In 1920Sam Breadon, who had just purchased the Cardinals, beseeched Ball to allow his team to cohabit the Browns home, Sportsmans Park. [2] Weighing 60 pounds (27kg) and standing 3feet 7inches (109cm) tall, he became the shortest player in the history of the Major Leagues. In addition to being a strong blocker for Brown and Kelly, he averaged 4.8 yards a carry, 28 receptions a year. Oh, and he had 2,375 yards and three scores on punt returns. The uniform was that of future St. Louis Cardinals managing partner and chairman William DeWitt, Jr. who was a 9-year-old batboy for the Browns at the time. According to his autobiography, Veeck was fully aware that St. Louis could not support two baseball teams, and his plan was to drive the Cardinals out of town. Gaedel's major league career lasted just the one plate appearance, but with Veeck's 1959 acquisition of the White Sox, the native Chicagoan once again found some high-profile, albeit non-playing, ballpark employment. Upon reading the contract, Hurley motioned for Gaedel to take his place in the batter's box (as a result of Gaedel's appearance, all contracts must now be approved by the Commissioner of Baseball before a player can appear in a game). The Stars all-time leader in plate appearances, Bell, who had moved to St. Louis in high school, spent ten seasons with the Stars, and unsurprisingly for anybody even tangentially familiar with his mythology, he is easily the teams all-time leader in stolen bases, having led the league five times during his Stars tenure. 73 overall draft pick in 1956 (Stanford), Wiggin played his entire 12-year pro career with Cleveland, covering 151 games. Do you have a sports website? He was assigned a number Veeck thought was appropriate: 1/8. And Baseball Reference has diligently compiled the statistics for 29 years of what is now, properly, regarded as Major League Baseball. George SISLER. Cribbs was to special teams what Joe Thomas was to pass blocking. While the records of the National and American Leagues by the 1920s through 1940s were a bit more comprehensive, 19th century baseball has historical records littered with inconsistencies and incompletions far more egregious than the records of the Negro Leagues, and those numbers are still valued because they are still a part of baseballs history. My question is why wasn't he higher? Wilson RedusNicknamed Frog, Wilson Redus was one of the most tenured Stars players, ranking 5th in games played with the organization, and the outfielder, while not having quite the highest highs among the team, was a model of consistency of being a regularly terrifying offensive force. Much of the play-by-play, game results, and transaction information both shown and used to create certain data sets was obtained free of charge from and is copyrighted by RetroSheet. Also listed is the last living player from defunct teams. U.S., World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 19401947 for Edward Carl Gaedel. 9. 2023 BaseballBiography.com. While in St. Louis, the St. Louis Browns have appeared in the World Series once, in 1944. What follows is a list of living St. Louis Browns players. Initially, Major League Baseball struck Gaedel from its record book, as if he had not been in the game. After the 1901 season, the Milwaukee Brewers, charter members of theAmerican League, moved to St. Louis and became the Browns a name that recalled the glorious history of Chris von der Ahes Brown Stockings. Discharge Date: The St. Louis fans were fully aware of Veeck's plans to move the team and stayed away from the ballpark. Here's the the second group of 15 players as the all-time greats team, in theory, gets better and better. Unit: Mike McLain: He played when tight ends were attached to the hips of offensive tackles. This is Joe Gordon, and Gordon put his hand out. He sent his talent scout out into the world to secretly find the right guy. [8] He was a professional performer, belonging to the American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA). A few weeks after that, he got in another altercation. Also listed is the last living player from defunct teams. All the guys put their hand out, all but three. The 5 greatest catchers in St. Louis Cardinals history - Call to the Pen Rube Waddell p (1946) Veterans - Browns Years: 1908-1910. This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 23:24. The St. Louis Browns and the end of the MLB color barrier | STLPR It was played in light snow in one of the all-time . All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Do you have a blog? Service Number: 6. The Strange Tale Of Eddie Gaedel, The Shortest Player In Major League History. The Weimar, Texas native was living in Stark County when he died in 2008. They led the AL in both hitting and pitching, led by George Sislers .420 BA, 39 home runs from Ken Williams (four more than Ruth, who missed six weeks that season due to a suspension) and the strong pitching of Urban Shocker (24 wins, 2.97 ERA). He played in the AAFC with the Buffalo Bills in 1949. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. His last Browns season was 2012. 196 overall draft pick by the Packers in 1962 (Louisville), Green was traded to Cleveland that year and spent his entire, 89-game career with the Browns. No longer able to compete financially, Veeck decided to pack up and move the Browns before the 1953 season. Born May 28, 1926, Frank Saucier is the oldest; Billy Hunter, born June 4, 1928, is the youngest. Win Expectancy, Run Expectancy, and Leverage Index calculations provided by Tom Tango of InsideTheBook.com, and co-author of The Book: Playing the Percentages in Baseball. Browns career: A No. Banks regret in the form of drug issues that tainted his career, but he was consistently good and at times spectacular. In St. Louis, they appeared in one World Series as the St. Louis Browns, in 1944. Statistically, he was a bit of a proto-sabermetric darling, never hitting for a ton of power but being a highly productive offensive weapon on the strength of his ability to draw walks, a category in which he led the NNL in both 1926 and 1929. Full-year historical Major League statistics provided by Pete Palmer and Gary Gillette of Hidden Game Sports. Post A Comment Cancel Reply. Evergreen Park, Illinois, USA, St. Louis Cardinals Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, "Veeck's latest gimmick - a midget big leaguer", "Browns hit all-time low; use 3-foot 7-inch player", "Edward Gaedele in the 1940 United States Federal Census", "Outside the Lines: At Bat Eddie Gaedel", "The Only Eddie Gaedel Signed Photograph Known To Exist", "Tigers defeat Browns twice on 7 hitters", "August 19, 1951 Tigers-Browns box score", "Veeck's Latest Stunt: Midget Spacemen Invade Comiskey Park", "Gaedel made a big mark in his own small way Veeck's tallest tale is a walk in the park", "Project MUSE - NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture - Bill Veeck and James Thurber: The Literary Origins of the Midget Pinch Hitter", "Short Hitter, Long Memory Bob Cain is Best Known as the Pitcher Who Walked Midget Eddie Gaedel", "Kyle Gaedele Minor League Statistics & History", ESPN.com article: "Short on size, long on history", Tales from the Ballpark excerpt @ Google Books. 10 Greatest St. Louis Cardinals of All Time written by August 6, 2017 1 Rogers Hornsby Known by some as "The Rajah," Hornsby was a prolific hitter from 1915-1937. The Browns had to sell off players to pay their bills; when attendance dropped as a result, they were forced to sell more talent. An excellent baserunner and superb fielder who was once tried out at second and third base even though he threw left-handed, Sisler's primary asset was his left-handed swing, which he used to notch a career .340 batting average. The American League president, Will Harridge, voided Gaedels contract two days later, saying the decision was in the best interests of baseball.. In baseball, the strike zone is the width of the home plate and the height of the distance from the midline between the players shoulders and waistband to just below their knee caps. The Orioles would soon trade away most of the remaining talent from the Veeck era (including Sievers, Wertz, Turley, and Larsen), and it would be several years before the franchise finally began to win. 1915-1922, 1924-1927 first base. The Browns won just one pennant, in 1944, when the majors were not at full strength due to World War II. There, he broke the season record for home attendance with 1.4 million fans, brought the first electronic scoreboard to baseball, began the tradition of shooting fireworks after home runs, and was the first to add players last names to the backs of their jerseys. 2,156 St. Louis Browns Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 2,156 St. Louis Browns Premium High Res Photos Browse 2,156 st. louis browns stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. The Negro Leagues should be the same. All times are GMT-8. No Comments. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. While Veecks Browns period is perhaps best known for his Eddie Gaedel midget gag, Veeck did bring a number of quality players to St. Louis, such as Virgil Trucks, Vic Wertz, Clint Courtney, Johnny Groth, and Satchel Paige. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. The next year he bought a majority stake in the Browns. The Athletic article: Tragic Spectacle of Eddie Gaedel, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Eddie_Gaedel&oldid=1122990470, Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, August 19,1951,for theSt. Louis Browns, Shortest player in Major League Baseball history, Shares record for highest career on-base percentage (unofficial due to insufficient plate appearances), Career statistics and player information from, This page was last edited on 21 November 2022, at 02:55. He was selected to the Pro Bowl in 1955, the season in which he recovered three fumbles. Veeck next targeted Baltimore, MD but the American League voted him down. Mule SuttlesA considerable portion of Negro Leagues folklore is built around charismatic, entertaining talents (see #2 if thats what youre seeking), but the heartbeat of the sport, just as Babe Ruth was the heartbeat of the white Major Leagues, were mammoth dudes who just crushed baseballs, and few encapsulated that better than George Mule Suttles (it seems appropriate that the Stars answer to Ruth was a guy named George who went by a nickname more befitting of a hulking animal). He scored 10 touchdowns during the 1964 NFL title run. [27], Because of its scarcity, Gaedel's autograph now sells for more than Babe Ruth's. Stan Musial Age: 20 - 23, 25 - 42 Years: 1941 - 1944, 1946 - 1963 Position(s): 1B, LF, RF, CF Stan Musial WAR wRC+ G PA AB R 14 overall draft pick in 1951 (LSU), his pro launch was delayed until 1953, after which he played his entire 84-game career for Cleveland. In 1944, the Browns finally won their first and only pennant, edging the Detroit Tigers on the final day of the season when the immortal Sig Jakucki beat the New York Yankees, 5-2. . Join our linker program. 27th Recruit Co., GENERAL SERV. "[21] On April 19, 1961, Veeck hired several dwarfs, including Gaedel, as vendors, allegedly due to "some complaints" from fans regarding hitherto blocked sight lines. Charlie Comiskey, meanwhile led the team in home runs . Copyright 2000-2022 Sports Reference LLC. This page was generated at 10:02 AM. In 1916 he played the full season and in 1917 he hit .353 and was a star. He died on February 22, 1931 in San Diego, though I couldnt find a cause of death from anything approaching a reliable source. Use without license or authorization is expressly prohibited. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. Very undersized by modern pitcher standards, the 59, 168 pound Hensley was not an overpowering pitcher but he was a consistent innings-eater, leading the NNL in innings and wins in both 1926 and 1930. He played six seasons elsewhere. Browns' owner Bill Veeck, a showman who enjoyed staging publicity stunts, found Gaedel through a booking agency. His mother, Helen (ne Janicki), was a homemaker. Out of money, Veeck had to unload several of his top players, including Trucks, his best pitcher. Each team nickname is considered a "team," hence there is a listing for both the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. Phone: 602.496.1460 Despite the positive things that had come from Gaedels unique look, he refused to travel very far for appearances. The club was boasting the best players in franchise history, including future Hall of Famer George Sisler, and an outfield trio - Ken Williams, Baby Doll Jacobson, and JackTobin . In anticipation, he increased the capacity of his ballpark from 18,000 to 30,000. Jesse Burkett of (1946) Veterans - Browns Years: 1902-04. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. It seems fitting he is the 60th pick, for in 1975, his first year with the Browns, his 60 receptions led the AFC. Team Names: Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Browns, Milwaukee Brewers Seasons: 122 (1901 to 2022) Record: 8928-9952, .473 W-L% Playoff Appearances: 14 Pennants: 7 World Championships: 3 The old expression about the St. Louis Browns was, "First in shoes, first in booze, and last in the American League." In their 52-year history, the Browns . Gene Moore (outfielder) - Wikipedia His five returns for TDs is a team record. Each team nickname is considered a "team," hence there is a listing for both the Washington Senators and Minnesota Twins. Yet, he made 271 catches for 4,208 yards and 16 TDs, good numbers considering the times. At the time, Veeck was the owner of the St. Louis Browns an American League franchise that was known for ineptitude on the field and low attendance in the stands. 1909: The Browns are unable to build off their solid season as they stumble all year, falling back down into seventh place, posting a record of 61-89 along the way, as Manager Jimmy McAleer is fired following the season. Falstaff, and the fans, had been promised a "festival of surprises" by Veeck. 5. The Browns' roster also suffered from wartime depletion, as their best hitter and starting center fielder Wally Judnich missed the entire season, while Galehouse, talented starting pitcher Steve Sundra, and power hitter Chet Laabs missed most of the season to either military service or employment related to the war effort. Browns career: A No. Baltimore Orioles All-Time Team. I have had the pleasure to be in his company during social events and he is among the top five classiest players to ever don a Browns uniform. Cain delivered four consecutive balls, all high (the first two pitches were legitimate attempts at strikes; the last two were half-speed tosses). After 15 minutes of amused debating, Hurley acquiesced. Eddie Gaedel, who batted once for Bill Veecks St. Louis Browns, is photographed at work in 1951 in a St. Louis, Missouri. Number 5 Walker Cooper. Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Do you have a sports website? Veeck and Taylor had the foresight to have a copy of Gaedel's contract on hand,[16] as well as a copy of the Browns' active roster, which had room for Gaedel's addition. Gaedel gained recognition in the second game of a St. Louis Browns doubleheader on August 19, 1951. Even Brown was surprised how good a defensive player Tommy became on championship teams. James played both ways for Massillon's legendary 1940 team, but Brown saw him as a bigger star on offense. The Browns moved to the National League in 1892 when the American Association merged with the National League, and eventually became the St. Louis Cardinals in 1900. [4] His father, Carl Gaedele (18861949), was a Lithuanian immigrant who managed a department store and worked as a parking lot checker. Although his mythic speed, mostly perpetuated by Satchel Paige, makes Bell seem like an impossible figure, the number back up his greatness. Pictorial Parade/Getty ImagesPortrait of maverick baseball executive Bill Veeck seated at his desk, 1965. Branch RussellA World War I veteran who was later buried in St. Louiss Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, Russell was primarily a right fielder but with material playing time at second base, third base, and shortstop. Hensley led the Stars in career innings and wins, and he earned wins in both NNL championship series victories for the team. One thing I didnt dare dream to come from the Baseball Reference Negro Leagues project was a Wins Above Replacement calculation. He brought the then 69-year-old Bob Cain to the park to "reenact" the at-bat, by pitching to the 10-year-old son of the Saints manager. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1941 Play Ball Reprints - ST LOUIS BROWNS Team Set at the best online prices at eBay! Over their twelve seasons, the St. Louis Stars compiled a 580-388 recorda 97-win pace in a 162-game schedule season over the course of a dozen yearsand won three league pennants. The Indiana native was a two-time, first-team All-Pro and two-time, second-team All-Pro. Josh Cribbs, Webster Slaughter to be inducted into Browns Legends, Picking Cleveland Browns 75th anniversary all-time team continues, Reports: 3 children dead, 2 wounded in attack at Texas home, Kellyanne Conway, George Conway To Divorce After Decadeslong Marriage: Report, School punished teen girl for working out in sports bra in 100-degree Texas heat, ACLU says, U.S. court won't require FAA to make airplane seat size, spacing rules, 'Extremely dangerous': Spike in illegal crossings at Canada-Vermont border has feds sounding alarm, SoCal in for cool start to weekend, but light rain makes brief return, AccuWeather: Clouds and wind into Saturday AM, Zelenskyy on tribunal for Russia: World has an obligation to every soldier defending freedom, Bruins sign David Pastrnak to 8-year, $90 million extension, Sheriff's Office, Highway Patrol, Newark Police join for rare combined training. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? He was mentioned by name in the lyrics of Terry Cashman's homage to 1950s baseball, "Talkin' Baseball (Willie, Mickey, and the Duke)." https://www.baseball-reference.com/bpv/index.php?title=St._Louis_Browns&oldid=1195309, Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball. Ball confidently predicted that there would be aWorld Series in Sportsmans Park by 1926. This was a full decade and a half before baseball actually proceeded which such a move. On August 19, 1951, Gaedel entered the second half of the doubleheader between the Browns and Detroit Tigers in the bottom of the first inning as a pinch-hitter for leadoff batter Frank Saucier. St. Louis Browns - Wikipedia Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? All images are property the copyright holder and are displayed here for informational purposes only. The 24 best players in St. Louis Cardinals history | Yardbarker He started for four Browns teams that reached NFL championship games. Though he only went to bat once in his life and his story doesnt have a happy ending his one day in a St. Louis Browns uniform went down in sports history and made fans carefully consider where the line was drawn between athletics and entertainment. [9], Gaedel's grandnephew, Kyle Gaedele, was selected in the June 2011 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres and played minor league baseball as high as the Double-A level.[28]. [22], On June 18, 1961, the unemployed Gaedel, who had just turned 36, was at a bowling alley in Chicago, his birthplace and hometown. membership.thestlbrowns.com | 100 Greatest Browns Presentation Who Was the Greatest St. Louis Brown? | Play a Hard Nine The first group of 15, published Monday, can be found here. Balls tenure, lasting until 1933, was one of failure. Yesterday, Baseball Reference rolled out arguably its most ambitious project since, well, the very first day the website included statistics for every player in the history of the National and American Leagues. In his debut season, as a 23 year-old, Trent went 15-10 with a 2.93 ERA, leading the league in strikeouts. Hall of Fame AL St. Louis Browns 1. Arguably the first great first baseman of the twentieth century, George Sisler was the greatest player in St. Louis Browns history. He was responsible for integrating the American League in 1947 when as owner of the Cleveland Indians he signed black player Larry Doby. St. Louis Browns historical references, merchandise and more. Fiss made a run as a minor-league catcher in the Cleveland organization, a teammate of Rogers Maris. (LogOut/ 155 overall draft pick in 1953 (Kansas), Fiss didn't play in a game until 1956, then wound up with a 139-game career, all in Cleveland, through 1966. 3. His sophomore season was his best, with a league-best 19 wins and a 2.21 ERA in guiding the Stars to a pennant. https://www.baseball-reference.com/bpv/index.php?title=List_of_living_St._Louis_Browns_players&oldid=1241373, Scores from any date in Major League history, Minor, Foreign, College, & Black Baseball, Frequently Asked Questions about MLB and Baseball. We present them here for purely educational purposes. He also maintained a relationship with Veeck. It coincides with the 75th anniversary of the Browns debut year, 1946. 57 . Copyright 2000-2022 Sports Reference LLC. Do you have a blog? The St. Louis left fielder was the first player in the major leagues to hit more than 30 home runs and steal 30 bases (37). Portrait of maverick baseball executive Bill Veeck seated at his desk, 1965. Category:St. Louis Browns players - Wikipedia After learning about Eddie Gaedel, the shortest baseball player in history, check out these girl baseball player cigarette pack cards from the 1880s. [15] Until Gaedel stepped up to the plate, even his teammates had no idea he was actually going to play in the game.[17]. [9][10][11] Some early Mercury recordings featured a caricature of him as its logo.[12][13]. The team, which played from 1902 to 1953, has just 3 remaining representatives. Eddie Gaedel, a 3-foot-7 inch person, takes his famous at-bat on August 19, 1951 for Bill Veecks St. Louis Browns. Total Zone Rating and initial framework for Wins above Replacement calculations provided by Sean Smith. Free shipping for many products! Cemetery: In 1930, the Gaedele family lived in Chicago's Garfield Ridge neighborhood, and by 1940, the family lived in Back of the Yards. Although regularly overlooked by flashier players, Creacy was one of the stalwarts of the team, finishing fourth in Stars history in plate appearances. The Official Site of the St. Louis Browns Historical Society and Fan Club The Browns reached the AFC title game in three of the next four years. Ken Williams - Society for American Baseball Research "[3], Edward Carl Gaedele (Gaedel) was born In Cook County, Illinois, on June 8, 1925. As soon as he could, Bill Veeck got rid of those three.. The downward spiral reached its nadir in 1939; from 1937 to 1939, the Browns compiled a 144-316 record. He would be one of the best players in the American league in for the next five seasons. In a 14-season career, Moore posted a .270 batting average with 58 home runs and 436 RBI in 1042 games played. Tip O'Neill continues to be the top hitter for St. Louis, batting .335 while hitting five home runs with 98 RBI. Browns career: A No. girl baseball player cigarette pack cards from the 1880s, photo of the very first basketball game from 127 years ago. The club was boasting the best players in franchise history, including future Hall of Famer George Sisler, and an outfield trio Ken Williams,Baby Doll Jacobson, and JackTobin that batted .300 or better in 1919-23 and in 1925. Cardinals owner Fred Saight had income tax troubles that resulted in a prison term, but August Busch restored order by purchasing the team. Eugene Moore, Jr. (August 26, 1909 March 12, 1978) was an American professional baseball right fielder. He made about $17,000 over the next two weeks from various media appearances and continued to visit ballparks over the years for promotional stunts. Steve King: He was one of the top right tackles in the league in a career that began with the Kardiac Kids and ended with the last of the great Bernie Kosar-era teams in 1989. It was crowded on offense. George Sisler 1b (1939) 85.77% - Browns Years 1915-27. Death Date: Falstaff personnel, who had been promised national publicity for their participation, were particularly dissatisfied. One by one, [Indians manager] Lou [Boudreau] introduced me to each player, Doby would later recall. 4. In their full franchise history, they've appeared in 7 World Series. Eddie Gaedel was in his bed, but covered in bruises. In his autobiography, Veeck contends that the other American League owners conspired to keep him in St. Louis in 1953 and 1954, in an effort to bankrupt him. The Browns existed from 1902 to 1953 in the American League and managed just 11 winning seasons over that span. Logan HensleyHensley is both the highest-ranked full-time pitcher and the highest-ranked native of the St. Louis area on this list, having been born in 1900 in Pacific, Missouri. He was a strong blocker at 238 pounds. The stunts so angered the other owners that Veeck was forced to sell the club to Baltimore interests in 1953, putting an end to theSt. Louis Browns. Eddie Gaedel, a little person hired by St. Louis Browns owner Bill Veeck, sits on the bench in Sportsmans Park on August 18, 1951 in St. Louis, Missouri. Steve Doerschuk: Gerard Warren, Trent Richardson, Braylon Edwards became disappointing No. No. They're close to dead ringers. When Veeck got the impression that Gaedel might be tempted to swing at a pitch, the owner warned Gaedel that he had taken out a $1million insurance policy on his life, and that he would be standing on the roof of the stadium with a rifle prepared to kill Gaedel if he even looked like he was going to swing. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account. St Mary's Cemetery Arguably his finest season came in 1925, when Redus had a career-best .372 batting average and .453 on-base percentage. In 1954, following eight straight losing seasons, the Browns moved to Baltimore and became the Baltimore Orioles. The Story Of Eddie Gaedel, Major League Baseball's Shortest Player The SPORTS REFERENCE and STATHEAD trademarks are owned exclusively by Sports Reference LLC. Some defensive statistics Copyright Baseball Info Solutions, 2010-2022. The 18,369 fans gave Gaedel a standing ovation. 9 Dec 1918 At 3'7'', Eddie Gaedel's baseball career was about as short as he was. Joining the Stars in 1926, the 63, 215 pound first baseman immediately made an impact, leading the NNL in hits, triples, and home runs (32 in 397 plate appearances) en route to a 1.349 OPS (241 OPS+), the second-highest mark in Stars history (the leader, Oscar Charleston, is a Negro Leagues super-legend, but one who only spent one season in St. Louis). Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. Naturally the Browns fell short in the World Series, losing 4-2 to the neighboring St. Louis Cardinals. Then, check out a photo of the very first basketball game from 127 years ago. In 1925, his best season, Bobo had a 1.068 OPS in 391 plate appearances, with his walk rate and solid contact abilities bringing his OPS+ to a staggering 184, heights achieved by Albert Pujols, Mark McGwire, and no other St. Louis first basemen. The Saint Louis Browns Historical Society & Fan Club extends Happy Birthday wishes to George Elder the newest member of MLB's Centenarian Club when he joins twenty-one other former players to reach the 100 year old mark on Wednesday March 10th . [15] Veeck had carefully trained Gaedel to assume a tight crouch at the plate; he had measured Gaedel's strike zone in that stance and claimed it was just one and a half inches (3.8cm) high.