Jacob Vernon Kindsfather
Jacob Vernon ("Vern") Kindsfather was born December 12, 1924, in Portland, Oregon. By 1940, Kindsfather's parents, Jacob and Mary (née Wacker) Kindsfather (Kindsvater), had moved across the Columbia River to Vancouver, Washington. The Jacob Kindsfather family is believed to be from Dietel and Brunnental, Russia, and Mary Wacker's (Walker) family is from Norka, Russia.
Vern Kindsfather coaching at Clark College
Kindsfather attended the University of Portland and began his professional baseball career with the Vancouver Capilanos of the Western International League in 1948 and 1949.
Kindsfather spent five of his eleven professional seasons pitching for the Seattle Rainiers, where he compiled a 21-game winning season in 1952. He also played for the Portland Beavers in the Pacific Coast League, Tulsa in the Texas League, and Tri-Cities in the Northwest League.
Kindsfather was known as a workhorse and fierce competitor who ranked amongst the best pitchers in the league during his time with the Seattle Rainiers.
During a season with the Salem Senators, Kindsfather pitched a perfect game (a no-hitter) against Eugene, facing only 21 batters in a 7-inning game.
During World War II, Kindsfather was a radarman with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, participating in nine major battles.
After retiring from professional baseball, Kindsfather continued coaching baseball for 25 seasons at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, before retiring in 1986.
Vern Kindsfather died on December 21, 2008, in Vancouver, Washington, at the age of 84.
After discontinuing the baseball program for several years, Clark College reinstated its team in 2011 and named their newly renovated facility Vern Kindsfather Field.
In 2012, Kindsfather was honored as a member of the Clark College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Kindsfather spent five of his eleven professional seasons pitching for the Seattle Rainiers, where he compiled a 21-game winning season in 1952. He also played for the Portland Beavers in the Pacific Coast League, Tulsa in the Texas League, and Tri-Cities in the Northwest League.
Kindsfather was known as a workhorse and fierce competitor who ranked amongst the best pitchers in the league during his time with the Seattle Rainiers.
During a season with the Salem Senators, Kindsfather pitched a perfect game (a no-hitter) against Eugene, facing only 21 batters in a 7-inning game.
During World War II, Kindsfather was a radarman with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific, participating in nine major battles.
After retiring from professional baseball, Kindsfather continued coaching baseball for 25 seasons at Clark College in Vancouver, Washington, before retiring in 1986.
Vern Kindsfather died on December 21, 2008, in Vancouver, Washington, at the age of 84.
After discontinuing the baseball program for several years, Clark College reinstated its team in 2011 and named their newly renovated facility Vern Kindsfather Field.
In 2012, Kindsfather was honored as a member of the Clark College Athletic Hall of Fame.
Sources
Last updated October 23, 2023