Major League Baseball Player. The knuckleballing right-hander was nearly 35 years old when he made his big-league debut with two appearances for the Boston Bees in 1938. He had been in the minor leagues since 1929 and missed the 1932 season because of illness. He spent most of the 1938 and 1939 seasons with Indianapolis in the American Association before getting a shot with the National League champion Cincinnati Reds in 1939, going 2-1 in 10 games. The St. Louis Browns acquired him on waivers on January 4, 1940, and he went 15-11 with a 2.66 earned run average and 16 complete games in 27 starts in 1942. The Browns traded him with third baseman Harlond Clift to the Washington Senators on August 18, 1943 for infielder Ellis Clary, pitcher John "Ox" Miller and cash. He was one of four knuckleball pitchers on the Senators' staff for a time. The others were Dutch Leonard, Roger Wolff and Mickey Haefner. He was 10-10 with a 2.59 ERA and 201 innings pitched in 1943. At the age of 41, he was 10-8 with a 2.32 ERA, 14 complete games in 24 starts and 206 innings pitched. He stayed with the Senators until finishing his career with the Boston Braves in 1946. His nine-year ledger showed a 64-69 record, a 3.22 ERA, 81 complete games in 161 starts and 13 shutouts. Cause of death: suicide by hanging.
Major League Baseball Player. The knuckleballing right-hander was nearly 35 years old when he made his big-league debut with two appearances for the Boston Bees in 1938. He had been in the minor leagues since 1929 and missed the 1932 season because of illness. He spent most of the 1938 and 1939 seasons with Indianapolis in the American Association before getting a shot with the National League champion Cincinnati Reds in 1939, going 2-1 in 10 games. The St. Louis Browns acquired him on waivers on January 4, 1940, and he went 15-11 with a 2.66 earned run average and 16 complete games in 27 starts in 1942. The Browns traded him with third baseman Harlond Clift to the Washington Senators on August 18, 1943 for infielder Ellis Clary, pitcher John "Ox" Miller and cash. He was one of four knuckleball pitchers on the Senators' staff for a time. The others were Dutch Leonard, Roger Wolff and Mickey Haefner. He was 10-10 with a 2.59 ERA and 201 innings pitched in 1943. At the age of 41, he was 10-8 with a 2.32 ERA, 14 complete games in 24 starts and 206 innings pitched. He stayed with the Senators until finishing his career with the Boston Braves in 1946. His nine-year ledger showed a 64-69 record, a 3.22 ERA, 81 complete games in 161 starts and 13 shutouts. Cause of death: suicide by hanging.
Bio by: Ron Coons
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