R. I. P. Vern Handrahan, friend and mentor to all
“A Great Individual”
A Reflection of Prince Edward Island’s Greatest Modern Baseball Player, Vern Handrahan
By Randy Byrne
Executive Director, Baseball PEI
“Very humble. Sought no attention. Never, ever, put himself on a pedestal.”
That was Dr. Bob Lund’s answer when asked about Vern Handrahan, his close friend and former teammate,
Similar words were a common refrain about Handrahan from many across Prince Edward Island.
Prince Edward Island lost its greatest ball player, James Vernon Handrahan on Tuesday, 2 Nov. 2016, On paper, there is no question that Handrahan was the best player to come out of Prince Edward Island during the modern era of Major League Baseball. Other than Henry Oxley and George (Dandy) Wood – who played primarily in the 1880s – no other Islander has ever made it to the Major Leagues, let alone play in parts of two seasons.
No other Island pitcher has had the success in professional ball that Handrahan had. In 12 seasons of professional baseball, Handrahan had the opportunity to play in New York, Wisconsin, Idaho, Oregon, Florida, British Columbia, Iowa, Ohio and a host of other places. No other Islander approached the posting of an ERA of 3.81 over 12 years of pro ball like Handrahan.
However, to look at the statistics and achievements of Handrahan in pro ball would be to miss his significance to the sport of baseball in Canada’s smallest province. Handrahan proved that any person with talent, perseverance and determination could make it to the major leagues from a small place like PEI. But perhaps more importantly, Handrahan proved you could do it and do it with class, humility, and kindness.
Handrahan was known as a very good all-around athlete – one of his other passions and talents was for the sport of bowling - who did not start to play organized baseball in his hometown of Charlottetown until he was in his early teenage years. Handrahan refined his form while pitching for various Charlottetown area Midget, Junior and Intermediate teams in his late teens.
He signed with the semi-professional deal with the Stellarton Albions in 1958 and signed a pro contract with the Milwaukee Braves in 1959. He was drafted by the Kansas City Athletics in 1962 and pitched for the A’s in parts of the 1964 and 1966 seasons in the majors.
K.C. manager Eddie Lopat gave Handrahan the ball for his major-leaggue debut in the bottom of the sixth on April 14, 1964, with the Detroit Tigers beating K.C. 4-0 at Tiger Stadium. Handrahan retired the first five Tigers in order -- Don Demeter, Dick McAuliffe, Don Wert, Bill Freehan and Phil Regan -- before Billy Burton hit a solo homer.
The Atletics finished, 57-105, 10th in American League under managers Lopat and Mel McGaha, with Handrahan going 0-1 with a 6.06 ERA in 18 games, walking 25 and striking out 18 in 35 2/3 innings.
After splitting 1965 between the triple-A Vancouver Mounties triple-A Jacksonville in the St. Louis Cardinals system he was back with K.C.
The final hitter Handrahan faced was Hall of Famer Frank Robinson on Sept. 21, 1966 at Municipal Stadium in Kansas City before 12,021 fans. Robinson lined out to right in the top of the ninth as the Athletics lost 10-8.
Handrahan was 0-1, losing to the Chicago White Sox, with a 4.26 ERA as he walked 15 and fanned 18 in 25 1/3 innings. He bounced around the minors between 1959 and 1970. Handrahan retired in 1971 after failing to make the Detroit Tigers out of spring training and immediately moved back to Charlottetown to make an impact on baseball on Prince Edward Island. During his 12 seasons in the majors he was a combined 74-76 with a 3.74 ERA and four saves in 365 games. He walked 678 and struck out 1,075 in 1,386 innings.
Immediately upon returning to Prince Edward Island, Handrahan took up coaching and developing young pitchers. Handrahan coached several minor teams for many years upon his return. It was here in which Handrahan made his greatest impact baseball-wise to his home province. He was a mentor to many top young players and pitchers for decades after returning to Charlottetown, ran countless baseball camps and clinics, and coached several top Midget and Junior teams.
One such young pitcher who benefitted greatly from his tutelage was Bill Sullivan, who played for Handrahan’s Charlottetown Juniors in the early 1970s. Handrahan saw great potential in Sullivan, and due to a great deal of work and coaching from Handrahan, Sullivan went on to strike out 19 Manitoba batters in one game of the 1973 Canada Games.
Handrahan coaching philosophy was simple and rooted in letting children play many sports, becoming athletes, and learning to play for fun and for themselves.
“Vern was often childlike, but never childish,” says LeClair. “He believed in teaching players how the game should be played, but he let them go play it themselves. Vern thought that players should figure out how to play the game on their own, without an adult telling them how to do every little thing.
“He loved everything about the game, and even into his adulthood, he had a childlike love for baseball.”
Vern’s situation after professional baseball wasn’t the case – as is the case with countless ex-professionals - of using his experience and knowledge in the game for his personal profit. Handrahan contributed to the grassroots of baseball in his home province, volunteering thousands of hours to impart his wisdom and knowledge for the betterment of its players.
When you talk to friends, family, former players and teammates, despite his huge presence on the game of baseball on Prince Edward Island, baseball isn’t often the first thing that comes to mind when people think of Vern Handrahan. When most acquaintances think of Vern, they think of a kind and humble gentlemen, who lived life the right way. Handrahan was a letter carrier upon his return to Charlottetown and was known for his hard work and honesty. Handrahan never drank alcohol or smoked, and had no apparent vices.
He was always quick to deflect praise, and generally avoided situations in which he was due to receive a lot of praise. Kind with his time and effort, Handrahan was known to talk to anybody – if that person showed an interest in baseball, he would talk baseball with them for hours – and would never put on airs or false pretenses.
One example of the humility Vern Handrahan had would be in the case of the Vern Handrahan Trophy, awarded by Baseball PEI. It was decided in March of 2016 to create the Vern Handrahan Trophy, to be awarded to the Baseball PEI Provincial Midget Champions. Baseball PEI decided to establish this award for two reasons; one, as LeClair fondly recalls, so that “he may continue to be remembered as a real role model for young ballplayers on PEI,” and two, to acknowledge that he didn’t start to play organized ball until he was Midget age.
When informed of Baseball PEI’s intentions, Handrahan was deeply touched. Despite being in palliative care and in great discomfort, Vern called the Baseball PEI office personally – with some emotion in his voice - to inform Baseball PEI of his gratitude of having this Trophy named after him and to gives his thanks. For some ex-pros, they would expect recognition for their accomplishments. Handrahan didn’t expect anything for his great contribution to baseball on Prince Edward Island and was legitimately surprised at this well-deserved honour. This demonstrated what Islanders already knew about Handrahan. He was always concerned with what he could do to help. He wasn’t a “me first” type of person.
When it became public knowledge that Handrahan died following a significant and lengthy battle with cancer yesterday at the age 79, hundreds of tributes to Handrahan appeared in the media and on social media. Yet few of those tributes from Prince Edward Island spoke primarily of his excellent professional career. The vast majority mentioned how much of a mentor Vern had been for countless ballplayers from Prince Edward Island, and the kind of person and gentlemen he was.
It was apparent by this outpouring of tributes that while the people here admired the player and coach Handrahan was, people here adored the type of person he was and how he carried himself. Perhaps the most fitting tribute made to Handrahan on social media after his death was a tweet sent out by one of his former players Ronnie Hennessey:
“RIP to a great individual... and not a bad baseball player either #RIPVern”. That was how Vern would have wanted to be seen; as a good man first, and a good baseball player second.
Vern Handrahan is survived by his wife Ann, his children Christopher and Amy, and his grandchildren Brian, Julie and Kennedy.
Rest in peace Vern.