And became the favored target for boos here.
"He was from North Philly and South Philly didn't like North Philly," late Hall of Fame righthander Robin Roberts speculated in a 2009 interview. "He was a big slugger. People talk about how Philly fans are tough on their players. He's the only guy that I played with that they were tough on. They didn't boo any of the rest of us. He was big and strong and ... everyone expects them to hit home runs."
Ennis finished his career with a .284 average, 288 home runs - 259 with the Phillies - and 1,284 RBI. Those statistics are comparable to several players enshrined in Cooperstown. Ennis got three votes from the BBWAA in 1966, two the following year and that was it.
Today, even more-than-casual fans might be pressed to recall exactly who is standing between Howard and Schmidt at the moment. And even those who know the name probably don't recall that much about him.
Well, Ennis was outwardly quiet but considered a practical joker in the clubhouse. He was offered a September call-up after his only season in the minors, with the Trenton Packers of the Class B Interstate League, but turned it down to spend time with his family before reporting for military service.
He made $30,000 in 1950, at the time the highest salary ever paid a Phillies player. But he also talked the front office into including bonuses that paid him up to an extra $20,000 if he reached 120 RBI ... and collected three times. He used to soak his bats in a barrel of linseed oil at a local gas station all winter, then put them in a clubhouse dryer in spring training to harden the wood.
He was given not one but two Del Ennis Nights at Shibe Park, once in his rookie season and again in 1955.
