On this date in 1951, Eddie Gaedel became the first dwarf to play in a major league baseball game. Do I mention this because a FOB just 6-inches shorter than the Bushido had an amazing day with his fantasy team and I am expressing my discontent of being relished back to third place in our league? Of course not, it just happened to be the sequence of the days were the same and I thought what better way to remember Eddie Gaedel than to tell his story. And as a story within a story, we can also honor the recent passing of Yankees' short-stop, Phil Rizzuto.
Fun is so good that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree
On Friday, August 17th, 1951, maverick owner of the St. Louis Browns, Bill Veeck signed all 3 feet, 7-inches and 65 pounds of a young man named Eddie Gaedel. Quite the strategist Veeck was, as even today we find that our government will take a page out of his book: if you want to slide something past the people, announce it at ten till five on Friday, most people won't notice until Monday morning. And that is what Veeck did. Knowing that the Commissioner's office would probably not agree with the contract of a dwarf in the major leagues, Veeck sent Gaedel's contract in on Friday afternoon. And practically nobody did notice Gaedel's name on the roster except for the St. Louis Globe-Democrat sports writer, Harry Mitauer, who found a tight-lipped Browns' PR department.
That Sunday as the Detroit Tigers were in town for a double-header, Veeck sent Gaedel out in between games to jump out of a paper-mache cake in tribute to the American League's 50th Anniversary and as a promo for Falstaff Brewery. The crowd had a laugh, but the folks at Falstaff weren't impressed, that was until the 3rd inning of the second game.
Wearing the number "1/8", Eddie Gaedel was sent in to pinch-hit for Frank Saucier in the 3rd inning. Despite objections, Veeck and his manager had a copy of Gaedel's contract and Eddie was allowed to "step-up" to the plate. With a strike-zone of only one and one-half inch, Gaedel was walked with four straight balls from Tiger's pitcher Bob Cain. Eddie made it to first where he was subbed for a pinch-runner, thus unable to re-enter the game. A.L. President Will Harridge voided Gaedel's contract on Monday, August 20, 1951, on grounds that Veeck was making a mockery of the game. To which Veeck responded that perhaps, Yankees' short-stop, "Phil Rizzuto was just a tall-midget and that Eddie should be allowed to play". Veeck's defense fell on deaf ears and Eddie Gaedel's MLB career was over, with an 0-0 batting average, a 1.000 SLG% and the league minimum of $100 for playing in the game.
Eddie Gaedel died of a heart attack after being mugged in Chicago in 1961. Currently, his autograph is worth more than Babe Ruth's (mainly because Gaedel didn't sign many items of memorabilia) and his number "1/8" jersey is hanging in Cooperstown. At Gaedel's funeral there was only one representative from Major League Baseball, Mr. Bob Cain, the only pitcher he faced during his career.
Even in Fantasy, you've got to be kidding me
The Blackmon Braves lost this week to the Bushido Braves in 7 categories. We tied in 1-category (Wins by a pitcher) but Blackmon's Braves won in two categories: Strike-Outs and Batting average (.245 to the Bushido's .244). You might ask, how did Blackie pull out the strike-outs after trailing by 6 Ks? Two words: Smoltz and Santana.
John Smoltz passed Phil Niekro as the all-time leader of strike-outs as a Braves' pitcher, fanning Mark Reynolds of the D-Backs in the third-inning for Smoltz' 2,913 th K, as he retired 12 batters and walked 3 for his first win since July.
Johan Santana broke the Twinkies' franchise record, previously held by Bert Blyleven's 15 Ks (August 1, 1986) against the Oakland A's with 17-strike-outs in 8-innings as the Twins beat the Rangers 1-0.
Posted by The Bushido
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