Overview
John Ellett Herrnstein (March 31, 1938 – October 3, 2017) was an American baseball and football player. He is best known for a multi-sport collegiate career at the University of Michigan and for his time in Major League Baseball during the early to mid-1960s. Born in Hampton, Virginia, Herrnstein went on to become a professional athlete and later remained connected to the communities where he lived.
College career
At Michigan (1956–1959), Herrnstein competed in both football and baseball. He was part of the university's tradition of dual-sport athletes, earning recognition for his versatility and athleticism. His performance at the collegiate level opened the path to professional sports in baseball while reflecting the era when talented athletes commonly played multiple varsity sports.
Professional baseball
Herrnstein reached the major leagues and played from 1962 to 1966. During that span he appeared for several National League clubs, including the Philadelphia Phillies, the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves. His career illustrates the journeyman pattern typical of many role players of the period—moving between clubs while contributing as a position player and pinch hitter when needed.
Teams and timeline
- College: University of Michigan (1956–1959)
- Major leagues: 1962–1966 — Phillies, Cubs, Braves
Playing style and reputation
Herrnstein was regarded as a competent position player valued for his athletic background and team-oriented play. Like many players who transitioned from college football, he combined physicality with the hand-eye coordination required in baseball. Contemporary accounts remember him for steady, dependable contributions rather than headline-grabbing statistics.
Later life and legacy
After leaving the major leagues Herrnstein lived away from the national spotlight but remained part of baseball and collegiate sports history as an example of a two-sport athlete who advanced to the highest professional level in baseball. He died at his home in Chillicothe, Ohio on October 3, 2017, from complications related to leukemia. His life is sometimes cited when discussing mid-20th-century American athletes who balanced football and baseball careers.
For further reading on aspects of Herrnstein's career and teams he played for, see club histories and archives maintained by the organizations linked above.