Edward Patrick Gharrity was born March 13, 1892, in Parnell, Iowa. He married the former Margaret E. Donahue. Eddie, as he was known to his friends, gained fame as one of Walter Johnson’s catchers in the 1920’s having played major league baseball for a decade. Later he served as Johnson’s coach at Washington and Cleveland. Mr. Gharrity reached the major leagues with the Washington Senators in 1916 and remained with the team through 1923.

Illness in the family forced him to give up his professional playing for a time, but he then played with the Fairbanks Morse Fairies until they disbanded. Walter Johnson called him back to Wash-ington in 1929 as a player coach. Eddie played for two years and then coached through 1932 when he went to Cleveland with Johnson; he remained there from 1933 through 1935. Before World War II he managed Eau Claire of the Northern League and also served as a part time scout for the Milwaukee Braves. In his years with the Senators he compiled a batting average of .249.

He served as a member of the Beloit City Council from 1946 to 1950. Eddie was one of the earliest members of the Old Timers Association and served as president of the organization in 1938. In 1963 he was elected one of the four charter members of the Elks Club Sports Hall of Fame. He is also in the Beloit Sports Hall of Fame. Mr. and Mrs. Gharrity had six children: Thomas, Patricia, Mary, Sarah, Ann and William. Mr. Gharrity died suddenly on October 10, 1966.