Forester Athletic Hall of Fame
Inducted 1974

He entered Lake Forest in 1911 and lettered in football, basketball and baseball.  Captain of all three sports Ernie was All-Conference in football and All-State in basketball.  As a catcher for the baseball team he drew so much attention that the Cleveland Indains' scout persuaded him to sign with their American Association farm team, making him ineligible to compete at the intercollegiate level.

Graduating with a history and political science degree, Ernie continued to play professional baseball.  During his ten years in the majors he played for the Indians, the New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers, New York Yankees and the Cincinnati Reds.  He was the catcher for the Dodgers in 1920 when they won the pennant and went to the World Series.  In that same year, he caught all 26 innings against the Boston Braves in what was then baseball's longest game ever.  He continued to compete in the professional ranks until 1933, playing in Minneapolis, Nashville and New York.  He finished his career with a .294 career batting average.

After retiring from baseball he became the section manager for Marshall Fields & Company, retiring in 1955.  He stayed active, playing in the Old Timer's Baseball Association and playing golf.  He and his wife, Ruth Talcott '16, settled in Waukegan and, in 1971 the city named a street in his honor.