Thomas Jacob Sunkel

Thomas Jacob Sunkel, 89, of Paris, died at 11:53 p.m. Saturday (April 6, 2002) at Paris Community Hospital. He was a professional baseball pitcher. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Wednesday (April 10) at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, with Rev. Fr. William Overmann as celebrant. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery. A wake prayer service is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday at the Stewart and Carroll Funeral Home, and friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. The family suggests that memorial donations be made to Knights of Columbus Council 860.

Mr. Sunkel was born Aug. 9, 1912, in Paris, the son of Alonzo Sunkel and Ellen McFall Sunkel. He married Ivadean Perry Jan. 15, 1937, in Shelbyville, and she survives. He is also survived by one brother, Richard Sunkel of San Diego, Calif.; one sister, Margaret Jane Tiffin of Terre Haute, Ind.; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by an infant daughter; three brothers; and one sister.

Mr. Sunkel was a pitcher in minor league baseball before moving to the major leagues. He pitched in the major leagues for 20 years for the Cardinals, the Giants and the Brooklyn Dodgers. Following his retirement from baseball, he worked for the city of Paris and managed the Paris Lakers Baseball Team. He was a member of Knights of Columbus Council 860 and the American Association of Professional Baseball Players.