Researching John Lamb

Lamb was born on February 16, 1873, in Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, and moved to Kansas with his father to homestead. He graduated from the College of Emporia and later trained at the Princeton Theological Seminary to become a Presbyterian minister. Lamb married Martha Rannek in Jacksonville, Illinois on May 15, 1902. He died on March 3, 1955, at a hospital in Frederick, Oklahoma.

Lamb graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School — also the alma mater of star Pirates' right-hander Steve Blass — in 1964. He then entered the Pirates' farm system. In 1969, he enjoyed a breakout season with Salem of the Class-A Carolina League, appearing in 50 games, all in relief, and posting an 11–4 won–lost record and 18 saves, with a sparkling 1.95 earned run average. He followed that campaign with another strong year in 1970, with a combined 6–2 record, 15 saves, and 1.17 earned run average in 39 games in Double-A and Triple-A. He was brought up to Pittsburgh in August for his MLB debut.

When Lamb was recalled, the Pirates were involved in a three-team scramble for the National League East Division championship. Lamb worked in 23 games out of the Bucco bullpen, losing his only decision (September 17 against the Philadelphia Phillies) but collecting three saves. His earned run average was as low as 1.54 through his first 16 outings and 19 innings pitched, but he faltered toward the end of the season and finished with a 2.78 ERA. The Pirates captured the division title, but Lamb did not appear in the 1970 National League Championship Series, won by the Cincinnati Reds in three straight games.

In, the Pirates ran the table, winning their division, the National League pennant and the 1971 World Series. Lamb, however, spent most of the year in Triple-A, where he won eight games and saved 11 more for the Charleston Charlies of the International League. He was brought back to Pittsburgh in September as rosters expanded and hurled two scoreless relief appearances, but was not on the Pirates' postseason roster. Lamb then spent all of 1972 with Charleston, and struggled to a 5–9 record and a poor 4.96 ERA. But he turned things around in 1973, winning all six decisions with 12 saves and a 1.66 ERA in 31 games for Charleston, earning one last promotion to the Pirates in midsummer. However, he was largely ineffective, posting two more saves but being tagged with his second MLB loss and putting up a 6.07 earned run average. He ended his professional career with Charleston in 1974, his eleventh straight year in the Pirate organization. All told, Lamb worked in 47 MLB games, all in relief, and allowed 63 hits and 24 bases on balls in 66 innings of work, with a career ERA of 4.07. He was credited with five saves.

As of 2020, Lamb was still active in youth baseball, serving as pitching coach for Amenia, New York, High School, and assisting in pitching clinics there.

Born in Vero Beach, Florida, Lamb grew up as a child who loved playing music, specializing in the tuba. He left high school to join the United States Air Force as a musician for their military band. He was stationed in Texas and then Montana, where the long winters left him ample time to practice. When the band's usual string bass player was unavailable for a gig in 1951, the bandmaster asked Lamb if he could play the bass; Lamb immediately said yes, and before long became the band's new string bassist. He credited his tuba experience for giving him the "feel" to pick up string bass quickly without any prior experience.

Lamb joined Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1964, and toured with them for three years. Lamb was more of a fan of Miles Davis and Red Garland when he was with Ellington, later saying, “I was very young and very cocky. I thought I knew more than Duke at that time...I have more time today to reflect on the things that were accomplished back then, and the places we traveled to and all the wonderful people that we met. So one has to be careful what one does in his young years, because if they’re fortunate to live long, it all comes back.” In 1966 Lamb performed with Ellington and Sam Woodyard for artist Joan Miró at the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence.

Lamb later moved to St. Petersburg, Florida and taught music in public schools as well as St. Petersburg College. Alphonso Johnson was one of Lamb's students. Lamb was awarded the Jazz Club of Sarasota’s “Satchmo Award” for service to jazz.

Commander Lamb founded a banking family in Australia as chairman of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney (now National Australia Bank). Four of his sons also became CBCS directors, namely the bankers and politicians Walter Lamb, Alfred Lamb, Edward Lamb and the banker John de Villiers Lamb. His wife Emma (née Robinson) was the daughter of the deputy chairman of Lloyds Bank. His daughter-in-law by John Lamb, Henrietta Lamb, was the sister of the deputy chairman of the Commercial Banking Company of Sydney, Thomas Smith.