Ed Klepfer (July 4, 1888 – December 30, 1950) was an American professional baseball pitcher who played in Major League Baseball (MLB) during the 1910s. He appeared for the Chicago White Sox, New York Yankees, and Boston Red Sox over a career that spanned parts of six seasons.
Early life
Edward Joseph Klepfer was born on July 4, 1888, in the United States. Details of his early education and amateur baseball experience are not extensively documented in widely available sources.
Professional baseball career
| Season | Team | League | Games (G) | Starts (GS) | Win–loss record (W–L) | Earned run average (ERA) | Strikeouts (SO) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1911–1912 | Chicago White Sox | American League | 10 | 3 | 1–3 | 4.79 | 12 |
| 1915–1916 | New York Yankees | American League | 55 | 30 | 19–16 | 3.38 | 161 |
| 1918 | Boston Red Sox | American League | 23 | 12 | 11–12 | 2.84 | 72 |
Statistical totals for Klepfer’s MLB career: 31 wins, 31 losses, a 3.48 ERA, and 245 strikeouts in 98 games (including 45 starts).
Klepfer’s most productive season was 1915 with the Yankees, when he recorded a 13–8 win–loss record and posted a 2.88 ERA. After a brief hiatus for military service during World War I, he returned to the majors in 1918, contributing to the Red Sox’s pennant‑winning campaign.
Military service
During World War I, Klepfer served in the United States Army. His service interrupted his baseball career, a common occurrence for many major‑league players of the era.
Later life and death
Following his final MLB appearance on September 30, 1918, Klepfer retired from professional baseball. He later worked in the manufacturing sector and resided in the Chicago metropolitan area. Edward Klepfer died on December 30, 1950, at the age of 62. The location of his death is recorded as Chicago, Illinois.
Legacy
While not a Hall of Fame inductee, Klepfer is remembered as a competent right‑handed pitcher of the dead‑ball era, notable for his service interruption due to World War I and for contributing to the 1918 Boston Red Sox championship team.