CONNORS, Mervin James

Thursday, January 12, 2006

SFGate.com

Mervin James Connors January 23, 1914 - January 8, 2006

Mervin James Connors was a remarkable athlete who had a long, distinguished professional career in baseball, America's national pastime.

From 1934 through 1953 (with a two year interruption in 1944-1945 to serve his country in the military), Mr. Connors played in over 2100 minor league games and in 52 major league games with the Chicago White Sox. He played for 18 different minor league teams in 14 different leagues, amassing and incredible 400 home runs and 1629 runs batted in, some of the highest totals in baseball history.

In 1937 and 1938, Merv Connors played in 52 games for the White Sox. In one game in September, 1938, the tall, rawboned first baseman, brought up from Shreveport of the Texas league, came within a few feet of tying the all time major league home run mark for one game. He blasted three consecutive home runs narrowly missing another when his vicious line drive knocked out a light in the left centerfield scoreboard at Comiskey Park in Chicago, Connors hit .355 for the Sox that year.

He was a lifetime member of the Association of Professional Ball Players of America.

Connors was a decorated veteran of World War II, serving in the U.S. Army, 1st Battalion, 517th Parachute Infantry. He fought in battles in southern France, the Ardennes, the Rhineland, Central Europe and North Africa. The recipient of several medals and citations, including the Bronze Arrowhead and WWII Victory Medal, Mervin received an honorable discharge in August, 1945.

He was a proud member of Teamsters Union local #70, and was retired from Verns Trucking Service. He is survived by his loving daughter Judy Dildy of Tyler, TX; grandchildren, Brian Dilby (Jaime) of Arlington, TX, and Suzanne DeWeese (Bill) of Little Elm, TX.

He leaves his sisters, Ada Scarsi of Moraga, CA and Esther Tuft of El Nido, CA. Mervin/s wife, Leta Majorie Bishop-Connors predeceased him as well as his brothers William F. Connors and Orville T. Connors. He leaves many nieces, grand nieces and grand nephews. Mervin was a native of Berkeley, CA and graduated from Berkeley High School in 1931. He was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Berkeley.

Visitation will be held Friday, January 13, 2006 starting at 10:00am. Followed by the Funeral Service at 11:00am.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mervin's name to St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church on Addison St. in Berkeley. Visitation and funeral service held at Chapel of the Chimes, 4499 Piedmont Ave., Oakland, CA 94611.