Wednesday, August 19, 2009

How Veeck Put Entertainment Into Baseball

Today, August 19, is an important anniversary date in baseball history. An event took place on this date during a game between the St. Louis Browns and the Detroit Tigers. This "event" will never happen again.

The following is an article by Les Kinsolving with WorldNetDaily. You can view the entire article at: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=107192.

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For all who have undergone the horrendous experience of losing a limb – especially those in our armed forces – let me recall one Marine Corps veteran of that World War II bloodbath at Bougainville, who lost his leg.

He died almost a quarter of a century ago, but he remains an absolute legend in the field of bringing unforgettable (if controversial) entertainment to that hardly-renowned-for-humor realm called professional baseball.

He should never, ever be forgotten for one night of the 1951 season, when he was owner of the old St. Louis Browns, those perennially cellar-dwellers who were playing the Detroit Tigers.
Suddenly, the crowd let out a great roar of delighted mirth.

Coming up to bat for the St. Louis Browns was a midget!

His name was Eddie Gaedel.

>> More on this day in history at: http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=107192