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Newcomer Cremations, Funerals, & Receptions - Kettering Chapel

3940 Kettering Blvd

Dayton, Ohio

Tom Henrich Obituary

News Death Notice

HENRICH, Tom Tom Henrich, formerly of Massillon and Prescott, AZ, passed away peacefully on December 1 at the age of 96. Eileen, his beloved wife of 68 years, died in March. He was the last of the six children of Edward and Mary Elizabeth Henrich. Although well known for his career with the New York Yankees from 1937 to 1950, his friends will remember most his love of music and happiness with life. Baseball was a favorite of the entire Henrich family, and Tom always said he was a fortunate man to be able to make a living doing what he enjoyed. After his playing days, he was a coach, a broadcaster, a restaurateur, and later a representative for Diebold of Canton. Modest about his own achievements, he wrote the book Five OClock Lightning, his account of the thrill and fun of being in the Big Leagues during what many consider its best time. As much as he delighted in baseball, his love of music defined him. There was always singing at home and wherever there was a piano and someone who knew the words. When they lived in NYC, he and Eileen frequently could be found at jazz clubs, where he would often sit in on piano. During the years they lived in Prescott, he often joined local groups at several clubs. He is survived by his five children Patricia (Phil Usrey) of Dayton; Ann (Durward) Erwin of Salinas, CA; Tom of Mexico; Mary of Columbus, OH; and Paul of Dewey, AZ; three grandchildren; and three great grandchildren. The family wishes to thank the staffs of Sterling House of Beaverceek and Crossroads Hospice for their affectionate care of Tom and Eileen and for their support of the family. Arrangements in care of Newcomer Funeral Home in Beavercreek, OH.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Dayton Daily News on Dec. 2, 2009.

Memories and Condolences
for Tom Henrich

27 Entries

Steve Paradiso

December 28, 2009

My mother attended Loretto High School in Sault Ste Marie Michigan during the time that Tom Henrich was in the Coast Guard and stationed in the Soo. My mother has always spoken so highly of Mr Henrich - not for his baseball career - but for the time he volunteered at her school to coach the girls basketball team. She was, and still is, humbled by his selflessness in the giving of his time.

Tom & Donna Kracker

December 13, 2009

As my brother Dave Kracker stated, we did live right next door to the Henrichs. In addition to singing, Tommy also loved to play our piano, and "hook' that crooked pinkie around the keys. One of many fond memories of this Family, was receiving the "Wheaties" Eileen would have sent next door to us when Tommy would hit a homerun. I guess that meant that Patty, Ann, Mary, "TD" and Paul had all they could eat! Bob Feller told me that Tommy was the hardest man he ever pitched against. Our sincere condolences.

JOSEPH BRENNAN

December 13, 2009

CONDOLENCES TO THE HENRICH FAMILY. EILEEN'S SISTER MARGARET O'REILLY LIVED WITH MY PARENTS IN SUFFERN NY AND KENNESAW GA FOR OVER 60 YEARS BEFORE HER PASSING IN 1996.MY MOTHER,A NURSE,ASSISTED EILEEN DURING THE BIRTH OF AT LEAST TWO OF THE HENRICH CHILDREN AT GOOD SAMARITAN HOSPITAL IN SUFFERN NY WHEN TOMMY WAS WITH THE YANKEES. TOMMY AND EILEEN VISITED HER SISTER IN KENNESAW IN 1995 AND WE ALL ENJOYED THE VISIT. HE WAS A GREAT BALLPLAYER AND MAN.EILEEN WAS A GOOD WIFE AND MOTHER. AGAIN, OUR SINCERE CONDOLENCES. THE BRENNAN FAMILY OF KENNESAW GA.

December 13, 2009

Tom and Eileen were neighbors of ours in Massillon. At my parents 25th wedding anniversary, they come over to our home.............at which time couldn't wait to get a group of us together to sing some barbershop harmony. I never saw the man when he wasn't smiling and anxious to do some horsing around. He loved to kid us. I'll always remember that one of his "pinkies" had an s curve in it from his playing days. He was called "Old Reliable" for his exceptional pinch hitting abilities. Eileen was a pretty Irish woman who used to just shake her head over Tom's carrying on. My mother remembers spending many hours with her to help her get through Tom's time away from home playing ball. All the Krackers send their sympathy to Pat, Ann, "TD", and Mary. I would love to hear from any of them.

Dave Kracker

December 13, 2009

Tom and Eileen were neighbors of ours in Massillon. At my parents 25th wedding anniversary, they came over to our home.............at which time Tom couldn't wait to get a group of us together to sing some barbershop harmony. I never saw the man when he wasn't smiling and anxious to do some horsing around. He loved to kid us. I'll always remember that one of his "pinkies" had an s curve in it from his playing days. He was called "Old Reliable" for his exceptional pinch hitting abilities. Eileen was a pretty Irish woman who used to just shake her head over Tom's carrying on. My mother remembers spending many hours with her to help her get through Tom's time away from home playing ball. All the Krackers send their sympathy to Pat, Ann, "TD", and Mary. I would love to hear from any of them.

Dave Kracker

December 13, 2009

Marty Kohler

December 7, 2009

Tom`s voice and comments on HBO`s 'When it was a Game" were very insightful to both his great personality and to what it was like for him to be a Yankee. He must have been the best teamate. Very sorry to hear of his passing, A real Yankee. RIP Mr. Henrich

Rick Benko

December 7, 2009

My Father worked for Diebold during the late 40's and 50's. He spoke highly of Mr Henrich as a great player and better man.

Our family condolences.

Rick Benko

December 4, 2009

December 4, 2009

To the Henrich Family:

Our condolences to all on the occcasion of your father's passing.

I grew up in Massillon, Ohio in the '40's & 50's, and there Tommy was a hero and loved by so many. He was always known as a good man who loved his church, St. Mary's,, his music, and was ever loyal to the Yankees and his home town.

My mother and father, Charles and Elizabeth Mohr, knew the Henrich family well, and thought the world of your father.

Massillon and former Massilonians will ever remember fondly the "good" man and great Yankee "old reliable"Tommy Henrich.

May he rest in peace.

Tim Mohr
Cleveland, Ohio

Alan J. Denman, Jr.

December 4, 2009

My sincere condoleces to the Henrich family.On April7,1997 I had the good fortune to meet with Tom Henrich at the Downtown Athletic Club to celebrate Jackie Robinson's 50th aniversary of his entry into Baseball..I spent 3 hours with Tom who next to my Dad Tom was my boyhood hero...."Old Reliable #15..Thanks for the truly Great Memories....May our Lord Bless Thomas David Henrich

DONALD KARR

December 3, 2009

I REMEMBER AS A KID THAT THE FAMILY LIVED ON KENVIEW ON THE EAST SIDE OF COLUMBUS. I REMEMBER PLAYING WITH PAUL A FEW TIMES. I AM SORRY TO HEAR OF YOUR FATHERS DEATH AND SEND MY CONDOLENCES.MY THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS ARE WITH THE FAMILY AND I STILL REMEBER PAUL GETTING ME HIS FATHERS AUTOGRAPH ON A BALL THAT I STUPIDLY USED. TC AND GOD BLESS YOU

Peggy Baatz Parker

December 2, 2009

As former Massillonians and second half cousins of Tommy, we were so sorry to read of his death. I knew all the family except Albert - visited with Honey a couple years ago.
We Baatz kids shared having the same Great Grandfather. Our sympathy to the family.

Bill Davis

December 2, 2009

Condolences to the Henrich family. I once meet your dad a long time ago at a St Mary's festival and I remember he gave me a couple of dollars to try my luck at a wheel. My father, Bill Davis(Odie), always spoke well of his old friend.
I tried to attach a photo taken in 1952 at the Latin Quarter, with Bill And Marge Davis, Carl and Merle Seifert and you dad and mom.
When you get a chance have someone e-mail me and I can forward a copy by return e-mail or fax.
[email protected]

Mary Davis Riley

December 2, 2009

.Dear Henrich family, my condolences to all of you. I am the daughter of one of Tommy's longtime friends, Bill Davis (Odie) who passed away December 2000.

December 2, 2009

We treasure the memories of the days our families spent together in New York. Tommy was a "great" in every sense.
the Hoffmeister family

December 2, 2009

We treasure the memories of the days our families spent together in New York. Tommy was a "great" in every sense.
- the Hoffmeister family

Bill Perry

December 2, 2009

As a young teenager living in Massachusetts, I fondly recall hearing on the radio Mel Allen saying " Ol' Reliable does it again". Thanks for the memories Tommy and goodby.

chuck such

December 2, 2009

Tommy Henrich was one of the most highly regarded distinguished sports figures Stark County every produced. He ranked with Paul Brown as a celebrity, attended every major sports function here for decades and even aqdded a celebrity touch in New York, joining the Canton contingent at a meeting of NFL owners. His two closest friends were Earl Schreiber and Diebold boss Ray Koontz. He attended every major Diebold party/function for decades and had personal relationships with bank presidents across the country as a result. He and I walked into a New York night club and the band director immediately swung into Tommy's favorite song, a salute to the Yankee star that few celebrities ever experienced. His loud laugh was contagious, his sense of hunor unmatched, his love of a good story and music unparralleled. The last to leave many a party, particularly one where singing captivated the night, Tommy was fun personified.Coming off the softball fields of Massillon, he was the hero with game-winning hits so many times that New York sportswriters labeled him "Old Reliable." That he was, much to the glee of the Yankees. The old lefthander played golf at Canton's elite country clubs more often than some members, always a cherished guest. Tommy lived a great life, enjoyed it to the fullest and his big laugh will forever be resounding to those of us who had the fortune to share many events with him.
He loved being a Yankee and he was a proud Yankee star and so proud of Massillon.
It's just too bad that yesteryear's greats are passing blimps on today's sports people.
Tommy Henrich earned his seat next to Paul Brown and Jim Thorpe on the this area's sports
throne.
Chuck Such
Sarasota, Florida

Tommy Henry

December 2, 2009

My mother, who was from Massillon, told me when I was a boy that I was named after Tommy Henrich, the famous baseball player. I did not know he was from Massillon. My condolences to the family.

Todd Robinson

December 2, 2009

Last year, on my 42nd Birthday, I was able to meet Tommy and Eileen as part of my gift from my wife. She is a Speech Pathologist and worked with Tommy at the nursing home. He and Eileen were extremely gracious to allow us to sit with them for about an hour talking about baseball. However, when I asked about his service in the Coast Guard during WWII, Tommy immediately perked up. He was so enthusiastic about his service to our country. I only wish I could have met him sooner to hear about all the great stories he had about his playing days. Tommy will be missed.

Brian Cunningham

December 2, 2009

Thank you 'Old Reliable!' You are a true Yankee legend that will never die!

Keith Griffin

December 2, 2009

I am proud to say that I played in Massillon's Tommy Henrich League in 1959.

Tony Williams

December 2, 2009

I'm a friend of Tom's daughter Patty. He and Eileen did a fine job raising her. I would see Eileen and Tom walking along the sidewalks of Yellow Springs, Ohio when they were visiting their daughter. Both were always pleasant and would always say hello. The world is little bit worse off without those two.

Janice Lynch

December 2, 2009

To the Henrich family,

Your father retired from baseball long before I was born, but my father told me so many stories about his clutch hitting and great fielding that I almost feel as though I saw him play. Of all the great Yankees my father has seen play over the years, from the Lou Gehrig era to the present, your dad was his favorite. My father (coincidentally, also named Tom) was a Bronx native who went to countless Yankee games as a boy and a teenager. He always said that when your dad came up with men on base in a key game, he had complete faith that he would come through with a base hit--and he usually did! He really did deserve his "Old Reliable" nickname given to him by Mel Allen. Your father was also an excellent right fielder, and the Yankee outfield of the 1940s with Tommy, Joe Di Maggio in center, and Charlie Keller in left was one of the best ever. Like many excellent players of his era, your dad's lifetime statistics would have been even better if he had not missed three seasons in his prime serving his country in World War II.

Most importantly, my father was impressed with your father as a man. My dad always liked to tell the story of how Tommy was in the hospital recovering from an injury, when he fell in love with one of his nurses--your mom. (We are very sorry to hear of her passing as well.) After that, he never had eyes for any other woman. Unlike many baseball players, he was a loving and faithful husband and a devoted father. To my dad, your father was a real hero--someone whom the youth of America could look up to and admire in every way.

So, on the day of your father's passing, my father is of course mourning him, but even though I never met him or saw him play, I feel great sadness upon his passing as well. Rest in peace, Tommy. Thank you for bringing my father and millions of other Yankee fans the great joy of seeing you play the game of baseball. May God watch over you and yours always.

Sincerely,

December 2, 2009

Massillon boy gets to play for the NEW YORK YANKEES.....well done Tommy!!

Rick Hand-Cannane

December 2, 2009

I am very sorry to hear of Tommy Henrich's death. I found out from him that I now Own the house in which he was born. Again, I am very sorry to hear about his passing.

Cathy Barker

December 2, 2009

Thank you for some of the greatest years of baseball.

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