is responsible for the majori ...

Chick Gandil Charles Arnold "Chick" Gandil (January 19, 1888 – December 13, 1970) was an American professional baseball player. He played for the Washington Senators, Cleveland Indians, and Chicago White Sox of the American League. He is best known as ...

. Akers went on to pitch for the Double-A Montreal Royals and the Double-A Rochester Hustlers in 1912. Combined between both

International League The International League (IL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the United States. Along with the Pacific Coast League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade below Major ...

(IL) teams, he went 6–17 in 20 games. Along pitchers

Ed Lafitte Edward Francis Lafitte (April 7, 1886 – April 12, 1971) was an American pitcher in Major League Baseball who played with the Detroit Tigers (1909–12), Brooklyn Tip-Tops (1914–15), and Buffalo Blues (1915). Born in New Orleans, Louisiana, ...

and Marty McHale, Akers was third in the IL in

losses Loss may refer to: *Economic loss *Grief, an emotional response to loss **Animal loss, grief over the loss of an animal Mathematics, science, and technology * Angular misalignment loss, power loss caused by the deviation from optimum angular al ...

. Akers did not pitch in professional baseball in 1913, but did return for the 1914 season, his last in his professional playing career. He joined the Class-D

that season, who represented

Peoria, Illinois Peoria ( ) is a city in Peoria County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located on the Illinois River, the city had a population of 113,150 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of municipalities in Ill ...

. Akers pitched 21 games that season.

Later life

Akers served in World War I. After his retirement from professional baseball, Akers resided in

Town 'n' Country, Florida Town 'n' Country is a census-designated place (CDP) in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. The population was 85,951 at the 2020 census. Within Town 'n' Country are located Bay Crest Park, Countryway, Rocky Creek, Sweetwater Creek. ...

, a suburb of

Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...

. He was married to Hazel Schuneman from November 12, 1931, until her death on March 29, 1958. Akers died on May 15, 1979, in

Bay Pines, Florida Bay Pines is a census-designated place (CDP) in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. The population was 2,931 at the 2010 census. The community is home to Bay Pines Veterans Hospital and Bay Pines National Cemetery. Historic district The B ...

. He was buried at Garden Of Memories Cemetery in Tampa.

References

;General references # # ;Inline citations

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Akers, Jerry 1887 births 1979 deaths People from Shelbyville, Indiana Sportspeople from the Indianapolis metropolitan area Baseball players from Indiana American military personnel of World War I Washington Senators (1901–1960) players 20th-century American sportsmen Major League Baseball pitchers Jacksonville Jacks players Jacksonville Braves (Central Association) players Dubuque Dubs players Montreal Royals players Rochester Hustlers players Peoria Distillers players Canton Chinks players