Celebrating 64th Anniversary of the Smallest Professional (?) Baseball Player Ever

It was August 19, 1951 when Eddie Gaedel stepped up to the plate as a pinch hitter for Frank Saucier. Today we have Eddie Gaedel Societies popping up around the country recognizing short people. Pictured here is Bill Rogers, President of the St. Louis Browns Historical Society and Emmett McAuliffe, VP of the Organization. While not short in physical size, they say they are short of money.  Who isn't??

Click on Photo to Enlarge

 

Pictured is Tom Keefe, founder of the Eddie Gaedel Society, preaching the gospel about Eddie Gaedel.

There is one surviving member of this 1951 event, Frank Saucier.  Frank is pictured on the Browns luncheon flyer and can be seen at:  http://2015browns.blogspot.com.

New Eddie Gaedel/Browns-themed Bar Opens Just Blocks from Busch Stadium III

Tiny Bar to open in tiny space : Business

Remembering Baseball's Smallest Player

Bill Rogers, Fan Club President/COO with
. . . . . . . Eddie Gaedel?

Eddie Gaedel's bat, used in MLB's most famous stunt, readies for sale at Heritage Auctions

Consigned by Gaedel's nephew, Chicago-area resident Bob Gaedele; Used by "little person" Gaedel on Aug. 19, 1951, as MLB owner and showman Bill Veeck's St. Louis Browns played the Detroit Tigers; Gaedel batted once, with the number 1/8 on his jersey, walking on four pitches; Offered for the first time ever at auction.

 

 

 

 

It is, to this day, likely the most famous stunt in Major League Baseball history: On Aug. 19, 1951, as the anemic St. Louis Browns limped toward the fall of another failed season against the Detroit Tigers, owner Bill Veeck — a Hall of Fame owner and the greatest showman in the history of the game — sent 3' 7" tall Eddie Gaedel to the plate, with the number "1/8" on his jersey and to the hysterical laughter of fans.

It was the bottom of the first inning of the second game of a doubleheader and Gaedel took four straight balls and headed to first base and into baseball history.

On Aug. 1, as part of Heritage Auctions' Platinum Night Sports Auction in Rosemont, IL, taking place in conjunction with The National Sports Collector's Convention, the bat that sat perched atop Gaedel's shoulder for those four pitches will appear for the very first time at auction. It is expected to bring $100,000+.

"Veeck was behind some of the most famous, and infamous, ballpark stunts in the history of America's pastime," said Chris Ivy, Director of Sports at Heritage Auctions, "including Cleveland Municpal Stadium's disastrous 10 cent beer night in 1974. It was his 1951 stunt with Gaedel as the smallest batter in league history, however, that he is most remembered for."

The bat has been consigned to auction by Gaedel's nephew, Bob Gaedele, a Chicago-area resident who was given the bat by his father when he was around 10 years old. Bob's father, Eddie's younger brother, received the bat from Eddie after the game.

Read the rest of the story at: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=63956#.UfFA-I0o7oo

The Name is Almost the Same: Gaedele or Gaedel

Living history was played out this past summer at Warner Park in Madison, Wisconsin. The Mallards right fielder is Kyle Gaedele, the great-nephew of Eddie Gaedel. He changed the spelling of his last name to have it pronounced correctly.

On August 19, 1951, Gaedel became the shortest player to bat in a major league game, taking four pitches in a Bill Veeck stunt for the St. Louis Browns. Gaedel was 3 foot seven and wore number 1/8.

Kyle Gaedele is 6 foot 4 inches and wears the number 48. And he finished second in the North Woods League All-Star home run derby.

I don’t get tired of talking about my great uncle,” Gaedele said during a clubhouse interview recently. “I’m proud of it. I knew about him ever since I can remember. In 2001, we went to the national baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown when they did a re-enactment of the whole situation. I was 11 years old. It was awesome.”

Gaedele’s off-season home is Arlington Heights, where his parents live. His father owns the historic bat. It’s likely he will bring the bat back to Madison before the regular season ends. “It’s smaller than a miniature bat you can get at a professional baseball game,” Gaedele said.

Kyle Gaedele is a Chicago native who attends Valparaiso University. He brought the Gaedele bat to college for a show and tell. His coach is former major leaguer, Tracy Woodson. He isn’t sure about where he got his height. He also weighs 225 pounds. “My dad is about 5’ 11”, my mom is 5’ 7”, my older brother is about 5’ 10” and here I am at 6’ 4” Gaedele said.

River City Rascals Salute St. Louis Browns Historical Society & Eddie Gaedel Anniversary

August 19 is the date and 1951 is the year when the shortest man in baseball history stepped into the  batters box and walked on four pitches.  The River City Rascals recreated the event last night and the revived "Eddie Gaedel" also took four pitches. Unfortunately, three of them were strikes and a defiant Gaedel walked back to the dugout. There was no joy in O'Fallon, MO as the mighty Gaedel has struck out.

Prior to the start of the game, Eddie surprised everyone by jumping out of a large cake wheeled on to the field - just as it happened back in 1951. Eddie waved to the crowd and made his way to the Rascals' dugout.

The visiting Oakland County Cruisers went down in order in the top of the first inning. As the Rascals' first batter was about to approach the batters box, Gaedel was announced as the pinch hitter. As he approached the plate, the fans cheered him on . . . only to see him go down on strikes.

Fans from the St. Louis Browns Historical Society and Fan Club were on hand to cheer for the Rascals. Pictured above is Bill Rogers, Editor of Pop Flys, the Browns Official Publication, along with Nick Hagan in the role of Eddie Gaedel.

The following photos will give you an insight into the festivities. (Click on Photos to Enlarge)

(Click on Photos to Enlarge)

Browns to Retire Eddie Gaedel's Number 1/8 in DH in St. Louis

Almost fifty-nine years after stepping up to the plate, major league baseball's smallest player will have his big night. On July 17, the Farmington Browns Baseball Club will retire Eddie Gaedel's famous number 1/8 in ceremonies between games of a twi-night doubleheader at Lemay Baseball Association's Heine Meine Field in St. Louis. The Browns will play the M.I.N.K. League's Ozark Generals that night.

On August 19, 1951, the St. Louis Browns' owner Bill Veeck sent Gaedel to bat as a pinch-hitter in the first inning of the second game of a doubleheader versus the Detroit Tigers. Gaedel drew a walk off of pitcher Bob Cain.

Wearing vintage 1934 St. Louis Browns uniforms, the Farmington Browns play in the summer collegiate KIT (Kitty) League, a wood-bat league for college and university players. The league is named after the old Class D pro circuit that lasted from 1903-1955. Major leaguers who played in the league include Tony Kubek, Chuck Tanner, Vern Stephens, Red Schoendienst and Dusty Rhodes.

For more information please contact Ted Kapnick, Owner/GM, Farmington Browns Baseball Club, 200 West First Street, Suite 191, Farmington, MO 63640 or call 573-705-2313.

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

Some Baseball Trivia: Did You Know???

1. Owner of the Chicago Cubs, Bill Veeck, used to have midgets as food vendors at the clubs home ground, because he said that it meant that the paying public didn't have to have their view of the game spoiled!

2. The baseball tradition of spring training came about because in 1885 the Chicago White Stockings went to Hot Springs in Arkansas to prepare for the new season.

3. Where is the world's longest baseball bat? The world's largest baseball bat is only 120 feet long weighing in at 68,000 pounds. It resembles the 34 inch wood bat that the Bambino, Babe Ruth Swung, made by Louisville Slugger. Want to see it in person it is located at : 800 West Main Street, Louisville, Kentucky at the Louisville Slugger Museum.

4. Who was the shortest major league baseball player? (Click on photos to enlarge)

It was Edward Carl "Eddie" Gaedel , born in Chicago, Illinois, June 8, 1925. He was an American midget who became famous for participating in a MLB game who secretly signed by the St. Louis Browns. He was only 3 feet 7 inches (109 cm) tall and weighing 65 pounds (29.5 kg). His uniform number was 1/8. He had just one at bat for the Brown's in the second game of a doubleheader on Sunday, August 19, 1951.

They said Gaedel's strike zone measured just an inch and a half but it was probably closer to 6 inches. He reached base on four consecutive balls that were all high!

Gaedel's autograph now sells for more than Babe Ruth's. He died on June 18, 1961.

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This date in baseball: August 19

AUG. 19

1951: Eddie Gaedel, a 65-pound midget who was 3 feet 7, made his only plate appearance as a pinch hitter for Frank Saucier of the St. Louis Browns. Gaedel, wearing No. 1/8, was walked on four pitches by Detroit Tigers pitcher Bob Cain and then was taken out for pinch runner Jim Delsing. The gimmick by Browns owner Bill Veeck was completely legal but later outlawed.

1931 - Babe Ruth hit his 600th home run as the Yankees beat the St. Louis Browns 11-7.

1931 - Lefty Grove of the Philadelphia Athletics was beaten 1-0 by Dick Coffman of the St. Louis Browns, snapping a personal 16-game winning streak. A misjudged fly ball by outfielder Jim Moore led to the winning run.

1936 - In his first major league start, 17-year-old Bob Feller struck out 15 Browns as the Cleveland Indians beat St. Louis 4-1. Feller gave up six hits and allowed four walks.