Hank Mason

Henry Mason (June 19, 1931 – May 29, 2020) was an American professional baseball player. Mason was a 6 ft (1.83 m), 185 lb (84 kg) right-handed pitcher whose eight-season (1955–62) minor league career included brief stints as a relief pitcher with the 1958 and 1960 Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball. He began his career with the Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro American League,[1] and was the starting pitcher in the 1954 East-West Game.

Hank Mason
Hank Mason in 2009
Pitcher
Born: (1931-06-19)June 19, 1931 Marshall, Missouri
Died: May 29, 2020(2020-05-29) (aged 88)
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
September 12, 1958, for the Philadelphia Phillies
Last MLB appearance
April 24, 1960, for the Philadelphia Phillies
MLB statistics
Win–loss record	0–0
Earned run average	10.13
Strikeouts	6
Innings pitched	102⁄3
Teams
Philadelphia Phillies (1958, 1960)

Mason was largely successful as a pitcher in the Phillies' farm system, posting 14- and 15-victory seasons in the Eastern League in 1955–56, and a 12–3 record in the International League in 1959.[2] However, Mason's MLB debut was not auspicious. On September 12, 1958, he appeared in a one-sided Phillie loss, a 19–2 defeat at the hands of the San Francisco Giants at Connie Mack Stadium. Mason entered the game in the second inning as the Phils' third pitcher of the day — and with the Giants already ahead, 8–0. He went the next five frames and surrendered seven hits and six earned runs, although he only allowed two extra-base blows, both doubles.[3] He made three more appearances at the start of the 1960 Phils' season.[4]

All told, Mason allowed 12 earned runs in four games played and 102⁄3 Major League innings, yielding 16 hits and seven bases on balls. He struck out six. In the minors, he won 60 of 106 decisions for a .556 winning percentage.[2]

Following his baseball career, Mason was a clergyman in Richmond, Virginia.[1] He died on May 29, 2020.[5]