MILLERSBURG, Pa. — Sumner Bowman was born in Millersburg, Pennsylvania on Feb. 9th, 1867.
One of seven kids, he graduated from Millersburg High School and went off to Dickinson Seminary, Lycoming College, to learn and continue his love of sports.
He graduated in 1886, and two years later he decided to study law at the University of Pennsylvania. If his head wasn't in a book, it was on the diamond. Starting as a left fielder, he eventually made the switch to pitcher, and plenty took note.
The Philadelphia Press reported in one game that, "Bowman was steadiness itself. The only battery error chargeable to him being a batsman hit, and he could have avoided it had he been so disposed."
As if studying law wasn't hard enough, it was as a student that Bowman made his debut for the Phillies on June 11th, 1890.
As good as he was in college, the pros, even in the 1890s, were a different animal. In his only game with the Phillies, he pitched eight innings and allowed seven runs, but did go four for four at the plate with one run batted in.
The next time he was seen playing in the big leagues was later that year for the Pittsburgh Alleghenies and then the Philadelphia Athletics the following year.
He retired from the game when he graduated from law school in 1891, opened a law office in New York, eventually returned to Pennsylvania to become the Treasurer for Williamstown, and served in the JAG corps during WW1.
Bowman passed away at the age of 87 with the distinction of being Dauphin County's oldest attorney.